hey guys! I just wanted to know if it is possible to take the MCAT without taking the prereqs. I am a current psychology major (BS) that is taking the semester off to think what I want to do in life. Ultimately, I’d like to pursue a career in medicine, so I am also thinking of post bacc or becoming a non traditional student and take the remaining prereqs. so far, I’ve taken Bio1, Chem1 and social sciences courses like psychology. I bought the MCAT book, but I was wondering if I could study them without taking the prereqs, with a possibility of receiving tutoring. any comments will be welcomed!
You can take the MCAT anytime you want, but why in world would think taking the MCAT without taking pre-reqs first is good idea?
The MCAT is career-determining exam. Taking it while wholly unprepared is just plain stupid.
Reasons why taking the MCAT without pre-reqs is really, really bad idea.
- A MCAT score is forever. Every MCAT you ever take is reported to every med school you apply to--even if the score is 10 or 15 years old. There is no score choice and no option to not report a MCAT score.
- Med schools average all your MCAT scores together to get a MCAT score that the adcomm uses for admission consideration.
- There is an annual, biennial & lifetime limit on how many MCAT attempts you're allowed. Taking the MCAT unprepared wastes one your attempts.
- Most med schools simply will not consider applicants who have more than 2 or 3 MCAT scores. Med schools very strongly favor applicants who have a single strong score. (One and done.)
- For admission purposes, MCAT scores must be recent. As in taken within 2-3 years of your date of application. (Exact cut-off date will vary by school.)
If you just want to see how might do on the MCAT, take a practice test. Kaplan and other MCAT prep companies offer these (for a fee). You can also buy (for a fee) retired MCAT exams from AMCAS.
Before you start investing your time & money in MCAT prep, if you think you may want pursue a medical career, spend some time shadowing physicians to see what a real day in the life of a doctor is like. Also start volunteering at clinical sites (hospitals, nursing homes, group homes for the disabled or mentally ill, rehab hospitals, summer camps for disabled children, suicide hotline, Planned Parenthood, community free clinic, Healthcare for the Homeless, Alzheimer’s daycare center…). Dealing with the sick, injured, dying, chronically ill, elderly demented, mentally ill and their families is not something that everyone. can handle
Make sure you really want to spend your life ministering to sick & dying people.
P.S. You do realize that no matter how high you score on the MCAT, you won’t be considered for med school admission unless you’ve completed all the pre-reqs, right?
@WayOutWestMom thanks for the advice!
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