Quick question regarding personal situation

[rbsckmnn]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. Thanks for making this resource available to everyone. Let me explain my situation real quick. I am a rising senior at UNC-Chapel Hill and until recently, have been planning to apply for med school this summer in hopes of matriculating in the fall of '09. However, I have just decided that I'm going to take a year off before going to school (for many reasons...personal growth, application strength, making money, change, etc). My question really involves the date I'm scheduled to take the MCAT. I registered for the Aug 5 test as this would allow me to apply this year, but now I am considering changing the test date because of my change in plans. I just got back from a mission trip in Indonesia, so I am about to either get back in the grind of studying for the August test, or get a job and postpone the MCAT until next April. I feel like the advantage of taking it in April is that I'll have biochem under my belt, while the disadvantage is that I'm trying to couple my academic work, senioritis, and MCAT studying into one semester. What do you guys think...take the test in August or get some more time in and take it in March/April of next year? Thanks again.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[joyrunner]

If it were me, I would take it early next cycle; aprilish. You just want to have your test back in time to submit your application as early as possible. I would think that if you take the test in August, you might have the mentality that if it doesn't go well you can just re-take it. Why not study as much as possible and do it right the first time? I don't see any advantage in taking it in August.
Oh, and I think it's great that you're taking a year off.

 

[175961]

I'm just coming off of taking a year off and I'll be returning to school this fall. If I were in your shoes I'd plan on taking it in April as was said above. You would probably be a little more prepared. I'm taking it next spring too....so it would be like we were taking it together haha

 

[BluePhoenix]

You could always take it in January. That gives you plenty of time to study if you need to take it over and because of Christmas break, you have about a month of study time where you're either not in class or only in the beginning of class. It really depends how you feel. If you think that in August, you'll have studied enough and be ready to take it and do well...take it and get it over with. There's no reason to prolong your studying if you're ready. Biochem is not really that helpful on the MCAT, and you might be better taking it while the other courses are fresh in your mind rather than letting them get a little dusty waiting to take biochem...which isn't really on the MCAT.

So...take it whenever you feel you're best prepared. The only downside to taking it next April is that if you need to retake or something, you're limited in time to prepare and your scores will be pushed back.