Pushing Back MCAT to End of May Bad?

[Polo423]

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So my plan was to RE-take the MCAT (1st go was 28Q (9, 9, 10)) on May 1st and then use May to prepare for applications. However now I'm considering pushing my test date back to May 21st.

Does taking the test that late in May hinder me poorly in applying this year?

(The reason I want to push back is because I work full time and study in my off time, and feel I should take more practice tests)

 

[DrSmooth]

Better yet, you could push it till June 17 and still be fine. An extra 6 weeks of full-time Mcat study/practice would make a HUGE difference. As long as ur transcripts are in in May, and app And LORs on June 1st, u should b ok. Remember that Amcas apps aren't sent to schools until June 23 or so. Ur MCAT scores will drop in early July, so as long as u turn in ur 2ndaries w/in a day or two u will easily be in the early round of applicants. Good luck!

 

[Catalystik]

I agree that you should still submit the application in early June so the transcripts can get verified when it takes a few days instead of a few weeks (as it will by the end of June). Apply to just one school and mark that you plan an MCAT retake. When the second score returns, add more schools depending on how competitive it is (newly added schools get the entire application within a day). While you wait for the score, start writing your Secondary essays from prompts you'll find here on SDN so your turn-around time wen you get a formal invitation to complete it will be just a few days.

 

[fastfingers]

so you could actually send an app on june 1st without an mcat score and then when scores come out, i could just send a lot more apps to other schools depending on how competitve my scores are?

 

[Catalystik]

Yes, that's correct. Even without an old MCAT score to list, the timing I outlined above is a reasonable plan to compensate for a later test date. You need to specify only one school when initially submitting to get the verification process started.