First let me explain my situation. I'm currently an upcoming junior so i will be applying in the 2010-2011 cycle. I've taken gen chem and gen bio and will be taken gen organic chem and gen physics this year. So what do i do about the MCAT? I was going to take the online KAPLAN MCAT review but i don't think i can review for the mcat while taking classes. What are my options? Should I just finish up my classes and study for the MCAT starting may and take the MCAT in July or Aug? I know the consequences of applying late. If i go that route I'd be lucky to get my application out by september! Anyone have any solutions?
MCAT timing and applying problems
- Thread starter CCUmed
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I'd do the review while taking courses in the spring. It would allow you take the april or may MCAT and apply with everything as early as you want. I took the review while taking courses, it's not that bad. Just one busy semester and it's all over.
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taking the MCAT in july will be fine. my app has already been submitted and verified and im taking it july 17th. i finished school may 11th and am not working this summer, just studying. you will be totally fine as long as you REALLY use the time to study.
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i took a kaplan class during the spring semester of my junior year. i also took some pretty hard classes and did research that semester. i took the test at the end of may. studying for the mcat during the semester isnt that bad, you just have to find some solid time blocks on the weekends to take the practice tests.
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I dunno about you guys but my school was pretty hard. No, I wasn't dumb... everyone at my school had to work a lot to get good grades. I don't think it would be possible to go through a hard semester and still get adequate preparation for the MCAT. I just don't see it.
I read that the average college student watches ~21 hours of television a week. I have no idea where those college students are, they definitely weren't at my college.
I read that the average college student watches ~21 hours of television a week. I have no idea where those college students are, they definitely weren't at my college.
Yeah I agree with evergrey. I'll be taking cell bio, organic II, Phys II, and a math class. I actually plan on pulling at least a 3.8 for the semester and that's gonna be hard enough as it is. Maybe I'll get lucky with applying late since I'm a resident of SC and we have the lowest stats out of all 50 states. haha.
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Whatever happens, May 2010 is the absolute latest you should take the MCAT. You take it May, get your results by June, and you won't be more than a week or so in the application process. One week isn't enough to be disadvantaged.
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Ya I wouldn't suggest taking it past May or June at the latest. If you could take a slightly lighter course load and get in 15 hours a week of studying I think that'd be your best option. I took 18 credit hours and took the exam May 2nd. It wasn't easy, but you just have to schedule time for the mcat and make it a priority.
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I have to completely disagree. You won't be at a disadvantage if you take June or July MCATs. The latest MCAT would be mid-July if you still want to be considered early. Of course, it's always better to take the MCAT early, but life doesn't always pan out that way. Take it when you're ready, don't rush it.
As for the Kaplan course, cramming it in one semester is undoubtedly hectic and stressful, considering it's 6hrs a week on top of your school studies. Just because a few people can manage doesn't mean you have to. To each his own. Hence, I would recommend doing a year-long Kaplan review course and study on your own after school ends until your MCAT.
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I took the kaplan class, which included 6 hrs of classroom instruction a week and then the online portion. I believe the online class is almost the exact same because you have video lessons. Anyways I only took 12 hours for school which allowed me to study a lot for the MCAT. Use the online material for content review, but do as many of the practice tests as possible. I think I did 6 kaplan practice tests and 3-4 aamc tests. If you can slowly work on the content through the semester, maybe doing 1 lesson a week instead of the recommended 2 and taking 3-4 practice tests, and then study for a month after finals and do a 4-5 practice tests and then take the mcat either early or mid june you should not be behind at all.
