I hope this isn’t a stupid question but is it possible to do well on the MCATs by just using the study guides and without having taken the Pre-requisite courses at all or in the last 10 years? Thanks for your answers.
I have known people whose pre-reqs were more than ten years old, who prepared on their own for the MCAT and did fine on it. They are the exception, however!
As for attempting the MCAT without prereqs, my question is, why would you even contemplate such a thing? You have to take the prereqs anyway.
If your answer is that it would save you a year, well, that’s highly unlikely. You would be hard-pressed to find a medical school that would be interested in someone who presents an application with an MCAT score (even if it’s a good score) but all the prereqs pending.
Is there something else to this question that I am missing?
the only prereq that some people didn’t take befor mcat seems to be organic chem. They claim to have done well. I’m thinking of doing that, possibly. The main problem is you need a working knowledge of each subject. The key being working.
Bill 
Mary,
I guess should elaborate a little on my situation.
I am currently active duty in the military. Since 9/11, I’ve been deployed 8 months overseas and another 2 months away from home in some form or another. I know I need to take the pre-reqs. The local universities do not have evening classes and my job does not allow me to take time off during the day to take the classes I need or to take more than one class per semester. Evening classes are available through the local Junior College but every time I enrolled for a class, I’ve had to withdraw because of a deployment. I need to be selective with the instructors that teach the course at this school. I sat through a few weeks of classes (before I deployed) and questioned whether or not to continue with it because I felt the instructor did not teach anything useful, let alone prepare me for the MCAT or medical school. I know that not all instructors are like that but I am limited by when I can take classes. I think I learned from that experience and I haven’t taken classes when the good instructors were not available on the nights I was. As a result, I have books that I’ve been studying on my own while deployed and at home while waiting to deploy hoping my number isn’t called again during the summer session and that the good instructors are available.
So I am not contemplating it to save a year as you say. I am contemplating it because I don’t want to waste my time and money sitting through classes that I know cannot prepare me for the MCAT. I am not going to take it just to check a box.
I am not even saying I am going to do it. I am just asking people who have obviously been studying for the MCAT or are currently in medical school if this was possible because I am running out of ideas. I want to start applying when I am 33-34 so that I can enter medical school while still in the military and hopefully get the military to pay for it. I am turning 30 this year and at the rate I am going it is almost easier to take the MCAT and hopefully do well enough to give me enough ammunition to apply for a leave of absence to complete the pre-requisite courses. I am researching that option now. Thanks for the reply and I commend you for your accomplishments!
JE
JE, that’s a tough situation. You’re not the first person I’ve heard of to be frustrated by a “schedule” that just does not give you any leeway. And I definitely understand where you’re coming from in terms of selecting instructors. I was fortunate to have GREAT instructors for my pre-reqs and it really made a big difference, I felt.
So if I understand you better now, you are just anxious to try and get the MCAT done in some window, meanwhile watching for other “windows” to open up for you to take coursework - you won’t necessarily submit an MCAT score the same year you take it, is that right?
In that case, I guess your ability to take the MCAT without prereqs would be based on your educational background - would you, in fact, be re-taking prereqs that are just kinda old at this point? what science background do you have? As I noted above, I know one person whose prereqs were 20 years old, who studied for the MCAT on her own without taking any refresher courses, and she did well. I hasten to add that I think that is the exception, rather than the rule! In particular the advances in biological science make it pretty impractical to think that old prereqs and review would be enough.
Now that I’ve rambled a bunch… bottom line is, I’ve never heard of someone taking the MCAT without ANY of the prereqs. Oh, there are apocryphal stories (“my best friend’s roommate walked in and took it and got a 42”) but I don’t believe 'em. I’ve heard of a few people taking the MCAT when they had another semester of organic chem to go; I’ve never heard of anyone who took it without ANY o-chem - and wouldn’t recommend it!
dunno if this is helpful but that’s all i know 
I have to agree with Mary on this one, what you can do is get your hands on some practice MCAT from aamc.org and take one. There is no better way to asses your potential, if you do well then there is your answer. Also, you can always get out of the Army take the pre-reqs and apply to USHUS (sorry do not know the exact acronym) and then go back active duty. Anyways because you have to have the pre-reqs at least some of them when you apply if you have none you will be facing an uphill battle to get accepted.
I was in the same situation you. It was 12 to 15 years since I had any general chemistry, organic chemistry, or physics. I took/retook 3 basic science courses (Genetics, Cell Biology, and Organic II). I also studied on my own a good 40 hours per week for about 5 months before taking the MCAT. I did well in these areas (13 BS, 12 PS). But you have a lot of discipline and be able to work independently.
I agree with efex101. Getting into medical school (and getting through medical school) often requires a person to set priorities. It may not be possible to get all the prereq’s done will on active duty.
Mike