When should I take the MCAT?

[Undecipherable]

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I'm doing bio and chem this year. Next year, I'll be doing physics and o-chem. Also, I'm on quarter terms. I've read taking the MCAT around June is recommended, but I'll still be taking my finals for school in physics and o-chem at the same time. Will taking studying for the exam become too much while taking the last of the physics and o-chem series classes? How long should I put aside in a 3-4 month period for MCAT study during the quarter?

I don't know how to plan this out. 🙁 Can someone guide me when to start studying for it during the school year? Obviously, I can't take the exam well into summer because I'll be pushed into the later end of the spectrum for applications/interviews.

 

[aSagacious]

Are you a freshman this year? If so finish up ochem and physics next (sophomore) year and take the MCAT in the spring of your junior year.

 

[Undecipherable]

Are you a freshman this year? If so finish up ochem and physics next (sophomore) year and take the MCAT in the spring of your junior year.

I'm sort of non-traditional (just turned 23) and want to get the ball rolling without anymore delays.

 

[aSagacious]

I'm sort of non-traditional (just turned 23) and want to get the ball rolling without anymore delays.

Oh, in that case maybe June of next year would be ideal. Maybe start studying for the exam moderately during the spring of next year and then kick up your hours after finals for a few weeks. That should put you in early to mid June.

 

[Undecipherable]

Oh, in that case maybe June of next year would be ideal. Maybe start studying for the exam moderately during the spring of next year and then kick up your hours after finals for a few weeks. That should put you in early to mid June.

Thank you. I've never studied for an entrance exam before and sometimes think 3 months won't be enough. You don't reckon it would be too hard to "recover" knowledge from all the science classes if I learn everything thoroughly from the get-go in that time-span (all in while going to school and finish learning physics and o-chem), right? I mean, that would be an ideal approach.

 

[aSagacious]

Ideally you want a solid few (4-6?) weeks of studying to prepare for the exam. This includes a dozen or so full length practice exams, taken as if they were the real deal and later dissected and analyzed to fix your mistakes. You also need to compliment this with explicit concept review (which will be fresh in your case).

While I understand your concern for time, the MCAT is not something you want to rush, as it can single-handedly take you out of contention in the admissions game. Generally speaking, I would not advise taking the MCAT later than the end of June because you have to take into account a one month turn around on receiving your score as well as 4-6 weeks for primary application verification (which can be done simultaneously). If you don't think you could allocate 4-6 weeks of serious studying prior to June I suggest waiting until the next year to apply (as painful as it would be).

 

[Undecipherable]

Ideally you want a solid few (4-6?) weeks of studying to prepare for the exam. This includes a dozen or so full length practice exams, taken as if they were the real deal and later dissected and analyzed to fix your mistakes. You also need to compliment this with explicit concept review (which will be fresh in your case).

While I understand your concern for time, the MCAT is not something you want to rush, as it can single-handedly take you out of contention in the admissions game. Generally speaking, I would not advise taking the MCAT later than the end of June because you have to take into account a one month turn around on receiving your score as well as 4-6 weeks for primary application verification (which can be done simultaneously). If you don't think you could allocate 4-6 weeks of serious studying prior to June I suggest waiting until the next year to apply (as painful as it would be).

Gahh. Understood, though. I have one last thing: I don't know what stage you're at right now, but I want to ask how many hours I should set aside per week/day during that spring term to study for it?

 

[centrigeugle]

Gahh. Understood, though. I have one last thing: I don't know what stage you're at right now, but I want to ask how many hours I should set aside per week/day during that spring term to study for it?

Take FL test -> evaluate score -> evaluate errors -> evaluate self-esteem -> use self-esteem as guide for studying intensity -> take FL test -> evaluate score...


Anywhere from 0-20 hours a day, depending on the results of this ^

 

[Charles Darwin]

Take FL test -> evaluate score -> evaluate errors -> evaluate self-esteem -> use self-esteem as guide for studying intensity -> take FL test -> evaluate score...


Anywhere from 0-20 hours a day, depending on the results of this ^

Confidence Interval: 99%

 

[Undecipherable]

Take FL test -> evaluate score -> evaluate errors -> evaluate self-esteem -> use self-esteem as guide for studying intensity -> take FL test -> evaluate score...


Anywhere from 0-20 hours a day, depending on the results of this ^

Are you trolling the newbie? 😱 I'm going to sound like a ******, but what does FL mean? Haha

 

[aSagacious]

I'm going to sound like a ******, but what does FL mean? Haha

FL = full length practice exam 🙂

 

[Charles Darwin]

Are you trolling the newbie? 😱 I'm going to sound like a ******, but what does FL mean? Haha

Full-length practice test

EDIT: aSag: 1, CD: 0

 

[Undecipherable]

Aww okay. I should have known pfft.

 

[aSagacious]

Aww okay. I should have known pfft.

If you can't figure out acronyms now then you're going to be a terrible doctor because you won't be able to solve complex problems. (That's called "Burnett's Law", get used to seeing a lot of that around here 😉)

 

[Undecipherable]

If you can't figure out acronyms now then you're going to be a terrible doctor because you won't be able to solve complex problems. (That's called "Burnett's Law", get used to seeing a lot of that around here 😉)

Lol I just did a search on that. My ability to figure out stuff is already improving.