MCAT study plan advice, please help!

[sciencewizard]

hi all,

If you could tell me which plan that you honestly think would be more effective for the MCAT, I would be really grateful.

Additional info:

I am nontraditional, 2nd degree seeking student. Long story short, first bachelors was in economics, made a lot of mistakes and had a cumulative GPA of 2.76 (I will explain if granted an interview). I have completed 60 hours on my 2nd bachelors (all science courses) and have cumulative GPA of 4.0, plus a ton of EC's, including clinical/nonclincal volunteering, shadowing, I work as a caregiver for the elderly, tutoring, research, scholarships/awards etc.

My spring course schedule is potentially this:

1) Microbial physiology and genetics (may or may not cut, based on two options, see below)
2) Vertebrae physiology
3) Immunology
4) Statistics
5) Research course
....17 hours total

I am also using SN2's MCAT study schedule and materials, just pondering two different versions, I am also cutting out the break days. so 80 days total:

Option A:

Start the plan on Dec. 28th, 2010, and study every day until Jan. 17th, then just study only 1 day per week until May 1st (I will be taking only 13 hours in spring semester), then again study every day to take the MCAT June 16th....This options allows more time for research during spring, application will be COMPLETE by July 19th, with 73 credits completed.

Option B:

Begin studying every day May 1st and take the July 16th MCAT...this option allows more course work in spring semester, but less time for research, application will be COMPLETE by August 16th, with 77 credits completed.

I am TX resident and applying this upcoming cycle to all the TX schools and maybe a few out of state schools.

What do you guys think? Will one month make a HUGE difference when applying to TX schools and out of state schools, considering my background, EC's, GPA, etc?

Sorry for long post, THANK YOU!!!

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[SN2ed]

You'll burn out from doing all that at once. Badly. You're doing great with your GPA, don't risk it unnecessarily. Sometimes it's best to let the foot of the gas and allow yourself time to work. Medical school isn't going anywhere.

 

[sciencewizard]

SN2ed, I take it you recommend option B but add it some break days? Should I take the MCAT July 28th?

 

[sciencewizard]

I am going to modify SN2's plan and begin the plan on Dec. 30th and follow it to the letter up until Jan. 17th.

After that, I still am going to follow the plan exactly but only study on sundays throughout the spring semester.

On May 1st 2011, I will again follow the plan everyday, and the last day (Day 96) of the plan according to my schedule will be on July 5th, ready to take the July 6th MCAT.

My question, do you guys think I am spreading my studying too thin? Will studying one day a week through the spring semester be effective? I am also keeping all the break days throughout the schedule.

Thanks!

 

[SN2ed]

Yeah, bad plan. You would basically be wasting your time from Dec 30th to Jan 17th because it's highly unlikely you'd remember the material covered during that period. In your rush to take the MCAT, you've basically come up with plans that put you in disadvantageous positions to varying degrees. It's like asking a runner how many toes they'd like broken before a big race. Sure an excellent runner could possibly run through the pain and win. However, it's not likely.

Also, I merged your threads. Please do not make duplicate threads on the same subject.