MCAT dates.. help

[kenzmed]

I'm so conflicted on when to take my MCAT. I'm currently a senior and im taking a gap year. Ideally, I would take the mcat in january to leave time to retake in case it doesn't go well but my pre-med advisor highly suggested that I push it to april so I did.. but I feel so nervous about it because its so close to when apps open up. I'm planning to apply to DO (mostly), so is this an okay date? anyone have any tips/advice?

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[BioPsychotic]

You should take it as soon as you are ready. Plan for a date that will allow you enough time to study, form a study plan, and stick to it. You may push your date back as it gets closer (depending on your FL scores). An April date is totally fine for next cycle.

 

[shotgunlagoon]

It's probably better to ace your first test because you are prepared for it, rather than trying to make sure you have time for a retake. I second @BioPsychotic .

 

[Proudfather94]

I'm so conflicted on when to take my MCAT. I'm currently a senior and im taking a gap year. Ideally, I would take the mcat in january to leave time to retake in case it doesn't go well but my pre-med advisor highly suggested that I push it to april so I did.. but I feel so nervous about it because its so close to when apps open up. I'm planning to apply to DO (mostly), so is this an okay date? anyone have any tips/advice?

Have you made a study plan yet? You should plan this all out based on your study skills and life circumstances before you pick a date to take it.

I made the mistake of not planning well and bombed my first MCAT attempt.

 

[PapaGuava]

Build a study plan that hopefully won’t require a re-take. Also, make sure you complete enough practice questions and learn how to take the exam instead of spending too much time on content review.

 

[kenzmed]

Have you made a study plan yet? You should plan this all out based on your study skills and life circumstances before you pick a date to take it.

I made the mistake of not planning well and bombed my first MCAT attempt.

I haven't made a study plan yet, I'm still trying to figure out what resources I should use and what study schedule would work best while doing school full time.. but I will definitely make one!

 

[kenzmed]

Build a study plan that hopefully won’t require a re-take. Also, make sure you complete enough practice questions and learn how to take the exam instead of spending too much time on content review.

That's the plan!

 

[shotgunlagoon]

I used the Princeton Review books and I liked them well enough, got a 518.

I'd recommend taking a full practice test to determine which areas are weaker so you don't waste time working on content you are already very comfortable with. Set a timer, but finish each section even if you go over the time limit. The priority is doing all the questions so you can judge where you stand on different topics.

Make sure you do try practice problems for each section, even if you get 100% correct on the practice test. A big part of preparing for the MCAT is being familiar with the different types of questions it asks so you know what they're looking for in the answer. The Princeton Review books do have some practice problems, but I'd go find additional question banks and just work through those. For content that you need to memorize like physics equations or developmental stages, either use Anki or physical flashcards, whichever you prefer.

Even if your study plan isn't perfectly optimized, it's okay. The most important thing is that you start preparing soon because it takes a while to cover all the content.