to apply or to wait?

[jjanssen]

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I am currently taking organic chemistry this summer, doing research, working, and preparing for the MCAT. I have done shadowing in the past and I am going to do more at the end of the summer. I am going into my 3rd year of college, however I am eligible to graduate this year. Many people are telling me that I should go ahead and take the MCAT and apply because by doing so I am getting my name out there, letting schools know how serious I am, and possibly gaining opportunities to attend some medical schools' post-baccalaureate programs. And seeing as a lot of people do not get in their first time applying, or work for a few years before entering, I might as well.

However, others think I should take a gap year and work/do research. I do not have as much volunteer experience as most, and I am doing a thesis in my school's medical center's cancer center with a professor this upcoming year but I won't be able to put that on an application yet. So waiting a year would give me time to prepare better for MCAT, let me put my thesis in the application, and gain more volunteer experience.

I work to put myself through school because I do not want a ton of loans, though I do have a couple, and i get very little help from my single mom who works 3 jobs to pay her own bills.

So I am very conflicted on whether to apply. If I take the MCAT and do not do well then that is going to be there no matter what. What if I am not a strong enough candidate with my 3.6 gpa (I slacked off my first year and worked more than I studied).

If I do apply, what schools would best suit me? What school is going to appreciate what I have accomplished in 3 years while working?

Any insight is appreciated.

 

[Catalystik]

If you rush this process, biting off more than your time-management skills can handle, you will end up going though a second very-expensive application cycle.

I took 10 semester hours of OChem over the summer and in order to get the As I wanted, had to give up most other activities. Studying adequately for the MCAT at the same time without compromising your coursework isn't going to happen with ongoing research and work as well.

You'd be better off finishing the OChem, then studying for the MCAT with a plan to take the test in the fall at the earliest and then apply the following summer in 2012. This gives you the time you need to beef up your experiences and boost your cGPA and BCPM up higher. If you apply this season, you will be competing with folks with at least an added year of activities, (and higher GPAs) and will not compare favorably.

By all means, graduate early and save a year of tuition. But take the gap year to further enhance your application while working during the application year.