The MCAT plays a significant role in the medical school admissions process, and scoring well is paramount for acceptance to selective programs. Though it is possible to sit for the MCAT more than once, different universities have different policies on how they treat multiple test results.
Certain schools average all scores, while others consider only the highest overall score or the highest score per section. It is always advantageous to complete the MCAT just once with a strong result. This saves time, effort and money, and probably makes your application stronger than if you sit for the exam multiple times with little improvement.
Prepare for the MCAT with [a three-month study plan. ]
To avoid taking the MCAT more than once, students will often delay their test date in order to complete the preparation necessary to earn their goal score. Below are three scenarios when students should wait to take the MCAT.
1. You have not completed the necessary course work: It is essential to take all of the college classes that teach you the subjects that the 2015 MCAT covers. At minimum, you should complete introductory biology including biochemistry and behavioral biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, general physics, introductory psychology and introductory sociology courses before sitting for the exam. You should also possess excellent reading comprehension skills before taking the test.
I do not recommend enrolling in one of these classes while studying for the MCAT. Instead, complete all the courses and then study for the exam, as this will allow you to focus on reviewing material you already understand, rather than trying to learn and solidify unfamiliar concepts. Delay your exam date to at least two or three months after you have finished these classes to ensure that you have all the fundamentals down before you start your test prep.
Get ready for the [MCAT’s new natural sciences questions.]
2. You have not had adequate time to study: Commitments outside of MCAT review often prevent students from gaining the appropriate amount of preparation. Opting for a heavy or extremely difficult college course load can certainly limit how much time you can invest in studying. Typically, these more challenging courses involve biology, chemistry, and physics.
In these cases, consider delaying the MCAT and focusing on your course work. As noted above, doing so will allow you to learn key concepts that may assist you in reaching your goal score when you take the exam. Moreover, this strategy will also help you maintain a competitive GPA since you will not be stretched to study for all of your courses along with the MCAT.
Spreading yourself too thin with extracurricular involvements can also hamper your MCAT study. Review your preparation period and assess if you might have been too involved in outside activities, and if your MCAT studying was secondary as a result. If this is the case, delay your test date and limit your involvement in extracurriculars.
Illness or personal issues during your preparatory period can also prevent you from devoting the necessary time to studying. If either situation applies to you, reschedule your test date to allow yourself to adequately ready for the 2015 MCAT.
Learn about [three ways to build MCAT skills in everyday life.]
3. Your practice exam scores are consistently and/or significantly below your goal: Everyone has different goals for the MCAT based on a variety of personal and professional factors. However, if you are scoring more than about five points below your target result on several of your most recent practice tests, it is advisable to delay your MCAT test date and take time for more preparation.
Another benchmark to use is the Medical School Admission Requirements, which is a catalog compiled by the AAMC that details admissions statistics for all American and Canadian medical schools. If your practice exam results consistently fall roughly below the 10 th percentile for many of the universities you are interested in attending, your score may not be competitive for admission to these schools. In this case, you should consider delaying your test and improving your score before sitting for the 2015 MCAT.
Overall, be honest with yourself when assessing these factors, and do not be afraid to delay your exam if you feel you can do better at a later time.
More from U.S. News
Glimpse at a Career as a Physician Consultant
4 Answers About Medical School Letters of Intent
Peek into the Evolution of Medical School Education
3 Reasons to Delay Taking the MCAT originally appeared on usnews.com