Which MCAT to take?

Conventional wisdom says take the April test, but many here have done well with the August exam. I would say take April just so you can apply earlier. In the future it'll probably be a bigger advantage than it was this cycle. Good luck. --Trek

 

Medical schools in the U.S. run like other schools. The school year begins in the fall (for some schools this means early August others late September). You generally apply the summer or fall of the year prior to the year you wish to start medical school.

The MCAT is given in April and August. It takes about 6 weeks to get scores back, so score for the April test are returned in June, for the August test in October.

Typcially the schools will not consider your application until they receive the MCAT scores. Many schools use rolling admissions which means they accept people throughout the admissions cycle which also means that typically the early you submit your completed application, the better chance you have of getting in. That is why the August test can be seen as a disadvantaged as compared with the April test.

Sorry for the lengthy answer to some simple questions. My verbosity is due to my drunkeness as I wait to sober up before I can drive home. Why do I do this on Wednesday nights?...Oh yeah, I work in a bar and can't help it....