MCAT august vs april?

[NRAI2001]

Hello,

I know that it is better to take the mcat in April because most schools have rolling admissions and the sooner u get ur application in the better. I am debating about when i should take the mcat, I am a junior right now but i am not going to apply untill the end of my senior year. I can either take the mcat this august or next april. Someone told me that the august mcat has a higher curve and is thus your score may be lower than if you had taken the mcat in april, is this true?

 

[primerz]

Dude, breath. It's just one test! I really doubt the curve is any higher.

 

[NRAI2001]

Originally posted by primerz
Dude, breath. It's just one test! I really doubt the curve is any higher.

Hey I need all the help i can get.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I'd take it in August, because it's hell to have midterms or finals, MCAT, and whatever other EC obligations you have at the same time.

 

[2112_rush]

Take the August MCAT so you can retake it in April if need be.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Even if the curve is higher, you would probably get a higher RAW score anyway in August. It's hard studying for that beast while studying for classes - For example, I have a midterm April 15, 2 days before the MCAT.

So even if the curve is higher, your raw score will probably be higher as well and offset it. You'll do fine, I agree with above poster about taking it in August and then April if needed.

 

[NRAI2001]

Originally posted by OnMyWayThere
Even if the curve is higher, you would probably get a higher RAW score anyway in August. It's hard studying for that beast while studying for classes - For example, I have a midterm April 15, 2 days before the MCAT.

So even if the curve is higher, your raw score will probably be higher as well and offset it. You'll do fine, I agree with above poster about taking it in August and then April if needed.

Yea that is probably a good idea. Is it possible to take the mcat 3 times?

 

[ad_sharp]

You can take it three times, but I don't recommend it. I've been told that many med schools look down on you if you need to take it more than twice. Also, if you take it more than three times you have to acquire special permission from the AAMC to re-enroll for the test. A letter from your premed committee and a medical school admissions person are required (I think).

 

[UCdannyLA]

but i always hear that med schools will look at you more favorably if you take the april MCAT, is there any truth to this? I hear it is because..too often, applicants "waste" their whole summer studying for the august MCAT, while the april-takers do something interesting with their summers.

 

[ad_sharp]

It doesn't work that way (at least in my case). I filled out the AMCAS application early, mid-June, I think. Because I was enrolled to take the August MCAT, AMCAS did not process my application and send it to the medical schools until my August MCAT scores came in. I thought that they would go ahead and send the old scores and update them later, but that's not the way it worked.

 

[dreamaloud]

Now i'm confused, I thought everyone said to apply early even if you were taking the agust mcat so that amcas had time to process, etc.....

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Originally posted by UCdannyLA
but i always hear that med schools will look at you more favorably if you take the april MCAT, is there any truth to this? I hear it is because..too often, applicants "waste" their whole summer studying for the august MCAT, while the april-takers do something interesting with their summers.

Well then if you don't waste your summer you should have no problem. I worked full time during the summer of my MCAT.

 

[blueberry]

Originally posted by NeeMaBeeMa

Hypothetically speaking, will a student who took the April MCAT and sent their AMCAS prior to taking the August MCAT's (who plans to improve drastically) suffer in the admission process because the adcoms will reject the person based upon their April scores? Or, does the AMCAS magically know that you are also taking the August MCAT's and will delay your application despite the fact you have already taken the April test? What are the logistics of this.

This question has been answered in other threads...but basically, when you fill out your AMCAS, you can check a box telling schools you intend to take the August MCAT. Usually, the schools will still send you a secondary without delay. Some schools will ask whether you wish to "delay consideration until August scores". Whether you get asked during your secondary app varies from school to school, but they should know from your AMCAS app already that you plan to take the August one. Obviously, it won't hurt to contact the admissions office to clarify if your situation changed.

Although the disadvantage of taking the August test still holds...I"m not aware of schools which would withhold granting secondaries b/c you're waiting for your August scores, schools will refrain from interviewing you if you don't have your august scroes yet. I'm not an august MCATer so I have no personal experience...but thought i'd throw in a response...

As for the question about whether they look "more favorably" at an april test, I don't think so. It's mostly just that if you apply the same year when you took your august MCAT, your app may risk being delayed, also, it'd be difficult to work during that summer, some if your ECs are already weak, this may be a problem. Pinkertinkle must've been really good if he/she can work full time during the summer of her MCAT...

and finally, and perhaps most important, apply early regardless of your MCAT status. I repeat, APPLY ASAP once you can submit your app! Like I said, it doesn't matter if you don't have your August scores in yet...