Is this a good MCAT plan...

[UrbanDweller]

I'm planning on taking the MCAT late July this year and also applying right after that. I have always been a great student but not a great standardized exam taker. Anyways, I'm currently working full time but am quitting at the end of April. This will leave me 3 months to study full time for the exam.
I purchased the Kaplan MCAT study guide and will go through it. At this time I'm also finishing up orgoII and bio so that material will be fresh on my mind. Although my physics and gen chem classes were taken 8 years ago.
So is 3 months of full time dedicated studying enough to do well for a good student and is the Kaplan book with the online content enough?

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[pdxjazz]

I'm also taking a late July MCAT and have the same amount of study time. You should take a look at SN2ed's 3 month study plan and recommended study materials here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=623898

You can apply well BEFORE you take the MCAT so just be sure to mark on the AMCAS application which date you will be taking the MCAT. Most (not all) schools will send you a secondary application before your MCAT score comes back and you can fill those out and return them while you are waiting for the MCAT results. Thus you will be complete in late August for most schools.

 

[pdxjazz]

Oh, one more thing. If you decide to order any of The Berkeley Review (TBR) books, you better do it now as they are noted for being very slow. And use a credit card or money order as they will sit on a personal check until it clears. If you need to contact them, do it through e-mail as it's hit or miss on trying to reach them by phone.

 

[UrbanDweller]

I'm also taking a late July MCAT and have the same amount of study time. You should take a look at SN2ed's 3 month study plan and recommended study materials here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=623898

You can apply well BEFORE you take the MCAT so just be sure to mark on the AMCAS application which date you will be taking the MCAT. Most (not all) schools will send you a secondary application before your MCAT score comes back and you can fill those out and return them while you are waiting for the MCAT results. Thus you will be complete in late August for most schools.

That sounds like a good plan. I'm going to go with SN2ed's method. I'm not sure that I should apply to schools before I know my MCAT score. What if I don't do well on it? In that case, it will be just a waste to apply to some schools.

 

[VWR13TTH]

Yeah that sounds like a good plan!

 

[pdxjazz]

That sounds like a good plan. I'm going to go with SN2ed's method. I'm not sure that I should apply to schools before I know my MCAT score. What if I don't do well on it? In that case, it will be just a waste to apply to some schools.

If you don't do well after 3 months of hard core studying, chances are slim that a few weeks more studying for a MCAT retake will significantly raise your score. However, if you do end up getting a low score and decide to retake the MCAT, you can simply log in to your AMCAS application and check the box for one of the upcoming MCAT test dates. Your application will then be resubmitted to the schools you have listed with the new MCAT test date. The schools will then wait for that 2nd MCAT score. If you don't do well on the 2nd MCAT, then yes you have probably wasted some additional money.

Again, the advantage to this method over just waiting for an acceptable MCAT score and then applying is that your application is in way earlier and your secondaries have been finished for most schools. So whether it is your first, or second MCAT you will be complete at most medical schools when that "good" score comes out. Good luck!

 

[UrbanDweller]

Thanks for the responses. I was about to register for the July 30th date but noticed that I can take it August 4th also. Should I do that? It will give me a few buffer days from the time that I can dedicate to fully studying for this. Will a week in release dates from Aug 31st to Sept 7th change anything. I'm guessing probably not.

pdxjazz, are you using the TBR study material for verbal? I have been trying to get a TPRH verbal book but no luck yet.

 

[pdxjazz]

Thanks for the responses. I was about to register for the July 30th date but noticed that I can take it August 4th also. Should I do that? It will give me a few buffer days from the time that I can dedicate to fully studying for this. Will a week in release dates from Aug 31st to Sept 7th change anything. I'm guessing probably not.

pdxjazz, are you using the TBR study material for verbal? I have been trying to get a TPRH verbal book but no luck yet.

Well, the general consensus is the later you are complete in the cycle, the more interview spots will be filled, and with schools on rolling admissions that becomes more of a problem. I'm just taking the weekend after finals week to relax and will start studying first thing the following Monday. Keep in mind we will be complete later than many in the application process so further delaying it with a buffer is something only you can decide if it's worth it.

No, I am using EK verbal and EK 101 passages. I'm also using EK for biology and EK 1001 biology questions. For the rest, I'm using TBR books and have the EK 1001 questions series. I also bought #1-#7 TBR FLs when I ordered the TBR books, and will add at least #7-#10 AAMC FLs (plus #3 the free one) and may add a few more if I have time. As I mentioned before, TBR is well known to be slow and I sent my order in on 2/25 (paid by personal check) and have not received my books yet.

 

[ksmi117]

That sounds like a good plan. I'm going to go with SN2ed's method. I'm not sure that I should apply to schools before I know my MCAT score. What if I don't do well on it? In that case, it will be just a waste to apply to some schools.

The important thing is to get your application verified early since it can take up to a month if you wait until July to submit. You can submit your application and only apply to one school when you do so. That way you can get your application verified. After you get your scores, you can go back and add more schools, and the application will be sent to them right then.

 

[pdxjazz]

The important thing is to get your application verified early since it can take up to a month if you wait until July to submit. You can submit your application and only apply to one school when you do so. That way you can get your application verified. After you get your scores, you can go back and add more schools, and the application will be sent to them right then.

That is certainly the safest way. However, it needs to be remembered when only choosing one school initially on the AMCAS and then waiting for the MCAT score results to add more, only one secondary will be sent out during that waiting period.