Question About Timing and MCAT

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mk2015

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Looking for some advice on exactly when I should prepare for/take the MCAT

As of now I plan on taking one of the MCAT prep courses since I do much better in a structured environment.

Either way, I am currently finishing my spring semester of my sophomore year. So I thought I would be best suited to start a 3 month course sometime next year and take the test next year.

The main question that I have is how feasible would this be. Next semester (Fall 2013) I will be taking Calculus, Physics I, Either Immunology or Neuroendocrinology, and Literature along with research and working as a scribe.

So currently, I'm wondering what the best approach to this would be. Take a course over the summer and take the exam in September or would I be better suited to wait longer since I wouldn't have taken a semester of physics yet? I'm sort of lost in the whole process at this point and our pre-med adviser isn't much help at a small school.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

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I would not recommend taking a prep course this summer if you haven't taken any physics yet. Will your junior spring semester be similarly heavy? If you're set on applying your senior year, you could take a prep course during your junior spring in conjunction with your regular classes, take the MCAT in late spring/early summer, and be on track for that cycle.

To be safe, I would wait until you've finished all your prerequesites (i.e. after your junior year), take a prep course that summer + take the MCAT at the end of the summer, and wait until the next cycle to apply, but I understand that not everyone wants to take a gap year.
 
Well, I'm not opposed to taking a gap year. But if its possible I would rather apply my senior year.

The only thing I would gain from a gap year would be working full time and maybe doing some additional shadowing.

I don't anticipate my spring schedule being nearly as heavy. The problem this semester is that normally I would have taken my bio 300 course, physics 1 and core classes. But since I started as a physician assistant major I didn't take calculus when everyone else did. So my junior spring semester will likely consist of physiology, biology seminar, a core class, physics 2 and maybe a philosophy (to fulfil my minor, but I would likely take that senior year)
 
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I would take the course in the spring, then.

Some people have a knack for physics and could easily pick up what's necessary during the three-month course, but it's probably not something you want to bet your MCAT score if you haven't had any exposure to physics previously.
 
I think, aside from verbal, physics is the most challenging subject on the mcat, yes sometimes they give easy passages but sometimes they are extremely convoluted especially when it comes to electricity and magnetism. Also my recent MCAT had some pretty damn tough physics that really tested your knowledge, this is co,ming fro, someone who got a 14 on PS on the last 3 aamc tests i took and a 13 on the real thing. Take your prep course after you are done with physics, take the MCAT when your ready and when it gives you an early application
 
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