When should I start my cycle?

[engPhD09]

This is my first post on this site and I'd like some advice for my particular situation. After several years (adding an excelling in a PhD program in biomedical engineering), I feel that I've put my undergraduate sins in the past. In fact, i can clearly see that my numbers in the context of my undergraduate school (and their career center's statistics of acceptances )would get me in (I also have all the intangibles in excess). Here's the one thing I need: an MCAT. No worries in terms of the test, but this is basically what I'm thinking:

By late June, I think I could score low 30's, but by September, I think I could score upper 30's and possibly break 40 (funny, 7 years ago this test really intimidated me, but after 7 years invested in becoming an interdisciplinary biomedical researcher, I actually have a lot of the science down).

So the question is, what should I do:

(1) Take the test in June, apply this cycle (for 2009 matriculation)
(2) Take the test in August/Sept, presumbably get a higher score and apply for 2009 matriculation or
(3) Take the test in August/Sept, work for a year after my PhD, and apply for 2010 matriculation

Like many of us, I'm starting to feel old, so I'd like to avoid another gap year.

Side note: I'm targetting US allopathic schools.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Getting your application in early is pretty important. Many schools have rolling admissions.

Low 30's is more than adequate for most medical schools. Take some practice MCATs and get a feel for where your scores are and then re-evaluate. If you're aiming for a higher tier and you're willing to sit out a year to improve your application then that's perfectly acceptable.

 

[nu2004]

Low 30's is more than adequate for most medical schools.

This is misleading. Low 30s are the median for most medical schools. If the OP wants to be really competitive, he should aim for high 30s (he sounds confident).

To the OP: speaking of confidence, try not to let it cloud your vision in this process. This board is littered with people with GREAT stats who are not accepted anywhere. Your essays are important - have someone who writes well give them a once-over, or more. Are your "intangibles" really "in excess?" That is, do you have substantial clinical experience? What about community-service-type volunteering? This stuff is important too.

Like everyone who is passionate about medicine, I wish you nothing but the best of luck. Just remember to have some humility as you go through this process; it will be an asset in the end.

 

[gman33]

Confidence is good, but you really have no idea what you will score on the MCAT until you start taking some practice tests. Some people who are strong in the sciences struggle with the verbal section, so make sure you prep well for that. The examkrackers verbal books are pretty good.

You say you've put your UG sins in the past.
What is your overall and BCPM gpa?
Grad coursework will not offset lower UG grades. Just wanted to make sure you are clear about this.

Assumming everything else is in order and you have plenty of clinical volunteering time (200+ hours), then I would say take the test earlier and apply. A 32+ is good enough for most schools. If you are shooting for a "top" school, then you may need 35+.

 

[Luxian]

I honestly think that with your background, and the two coming months to study, you should have no problem taking the MCAT in June. High 30s is plenty to get in. (Case in point, a 37 was the top 3% of all test takers the year I took it.) I would say study, take some practice exams, and if you feel you're ready, take it in June.

The Aug/Sep date pushes you a little later in the cycle. If you're on the ball and have all the rest of your primary ready to go before the MCAT, you can basically click "send" when the MCAT scores are reported. Just don't push it any LATER in the cycle because October and November primary applications basically won't get you in.

You can do this and apply for 2009. Good luck!

 

[gman33]

You can submit your primary app before the MCAT. A lot of places will even send you a secondary before seeing a score. I guess this could back fire if you do poorly, but only you can gauge that.
This would make taking the test in June or July a non-issue.

 

[engPhD09]

Thanks for all the great replies. Sorry if that came off lacking humility - just to let you all know, I first embarked on this path in 2001 (and was promplty scolded about all these things and rightfully so). Trust me, I've had the years of personal crisis about whether I will ever get to be what I want to be that we non-trads often go through. So in the intervening 7 years, I have worked to get to a point where the MCAT is all that's left, thanks again for the advice and it will help me make a decision!