Last MCAT test date to apply for this cycle?

[Thejakeman]

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Hello All,

I am planning on taking the MCAT July 16th and I wanted to know what some of your thoughts on this are. I know that my application will not be early by any means, however I plan to at least submit my application and get it verified as suggested by others before the release of my MCAT scores. However, I want to wait until the beginning of July just to make sure that my practice scores are in the ballpark that I want them to be in >30 before I submit.

In the event that I am not as prepared as I hope to be, how much more of a disadvantage would taking the MCAT later in July (either the 29th or the 30th) put me? My scores would not be released until late August. If I still submitted my application early-mid July, applied to only one school to get verified, and once I got my MCAT scores, added other schools do you think I would have a decent shot for interviews this cycle? I am afraid that I might have to wait a year altogether. I want to do it right and only once.

I have a pretty strong application (3.9c, 3.8s GPA, strong clinical experience - been a tech in the ED for 4+ years, strong research - with a publication, volunteer work, shadowing, etc, etc.)

Thanks for your input!

 

[OhioDoc]

Hello All,

I am planning on taking the MCAT July 16th and I wanted to know what some of your thoughts on this are. I know that my application will not be early by any means, however I plan to at least submit my application and get it verified as suggested by others before the release of my MCAT scores. However, I want to wait until the beginning of July just to make sure that my practice scores are in the ballpark that I want them to be in >30 before I submit.

In the event that I am not as prepared as I hope to be, how much more of a disadvantage would taking the MCAT later in July (either the 29th or the 30th) put me? My scores would not be released until late August. If I still submitted my application early-mid July, applied to only one school to get verified, and once I got my MCAT scores, added other schools do you think I would have a decent shot for interviews this cycle? I am afraid that I might have to wait a year altogether. I want to do it right and only once.

I have a pretty strong application (3.9c, 3.8s GPA, strong clinical experience - been a tech in the ED for 4+ years, strong research - with a publication, volunteer work, shadowing, etc, etc.)

Thanks for your input!

I think you'd be fine if you took the MCAT at the end of July - even if schools didn't receive your MCAT scores until late August, I wouldn't consider your application late. Anyways, your application is strong, and so the effect of not applying early will be relatively minimal (compared to someone with a weaker application that is)

 

[riverjib]

Hello All,

I am planning on taking the MCAT July 16th and I wanted to know what some of your thoughts on this are. I know that my application will not be early by any means, however I plan to at least submit my application and get it verified as suggested by others before the release of my MCAT scores. However, I want to wait until the beginning of July just to make sure that my practice scores are in the ballpark that I want them to be in >30 before I submit.

In the event that I am not as prepared as I hope to be, how much more of a disadvantage would taking the MCAT later in July (either the 29th or the 30th) put me? My scores would not be released until late August. If I still submitted my application early-mid July, applied to only one school to get verified, and once I got my MCAT scores, added other schools do you think I would have a decent shot for interviews this cycle? I am afraid that I might have to wait a year altogether. I want to do it right and only once.

I have a pretty strong application (3.9c, 3.8s GPA, strong clinical experience - been a tech in the ED for 4+ years, strong research - with a publication, volunteer work, shadowing, etc, etc.)

Thanks for your input!

I'm registered for July 8th but I'm probably deferring until July 29 or 30. I'm not ready. I didn't start studying until after graduation, and this is the first time in my adult life that I actively chose to do nothing but study. So I've only been studying for a week, and I'm not going to attempt a full-length practice exam until late June.

We're in similar places. I've been a surgical first assistant for ten years, I have a 3.9 GPA, I've volunteered in the hospital and abroad, and though my publications haven't been accepted yet, I've presented my research at 15 conferences, including three major national conferences. I think my application is strong. It would be stronger if I could apply NOW, but I'd rather make sure I have an excellent MCAT score to back it up. I *might* score a 30 on July 8, but I think I can pull off a higher score with a few more weeks of studying and practice.

Do whatever you think is right. My feeling is that the MCAT makes or breaks it, and a few weeks doesn't matter that much once you're not "early" anyway.

 

[Thejakeman]

I'm registered for July 8th but I'm probably deferring until July 29 or 30. I'm not ready. I didn't start studying until after graduation, and this is the first time in my adult life that I actively chose to do nothing but study. So I've only been studying for a week, and I'm not going to attempt a full-length practice exam until late June.

We're in similar places. I've been a surgical first assistant for ten years, I have a 3.9 GPA, I've volunteered in the hospital and abroad, and though my publications haven't been accepted yet, I've presented my research at 15 conferences, including three major national conferences. I think my application is strong. It would be stronger if I could apply NOW, but I'd rather make sure I have an excellent MCAT score to back it up. I *might* score a 30 on July 8, but I think I can pull off a higher score with a few more weeks of studying and practice.

Do whatever you think is right. My feeling is that the MCAT makes or breaks it, and a few weeks doesn't matter that much once you're not "early" anyway.

Thanks, I was just worried that my application would be placed at the very bottom and would never get looked at taking the MCAT so late. I have received a variety of answers across the board over the last couple of weeks. Just wanted to make sure.

Any other thoughts?