How long is too long to study for MCAT?

[gunito]

I am half way through my pre reqs and I am planning on taking the MCAT in August. Next semester I am taking ochem I, phys II and I will take ochem II while studying for the MCAT in the summer. I plan to begin studying for it at the end of March but I wanna make sure that's not too much time to study and potentially forget material.

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[TriagePreMed]

You might be okay because Ochem2 will take up much of your time, but typically the study time is 3 to 4 months.

 

[Richardh]

3 months of studying the MCAT will be fine. as your test date approaches make sure to take many practice exams offered through AAMC website or review courses. good luck!

 

[MCAT guy]

believe it or not, there is very little to "memorize" for the MCAT. Your goal is to learn the concepts deeply during the classes. Learn the concepts as well as anyone in your class.

Then if you study 6 weeks or 5 months, that won't be the difference maker. It will be how well you understood everything when you learned it and your reasoning ability/speed on test day.

 

[CW 2010]

I'd suggest to take the classes first. And learn the concepts (agree with the MCAT guy). Then studying for the MCAT should not be that difficult and long.

 

[gunito]

I'd suggest to take the classes first. And learn the concepts (agree with the MCAT guy). Then studying for the MCAT should not be that difficult and long.

I'll practically be done by the time I start studying. I'll be half way through phy II and ochem I. I'm just excited to start studying and getting prepared. I'm getting some study books for Christmas so I am eager to start. I just want to make sure I get some ample study time in since I am taking ochem II during the summer and working maybe 15-20 hrs a week. Thanks for the advice.

 

[dbizzy]

I'll practically be done by the time I start studying. I'll be half way through phy II and ochem I. I'm just excited to start studying and getting prepared. I'm getting some study books for Christmas so I am eager to start. I just want to make sure I get some ample study time in since I am taking ochem II during the summer and working maybe 15-20 hrs a week. Thanks for the advice.

Gunito, are you planning on applying that cycle as well? I've got a similar schedule, but I'm thinking that taking the MCAT August plus the month it takes for your score to come back will put you at a big disadvantage for apps that year.

 

[gunito]

Gunito, are you planning on applying that cycle as well? I've got a similar schedule, but I'm thinking that taking the MCAT August plus the month it takes for your score to come back will put you at a big disadvantage for apps that year.

I'm applying in 2012. I need to boost my gpa a little more and I wanted to apply as early as possible. I have considered taking the MCAT in April but that's just too much to do with LORs and ECs.

 

[dbizzy]

I'm applying in 2012. I need to boost my gpa a little more and I wanted to apply as early as possible. I have considered taking the MCAT in April but that's just too much to do with LORs and ECs.

Cool cool, same story here, gotta boost gpa and apply beginning of June '12. Best of luck to you.

 

[EdLongshanks]

I'm applying in 2012. I need to boost my gpa a little more and I wanted to apply as early as possible. I have considered taking the MCAT in April but that's just too much to do with LORs and ECs.

A mid May MCAT will put you at the very front of the line in the application cycle.

Here is your timeline

Before May - Get your letters of reference into Interfolio
May 1st - Begin the AMCAS application - request transcripts from schools - send your letters from Interfolio to AMCAS
Before May 25th - take the MCAT
June 1st at 12:01 AM - Submit your AMCAS with 1 school (the one you are sure to apply to - like your state school )
Mid June - Receive your MCAT score - decide what schools you want to add to your application
Since you are at the front of the verification line - your application will be verified before June 15th.
June 26th - AMCAS sends your application out - you are at the front of the line.

 

[MCAT guy]

A mid May MCAT will put you at the very front of the line in the application cycle.

Here is your timeline

Before May - Get your letters of reference into Interfolio
May 1st - Begin the AMCAS application - request transcripts from schools - send your letters from Interfolio to AMCAS
Before May 25th - take the MCAT
June 1st at 12:01 AM - Submit your AMCAS with 1 school (the one you are sure to apply to - like your state school )
Mid June - Receive your MCAT score - decide what schools you want to add to your application
Since you are at the front of the verification line - your application will be verified before June 15th.
June 26th - AMCAS sends your application out - you are at the front of the line.

Great timeline. Only thing to add is, getting letters in before May is just to encourage you to not put them off. You could have your letters in on June 26th or a bit later (the letters are sent in with your secondary).

 

[NeuroJ]

So there's no need to submit the AMCAS application with all the schools you plan to apply to? Just one is enough?

I thought adding schools later on down the road would delay the time it'd take to hear back from schools (sorry if my information is incorrect; this is what I was told many years ago during my pre-med days).

 

[EdLongshanks]

So there's no need to submit the AMCAS application with all the schools you plan to apply to? Just one is enough?

I thought adding schools later on down the road would delay the time it'd take to hear back from schools (sorry if my information is incorrect; this is what I was told many years ago during my pre-med days).

On this I can speak with authority. I submitted AMCAS on June 1 with one school. I added 5 schools on June 25th. All of the schools received my app on June 26.

 

[gunito]

A mid May MCAT will put you at the very front of the line in the application cycle.

Here is your timeline

Before May - Get your letters of reference into Interfolio
May 1st - Begin the AMCAS application - request transcripts from schools - send your letters from Interfolio to AMCAS
Before May 25th - take the MCAT
June 1st at 12:01 AM - Submit your AMCAS with 1 school (the one you are sure to apply to - like your state school )
Mid June - Receive your MCAT score - decide what schools you want to add to your application
Since you are at the front of the verification line - your application will be verified before June 15th.
June 26th - AMCAS sends your application out - you are at the front of the line.

