Timing Advice

[Falconclaw]

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Okay, so I got into the whole pre-med thing rather late in the game. I'm not gonna mention what I was doing before, since that was a different thread, but I decided to switch during Winter break of my Junior year. As a result, I have to stay in school for an extra year, which I don't really mind. I definitely would like to avoid taking a gap year though.

This semester, I took Bio 1 and 2 (which are probably going to give my GPA quite a pounding, but that's a different story) and Physics 2. I still have to take everything else. I may or may not take Chem 1 this summer, but I really doubt that I'm doing to take Chem 1 and 2. So in Spring 2014, I'm still going to be taking Orgo 2 and Chem 2. I also want to apply to med school in 2014, so I'm planning to take the MCAT either in late April or sometime in May.

My question is whether this is feasible. Let's say during Winter break of next year, I really concentrate on studying for the MCAT's. Will I be able to study without having taken Chem 2 and Orgo 2?

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

...I really concentrate on studying for the MCAT's.

 

[Falconclaw]

I don't get it.

 

[Ismet]

I don't get it.

it's MCAT. it's not plural or possessive.

to answer your question, i wouldn't rush to take the MCAT without half the background in gen chem. also, your school allows you to take orgo and gen chem concurrently? at my undergrad, gen chem was a prereq for orgo. still, gen chem is a major portion of the PS part of the MCAT and it probably won't be to your advantage to be finishing both chems while studying for the MCAT...

 

[didimao]

It's very common to spend 3 months studying for the MCAT. Don't rush into it!

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

You could do alright without taking Orgo 2. You would bomb the PS section without the full year of Gen Chem.

 

[Falconclaw]

it's MCAT. it's not plural or possessive.

to answer your question, i wouldn't rush to take the MCAT without half the background in gen chem. also, your school allows you to take orgo and gen chem concurrently? at my undergrad, gen chem was a prereq for orgo. still, gen chem is a major portion of the PS part of the MCAT and it probably won't be to your advantage to be finishing both chems while studying for the MCAT...

Well, I apologize dearly for my grammatical error.

I'd be taking it after I took Chem 2 and Orgo 2, I just wouldn't have as much time to study those portions specifically for the MCAT, since I'm guessing if I take the MCAT later than May, it'll cause my applications to be a little late.

It technically is a pre-req, but my schools registration system doesn't check pre-reqs.

 

[exquisitemelody]

As someone who's taken the MCAT one too many times, I say take the MCAT later and give yourself more time for focused study without any school in the way. Take it once and do well so you don't have to do it again.

Take a late June MCAT - it won't make your application that late.

 

[coffeesnob]

As someone who's taken the MCAT one too many times, I say take the MCAT later and give yourself more time for focused study without any school in the way. Take it once and do well so you don't have to do it again.

Take a late June MCAT - it won't make your application that late.

This. You want to take your MCAT when you are fully ready, OP. How do you know when you are ready? Only AAMC full-length test scores can reveal that...

If you are set on taking your MCAT in April-May, take an AAMC full length sometime in March and see where you stand. You will be able to make a better decision then. If you are not sure, come back to SDN and ask.

Honestly, no one can tell you what to do at this point without knowing your MCAT practice scores.

 

[Falconclaw]

As someone who's taken the MCAT one too many times, I say take the MCAT later and give yourself more time for focused study without any school in the way. Take it once and do well so you don't have to do it again.

Take a late June MCAT - it won't make your application that late.

Are you sure it won't make it late? I keep hearing horror stories about people not getting interviews mainly on the lateness of their applications.

On the other hand, obviously it's better not to take it unless I'm confident in my practice test scores. Everyone always talks about the AAMCAS official practice problems - how can I get my hands on those?

 

[coffeesnob]

Are you sure it won't make it late? I keep hearing horror stories about people not getting interviews mainly on the lateness of their applications.

On the other hand, obviously it's better not to take it unless I'm confident in my practice test scores. Everyone always talks about the AAMCAS official practice problems - how can I get my hands on those?

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/85158/orderingpracticetests_mcat.html

Buy them through AAMC or if you enroll in test prep (kaplan, prince review, etc), they give you full access to these AAMC full lengths (included in your fees). These are not practice problems; they are full-lengths. You do not want to waste these until you have fully reviewed all the topics for MCAT. You want to take these in their entirety under a timed condition to see what your expected score would be on your real test.

if you take your late june mcat, you will be complete by the end of july or so. that's not that late...

 

[Falconclaw]

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/85158/orderingpracticetests_mcat.html

Buy them through AAMC or if you enroll in test prep (kaplan, prince review, etc), they give you full access to these AAMC full lengths (included in your fees). These are not practice problems; they are full-lengths. You do not want to waste these until you have fully reviewed all the topics for MCAT. You want to take these in their entirety under a timed condition to see what your expected score would be on your real test.

if you take your late june mcat, you will be complete by the end of july or so. that's not that late...

Okay, thanks! There was one free MCAT full length on the site, and I got to select the sections I wanted tested. So I de-selected the chem, orgo, and half of the physics sections, so I guess I'll be taking 57.75% of the actual test.

 

[DrHugs]

This. You want to take your MCAT when you are fully ready, OP. How do you know when you are ready? Only AAMC full-length test scores can reveal that...

If you are set on taking your MCAT in April-May, take an AAMC full length sometime in March and see where you stand. You will be able to make a better decision then. If you are not sure, come back to SDN and ask.

Honestly, no one can tell you what to do at this point without knowing your MCAT practice scores.

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