<p>Does anyone know the best courses to take. Kaplan has the On-line review course (seems more in line with time on hand). Has anyone taken it? It's my opinion that you take it first in Spring of junior year (MCATs) and if not satisfied than again Summer of application year. Any advice is appreciated.</p>
<p>For the MCATs, I think most people recommend taking it at the end of your sophomore year. Then, if you're not satisfied, you would take it again in your junior year. Otherwise, the results of your MCAT might not be avaliable in time for med school applications.</p>
<p>i'd say take the MCATs like fall of junior year, then take it again in the spring if you're not satisfied.</p>
<p>I think it really all depends on when you get done with the four subjects physics, bio, chem, o chem. If you take 2 each fresh and soph yr then go ahead and take it at the end of sophomore year while its still fresh and if not satisfied study more and take again sometime in junior year. If cant get around to taking one of the subjects until junior year then its fine to take it at the end of junior year for the first time, lots of students do that. I think also starting in 2006, MCAT is going to allow online testing and will have more dates available to take it rather than just april and august.</p>
<p>Hi. I am another premed student, and wanted to start preparing for the MCAT. But there are six million guides and I am short of money. </p>
<p>So, what is the best guide (ie- Kaplan, Princeton Review, Exambreakers) to prepare for the MCAT?</p>
<p>well its not exactly Exambreakers. It's Examcrackers!! anyway that doesn't matter.</p>
<p>How is the MCAT administered? When are the test sections picked up? All at the end or at the end of each section? Most tests are picked at the end of the whole test.</p>
<p>At the end of exam, though you can't check your work on the previous sections once you've completed them.</p>
<p>Exam Kracker's hands down. Get the Audio Osmosis CDs that accompany the books. They're funny, interesting and engaging, so you'll remember what you study!</p>
<p>just wanna know</p>
<p>If you've finished all of your pre-med courses by the end of your sophmore year, then you could take the MCAT then. That gives you some more time to prepare for a retake if you are not satisfied with your first score. However, I've heard that they are switching to a computer version in the near future and would be able to administer the test more often (I think currently the MCAT is administered 2 or 3 times a year)</p>
<p>Are you still allowed to use scratchpaper for calculations on the computer-based MCAT (especially for physics)? It sounds...awkward. Are there any details on this?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/reporter/feb05/mcat.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/reporter/feb05/mcat.htm</a> has some information about the new test. I personally can't see why you wouldn't be allowed to use scratchpaper, but I don't know what the answer to that question is.</p>
<p>Most people take it April during their junior year. However, if you've finished all your prereq's by the end of your sophomore year you can take it then. In fact, I'm taking it in 1 1/2 weeks just before my junior year.</p>
<p>Good luck norcal I know you've been studying like crazy</p>
<p>I won't be finish with my premed courses until my junior yr, that means I only 1 shot at MCAT. When do you start studying for MCAT? freshman/sophomore yr? and what's the best book/guide to get(PR, kaplan, etc..)?</p>
<p>God, I started college so horribly behind due to an awkward highschool situation that I explained in a thread a looong time ago. I'm starting my sophomore year and I'm just now taking my first biology class (fundamentals of life science) and the standard College algebra course. I got screwed both previous semesters due to the biology classes filling up before I could register, and I have to get that class out of the way before I can take anything higher. Needless to say, I'm quite a ways off from organic chem and physics. Am I completely screwed on the MCAT's?</p>
<p>another question:
if we take the MCAT in april of junior year and not satisfied with our score, can we retake it again in august? will the score be on time for med application/school?</p>
<p>Maybe, thats why its not recommended to take it then if you are applying in the fall.</p>
<p>xranger,
The way I understand it is, you have to wait to get your scores, so you would have to wait to turn in your applications. Some people still get in since it's rolling admissions, but it's not recommended to do anything that will delay your applications. Especially if you are borderline on grades/MCATs, you should apply ASAP. (which I will be doing no matter what :-)) One of my sorority sisters is currently applying; she had all of her applications in weeks ago, and already has gotten secondary applications and even a few interviews!! She took it spring of her junior year. Some of my other friends who are also upcoming seniors are doing what you were talking about-they also took it in April but wanted to improve their scores, so they are taking it this Saturday (PS Good Luck to everyone taking it this weekend!). But they will have to wait a few weeks to get their scores until they can start applying to med schools. And since every person I have talked to has stressed "APPLY EARLY!!!!" I guess this is not a totally ideal situation. :-)</p>
<p>So if you do decide to retake them, that's okay, and you can still apply to med schools--you just won't be able to apply as early as the people who used their spring MCAT scores.</p>
<p>Also, all of this will change next year because of the new testing format :-)</p>