When Should I Take the MCAT?

[soccer_referee]

I have been dabating this for a while now. My initial decision was to wait unil August to take the test, so I could take a princeton review course and hopefully get a pretty good score(30 +), but other have told me not to wait and study as much as I can from now until April 16th and see how I do, so my apps wont be delayed. They say I could always retake it if I don't do well. I haven't studied at all for the test, what should I do April or August. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. GPA =3.35

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[Brain]

If you're planning on applying for 2006, take the April MCAT. Your application will be delayed considerably if you wait until August to take it. By the time your application is reviewed, you will be competing with more people for fewer interview spots. Some schools may have even filled their class. One of the biggest regrets people on this site have about the application process is applying late. You really don't need a princeton review course to do well on the MCAT if you make studying for it a priority. Do plenty of practice tests on your own. It's worth spending the $80 buying the practice MCATs from AAMC. Best of luck.

 

[javert]

By the time your application is reviewed, you will be competing with more people for fewer interview spots. Some schools may have even filled their class.

What medical schools have interviewed all applicants and filled their class by October??? While the first sentence is true at many schools, the second is a gross overstatement.

To the OP: if you feel that you can do well, take it in April (Late Registration ends the 26th of March!). However, if you haven't studied and you feel at all rusty in any of the core subject areas (Bio, Orgo, Phys, etc.), then you should wait until August. Even if you don't feel that you need to review the material that much, you probably need to take as many practice exams and questions as you can, and doing this in 3 weeks for the April exam seems rushed to me (remember, a practice exam will take ~8 hours). If you're in school and/or working, it is definately rushed.

While, as the previous poster said, applying early does have its advantages, it won't make up for a poor MCAT score. For your situation, I would recommend taking it in August.

 

[CharlieVN]

I recommend taking it in April or August 👍

 

[Gentle]

While, as the previous poster said, applying early does have its advantages, it won't make up for a poor MCAT score. For your situation, I would recommend taking it in August.

I agree with what Javert said. Given that the test is soon and that you haven't prepared for it at all, take it in August. The premed advisor at my school has been an admission director @ a Medschool. She recommends taking the MCAT in April, as we would xpect BUT don't even try to do that if you really, really know that you're not prepared, she said. So making it big in Aug. would probably cover up for the lateness. Just make sure you apply and complete everything at all your potential schools so that the MCAT scores are the only thing waiting.

Good luck!

 

[soccer_referee]

Thanks guys for all your help. I have 7 days to ponder my decision. Wish me luck!

 

[Crete]

Thanks guys for all your help. I have 7 days to ponder my decision. Wish me luck!

No, you have -3 days to make your decision. If you are at all contemplating April, start studying now. You need to figure out if it is at all feasible to take the April test based on what you know. Some undergrad programs will leave you with all the basic knowledge you need, all you need to do is refresh and practice taking the test. If this is the case, you really need to start now; spring break is the best time to start. Let's face it, unless you have some amazing accomplishments under your belt, are URM, or have something to kill the ADCOMS with (figuratively), you really need to kick --- on the MCAT to make up for your GPA. If you can only do that in August, then that kick --- MCAT score will be what you ride to med school. If you don't think you can rock the MCAT in April, you'll have to settle for applying late and not being competitive at many programs. Applying early literally makes the difference for most between getting in and not. However, if you can really rock your MCAT, have good letters and extracurriculurs, you can still get in at decent schools with August MCATs. The same with an April MCAT will get you in much much better schools.

 

[sockandmittens]

take an mcat diagnostic or a practice test and see where you stand now. study for a week, take another. it's possible to only study for 3 seeks or hardly study at all and do wonderfullly, but they only kids i know to have gotten away with that are science majors and ridiculously smart- which I at least wasn't when it came to the mcat. tho, if you do awful in april, you can retake in august. tho you still get the delay and all that

 

[chopper]

I'll repeat what most people say: Take the MCAT when you are ready.

All things being equal, it's better to take it early (apr). BUT if you are not ready, it is a terrible mistake to take it in April. Do bad on it once, and not only do you have to explain poor performance. But the chances of doing well the second time actually go down. There are over 30,000 people who take it in August. There are plenty of chances to get in if you take the August test. ESPECIALLY if you do well on the MCAT. It is a myth that your chance are somehow ruined if you don't get everything in right on time. Better to get it in early, yes. Doomed if you don't, no. Plus, you can have most of your secondaries all complete before August scores come back because almost all schools give them out to everyone. Only a few schools still pre-screen after a completed app.

Good luck

 

[finch]

If you take the MCAT in april and do poorly due to a lack of preparation, you will have a bad test score scarring your application whenever you apply, even if you retake. If you wait until august and prepare heavily, the worst thing that can happen is that you will get rejected this year due to a late application. Next year, you can use your score to apply on the first day of the application process and be competitive anywhere.
Good luck

 

[lakersfan]

I would reccomend against taking it in August. However, if you have not started studying for the MCAT as of yet, then it is too late to start studying for next months test. Taking the test in August will delay your app and hurt your chances at schools who use rolling admissions. Good luck!

 

[Brain]

What medical schools have interviewed all applicants and filled their class by October??? While the first sentence is true at many schools, the second is a gross overstatement.

Okay, so that wasn't the best way of stating it but getting your app in after October can be a killer for some schools. I know of someone that was complete at MCW in the middle of September. He got a letter a few months later saying his app wasn't even reviewed because of the high volume of applications they received. He had a decent application with good stats and activities and things may have gone differently had he applied earlier.

I know that Texas A&M states on their website that applications received after October 1st will not receive full consideration. The point is that at some schools, getting your application in during October will pretty much eliminate you unless of course you end up with some phenomenal score. You really should take and do well on the April MCAT if it's at all possible.

 

[aumed22]

It's a tough situation, you need to do great on your MCAT considering your GPA. If you really think you can blow the MCAT out of the water (32+) in April, then by all means go for it. But, if you can't, then it won't matter that you got your application in early, your MCAT and GPA won't be very competetive.

 

[BerlinNeuro]

I think trying an official AAMC MCAT test RIGHT NOW (as you log off of SDN and get cracking) will make your decision for you. Take the newest released practice test, i.e. version 7? I believe, and see what you get. Your test subscription is good until the August date, so even if you don't do well, you still can use the test(s) later for preparation. If you're scoring 27-28+ on a first run, then you can probably brush up to get at least a 30 by mid-April. But if you're not, then don't take it. It's not a hard test as far as hard core science memorization, but you have to know how to analyze the questions and you may need to work on this.

 

[RaaMD]

better to do well in april than to do well in august, you'll be ahead in apps and interviews. Sometimes its hard to take the april if you are in school. Good luck!