When should I take the MCAT?

[ClandestineStar]

I was planning on taking it in may, but i keep hearing that's too late a time. People told me to take it in January, but that just seems to early since I only finish org in may. Help?!

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[theseeker4]

I was planning on taking it in may, but i keep hearing that's too late a time. People told me to take it in January, but that just seems to early since I only finish org in may. Help?!

May is fine, if you get a good score the first time and don't have to re-take. If your pre-reqs are not done until May, I would wait until then to take it, and make sure you spend plenty of time preparing by taking lots of practice exams.

If you take it in May, you will get your scores in June. Assuming the rest of your application is in order, you can submit before you even know your MCAT and be verified, so your application is distributed to your schools the instant your MCAT is released. You will still be quite early as far as applying goes. If you score poorly, you will need to make sure you dedicate quite a bit of time to preparing for a re-take, so you will be quite late if you are not waiting for the next cycle to apply with the new MCAT.

If you take the test in January, you will have to prepare over the holidays and not having completed all of the pre-reqs. This may be preferable to you, if you can dedicate the time in the months before the test to study for it. If you do poorly that time, you will have time to study for and take the exam a second time in May.

It comes down to how confident are you that you can do what you need to get an excellent score on the MCAT so you don't have to re-take it, and when will you have more time to prepare for the exam?

 

[ClandestineStar]

If my scores are released in August, would that put me at a pretty big disadvantage with only average stats?

 

[ClandestineStar]

Thank you!!!!

Also (haha) will my application not be sent if i don't have my mcat score?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

May Mcat -> scores back in June. If you score well then you'll be fine.

 

[theseeker4]

If my scores are released in August, would that put me at a pretty big disadvantage with only average stats?

That depends on where you are applying, what your GPA is, what the scores end up being, your EC's, etc. If your application is ready and verified when the scores are released in August, you may have a slight decrease in your chances if you have competitive stats for the schools you are applying to. In general, the earlier your apply the better. The better your stats and the stronger your application, the less applying early matters, within reason. If a school still has slots available, and is not a super-competitive school, I would bet money they will squeeze in the applicant with a 3.95 gpa and 41 MCAT no matter how late in the cycle they are applying. The applicant with a 3.3 and 28? Not so much.

 

[theseeker4]

Thank you!!!!

Also (haha) will my application not be sent if i don't have my mcat score?

I am not positive if the schools will receive the application before the scores are released, but schools are not likely to even look at the application when it is waiting for an MCAT score, even if they have access to it.

 

[zwitterion34]

You should take the MCAT whenever you feel most prepared. To gauge how ready you are take the practice tests a few times. If you are happy with the scores then take the MCAT, you should score closely to those practice exams.

 

[Undecipherable]

theseeker4, how should one prepare for a May MCAT if they will still be taking orgo and physics until June?

 

[sweetness34]

Take the MCAT when you are ready!!! You can pretty much take it anytime during the year. As long as you get a competitive score, you should not worry when to take it. Some people take it early like in the Spring, so in case if that score does not turn out well, you can have another chance during the summer. I have pretty much come across many people who have taken it throughout the year and have done well. work hard and hope it goes well! 🙂