Should I write the MCAT?

[Guest Dr2B]

Hi!

 

I came across this forum as I was looking up info on Candian med schools on the net. There is a lot of great info here. Anway I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice about whether or not I should write the MCAT this summer.

 

Here is my situation: I am 23 years old and I will be starting my second B.Sc. in the fall. My GPA from my first B.Sc. is very low, so I am hoping that by doing a second degree my chances of med school will improve. I wrote the MCAT two years ago, but I bombed the verbal section. I am registered to write it again this summer, but I am now debating whether I should. Although I started studying a few weeks ago, I don't think that I will be adaquetely prepared for the 14th, even with having a month left. I work full-time, and so I can only study ~6 hrs/day. Would it be better to write it, see how it goes, and then re-write (a third time) if it doesn't go great. Or should I only write if I am certain of getting a great score? Do med schools look down on people who have written the MCAT three times in order to get a good score?

 

Since I probably won't be applying for Fall 2005, since my first GPA is so bad and I will have of only completed one year of my second degrre, I am considering writing the MCAT next April (can't do it next summer b/c I will be volunteering abroad). For people who have done this, how hard is it really to write the MCAT and have finals at the same time?

 

Thanks for takling the time to read this. Any advice would be great.

[Guest Gill0927]

Hi,

 

If you're that unsure about writing it, and you're not applying this year, I would say wait. You don't need to write it to 'see what it's like', or to get experience writing it, because you've already written it...so you know, somewhat, what to expect. I was in a similar situation last year...I was supposed to write it in August and bailed because I didn't feel I was ready (I wasn't -- I had studied about 4 hrs/day for two weeks prior, and that was pretty much it -- with no university background in physics or orgo!). Then I wrote it in April, which I was (similar to you) worried about, with finals and everything...and it went great. Because I had decided in August to write in April, I knew what I had to do and just kept studying, a little bit but constantly, all winter. I started really hunkering down to the studying about November/December, and was doing about 6 hrs per week through to February/March. Then I started doing more, but I had such a solid background at that point that it became 'just another, albeit huge, final' come April. I studied for it like I did the rest of my exams, because I had been keeping up with it all along.

 

That said, if you have the chem/bio/physics fresh and full in your mind now, and think you may lose it while doing something different for your second degree, you may consider writing it. I do feel, however, that your gut is often right -- if you really don't feel ready, why push it?

 

Hope this helps,

 

Gill

[Guest pinkbonkers]

Hi Gill0927

I was just wondering what your course load was like when you wrote the April MCAT. Was it stressful to go through that?

I am currently enrolled in the Princeton Review course and scheduled to write the August MCAT. However, I am not getting the scores that I need (especially in verbal). So I am considering writing in April but I don't know if it will be too stressful.

Thanks

[Guest Gill0927]

Hi,

 

I was taking full course load, all 3rd and 4th year classes -- it was April of my graduating spring. I was also working part-time. But it's really about what you feel you can do...I had gotten so used to managing my time around working and school, adding in the extra study time for the MCAT wasn't a huge deal. Also, judging from what I've read on these boards, I didn't devote as much time each day to MCAT study as some other people...it's just about what you think will work for you.

 

-- Gill :b