When should i take the mcat?

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hnbui

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When do people generally take the mcat? Is it usually during the summer between your sophmore and junior year?

also how many times should i take it?
 

Pinkertinkle

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I think that's ideal, but most people wait until April of junior year.
 
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Pinkertinkle said:
I think that's ideal, but most people wait until April of junior year.
that's the normal time, yes

I'm taking it between soph/junior year though, because I finished all the prereq's for it.
 

1viking

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Whatever you do, don't leave it off until August of the year that you apply. That is asking for trouble. Your scores won't be back until late October, and schools are already two months into interviews.
 

thackl

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The best time would be the August BEFORE the yr you would like to apply. Most people take it in april though.
 

hnbui

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thackl said:
The best time would be the August BEFORE the yr you would like to apply. Most people take it in april though.

usually what year do people apply? their senior year right?
 

hnbui

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this is kind of off the topic but what are the ten best medical school? The Top ten, i might say.
 

gujuDoc

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To the original poster,

If you feel you are ready to take it after your sophomore year is over and before your junior go ahead and take it then. I know a girl that did just that last summer, and got a 32P on her MCAT. She also has a real high GPA and good EC's.

However, if you are not ready and feel you could take a few more classes to prepare you for it like anatomy and physiology which will help and biochem which will help, then take it your junior year spring. If you absolutely cannot take it either of those times, then take it your summer after junior year; but beware taking it aug of junior year is asking for trouble.

You start filling your application, generally, in May right after your junior year is finished. Then you send it out by June or July ideally, after you have completed it.

If you send it early, you will get it processed quicker and get secondaries by July or August, and possibly interviews by early fall if they like you.
 

Rugger81

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Take it, preferably in April, AFTER you have finished Gen Chem, Organic Chem, Gen Biology, and Gen Physics.

You don't want to take it more than once, so take it when you are going to be best prepared.

I waited until the April after I graduated, and it was the best decision I ever made.
 

gujuDoc

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Oh yah wanted to echo the poster before me, take it only once or twice at the most.

Take it when you are best prepared, which means don't just take it cold

Either buy Exam Krackers materials an AAMC tests, or take a prep course like Kaplan or Princeton Review, or get old prep course books from someone who is no longer using theirs, and get the aamc tests to practice.
 
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