Semester off to write MCAT?

[Elpenor]

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I plan on "taking a semester off" to study for the MCAT, how poorly does this look? Originally I had intended to write the MCAT in the summer, but something else has come up and I will not be available to.

I will still take a course or two, but I will definitely not be taking enough hours to be "full time" (probably only like 6 hours). I have plenty of credits already, so graduating on time will not be an issue.

I will keep up my EC's as well. Will this be looked down upon, or not?

 

[Beamer128]

I personally wouldn't do it...you're pretty much expected to score really well given that you don't have too much else to focus on, and if for some reason you do poorly, you'll have a hard time explaining why you did so with such a small courseload.

At least take the minimum amount of classes so you're full-time...I'm not really basing this on anything in particular though, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

 

[rhesuspieces]

I agree with Beamer. Most secondaries will ask you to explain any interruptions in your education. A semester as a part-time student will probably merit explanation. If you're comfortable explaining to adcoms that you took a semester off to take the MCAT--a test that everyone applying to medical school takes, some while balancing a full courseload--then by all means take the semester off.

That's not to say that there aren't any good reasons to take a semester off to study. I don't know your full story--maybe you have to work full-time to support your education, maybe you have a learning disability that makes it imperative to study full time for a whole semester. Just make sure your reasons for taking a semester off are better than "the MCAT is hard and I want extra time to study for it."

 

[NickNaylor]

I don't think taking a semester off is really necessary... as long as you're diligent and disciplined, you should be able to study while doing school.

 

[Express7]

Doesn't look good imo. In the grand scheme of things, studying for the MCAT while taking undergrad classes is perhaps a drop in the bucket compared to how much you will have to study when you get into med school. So if you have to take a semester off just for the MCAT then it might be a red flag saying that you are not cut out for all the hard work that is to come in med school.

I would take a light course load during the semester you are planning to take the MCAT and just be disciplined about how you manage your time for both things.