Ask Us Anything! - When should I take the MCAT?
So, when is the best time to take the MCAT? Ultimately, it’s when you’re ready.
The question now becomes, “When is the best time to be ready?” Well, that could be any time for anyone; you’ll have to look into your own calendar and think about your own goals to make that determination. A bit daunting, yes? In this post, I’ll try and go over some things to consider that will hopefully lessen the cognitive burden of making such a decision.
First of all, your dream MCAT score will need some time to cook before it’s all ready to send off to medical schools. A lot of time. Like, way more time than you may be thinking. Undergrad midterms typically needed a few days; finals needed maybe a week or two. The MCAT typically needs anywhere between 3-6 months of consistent prep from most students. When choosing when to test, make sure you’re doing so at a point in your trajectory where you can afford to give yourself that kind of time in a manner that is reasonable (by that I mean you’re not having to pull weekly all-nighters). Got a semester that is looking light in terms of course load and/or extracurriculars? That would be the perfect time to commit yourself to some MCAT. Got an open summer? Fill it with some MCAT. The MCAT needs as much time as you can give it, so make sure you’re finding some within your trajectory.
You’re probably thinking now: “ok that’s great and all, but like; when??😅” If you’re not wanting to take a gap year, that would involve taking it sometime during your junior year, so you’ve got it ready to go when you apply during the summer after your junior year/before your senior year. Perhaps spend all of the fall and winter studying for a January date, or spend all of the spring and perhaps the early parts of summer studying for an April/May test-date: whichever of those two windows will give you the most time and flexibility to commit to your MCAT.
Of course, there is likely much more that is on your mind about this matter apart from what I’ve just discussed here. 🚨Now’s your chance to help us help you! What things are casting a fog in your own path forward? 🚨
Let us know in a reply to this post so that we can help you out!!😊
