When to Take the MCAT

[stiffany]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Fairly simple question really: Based on your experience(s) and the reality of rolling admissions, do August 2005 MCAT takers have a harder time getting interviews? Is this reason enough to postpone taking the MCAT until the following year in a postbac program, all other things being equal?

 

[Flopotomist]

I wouldn't postpone it - you can always take it in August, and if you are happy with your score, apply a bit later than the April MCATers.. the advantage is if you are unhappy with your score, you can take the next years April test and be ahead of the game. Good luck!

 

[jbrice1639]

Fairly simple question really: Based on your experience(s) and the reality of rolling admissions, do August 2005 MCAT takers have a harder time getting interviews? Is this reason enough to postpone taking the MCAT until the following year in a postbac program, all other things being equal?

depending on your situation, can you take it in april while you're finishing up some post-bac classes? i'm a post-bac too, and i took the april mcat while finishing up organic chem, and i didn't feel that it was a disadvantage at all not to have completely finished my orgo...i definitely think the benefits of having the mcat taken as early as possible will help you. again, i don't know your exact situation, but it seems from what i see people posting on here that the august mcat can cause a lot of stress during application time. feel free to pm me if you have any questions or anything.

 

[Saluki]

I really wish I had gone ahead and taken it in April, because the interviews are coming in very slowly for the August MCATers. However, if you're not ready, it's better to wait and do well...

 

[CornellWest]

Cornel West suggests that you take the April MCAT. August is much too late.

 

[erin682]

Typically schools prefer the april mcat to the august. Its also probably to your advantage b/c people with the april mcat will be complete much sooner than august mcaters.

 

[gary5]

Take it whenever you can get 30+. I was getting under 30, so I postponed until August and studied 10 hrs/day - it worked out fine. I still submitted my applications at the earliest opportunity (I think that was June).

 

[Law2Doc]

Take it whenever you can get 30+. I was getting under 30, so I postponed until August and studied 10 hrs/day - it worked out fine. I still submitted my applications at the earliest opportunity (I think that was June).

Totally agree. Getting a significantly greater score far outweighs any disadvantage of getting complete later. Lots and lots of people who do well in August get in, many who do poorly in April do not. But if you think you would do comparably in April, or have no expectation of having more study time for the August one, by all means take April, because there is some advantage.