MCAT Timeline

[an_apple_a_day]

hi guys! i need some advice on when to take my mcat. for some background, i'm a junior neuroscience major and the only pre-req i have left is physics 2. i am planning on take a gap year and applying in 2020 after graduation.

i am going abroad this semester and will be back in mid-may. so i have two options essentially:

1. take physics 2 over the summer and study for the MCAT for a late august/early september test date.
pros:
-concentrated study time during summer
-done before senior year and senior thesis craziness begins
-done before i turn 21 (lol)
cons:
-very condensed physics
-not working for a summer, isn't ideal but with this schedule i could get (an ideally clinical) job during the semester

2. take physics 2 over the summer and work full time in my lab. study for the MCAT during the fall semester for a late january test date.
pros:
-concentrated study time during my winter break (goes until february so i could take latest january test date)
-getting physics 2 done without worrying about the proximity of testing day
-lab time for thesis prep which may or may not take the stress off future work during semesters
cons:
-not sure how great i will be at studying during the semester, involved in a lot of ECs that i would like to continue
-also, the whole thesis thing
-i'm worried a january test date won't give me enough concentrated time where i'm dedicated to just studying- i feel like i'll have a lot of distractions

anyways, i'm not really sure what to do. i'd really love to have my mcat done before senior year but i do not want to rush it. however, i'm not sure if pushing it to january is the right answer either. i have contemplated self-studying physics 2 but i'm unsure if that's the best idea. physics 2 isn't taught the best at my university, physics 1 i essentially taught myself because our tests and class lectures were literal regurgitations of the textbook. so that's also an option but i'm not considering too seriously. i am the type of student who generally teaches herself most of the material so i'm sure i'd be okay but i worry about the risk. anyway, some advice would be generally appreciated because i am very stressed about this right now

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[pommes]

#1 sounds safer to me. MCAT studying during the school year can get pretty unmanageable and I think your concerns about time are valid. That said, there are a couple threads floating around about the necessity of physics 2. You can compare how much of the physics content you've already learned vs. what you might be able to self-study. Good luck!

 

[jarednogeek]

#1 unless you can manage taking 9-12 easy hours during option 2 to allow ample study time