Married, pregnant, and need to re-take my MCAT... suggestions on timing?

[Joyfulone90]

Hello everyone,

I am pretty new to the thread but a friend of mine (Family Med intern) suggested I check it out. A little background history: I graduated with my BS in 2013, was married by August 2014, and now am expecting our first child in February 2016. I have taken my MCAT twice and have done poorly both times. Luckily, my husband now has a job that will allow me to stay home and study without having to work full time (yes, I took my MCAT in April and was working full time.. bad mistake). Anyways, I'm trying to figure out when I should re-test. Should I begin studying now and hope to study once the baby is here or should I just wait to take it Summer 2016? I don't know how unrealistic it is to begin studying now and try to continue studying with a newborn - this question is for all the parents out there.


Thanks

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[LizLemongrab]

From personal experience, I don't recommend that at all. The baby will be loud and you will be really tired all the time. I'm sure there are some who have done it but I am not one of them. Unless you have extra help from parents/in-laws, I don't think you will get much productive studying done once your child is born.

 

[Mimi Em]

Hello everyone,

I am pretty new to the thread but a friend of mine (Family Med intern) suggested I check it out. A little background history: I graduated with my BS in 2013, was married by August 2014, and now am expecting our first child in February 2016. I have taken my MCAT twice and have done poorly both times. Luckily, my husband now has a job that will allow me to stay home and study without having to work full time (yes, I took my MCAT in April and was working full time.. bad mistake). Anyways, I'm trying to figure out when I should re-test. Should I begin studying now and hope to study once the baby is here or should I just wait to take it Summer 2016? I don't know how unrealistic it is to begin studying now and try to continue studying with a newborn - this question is for all the parents out there.


Thanks

I was newly married, new baby. Did poorly on MCAT after trying to study with new baby. I would say take a gap year if you can. If you rush into MCAT/applying with poor scores and poor ECs you wont get in and your time will have been wasted for that cycle. You can do this with a husband/baby but you have to time it well. Coming back from a poor MCAT score requires time to focus on what went wrong. You cant go into this doing the same thing you did before. Also do not underestimate the time your baby will suck out of you. Plus take care of your marriage. My husband and I almost killed each other while I studying for the MCAT/baby duties/his full time schedule. IMO, I should have given myself a gap year then. Now I am doing that and we are all better for it. Other people have said on here: "it is a marathon, not a sprint". Just some advise from somebody who has been there. Good luck!