When do I take the MCAT? When do I start studying?

[deleted778820]

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I'm a first year Neuroscience student. I don't know when to take the MCAT; I have seen in various med school videos that I should take it in the Spring/Summer time of my junior year of college. The application timeline really confuses me. Can someone please clarify when should I take the MCAT? According to my curriculum I finish with my last pre-req in junior year. I have read that the recommended study time is 3-4 months prior to the test, however I have also seen that some students study with the subject prep books while they are taking the course practicing for the class and MCAT simultaneously. Any recommendations of when to start studying would be very appreciated.

 

[E.Hemingway]

I'm sure if you search the forum you could find plenty of information about this.

But when you take the MCAT depends on how many gap years, if any, you plan on taking. It takes 3-5 months to study for the exam and one month for your score to come back. Med school applications open in June and I think you should try to have your MCAT score back by April or May at the latest in case you need to retake it. And, for some reason, the MCAT is not offered in the Winter.

So, taking all of that into consideration, if you want to matriculate straight from undergrad into med school, you would take the MCAT sometime Junior year (in January, for example) so that you get your score back in time to apply during the summer between junior and senior year for admittance in the fall right after graduation. If you want to take one gap year, take the MCAT senior year. If you want two gap years, take it after graduation.

I studied for the MCAT during the summer/fall following graduation and took it the following January (this past January). I got my score back in February and am currently applying. If you aren't in a rush to go to med school, I think it's a good idea to take the test after graduation. That way, you can maximize your focus and you've got all the pre-reqs under your belt. Furthermore, gap years are an excellent opportunity to strengthen your application with extracurriculars.

Although it's great that you're thinking ahead, I also think it's a little early for you to be worrying about the MCAT. You'll have plenty of time to think about this as you progress into undergrad. The best thing you can do right now to prepare for the MCAT is to focus on TRULY learning, understanding, and retaining the information in your classes. Study hard, harder than you did in high school. Don't take shortcuts. Don't fool yourself. Not only will it help you keep your GPA up, but it will make it much easier to prepare for the MCAT when the time comes. The MCAT is not just a test of knowledge, but one of discipline, critical thinking, and mental endurance, which are all skills you should to be practicing throughout undergrad, and which you will need to succeed in medical school. I wish somebody had told me that when I was a freshman.

Good luck with it all. It's a long but rewarding road ahead.

 

[anhnen5]

It depends on what you want to do. Applications open up around early June every year. The application cycle is a year long so if you were to apply say, for example, this year 2017 then you are trying to get in for the class of Fall 2018. If you want to go to medical school right out of undergrad you would be applying the June of the summer right before your Senior year. Interviews and all that jazz will be during your senior year.

Take the MCAT whenever you're ready, preferably after you finish all of your pre-reqs. The study time is different for each person and really depends how long you can actually dedicate to studying (the number of months don't matter, but the quality number of hours per week you can get in as a full time student with all of your other activities). It also just depends how strong you are in the subjects (Biochem, Bio, Orgo, Gen Chem, Physics, Psych/Sociology, and CARS). I personally needed 6 months because I was working full-time and doing volunteering at the same time, but I was already out of school.

If you can start prepping the summer before your Junior year because most of your pre-reqs should be done by then (except for maybe biochem and genetics, so maybe plan to take them in the fall of Junior year?) and take the test around January right after winter break in your Junior year, that would be perfect imo.

Edit: Aww @E.Hemingway beat me to it, but yeah I agree with him on everything

 

[deleted778820]

I'm sure if you search the forum you could find plenty of information about this.

But when you take the MCAT depends on how many gap years, if any, you plan on taking. It takes 3-5 months to study for the exam and one month for your score to come back. Med school applications open in June and I think you should try to have your MCAT score back by April or May at the latest in case you need to retake it. And, for some reason, the MCAT is not offered in the Winter.

