MCAT score expiration within limit

[midnitetots12]

I'm planning on taking my MCAT this summer after finishing my 2nd year and all my pre reqs. I've been advised by a lot of people to just wait however, though I'm not exactly sure why, since I thought it would be advantageous to take the MCAT with these classes fresh in my head. I have a general list of all the med schools I'd like to apply down the stretch a few years from now so I've looked into what their MCAT expiration dates were. I plan on taking 1 gap year, which is within the 3 year limit if I take the later MCAT exams in the summer, though I was wondering even if my score is within the official limit, does anyone know if med schools would consider my application less just because it's still older than most other scores.

Also does anyone know if I'm checking the dates wrong - most sites have said that most med schools take 2-3 years up to date of matriculation. I'm checking on the AAMC site for each med school where it says "oldest MCAT considered" and I'm pretty sure the info has to be for this application cycle, i.e. the matriculating year of 2019 since the primary app deadlines it also lists on the same page is 2018 also. If I'm looking at the correct info, nearly all med schools take 3 years up to matriculation and a good amount do 4 years and some even 5. I was wondering if I'm looking at the wrong place because I haven't seen one med school that it only up to 2 years of matriculation, so I'm thinking I might not be looking at the right info.

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[907914]

I'm planning on taking my MCAT this summer after finishing my 2nd year and all my pre reqs. I've been advised by a lot of people to just wait however, though I'm not exactly sure why, since I thought it would be advantageous to take the MCAT with these classes fresh in my head. I have a general list of all the med schools I'd like to apply down the stretch a few years from now so I've looked into what their MCAT expiration dates were. I plan on taking 1 gap year, which is within the 3 year limit if I take the later MCAT exams in the summer, though I was wondering even if my score is within the official limit, does anyone know if med schools would consider my application less just because it's still older than most other scores.

I would hop on board with the rest of your friends and say to take the MCAT in the January-March of your junior year if no gap year. If you want a gap year, take it at the end of the summer before your senior year starts. Having “the classes fresh in your head” will not help when it comes to the style of the MCAT. It is more critical thinking than content, and if you do just 2-4 hours a week until next summer of content review, you will not forget it.

 

[midnitetots12]

I would hop on board with the rest of your friends and say to take the MCAT in the January-March of your junior year if no gap year. If you want a gap year, take it at the end of the summer before your senior year starts. Having “the classes fresh in your head” will not help when it comes to the style of the MCAT. It is more critical thinking than content, and if you do just 2-4 hours a week until next summer of content review, you will not forget it.

I don't know, it's just that I really want to take it this summer where I'll be at home for some other activities which would make it a lot easier for me to get studying done without having to worry about a lot of other things during normal apartment life. If it's not about the risk of an expired MCAT score, what exactly is the difference in taking it later or earlier (like what should I take into account then - of course there's some personal info that only I know of that you wouldn't be able to take into account for me, so I was wondering if there was anything you could advise as to what factors should be taken into account for when to take the MCAT). I'll be ideally starting my studying now until September, with the studying becoming much more intense around summer time, if I believe that I'll be taking the MCAT this late summer

 

[907914]

I don't know, it's just that I really want to take it this summer where I'll be at home for some other activities which would make it a lot easier for me to get studying done without having to worry about a lot of other things during normal apartment life. If it's not about the risk of an expired MCAT score, what exactly is the difference in taking it later or earlier (like what should I take into account then - of course there's some personal info that only I know of that you wouldn't be able to take into account for me, so I was wondering if there was anything you could advise as to what factors should be taken into account for when to take the MCAT). I'll be ideally starting my studying now until September, with the studying becoming much more intense around summer time, if I believe that I'll be taking the MCAT this late summer

Are there any prerequisites you will not have taken? Have you done Biochem, psych/sociology, genetics and/or cell?

 

[freedoctor17]

I don't know, it's just that I really want to take it this summer where I'll be at home for some other activities which would make it a lot easier for me to get studying done without having to worry about a lot of other things during normal apartment life. If it's not about the risk of an expired MCAT score, what exactly is the difference in taking it later or earlier (like what should I take into account then - of course there's some personal info that only I know of that you wouldn't be able to take into account for me, so I was wondering if there was anything you could advise as to what factors should be taken into account for when to take the MCAT). I'll be ideally starting my studying now until September, with the studying becoming much more intense around summer time, if I believe that I'll be taking the MCAT this late summer

I took it after my second year and it was the best decision for me. Made rest of school much less stressful. Only issue is if you don't get in the first time you apply you'll have to retake it so that's if you're willing to take that risk. I didn't take a gap year so it wasn't an issue for me.