i messed up my MCAT date

[katiemaude]

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I messed up big time. I thought I had registered for the June 16th MCAT but when I called today because I had yet to see the charge on my credit card, I found out it wasn't processed and now I can't get a seat (unless I fly to Kentucky!). The first testing date for a seat in my state is July 28th and scores won't be released until the end of August. Even the earlier dates in July would require me to fly to the southwest.

Questions:
1) Do MCAT seats ever open up and can you get them?
2) Would it be worth it to travel 800+ miles to take the test on July 9th?
3) Am I totally washed up for applying this season?

 

[DrMidlife]

1) Do MCAT seats ever open up and can you get them?

Yes, all day long. Last summer I hit refresh about every 4 minutes until I got what I needed. Think eBay.

Good luck!

 

[QofQuimica]

I messed up big time. I thought I had registered for the June 16th MCAT but when I called today because I had yet to see the charge on my credit card, I found out it wasn't processed and now I can't get a seat (unless I fly to Kentucky!). The first testing date for a seat in my state is July 28th and scores won't be released until the end of August. Even the earlier dates in July would require me to fly to the southwest.

Questions:
1) Do MCAT seats ever open up and can you get them?

Possibly. As DrMidlife said, it's worth trying to get an earlier seat if you can get one within driving distance (which I would define as an hour or less away).

2) Would it be worth it to travel 800+ miles to take the test on July 9th?

No.

3) Am I totally washed up for applying this season?

No.

Worst case scenario is that you'll be complete in early September. Early September is later than the ideal, but not unrecoverably late. You should go ahead and submit your AMCAS in June and apply to at least one school. That will allow your primary app to be verified early and be complete and ready to go as soon as your MCAT score comes back. You can add more schools on AMCAS later, even after being verified for a month or two. Once you get secondaries, you need to return them quickly. Have your LORs ready to go out in August, and maybe even start drafting some essays for nonscreening schools ahead of time so that you can turn your secondaries around as quickly as possible.

My med school would treat your app the same no matter when you apply, as long as your file was complete before the deadline. The problem with being complete later in the season is that they get bogged down with the screening, and you'd have to wait longer for an interview decision to be made. If you're really late (applying right before their deadline), odds are good that they may run out of interview slots altogether and put you on preinterview hold. Waiting sucks, as anyone who has gone through the app process can tell you. The earlier you submit, the earlier you get secondaries, interviews, and acceptances. But it's not the kiss of death to be complete in early September, and if you're organized as I outlined above, you should be able to accomplish this, even with a late July MCAT.

 

[katiemaude]

I'm actually really torn. Maybe I should just register for the July 28th or 29th MCAT?

I recently posted about not feeling ready for the June 16th MCAT so this is a blessing in disguise, perhaps. With my prereqs out of the way and only a 10-15 hour a week job to deal with, I could get in two more solid months of practice and get my application rock solid before I go back to work full-time.

 

[eablackwell]

I'll echo what Dr. Midlife said about spots opening up. I got my spot for a mid-June MCAT in Vegas last year after it was originally full. However, if you are 100% not ready getting the score a month earlier won't help you. That's a decision you need to make. Good luck! 👍

 

[DrMidlife]

I'm actually really torn. Maybe I should just register for the July 28th or 29th MCAT?

I recently posted about not feeling ready for the June 16th MCAT so this is a blessing in disguise, perhaps. With my prereqs out of the way and only a 10-15 hour a week job to deal with, I could get in two more solid months of practice and get my application rock solid before I go back to work full-time.

I hate to do this, but if you're not pretty confident of your MCAT performance, and you're looking to push your date back, and you'll be racing to get it done this summer, that makes me want to recommend slowing down and skipping this app year.

Now, if you have an insane app with a 3.8 and published papers and you invented the cochlear implant, apply as late as you like and laugh heartily at my nonsense. If, on the other hand, you have an average app, then that MCAT score is everything.

(What you actually should do is get pissed off that I'm suggesting you skip a year, how dare I, and use that anger to propel you to study like you've never studied before and knock out a 35+ as soon as you can get a test date.)

Best of luck to you.

 

[katiemaude]

I hate to do this, but if you're not pretty confident of your MCAT performance, and you're looking to push your date back, and you'll be racing to get it done this summer, that makes me want to recommend slowing down and skipping this app year.

