<p>Situation: I will not have completed organic chemistry or physics until after Junior year, wait for the MCAT in June where I will feel comfortable or try to squeeze by in Spring? The June administration of the test provides scores by mid-July. I have witnessed in the MCAT thread that bluedevilmike suggests this is too late (he is quoted as saying that he was already receiving secondaries by then) while BigRedMed has argued that June should be fine given the October 15th date.</p>
<p>Forgive me if your positions were oversimplified or misrepresented.</p>
<p>Direct Quote Everyone Agrees On: "Frankly, the MCAT is long enough and annoying enough AND time sensitive enough that really you should only plan on taking it once. This isn't the SAT's."</p>
<p>I will not, therefore, plan on taking it in Spring and then retaking in June if unhappy. Additionally, I don't want to worry about med-schools playing with that poorer Spring score.</p>
<p>Most importantly BDM has also argued:
"It's not sensible to directly prepare for the MCAT until you have all the relevant coursework, including organic chemistry and a COURSE -- not a few chapters -- in genetics and cell biology."</p>
<p>So what should people, like me, who are a little behind do to simultaneously take it as early as possible while balancing that with already having completed the coursework?</p>
<p>I like June, it has a solid ring to it as a compromise. Thoughts? Love? Hate? Indifference?</p>
<p>Thanks to all and good luck!</p>
<p>Well, you could always start preparing in Spring and not take if the practice scores aren't good enough. That's probably what I'd suggest. A lot of people used to take the April exam without having finished physics, and that wasn't necessarily a problem.</p>
<p>[Preemptive concession.] Of course, if you have to wait until July, it's not the end of the world. I don't like it, but it's not the end of the world. But yes, I had done probably fifteen secondaries by mid-July, and I don't think it's a reach to suggest that it helped overcome a lot of the major problems with my application.</p>
<p>BDM, I also wanted you to comment on the fact that I have heard some people say that most med schools do not actually begin reading applications until July/August which would work to my favor with the June scenario. I worry that I am a little weak on the research/extras front and so would obviously rather apply as early as possible but OChem seems important to finish before the test.</p>
<p>Well, starting to read applications (e.g. secondaries) by July still means that June test date sets you back a little bit. Unless said "some people" mean that even your primary doesn't get involved until July, which is clearly false.</p>
<p>Of course, if your LORs don't go out until August anyway, then that's going to be the holdup.</p>
<p>No response from BigRedMed?</p>
<p>My opinion on waiting is: it depends. There are several caveats. I'll definitely endorse that waiting is less than ideal, but I'm still not entirely convinced on how much it will really matter. BDM's errors were with portions of the application itself, not so much the things he had done as a pre-med. I don't think applying early makes up for not getting your highest possible MCAT score.</p>
<p>In general, and Mike usually agrees with me on this, I tell students they need to take the MCAT at the time when they are going to maximize their chances for their best possible score. There are of course reasonable time limits to this strategy, but a couple of months definitely fits within that time frame (I'm not recommending anyone take more than 12-14 weeks to prepare for the MCAT). </p>
<p>I also think that where you are planning to apply matters as well. If your list of schools will look more like BDM's application list (much more highly ranked schools, predominantly private institutions, CA state schools), then the advantages of getting your primary in early are likely enhanced, compared to applying to the schools I did (mainly state schools in the midwest - 2 of which I had very close ties to, low ranked privates). No matter what, getting the app in early is advantageous, but I think waiting is less harmful if you're aiming for the slightly less competitive schools. </p>
<p>So, basically, I'm okay with the June test dates - particularly the early June ones (had they been available when I was taking the MCAT, they are when I would have taken them). But me being okay with them is dependent on the assumption that you'll score higher on the MCAT by taking it then. If nothing would change then yes, by all means, get it in early.</p>
<p>A thoughtful response as always. Thank you.</p>