If my gpa was closer to a 3.0 I would, after this semester it'll be around 2.7 cumulative and science a little higher. I'm going to begin volunteering within the next month and shadowing later. If I had as good of a chance of being accepted for 2012 as I would in 2013 I would go for it, but I don't feel that I do.

EDIT: I had thought about it and I would LOVE to apply sooner than later if I can get in. After next semester i should have AT LEAST a cgpa of 2.75 and sgpa of 2.85ish. Is a few months of volunteering and shadowing enough? If I have a chance I'll think about giving it a shot.

 

[NeuroJ]

Thanks EdLongshanks, that's very helpful info.

 

[EdLongshanks]

If my gpa was closer to a 3.0 I would, after this semester it'll be around 2.7 cumulative and science a little higher. I'm going to begin volunteering within the next month and shadowing later. If I had as good of a chance of being accepted for 2012 as I would in 2013 I would go for it, but I don't feel that I do.

EDIT: I had thought about it and I would LOVE to apply sooner than later if I can get in. After next semester i should have AT LEAST a cgpa of 2.75 and sgpa of 2.85ish. Is a few months of volunteering and shadowing enough? If I have a chance I'll think about giving it a shot.

With a GPA that low, you need every advantage. I wouldn't apply until I had absolutely every single advantage in place - and then when you do apply, make sure that it is as early as possible.

Also, make sure and replace as many of your low grades as possible and apply to a lot of DO schools. You don't have a high chance of getting in at an allopathic school. Most of them won't even look at your application.

 

[MCAT guy]

With a GPA that low, you need every advantage. I wouldn't apply until I had absolutely every single advantage in place - and then when you do apply, make sure that it is as early as possible.

Also, make sure and replace as many of your low grades as possible and apply to a lot of DO schools. You don't have a high chance of getting in at an allopathic school. Most of them won't even look at your application.

Agreed. Advantages are: over 1 year of continuous volunteering or clinical experience. Over 50 hrs of shadowing. Long term (1 year+) non-medical community service. Leadership positions in any of these activities. Etc.

Keep boosting the GPA. Even though you've heard sub 3.0 success stories, I wouldn't count on that news. Apply to a hearty amount of DO's and selected MD's. Have an amazing app in all other areas.

 

[0919mmk]

+1

Definitely apply to DO's. I applied with 3.1, 32, got waitlisted at 3 MD schools last cycle (I had no state school at the time), really wish I had applied to DO's, cause more than likely I'd be in med school right now - live and learn!

 

[gunito]

With a GPA that low, you need every advantage. I wouldn't apply until I had absolutely every single advantage in place - and then when you do apply, make sure that it is as early as possible.

Also, make sure and replace as many of your low grades as possible and apply to a lot of DO schools. You don't have a high chance of getting in at an allopathic school. Most of them won't even look at your application.

I was just seeing if I had a chance applying a year early, I have everything else figured out. I thought about applying next June, but I gotta do my work on the gpa.

 

[EdLongshanks]

I was just seeing if I had a chance applying a year early, I have everything else figured out. I thought about applying next June, but I gotta do my work on the gpa.

With a low GPA, your MCAT is critical. Before you take the MCAT, you should have a good feel for what you will make - at least within 3/4 points. If you don't feel confident of making well over 30 - then I, personally, would put it off until you had finished OChem II and had a couple of high level BIO courses like Genetics or Physiology. These courses will improve your grade significantly. Trust those of us who have taken this bear of a test when we tell you that it is very hard. I approached it with over-confidence because I am a good test taker. This cost me a couple of points at least.

The MCAT - almost like your GPA - is forever. Once your score is recorded, it will be seen by every medical school that you ever apply to - forever. Don't take it until you absolutely know what you are going to get.

And also, don't take it after mid-May. The greatest benefit that you can do your application is to apply early.

In other words - I suggest that you wait another year. With your GPA you can't afford to either apply late or take chances with the MCAT. Rushing this could doom your chances permanently. You are chancing "Never" for "One year sooner"

 

[gunito]

With a low GPA, your MCAT is critical. Before you take the MCAT, you should have a good feel for what you will make - at least within 3/4 points. If you don't feel confident of making well over 30 - then I, personally, would put it off until you had finished OChem II and had a couple of high level BIO courses like Genetics or Physiology. These courses will improve your grade significantly. Trust those of us who have taken this bear of a test when we tell you that it is very hard. I approached it with over-confidence because I am a good test taker. This cost me a couple of points at least.

The MCAT - almost like your GPA - is forever. Once your score is recorded, it will be seen by every medical school that you ever apply to - forever. Don't take it until you absolutely know what you are going to get.

And also, don't take it after mid-May. The greatest benefit that you can do your application is to apply early.

In other words - I suggest that you wait another year. With your GPA you can't afford to either apply late or take chances with the MCAT. Rushing this could doom your chances permanently. You are chancing "Never" for "One year sooner"

Yea, I thought I may have a chance but decided to wait because I would rather have a higher gpa and I need time to do ECs and what not. I have everything in check and I know to apply early and everything. I research this stuff constantly and I have been in a post bac for a year so I know what I have to do. I thought about taking the MCAT this summer in Aug and take Ochem II. I wanna prepare and take practice tests to see how I'll do in case I do need higher level bio classes. I am eager to go to med school, but I need to be sure I get there first.

 

[funklab]

and I will take ochem II while studying for the MCAT in the summer.

I realize that you might not have a choice, I didn't really have a choice and that's why I took Org2 over the summer, but it's not the brightest idea and it will leave you about 15min per week to study for the MCAT.

Just take into account the incredibly large amount of your time that Organic over the summer is going to eat up when you think about how much real studying you are going to get in over the summer months.

 

[dbizzy]

Good call on waiting '13 to apply, especially with that GPA.