<p>My son really wants to be a MCB major and loves Biology. He is a freshman and is just finishing up Bio, Chem, Calc and two writing courses. Next year he was planning on Org Chem, Genetics, Italian and a Philosophy class. He was looking forward to this but was advised by a peer advisor to take Physics next year and take his MCATs after in summer after soph year. He really was bummed about taking Physics instead of genetics. He is premed and now unsure. Anyone out there have an opinion or advise on this?</p>
<p>Is it common to take MCATs after sophomore year? Is that so it is easier to take them a second time if the first score seems unsatisfactory? Or because of the danger of forgetting some of the chemistry if the student waits until after junior year?</p>
<p>I’m just asking out of curiosity.</p>
<p>if you take MCATs a second time around, your final score is the average of your two separate scores. in other words, plan ahead of time 
don’t just take it on a whim.</p>
<p>and i was pretty sure it’s commonly taken junior year :]</p>
<p>I’d say most wait until the end of Junior year to take the MCAT, and follow your son’s original schedule. There is a bit of an issue with re-taking, as your second test may cause you to be late in the application process if you take the first in May. Number one rule though: don’t take the MCAT before you are absolutely ready. Also, if he feels a schedule with both orgo and physics will be too stressful and could affect his GPA, he should split them up over two years.</p>
<p>Moosecream, where did you get that info? Most schools I have looked at will take your latest score, but I’ve never heard of them being averaged.</p>
<p>Thanks for replies! Yes, I think he was nervous about taking Physics and Orgo together. The peer advisor was saying that he could study for test in the summer and that would give more time. Perhaps it would be also good to have Gen Chem and Bio still fresh in your mind. Who knows, the pre-med track seems to be getting a bit crazy. He still seems to really want it but it certainly makes a different college experience.</p>
<p>Could he perhaps speak with another advisor? My D recently spent some time with a couple pre med students and they were absolutely OBSESSED with med school. It was all they talked about. On the other hand, she knows some other students who have been accepted to med school, and they did not eat/sleep/breathe “will this get me into med school?” I just wonder if the peer advisor might be the obsessed type. He might want to find someone else for a … well … second opinion.</p>
<p>What kind of Mcat scores are needed for a average med school if you have GPA 3.8 in Vandy with a great EC?</p>
<p>Consult the Medical School Admissions Requirement (MSAR) book. This has the median GPA and MCAT scores for all medical schools. A lot of med schools will screen your GPA and MCAT score before you even get looked at, so coming from Vandy won’t hold that much (if any) weight.</p>