I have a question about when to take the MCAT

[NubianPrincess]

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Is taking the MCAT in April of my senior year too late? I didn't want to take it in the summer after my junior year because
1. I wanted to be in some type of MCAT prep course that summer
2. Im just taking Physics in my junior year, and figured it would be hard to study for the physical sciences part w/o having learned physics completely yet.
Please advise me. 🙂

 

[sorrento]

Taking the MCAT in April of your senior year is perfect if you are planning to take a year off to apply. It is only too late if you were planning to go straight on to med school after graduating - the latest date for that would be August before your sr. year.

I hope I am understanding your question correctly, but it sounds like you don't want to take it in August because you'll only have just finished physics that May/June? In my experience, having the material fresh in your mind really helps. So you would probably be fine, in fact better than fine, if you finished physics in June and then took the MCAT in August after a nice full summer of studying.

The only disadvantage of the August MCAT is that schools have to wait until October for your scores. This year, that didn't matter, but when (not if!) AMCAS improves, you might be at a disadvantage to those who take it in April.

 

[Jamier2]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Nubian:
•Is taking the MCAT in April of my senior year too late? I didn't want to take it in the summer after my junior year because
1. I wanted to be in some type of MCAT prep course that summer
2. Im just taking Physics in my junior year, and figured it would be hard to study for the physical sciences part w/o having learned physics completely yet.
Please advise me. 🙂 •••••Well, if you don't mind taking a year off between undergraduate and medical school, then it's definitely not too late.

If you want to start med school right away, the latest you can take the MCAT is in the fall of your Senior year.

As for the MCAT course, maybe you could find one that meets on the weekends during the spring of your junior year.

As for the physical sciences section, I think having just been in a physica class could only help. The MCAT physics, at least on the one I took and the practice versions I saw, didn't cover any physics that wasn't in my first semester course.

My advice? Take it in the spring of your junior year - fall at the latest - and go ahead and apply so you won't have to wait. If you don't mind waiting, do whatever you're comfortable with.

 

[NubianPrincess]

Thanks for the info. I definately don't want to take a year off since I was already out of school for two years. So I can take it in the spring of my junior year or the summer before my senior year?

 

[SMW]

I think the ideal time to take it for you would be August, if you definitely want to take the MCAT prep class (which I do recommend). Some folks do take the review course plus keep us with all their coursework, EC's, etc. but I personally could not pull it off. Although I had planned to take it in April, I just was not ready because I hadn't taken enough practice test, which are absolutely essential, so ended up taking the August test after studying full time for 2 months in the summer after I graduated -- I didn't mind taking a year off, and in fact am going to defer another year if possible. Worked out fine for me. If you do take the test in August, don't try to do anything else besides studying and applying. Do everything as early as possible, and make sure your application is totally complete and ready to go to the adcoms the minute those August scores get in your file (and at some schools, that is quite late, as late as December). I wish you the best of luck. 🙂

 

[Jamier2]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Nubian:
•So I can take it in the spring of my junior year or the summer before my senior year?•••••Sho' 'nuff. :wink: (Yes)