When to take MCAT

[smc927]

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It is recommended to take the MCAT in the spring of a student's junior year. <br>Is it possible to take it the spring of my senior year and then get into a school by the fall, or is that year between MCAT and entering medical school required?
<br>I won't have my prereq's done until then and I don't want wait a year between graduation and starting med school.

THANKS!

 

[NotShorty]

You will be taking a year off, get used to it.
I'd recommend partying your @ss off and traveling.

 

[DrMom]

Here's a basic timeline:

April or August: take the MCAT
Sometime between June and October/November: fill out AACOMAS & send in transcripts
After AACOMAS is done: fill out secondary applications & get LORs to schools
Then: wait for interviews

the process does take a year (basically). you have to have your MCAT scores before your application can be complete.

You can decide when to take the MCAT, just be sure you know the overall timing of things.

 

[Eric714]

It's okay to take a year off between undergrad and medical school, so I concur with Notshorty and party a lot! Your life is going to turn upside down once you start med school so live it up while you can.

Also, take the MCAT in April. When I took it, there was like a 6-8 week lag to get the scores. The name of the game when it comes to applying is the earlier the better. They start taking applications in June, so taking the April MCAT ensures that your application is in early. If you take it in August, you're going to get your scores sometime in November. Schools don't do anything with your application until you get those scores in.

Good Luck,
Eric, MSIV
WesternU/COMP

 

[JMJ]

If you have a strong application, you can do whatever whenever. I took a year off, took the MCAT in August, applied in December, interviewed in JAN, FEB and MAR. I was accepted to several schools.
I concur with the above posters. Take a year off. In my opinion, it will prepare you for the long road ahead.

Best Wishes,
JJ

 

[Febrifuge]

Dang it. What about us non-trads? I've spent way too much time in this beige cubicle already. My plan is to get work as a clinical assistant/ ER Tech/ EMT. There are worse ways to pay the bills while waiting for the word. Some partying or traveling may occur, too...

It's good to get the straight skinny from you guys. I guess I should get smart on the subject of the app process, pretty much at the same time as I get to my science pre-reqs, huh?