Register for MCAT before getting the score?

Hi all,


Is it a good idea to register for the MCAT before getting your score? I found a test center near where I live and I think it might be gone by the time I register after I find out my score next month.


So, should I register just in case? I might lose some money in the process, but is it worth registering?


Thanks

Well, it depends.


On what basis do you think you didn’t do well enough this time? On what basis do you think you’ll be able to correct that specific problem and do better next time?

  • samenewme Said:
Well, it depends.

On what basis do you think you didn't do well enough this time? On what basis do you think you'll be able to correct that specific problem and do better next time?



(This is going to be bad news/good news so bear with me.)

To continue samenewme's line of reasoning unless you "built-in" a continuation of study time in your project plan, it would seem to be an ad-hoc implementation that will be falling behind the rolling admissions cycle where chances of admission lessen with time. Building in that study time would seem in itself to be a "plan to fail." If you weren't confident or ready for the original test date, perhaps canceling before you actually sat for the exam would have been in order.

Under the general philosophy of making the best possible candidate, I am not a big fan of submitting an application prior to knowing your MCAT score. I have advised several people with MCAT and other potential weaknesses in their applications to postpone taking and applying until the next cycle. Prepping MCAT in the Fall, taking the exam early winter or spring, gets it out of the way and gets your score to you before applications open up. It is early enough to take it again with good prep.

Having said all that, registering now does serve 3 purposes. The schools should know that your are registered again and shouldn't review you application until the new score is in but the admissions cycle will keep rolling along. It also allow to get that spot reserved just in case you decide you need it. Lastly; if your issue was a bad test day due to internal reasons (ie panic) or external (ie car was stuck in new york city traffic jam) taking it again may be worth it.

However, if your weren't prepared with confident content abilities, test taking and timing discipline down to science, and the rest MCAT on target, then taking it again may be more of a risk than an assest. The only think I really coach on MCAT is verbal and general attitude and mental prepardeness. State of mind is vital to doing well and many people do prepare that, they just try more and more problems

But as samenewme asks, unless you know specifically why you may have a low score, how are you going to fix it