End of July MCAT Date

[deleted421268]

If someone were to take MCAT on July 20th day and plan to apply for admission for Fall 2020 would they have minimum chance of getting acceptances? Is that too late? M.D and D.O programs?

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[965978]

The timeline itself isn’t a problem.

The problem is, how will you be able to put your full potential to applying and taking the MCAT simultaneously?

Preparing for and taking the MCAT and going through an app cycle are the two most stressful parts of being a pre-med and it’s best to keep them separate.

 

[deleted421268]

The timeline itself isn’t a problem.

The problem is, how will you be able to put your full potential to applying and taking the MCAT simultaneously?

Preparing for and taking the MCAT and going through an app cycle are the two most stressful parts of being a pre-med and it’s best to keep them separate.

What specifically would I have to during my MCAT Prep until test day in regards to application?

 

[965978]

What specifically would I have to during my MCAT Prep until test day in regards to application?

If you wait to start your primary until the end of July then you won’t get verified until early-mid September.

Not only that but the stress of just having taken the MCAT + the stress of waiting for your score can affect your ability to put your full effort into applying.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Eh, people on this site overvalue getting things in as soon as possible. Take it when you're ready. July is fine, but probably the latest you should take it. And make sure you have everything else good to go.

I will say that the REAL downside of taking it that late is that if you have a bad day or for whatever reason do poorly, it's really too late to retake at that point. Is there a reason you need to take it in July? If so, can you take a gap year? People have bad days--I know people who scored 6-7 points lower on the real deal than their AAMC average because of a test that had a lot of their weak subjects or they were just off.

Anecdotally, I know a bunch of people who took it in July and have had successful cycles--but they also have great ECs and had everything in and already submitted in June so that when the scores came out, they were good to go.

 

[deleted804295]

A late July date would get your scores in by late August. If I were in that boat I'd just wait for the next cycle and relax and work on ECs in the spare time.

It's fine for DO but very late for MD.

If you wait to start your primary until the end of July then you won’t get verified until early-mid September.

Not only that but the stress of just having taken the MCAT + the stress of waiting for your score can affect your ability to put your full effort into applying.

Students are still able to get verified June 1st with a throwaway school without having taken the MCAT.

 

[965978]

A late July date would get your scores in by late August. If I were in that boat I'd just wait for the next cycle and relax and work on ECs in the spare time.

It's fine for DO but very late for MD.



Students are still able to get verified June 1st with a throwaway school without having taken the MCAT.

Yes but that would take time away from MCAT studying!

 

[deleted804295]

Yes but that would take time away from MCAT studying!

MCAT studying is not a 16 hour process. You can do things throughout the day and still work on it. Heck, many people have full time jobs and still balance it with studying for the MCAT

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

It's fine for DO but very late for MD.

July is pushing it, but it is not very late. Just FYI.

 

[deleted804295]

July is pushing it, but it is not very late. Just FYI.

July would make things in time for end of August this is very late. Whether you use the term pushing it or very late I'm not sure it matters.

While a July MCAT date might've been fine in your scenario (High MCAT + military experience), not everyone is in the same boat. For the typical/average applicant a later date can be a serious crutch.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

July would make things in time for end of August this is very late. Whether you use the term pushing it or very late I'm not sure it matters.

It's not actually. Being complete by September is not very late. It's on the later side, but it is not very late, and there is no reason why you couldn't still have a very successful cycle (and possibly a more successful one than if you had taken it in May and done worse because you weren't ready).

While a July MCAT date might've been fine in your scenario (High MCAT + military experience), not everyone is in the same boat. For the typical/average applicant a later date can be a serious crutch.

I took it in June. It's not about me. I got my information from actual adcoms. Not the SDN echo chamber where anything after May is a death sentence. The real danger with taking it in July is that you essentially make it impossible to retake it early enough. Even with great ECs, if you blow the MCAT in July, by the time you retake it and get your new score, it will actually be way too late.

 

[deleted804295]

It's not actually. Being complete by September is not very late. It's on the later side, but it is not very late, and there is no reason why you couldn't still have a very successful cycle (and possibly a more successful one than if you had taken it in May and done worse because you weren't ready).



I took it in June. It's not about me. I got my information from actual adcoms. Not the SDN echo chamber where anything after May is a death sentence.

Thanks for clarifying information! I'll pass this knowledge onto friends who were worried about June/July dates.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Thanks for clarifying information! I'll pass this knowledge onto friends who were worried about June/July dates.

Yeah, I mean it's still better to take it earlier if you're ready. Ideally, you'd prep so that you can take it earlier in case you need to retake and so that you can get your app in early and have it be the best it can be. But a June/July MCAT isn't going to be what kills your app.

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

If you have a great application, and have already taken gap year(s), you can certainly do a June/July test date if you pre-write secondaries, etc. Superb candidates with completion dates of August and September will still get plenty of interviews. Average AMCAS candidates will be disadvantaged with a late application.

If you will not have taken a gap year, though, strongly consider doing so and taking the entire summer to study for MCAT, write your PS for next year, and engage in EC's that bring you joy. There are so many advantages of a gap year. And virtually no downsides.

 

[Pre-med path]

It's better to have a competitive score and be fully prepared and apply later in the cycle then to be unprepared. A late July MCAT isn't ideal, but a good score will go a long way.