Should I take a gap year?

[m1515]

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I'm a junior in undergrad and am deciding if I need to take a gap year. I want to take the MCAT this spring, but am not sure how manageable this is. I play soccer for my school so I already have that as a big time commitment. Spring season is a lot lighter than fall, but we still have 2 hour practices a day, weights, team activities weekly, and traveling occasionally for the entire weekend for games. I am taking O Chem, physics, biochem, and 2 hours of research credit so I have a fairly heavy school load (with 6 hours a week spent in lab bc of o chem and physics). I would only be able to study 4 times a week (at most) with around 15-20 hrs of studying/week leading up to my MCAT in May. Advice? I need to keep my GPA at a 3.7 and obviously want a good MCAT score.

 

[Dagrimsta1]

If you're taking classes during the spring, then take a gap year. If not, then study for the MCAT and take it in May... Trust me on the gap year, it really isnt that big of a deal and will make for a better MCAT/GPA score when applying.

 

[pioneer22]

if that's the distribution of studying, I would do a gap year.
Ultimately it's your call, so weigh the pros and cons of taking a gap year into account.

 

[efle]

That looks like a normal credit load and a single big EC, many people in your position are just fine studying throughout the semester. You could also sit for the MCAT in June instead, giving you a nice few weeks you could study full time right before the test. That would still let you submit app in July, plenty early enough.

 

[JustAPhD]

I'm sure you have a spring season, but besides that soccer shouldn't really be that much of a time sink for you, no? If you feel you can prepare enough to take the MCAT this spring/summer (June, as Efle suggested), then do it. If you haev doubts that you will be preapred, then by all means take the gap year. In my opinion, taking a gap year vastly wins out over taking the MCAT and having to retake it because you weren't ready.