studying for mcat while in smp?

[vanillasky123]

So I spent this summer studying to retake the MCAT and will be attending a reputable SMP this fall. However, I haven't been hitting my target score and plan on postponing the test to November or January. Has anyone experienced studying for MCAT while doing a M1 courseload at a SMP? How much time were you able to spend studying outside of classes? Is it do-able?

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[smpbound]

You should have just taken your MCAT. You're probably scoring around the high 20's hoping to break into the 30s, right? Everyone is. Chances of anyone raising their score is a challenge. And the challenge will be even greater in the middle of SMP exams.

With that being said, I know one person who took the MCAT during their SMP and she did as expected, getting over 30, but she was already scoring over 30 to begin with.

 

[darklabel]

It's tough. A reputable SMP won't leave you much wiggle room in your schedule for the long times that MCAT studying needs. Also, depending on your SMP you may be taking tests every 2 weeks and you may be expected to beat medical student averages or the averages of your peers to do well.

I would suggest holding out until the summer. However I know you probably are doing this because the new MCAT is kicking in very soon so I would suggest doing it earlier (like September or October) before your SMP really kicks in. With difficult classes since some like to ease their students in.

 

[UTsksk]

I tried to study for an early spring MCAT in case I didn't get in through my SMP, but it was just too hard finding the right balance. In the end, it came down to me choosing to give all my time in the courses to get the grades I needed rather than sharing the time. I think if I had split my time, my grades wouldn't nearly be where they were to get me into med school. Just like the person above me said, take the MCAT in the summer, but of course with the new exam coming, that does make things more interesting.

I think I would rather take the new MCAT during the summer than risk messing up in a SMP. You can retake the MCAT, but blowing a master's program pretty much seals your fate. Good luck.