Hypothetically speaking...

[cpb80]

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I am a recent Cornell grad w/ an undergraduate degree in business and economics. I have finished all of the premed req's along w/ some upper level bios. I am currently taking two summer courses to pull up my unimpressive BCPM GPA, and working on getting published, BEFORE I begin a summer research fellowship in NYC. I took the April MCAT and I am applying for Fall '05. If I am disappointed with my April scores I will probably still apply, however, I highly doubt that I will take it again this Aug- just too much going on. Instead, I might wait another year, build up my credentials and take the MCAT in April '05- wow do I wish that they offered the MCAT another time in the year...

Is anyone else so busy this summer that it looks like April '05 is more realistic than this Aug? If so, any ideas about what you?re going to do for that extra year? Premature, I know, but I can't help it.

 

[Yosh]

Aug tends to but you a bit behind the 8ball...waiting for your scores to come back and get interviews. I would wait until April...study hard and make sure you really nail it..esp due to yor BCPM and GPA issues...

I think it would be much much better to wait....

 

[Wahooali]

cbp80 - you must be my doppleganger, because I am thinking the same thing. I took the April MCAT, with hopes to apply for Fall '05. I had a really bad day the day of the test...a number of my weaknesses showed up on the biological sciences section, I lost my cool, freaked out, and wasn't thinking clearly. Althought I am hoping for the best, I am pretty certain I will need to retake it (for a third time...darn you MCAT!). I am planning on having my application done and submitting it to a couple schools where I have the best chance of acceptance, and will add more schools if the score ends up being ok. I was planing on taking the August MCAT if I have to retake. But since that would delay my app so much and I would have to take another year off anyway, I think it would be better to take it next April when I am no longer burnt out, and bitter that I would be missing out on all the summer fun.

So, now what to do with that time, eh? I am currently taking two years off already to work as a lab technician. I could keep that job for a third year, but I do not really want to. So, once I get my MCAT scores, if they were not very good, I am going to relax a little longer then start preparing for the GRE. Then pursue a Masters of Public Health, or another Masters program, or the Georgetown Special Masters Program. That's my plan for now, and I'm feeling pretty good about it. Didn't want to take a third year off before med school, but if I need to so I can get that MCAT up, I will do it. Good luck, and keep me posted on if you are still applying this round.