When is the best time to take the MCAT?

[Dr. Josh]

Here's my situation:

1. entering senior year
2. plan on taking a year off
3. very tough schedule with Organic chem and some other hard courses
4. plan to shadow during winter break
5. don't want to apply too late as my stats are pretty mediocre compared to others
6, plan to apply for 2007 application cycle

I'm not even sure which months it is offered in but I need time to study adequately. Please help me decide.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Erina]

Here's my situation:

1. entering senior year
2. plan on taking a year off
3. very tough schedule with Organic chem and some other hard courses
4. plan to shadow during winter break
5. don't want to apply too late as my stats are pretty mediocre compared to others
6, plan to apply for 2007 application cycle

I'm not even sure which months it is offered in but I need time to study adequately. Please help me decide.

i would take it in april or may of next year. that way you can still get your AMCAS done in June and be well on your way with applications by the end of the summer.

 

[RDood]

Umm, bud, if you're applying for 2007 you've missed the boat. Now if you want to apply for the 2008 year, you're going to want take it Spring '07. Organic Chem is hard indeed, but it's good for it to be fresh for the MCAT. Also, if you want to take a year off, you'll just have to apply a year later, as few schools grant deferrals unless you're doing something like finishing up a Graduate Degree or doing Peace Corp/ Teach for America.

 

[Erina]

Umm, bud, if you're applying for 2007 you've missed the boat. Now if you want to apply for the 2008 year, you're going to want take it Spring '07. Organic Chem is hard indeed, but it's good for it to be fresh for the MCAT.

i think he meant he wants to apply in 2007.

 

[Guile]

Too bad you can't take it this month. That way you could have studied over the summer without classes, and you know your score going into the application season. However, with the new testing format, you get your score much quicker, so you could likely take it in May or June, which would allow you time to study after finals are over, still get your AMCAS in early, and your score would be reported in time so that it wouldn't hold up schools from evaluating your application.

 

[Dr. Josh]

i think he meant he wants to apply in 2007.

Oh yeah, I though if I said "2007 apllication cycle" it meant I was applying in 2007. See I'm too new at this and really have no clue what I'm doing.

So everyone (2/2) seems to think Spring 07, but I'll be taking difficult courses and be getting ready for finals. So how can I studdy for the MCAT and finish my semester well when I'm taking course like orgo?

 

[Dr. Josh]

Too bad you can't take it this month. That way you could have studied over the summer without classes, and you know your score going into the application season. However, with the new testing format, you get your score much quicker, so you could likely take it in May or June, which would allow you time to study after finals are over, still get your AMCAS in early, and your score would be reported in time so that it wouldn't hold up schools from evaluating your application.

Ok, this is more what I was hoping, but will it be enough time to study after finals? I think I finish towards the end of May.

 

[ParvatiP]

Ok, this is more what I was hoping, but will it be enough time to study after finals? I think I finish towards the end of May.

You're going to have to sacrifice some time from your classes to study for the MCAT, unfortunately. I plan on taking it in April 2007 so I don't have to worry about finals. Taking it in May would be too stressful for me, I think. And I think the test is offered in the beginning of May, very close to finals, so you'd have to get your studying in before then.

 

[Erina]

Ok, this is more what I was hoping, but will it be enough time to study after finals? I think I finish towards the end of May.

well you're going to want to schedule studying in with your classes during the spring semester. it's definitely possible to do that and if you're taking classes that cover mcat material, that'll help because you'll be studying that stuff anyway. may would probably be your best bet, unless you would prefer june. if you have everything into schools by the end of summer, you'll be "early"

 

[Guile]

Ok, this is more what I was hoping, but will it be enough time to study after finals? I think I finish towards the end of May.

Maybe you can take it in July and still get the scores back in time so you're not delayed being evaluated. I don't know if this is known yet. You're going to need to study before school is out. I studied for nearly five months. You can't wait until you're finished with finals to start. Plus you'll want to get AMCAS in early.

 

[NoktorNoL]

Since it will be offered 22 times next year, I would recommend you start studying as soon as possible and eventually take some practice tests - if you are scoring well on those by January/February then just take it then, otherwise keep studying and take it in April/May like some people suggested. I don't think you'll have to register too early to get a testing spot with the numerous test offerings.

 

[RDood]

Oh geez, I forgot about the whole new system thing. 22 days per year... back in the good old days it was only 2, and we took it while walking up-hill... both ways.

 

[kdburton]

Here's my situation:

1. entering senior year
2. plan on taking a year off
3. very tough schedule with Organic chem and some other hard courses
4. plan to shadow during winter break
5. don't want to apply too late as my stats are pretty mediocre compared to others
6, plan to apply for 2007 application cycle

I'm not even sure which months it is offered in but I need time to study adequately. Please help me decide.

Given your situation people might suggest taking it in April or May of 2007. I'm not sure when or how often the new CBT MCAT will be offered, but I hear that the scores come back in only a month (vs. 2 months currently). That way you'll get your scores back in time to get your AMCAS submitted on the first day. That is the extreme suggestion you might get if look at the average applicant from SDN. If you don't get your AMCAS out on June 1 you won't be "late" like everyone says, so you could easily take the MCAT in June, get your appilcation out by July and still be solid. Plus that will probably give you some time to study for the MCAT with no school interference, however you'd probably want to do quite a bit of studying throughout your spring semester.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Here is the calendar of dates the MCAT will be offered:
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/2007calendar.pdf

 

[mvenus929]

So everyone (2/2) seems to think Spring 07, but I'll be taking difficult courses and be getting ready for finals. So how can I studdy for the MCAT and finish my semester well when I'm taking course like orgo?

I'll be taking Orgo II, Genetics, probably Human Physiology, and a non-science class, and I'm taking in May 2007, the week after my finals are done. I typically don't stress too much by the time finals arrive, figuring that if I don't know the material already, a day of cramming right before the test isn't going to do me any good. It's served me well for the past few years.

You can do a moderate study schedule throughout the year, and take the MCAT about a month after you get out of school, increasing the amount of studying you do in that last month, but it's up to you. With so many options offered, as long as you take it in the spring, you should be fine.

 

[Dr. Josh]

Too bad you can't take it this month. That way you could have studied over the summer without classes, and you know your score going into the application season. However, with the new testing format, you get your score much quicker, so you could likely take it in May or June, which would allow you time to study after finals are over, still get your AMCAS in early, and your score would be reported in time so that it wouldn't hold up schools from evaluating your application.

There's no way. I just finished 5 weeks of summer school which I started 3 days after returning from study abroad clear on the other side of the world. I was taking 9 hrs of classes a day: 2 sciences. Now I'm doing volunteer work and am pretty much burnt out.

 

[Dr. Josh]

I'll be taking Orgo II, Genetics, probably Human Physiology, and a non-science class, and I'm taking in May 2007, the week after my finals are done. I typically don't stress too much by the time finals arrive, figuring that if I don't know the material already, a day of cramming right before the test isn't going to do me any good. It's served me well for the past few years.

You can do a moderate study schedule throughout the year, and take the MCAT about a month after you get out of school, increasing the amount of studying you do in that last month, but it's up to you. With so many options offered, as long as you take it in the spring, you should be fine.

I think I'm going to take the mid June one. I have a similar schedule as yours but I'm not going to take it the week after; i graduate then.