I took the MCAT in April of 2000, and I tried to start studying in Jan 2000, but I took on a pretty heavy courseload that term (granted, which included Orgo II, which helped A LOT!), so i ended up not studying seriously for the MCAT until a week before, when I tried to cram in physics (which I completely didn't know) and tried to take a practice test (didn't even get through one all the way). I ended up with a 27 (9 V, 9 BS, 9 PS), and by some miracle got into med school, but I really don't recommend doing it the way I did. That 1-week studying-for-the-MCAT experience was ultra-high stressful, not to mention the several weeks afterward, when I was trying to catch up on my schoolwork that I had piled up. If I had to do it all over again, I would take the August MCAT. April is a BAD IDEA if you're taking classes at the same time.