Need advice. research vs. MCAT!!

[Edenbook85]

i could use some good advice...

since the fall of 2006 i've been doing research. now with only 3 months till i take the MCAT (June 15) i'm thinking about quitting my job so that i can really study. also im taking 18 credit hours which in my university is the max. also i should mention that i am in the RISE program. its the program that got me my research job, and it requires me to go to two meeting a month that last 2 hours each and i have to attend weekly journal clubs 1-2 hours, and scientific lectures 1-2 hours per week. if i quit the research i quit the rise program. lastly i should mention that if i quit my research job i might not be able to get a LOR from the principle investigator.
so what im asking is the following.

1. should i quit my job to study for the MCAT even if it means loosing a great LOR and the RISE program and even a possible publication.

2. would quitting be seen as a weakness to the medschools.

3. in my application, would it be weird if i say i did 8 months of research and didn't get a LOR.

PLEASE RESPOND QUICKLY.

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[HelpingHand]

Unless you're feeling comfortable with the scores you've been getting on practice exams (have you taken any?) I would simply postpone the MCAT and finish the research committment.

You have to be a super-genius to be able to study for the MCAT while holding a job and taking 18 credit classes.

Postpone the MCAT.

 

[Edenbook85]

if i postpone the MCAT i loose a year.

1. is research that important and why??? i can say i did research on my application but no LOR...

2. ALSO i should say that i do on average 25-30 hours a week in the lab.

 

[AtreyuRocks]

if i postpone the MCAT i loose a year.

1. is research that important and why??? i can say i did research on my application but no LOR...

2. ALSO i should say that i do on average 25-30 hours a week in the lab.

well, you should only say you put in 25-30 hrs/week if that's what you actually do. what other LOR do you have? how big of a role do you want your research to play in your application? personally it doesn't sound like you are very motivated about your research. If your PI already realizes this, then I doubt that three extra months will change your LOR drastically. Depending on your study style... I would say you should go for the MCAT studying now. You want the highest score possible even if you have a 4.0. Also, is there is something wrong with taking a year off? I took 2, on purpose though.


EDIT: ooh, i forgot that you are doing all that other crap too. i would just postpone things. take the MCAT when you have more time? or wing it and then if you need to retake it you will have time to do it! hehe, im half-serious because i don't know how concerned you are with a crappy score on your record. (im assuming you already paid for the MCAT)

 

[Edenbook85]

your very observant... i don't care to much for research... also if i leave reseach i leave the other crap too(science lectures, journal clubs, meetings etc.) do i really need to finish the research? will it look bad to medschools if i quit???

edit: oh i have a 3.4 GPA and yes i already paid for the MCAT. June 15..

 

[killinsound]

your very observant... i don't care to much for research... also if i leave reseach i leave the other crap too(science lectures, journal clubs, meetings etc.) do i really need to finish the research? will it look bad to medschools if i quit???

edit: oh i have a 3.4 GPA and yes i already paid for the MCAT. June 15..

you shouldn't be doing the research.

 

[AtreyuRocks]

your very observant... i don't care to much for research... also if i leave reseach i leave the other crap too(science lectures, journal clubs, meetings etc.) do i really need to finish the research? will it look bad to medschools if i quit???

edit: oh i have a 3.4 GPA and yes i already paid for the MCAT. June 15..

well, it's not so much that i am observant, but i am an md/phd applicant so for me, my research is super important to me. anyways, by the way you are asking these questions, i agree with killinsound

you shouldn't be doing the research.

scrap it as bad investment... get to hittin the books for the MCAT cause it doesn't seem like you want to take time off either. also, what are your other LOR? because you may not even need the LOR from the PI, right?

3.4 GPA? I would say that you want a high MCAT then to be competitive, I don't know where you are applying but a high MCAT would help a lot since you are <3.5

 

[IckeyShuffle]

i could use some good advice...

since the fall of 2006 i've been doing research. now with only 3 months till i take the MCAT (June 15) i'm thinking about quitting my job so that i can really study. also im taking 18 credit hours which in my university is the max. also i should mention that i am in the RISE program. its the program that got me my research job, and it requires me to go to two meeting a month that last 2 hours each and i have to attend weekly journal clubs 1-2 hours, and scientific lectures 1-2 hours per week. if i quit the research i quit the rise program. lastly i should mention that if i quit my research job i might not be able to get a LOR from the principle investigator.
so what im asking is the following.

1. should i quit my job to study for the MCAT even if it means loosing a great LOR and the RISE program and even a possible publication.

2. would quitting be seen as a weakness to the medschools.

3. in my application, would it be weird if i say i did 8 months of research and didn't get a LOR.

PLEASE RESPOND QUICKLY.

the mcat is the most important thing you will have on your application. do whatever will give you the best score. if you can do research without sacrificing your score than by all means do it. otherwise maximize your mcat score.