Who has a high MCAT from Aug and has no interview yet

If you feel you will do significantly better (at least a few points) in August than in April, take it in August. One thing you have to consider is you only get one shot if you apply that cycle--no retake opportunity like you'd have if you take in April.

 

If you do decide to take it in Aug, make sure that you still get your AMCAS app out really soon and be filling out secondaries (the auto ones you receive) right away so when your scores to come in, you're not waiting for anything. Also, make sure your letters of rec are together early and that they are out to the schools that have given you a secondary BEFORE your MCAT scores come in.

Also, since you mentioned you were applying to several top tier private schools, some of them do NOT have rolling admissions (Harvard, Yale, Cornell? etc). For other schools, they do emphasize it is to your advantage to take the April MCAT, however if you are a good applicant, you will get in anyway.

 

I don't think taking the MCAT in August is as large of a disadvantage as many say. With that being said, if you can take it in April do it. It will give you an opportunity to get an early interview and acceptance.

 

I hope you are right!

 

ok, let me tell you some good advice, based on real experiences.

top schools actually have their deadling on october 15. you should check. a lot of the big name schools, like columbia, dartmouth, etc.

so which means you will be at a significant disadvantage if you take the august mcat for those schools.

but honestly, don't puss out and rely on april to do well. yiou might mess up and need another time to take it. you should take it in april, regardless of your class load. THOUSANDS of applicants have taken the mcat in april and therefore, a huge majority of applicants go through the same thing you would be going through.

if you mess up in august, you'll have to wait a year to apply. so trust me, take it in april while taking the least credits/units possible. be smart about it.