So, taking all of that into consideration, if you want to matriculate straight from undergrad into med school, you would take the MCAT someone Junior year (in January, for example) so that you get your score back in time to apply during the summer between junior and senior year for admittance in the fall right after graduation. If you want to take one gap year, take the MCAT senior year. If you want two gap years, take it after graduation.

I studied for the MCAT during the summer/fall following graduation and took it the following January (this past January). I got my score back in February and am currently applying. If you aren't in a rush to go to med school, I think it's a good idea to take the test after graduation. That way, you can maximize your focus and you've got all the pre-reqs under your belt. Furthermore, gap years are an excellent opportunity to strengthen your application with extracurriculars. But that's just my opinion.

Although it's great that you're thinking ahead, I also think it's a little early for you to be worrying about the MCAT. You'll have plenty of time to think about this as you progress into undergrad. The best thing you can do right now to prepare for the MCAT is to focus on TRULY learning, understanding, and retaining the information in your classes. Study hard, harder than you did in high school. Don't take shortcuts. Don't fool yourself. Not only will it help you keep your GPA up, but it will make it much easier to prepare for the MCAT when the time comes. The MCAT is not just a test of knowledge, but one of discipline, critical thinking, and mental endurance, which are all skills you should to be practicing throughout undergrad, and which you will need to succeed in medical school. I wish somebody had told me that when I was a freshman.

Good luck with it all. It's a long but rewarding road ahead.

Thank you so much for your advice! I wish you all the success in Med School!

 

[deleted778820]

It depends on what you want to do. Applications open up around early June every year. The application cycle is a year long so if you were to apply say, for example, this year 2017 then you are trying to get in for the class of Fall 2018. If you want to go to medical school right out of undergrad you would be applying the June of the summer right before your Senior year. Interviews and all that jazz will be during your senior year.

Take the MCAT whenever you're ready, preferably after you finish all of your pre-reqs. The study time is different for each person and really depends how long you can actually dedicate to studying (the number of months don't matter, but the quality number of hours per week you can get in as a full time student with all of your other activities). It also just depends how strong you are in the subjects (Biochem, Bio, Orgo, Gen Chem, Physics, Psych/Sociology, and CARS). I personally needed 6 months because I was working full-time and doing volunteering at the same time, but I was already out of school.

If you can start prepping the summer before your Junior year because most of your pre-reqs should be done by then (except for maybe biochem and genetics, so maybe plan to take them in the fall of Junior year?) and take the test around January right after winter break in your Junior year, that would be perfect imo.

Edit: Aww @E.Hemingway beat me to it, but yeah I agree with him on everything

Thank you so much for the insight. I will be definitely doing my best in studying my courses and focus on that for now 🙂

 

[Saifa]

I tell my freshman students planning for medicine to try to take the exam the summer before applying. My summer break this year consisted of the entirety of my MCAT prep, taking the test mid-June, and preparing my entire application, all while working to fund the (expensive) process. It sucked, I'm going into my senior year with no break to speak of, but I knew enough about my testing abilities to gamble on a short study schedule to buy myself a year of my life (assuming I get in). Spend your freshman/sophomore years learning your strengths and weaknesses for the relevant material and learn your testing abilities to figure out how much time you need to study. People will vehemently insist that you need at least three months, I don't agree with them.

Also, your prep technically begins when you take the first of any of the classes represented. Maintain the attitude that those classes really aren't over even though you took the final. The MCAT is like a cumulative final for every pre-med class you take.

 

[OtisO]

If you can start prepping the summer before your Junior year because most of your pre-reqs should be done by then (except for maybe biochem and genetics, so maybe plan to take them in the fall of Junior year?) and take the test around January right after winter break in your Junior year, that would be perfect imo.

Thanks @anhnen5 !!! I've been thinking about this plan for forever but some people think I am rushing but I hardly find time during the semester to get my own work done nevertheless MCAT PREP.. My plan is Summer STUDY and prep. Fall semester Practice Tests, Winter break: practice tests/revising/polishing and exam is before my spring semester then I can focus on application during that semester. Needed some reassurance, lol.