Re-taking MCATs

[Skye04]

How challenging is it to retake the MCATs a few years after undergrad and still do well on them? Is a score drop from senior year undergrad scores inevitable? How much studying compared to studying while an undergrad does one need to put in? I am looking at a 3-4 year gap with NO science coursework between when I graduate and when I would be retaking the MCATs (I would probably take them senior year even though I know the scores will expire before I can apply)... is this a big problem? Thanks for any advice...

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[A. Caveman]

i really wanna say something to you, anything, but your post is SO incredibly confusing and poorly written that i don't even understnd you. i read it twice, and all i gather is that you took it...OK just read a third time so i don't sound stupid posting here, but i STILL don't get it.
actually i'm not even gonna bother with this. i'll help once you help me help you Cuba

 

[UCLA2000]

I would think that it would be harder for someone who has been out of school for 3-4 years to take the MCAT. There is alot of material to re-learn. Although I feel it would be difficult, it would not be impossible.

 

[kutastha]

I took the MCAT in 1996, and then again in April 2001. I pretty much had to take a review course as a lot of the stuff had long since been removed from my mind, and that I worked 8-10 hour days. I found that once I got a refresher, it all came back to me. I think it's like riding a bike. It's all back there - you may not always use it - but you can recall it when you need to.

Andrew

 

[A. Caveman]

i guess what's most confusing is that at the end of your comment you say "i would take them [mcat] at the end of senior year..." but in the beginning you say you might have to take them again 3-4 years after undergrad, as if you've already taken them (why else would you take it again if you haven't already taken it at least once?)
so have you taken it yet? my initial impression, which i did not want to base my whole comment on since it did not sound right, was that you haven't taken it yet, but might suspect that you'll have to retake it 3-4 years later. that's gotta be wrong. hook me up, baby. what's the story.

although generally, i would say that yes, taking them again years later is much harder. but if you're asking for an exact time /day that you should study, then only You can know that. and only experience will teach you that. get out there and start studying. have a strategy, always. and go from there, modifying your plan, and learning your stuff. you'll figure out what you need to do to kick butt.

 

[Jamier2]

Caveman, I may be wrong but I think s/he meant that they'll take the MCAT in their senior year, but don't expect to do well, or don't expect to apply. For whatever reason they plan to take it again around four years later.

Personally, I don't see any reason to take it if they're not going to apply, but to each his (or her) own.

 

[Skye04]

Sorry! Let me clarify a little bit:

I have NOT yet taken the MCATs. I will probably not be applying to medical school until about 4 years, maybe more, after I graduate from undergrad. Taking a break for the Peace Corps and some serious world traveling. I was planning on taking the MCATs my senior year while the material is still fresh in my mind. The purpose of this would be to gauge how much preparation I would need to do upon returning to the states, and also just in case I do decide to apply before the scores expire (not likely). I thus anticipate having to take the MCATs for a second time about 3-4 years after college.

Sorry for the confusion... do you get what I'm asking now?

 

[tBw]

That's what I thought your post meant Skye...I guess what I don't understand is why you want to take the real MCAT for this purpose. Rather than spend all that money, if you really want to put yourself through it, do one of the published AAMC exams. It'll give you just as good an idea and be much cheaper. Also, if you do the online Exam V (I think it's $40) it will score it and tell you where your weak areas are...however, I'm not convinced this will be usefulas they will probably have changed by time 3-4 years go by....

Personally I would wait till I was near applying to take the MCAT. It's not something I would go through unless I had to!

g'luck

onwis