I am not at all confident. I took a Kaplan course from Feb-April while finishing my prereqs, working and volunteering. I did the work they required but no more. About a month before finals, it occurred to me that I was on the brink of not getting A's in physics and ochem II. I stopped studying for the MCAT for that month and buckled down. I got the As, and three weeks ago I started studying full-time, whereas I spent about 20 hrs a week on MCAT practice before then, including time in class. Now I do it about 8 hrs a day. I am not ready to take it June 16th and not being able to register actually came as a huge relief. I was shocked at how relieved I felt!

I think I will be as ready as I ever will be on July 28th. So I'm going to register for that date. I'll get my app in this month and get it verified.

 

[DrMidlife]

All those A's are hurting my eyes.

Go for it.

 

[katiemaude]

Sorry, that's an old signature! LOL I usually remember to uncheck it. I only keep it because it reminds me of how freaked out and uncertain I was when I started this journey (hmm, sounds familiar).

 

[mnoon1]

Just take it in July. I actually pushed mine back to the last day in July last year. Take it when you feel ready, if you weren't sure about taking it in June why are you so desperate to push it up? Not being complete in September isn't the worst thing you could do as an applicant, but taking the mcat before you're ready is.

 

[Leader813]

You should go ahead and submit your AMCAS in June and apply to at least one school. That will allow your primary app to be verified early and be complete and ready to go as soon as your MCAT score comes back. You can add more schools on AMCAS later, even after being verified for a month or two.

How does this work if you have an AMCAS fee waiver??? Will I still be able to submit the primary app to 14 schools for FREE if I only apply to one school in June while waiting for my July 16th MCAT scores?

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

Katie, I think you should fly to Guam to take it on June 16th. Btw, do you have a registration confirmation from AAMC for the test for June 16th?

 

[Eik Ooc]

I have a very similar situation. I had a May MCAT scheduled but realized I was not ready for it so I canceled. I had the choice of July 16th 5 hours away or July 29th 20 minutes away. The day is going to be stressful enough. I'm taking the test July 29th. I get a couple extra weeks to study and I won't be harried on test morning. I think it's worth it.

I'm utilizing the same tactics Q listed above: submitting my AMCAS now and anticipating fast turn around on the secondaries.

Just think how much better prepared you'll be with those two extra weeks of study!

 

[EdLongshanks]

Just take it in July. I actually pushed mine back to the last day in July last year. Take it when you feel ready, if you weren't sure about taking it in June why are you so desperate to push it up? Not being complete in September isn't the worst thing you could do as an applicant, but taking the mcat before you're ready is.

I'm not sure that this is true for all schools. Your school doesn't begin interviewing until October and you can get into this interview by being complete in September. Other schools are earlier.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

Some schools have their interviews already being set up in July. (Katie, not saying it to worry you), I think it is best to do the submit to one school and then do the rest later... if your GPA/ECs are strong, it's possible they'll consider you even w/o the MCAT score, and hold your app until they have it... Also, use some of this 'extra' time to work on secondaries (pulled from last year or new posts) so you can have them out ASAP

 

[katiemaude]

I have always wanted to see Guam. 🙄

I registered last night for the July 28th test. I also started entering my classes into AMCAS. I'm going to take the next two months to work on my application and keep practicing for the MCAT. I only want to do this once if I can help it.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I think we all only want to ever do this once!!! I'm praying/hoping/wishing I get in this cycle, I guess its planetary alignment 😉 you'll get there! Oh, you know there are seats in Australia for the June tests 😉

 

[QofQuimica]

How does this work if you have an AMCAS fee waiver??? Will I still be able to submit the primary app to 14 schools for FREE if I only apply to one school in June while waiting for my July 16th MCAT scores?

I have no experience with waivers, so I have no idea. I suggest that you contact the AMCAS folks and ask them. But check to see if the info is on their website first before calling them.

 

[artsydoc]

I took the MCAT at the very end of July and the world didn't end, although according to some SDNers it could have. Maybe I would have gotten into a few more schools if I had taken it earlier but you can only go to one anyway. Focus on doing your best, take it once and be done with it, and have everything else for your application ready to go so you can hit submit the second your scores are ready.

ed: Oh yeah, so in sum, don't waste mental energy worrying about taking a later MCAT! Your brain has much better things to do now.

 

[mnoon1]

I'm not sure that this is true for all schools. Your school doesn't begin interviewing until October and you can get into this interview by being complete in September. Other schools are earlier.

sure, not for all schools- depends on how competetive of a place you are applying to. but the mcat can make or brake you so taking a few extra weeks to study especially if you werent feeling good about your practice tests might not be a bad idea

 

[mnoon1]

Just think how much better prepared you'll be with those two extra weeks of study!

👍👍