Waste Another 3 Months?

[ecobeco]

Just curious for people who have rewritten, did you spend more or less time studying? Got 10/7/12 last time so I really just need to work on verbal. Would 3 months be overkill? I finish exams end of April so I'm aiming for a mid-July write. Or should I go even earlier? Perhaps end of June?

[Daretodream]

Let me ask you this, if you study for 3 months and take it in mid-July and you get a 35, was that a waste of 3 months? No. You'll only see it as a waste if you don't do as well as you expect to. "Overkill"? You're trying to get a score in the 90th+ percentile so you can get into medical school. Don't shortchange yourself by being under prepared. I believe a waste of time would be studying for 2 months and then getting another ****ty score.

 

My advice is to go "all in" each time you take the MCAT. Study for 3 months. If you find you know the material already, great, more time to focus on your weaknesses/practice tests/verbal reasoning.

[teachertodoctor]

I have to agree. My first MCAT was okay, 10/11/11. I rewrote the next year (2012), but was only able to land a test date a mere 5 weeks away. My second score reflected this short study period: 11/11/10. So yeah, I got a 32. Again. It was strangely depressing and validating at the same time. But mostly depressing.

 

My wife and I then made the decision to try ONE more time, and go all in. I rewrote at the end of August 2013, and had a solid 2-3 months for studying. And I studied more than I had either of the two previous times. Ended up with a 36 (14/12/10). Was it worth ruining another summer with my wife and kids? Yes. Not that it didn't hurt, and not that I didn't want to quit. But looking back, even if I never get into med school, we're both glad I did it that one last time.

 

Anyway, that's my two cents. Good luck!