Should I take the MCAT earlier?

[nessiegeo]

Hey everyone! Since mid-Sophomore year I've decided to take the MCAT during Summer 2023 for a variety of reasons: More time to study, will be done with the pre-reqs, yada yada yada. However, by taking the MCAT next Summer, I am automatically taking a gap year since I will probably be graduating Fall 2023 (or Spring 2024) and that is a lot of waiting and a lot of "sitting around", so I started considering other options. The best one so far is to take the MCAT on January 2023 so I can have my scores back on time to send out my application when the cycle starts but that would imply in me squeezing MCAT studies between the demands of other classes and I am honestly scared of shooting myself in the foot either with classes, with the MCAT or with both. For next semester I have the following, in case you want to know:
- Physics I with Lab
- Ochem 2 with Lab
- Physiology
- Biochemistry
I know this is a very personal issue and it is up to me to decide whether or not I am able to pull it off, but I really would love to read some of your experiences regarding studying for the MCAT with classes or just taking a Summer off.
Thank you so much already!!

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[KnightDoc]

Other people's experiences are not going to help you here. Most people "squeeze MCAT studies between" one thing or another (school, work, volunteering, etc.) and do just fine, but that does not mean that will work for you.

If you want the luxury of preparing at a relaxed pace over a summer, you are looking at a gap year. There is nothing wrong with that, as the vast majority of applicants and matriculants have at least one.

If you don't want the gap year, then you know what you have to do. There is no right answer. Most people don't spend all summer preparing for the exam AND take at least one gap year, if that helps push you towards what it looks like you want to do anyway.

Again, other people's ability to successfully multitask should NOT sway you one way or the other. The test is too high stakes to leave your timing up to a SDN popularity poll. You should just do you, with no apologies to anyone. Good luck.

 

[deleted1139416]

Just to be clear: you want to take the MCAT in January 2023 so that you can apply Summer 2023 and start med school in Summer 2024. And you are graduating college in Spring 2024?

I think it depends on how competitive you think you can be without any gap years at all. Now that they are becoming more common, med schools have made it clear that people taking gap years have an advantage. Because if you do take a gap year and end up applying Summer 2024 with an MCAT score that is 1.5 years old, you’ll have to retake it if you don’t get in during the first cycle.

But as far as studying for classes and studying for the MCAT at the same time, heck yeah it’s possible! Lots of people do it. The only problem is that all the classes you will be taking show up on the MCAT…. so that will limit your ability to study for the MCAT during fall semester since you will likely encounter practice questions you aren’t familiar with yet.

 

[nessiegeo]

That is the one fact that

Just to be clear: you want to take the MCAT in January 2023 so that you can apply Summer 2023 and start med school in Summer 2024. And you are graduating college in Spring 2024?

I think it depends on how competitive you think you can be without any gap years at all. Now that they are becoming more common, med schools have made it clear that people taking gap years have an advantage. Because if you do take a gap year and end up applying Summer 2024 with an MCAT score that is 1.5 years old, you’ll have to retake it if you don’t get in during the first cycle.

But as far as studying for classes and studying for the MCAT at the same time, heck yeah it’s possible! Lots of people do it. The only problem is that all the classes you will be taking show up on the MCAT…. so that will limit your ability to study for the MCAT during fall semester since you will likely encounter practice questions you aren’t familiar with yet.

that is the one thing that makes me lean more towards taking the MCAT during Summer 2023; by then, if everything goes as expected, I should have all my pre-reqs done, which would maybe improve my chances of getting a better score. By taking it in January I would have to spend a lot more time trying to detangle the topics I’ve never heard of.

 

[deleted1139416]

That is the one fact that

that is the one thing that makes me lean more towards taking the MCAT during Summer 2023; by then, if everything goes as expected, I should have all my pre-reqs done, which would maybe improve my chances of getting a better score. By taking it in January I would have to spend a lot more time trying to detangle the topics I’ve never heard of.

Your choice to make! You may also consider taking it in May 2023 and completing AMCAS in June and adding a “throwaway” school just to get you verified while your score is coming back.

 

[nessiegeo]

I didn’t know that was an option! Thank you very much!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What is wrong with planning something during your application growth year so you can keep your original timeline?

 

[nessiegeo]

What is wrong with planning something during your application growth year so you can keep your original timeline?

There is nothing essentially wrong with that, however I am an older applicant. By the time I get to send out my application I am already going to be 29 and I am just scared of not getting accepted than having to wait longer therefore getting older. It might sound silly but for me the age topic is always lingering on my head. So taking the test sooner would make it possible for me to get there faster? Even though I know that’s not the main point here…

 

[nessiegeo]

There is nothing essentially wrong with that, however I am an older applicant. By the time I get to send out my application I am already going to be 29 and I am just scared of not getting accepted than having to wait longer therefore getting older. It might sound silly but for me the age topic is always lingering on my head. So taking the test sooner would make it possible for me to get there faster? Even though I know that’s not the main point here…

*then

 

[deleted1139416]

I didn’t know that was an option! Thank you very much!

No problem! PM me if you need any help planning out specific details

 

[nessiegeo]

No problem! PM me if you need any help planning out specific details

Sure will!! Thanks!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

So you're not a naive 21-year-old sophomore. I don't know what advisors you have access to, but on this forum, we field a lot of questions from people who are generally as old or older than you. I also think that your life experience and maturity will work for you.

Reach out to students at the schools on your wishlist and see if they can identify any current students who shared your concerns when they were planning on applying.