WHEN SHOULD I TAKE THE MCAT?

updated: 10 March 2008

A lot of people agonize over when to take the MCAT--rightly so, since the Medical College Admissions Test is important. Here are some basic points that should help you to think through your decision.

1. All other things being equal, an earlier MCAT is better than a later one.

2. In the long run, the score you get is more important than when you take the test.

A. All other things being equal: Usually all other things are not equal. Your decision has to reflect this. For instance, you might take the MCAT at the end of the summer because you need to use the summer to study. Maybe if you studied for the MCAT during the spring semester in addition to taking classes your grades would have dropped.

B. In the long run: If you take the MCAT too late, you might miss some deadlines in the short run. For instance, someone who takes a September MCAT (a first-time MCAT taker) will not be able to apply to US medical schools as an Early Decision Applicant for that application year. In the short run, the person loses out on Early Decision, but if the result of an MCAT in September is a substantially higher score it is likely that the wait was worth it.

Where you want to apply can also affect your MCAT decisions. D.O. schools often have application deadlines that are later than MD schools. Therefore, applicants to D.O. schools can have more flexibility in timing their MCAT. For the most part, an applicant to foreign medical schools will have even more flexibility in choosing when to take the MCAT.

Visit http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/ to learn more about the MCAT.