MCAT during summer after postbac while applying?

[bluebeardAT]

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I see that many postbac programs advise their students to take the MCAT after finishing their program. But most programs finish in late May/early June.

If you don't know your score until late June/early July and don't send your scores until then, are you already at a disadvantage in the application process?

I'm a non-trad with solid extracurricular (medical and non) and successful professional life. I have many reasons for pursuing medicine now though. cGPA is 3.207 though. Had a pretty devastating injury in college. Multiple long-term hospitalizations. Long physical/mental recovery. No science courses yet. Pretty good upward trend.

I plan on applying to formal programs this fall, but also to an in-state school as a second degree seeker just in case I don't get in or just in case I decide starting in the spring at the in-state school is a better route especially if it allows me to take MCATs in spring of 2018 rather than summer 2018.

Am I overthinking this in regards to when I take the MCAT? For those who have attended formal programs, what was your experience like with the MCAT and the timing of taking it after finishing your postbac?

I definitely respect how calculated one's decisions must be with every step in this process. You can't think six months ahead without thinking about how it will impact things one, two, or three years down the line. I don't want to forfeit the intimacy of a formal program because I like the idea of having a small cooperative academic environment with advising. But by going the in-state route, I gain an extra semester up front and will potentially be able to apply much earlier in advance because it'd mean taking the MCAT earlier.

Thoughts?

 

[DetectiveGrayson]

I would say yes, you are overthinking the date of which you should administer the MCAT. Ultimately it is your timeline, and when you think is the most optimal time to take the MCAT (e.g. least distractions, maximum potential of study time). I would say just take it a step at a time, if you do a SMP or post-bacc, focus on that, gauge the volume and workload and see sometime in the year if you can handle MCAT studying and administration. My program has academic advisors (I'm starting this fall), and I'm sure they are going to give their 2 cents, but one has to also think about other "life" factors that can heavily influence big decisions and actions like taking the MCAT. My program, like many, encourage a fluid timeline in which students study and take the MCAT the last year so that they matriculate right into medical school after. For me, I know that I will be studying and taking the MCAT after I finish the program because I have a significant other, I'm a 30 year student with lots of life plans I have to calculate between everything. The best advice I ever took upon myself for life in general: "it's a marathon, not a race." Consider your timeline, life, and analyze how much it means to you to get in as soon as possible. If you're talking about months differences, I would say med schools aren't going any where!