MCAT timing question?

[Torix473]

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Hello everyone.

I am trying to figure out the ideal time to take the MCAT.
At my university, most take their MCAT at the end of spring semester of junior year (May MCAT), which allows gen chems, bios, orgos, physics, and biochem, to be completed before taking the test. However, this also means studying during the semester which I have read can hurt MCAT scores.
So my options are, to take MCAT at the end of sophomore summer after studying for 3mnths without distraction of classes but also w/o biochem, to take it end of junior year spring semester and study with classes, or, to take it end of summer after junior year, with gen chems, bios, orgos, physics, and biochem completed. The final option would, however, mean that I would end up with a gap year though (think it's a bad idea to apply at the very end of the application cycle even though I know its open until Oct)?

What option do you guys think is best?
I can't get biochem in during my soph. spring semester b/c my school requires that you take orgo I & II first, and I only have one of the two completed (taking II this coming spring semester.)
Is having the summer w/o classes to study and all premed classes finished worth a gap year? Or should I just study during spring semester?

Thanks in advance!!

Nicholas

 

[Slave to the Game]

Depends what you prefer. I took it with classes towards the end of my Jr year, and I didn't find schoolwork to impede my ability to study at all. Some may argue that 3 months studying full-time (I call BS on that, probably 5-6 hrs/day studying which is doable with classes) is necessary. I don't think taking a gap year would hurt your application, just that you would get into medical school a year later so don't think of it as a cost of any sort. You can also take your MCAT in June after a couple of months of studying during the semester, and doing a full month of full-time studying in the summer before the exam. That'll keep you in the "early" pool for applicants if results come out before mid-July, which is around the time some schools send out secondaries anyway.

 

[akuko2]

I took it after winter break after my first semester of junior year. I took biochemistry that semester before. I took a prep course from the Princeton review that was 7 days a week over the break, so it was essentially MCAT bootcamp around 8-10 hrs a day. I had not done any studying before that winter break and ended up doing pretty well (34 on the old MCAT). This worked best for me, because I did not have to worry about studying for classes, and I banged it out and got to see what position I was in as far as my application profile before I applied end of my junior year. I guess this approach is not for everyone, but if you are driven, can stand to work hard over a break and then take on another semester with no academic break, and can afford it, I'd highly recommend it.

 

[bee17]

Although I'm sure some SDNers out there have successfully self-studied biochem, I would highly recommend taking the class before the MCAT. The new exam is very biochem-heavy.