I would highly advise people to take the MCAT within 2 weeks of finishing the MCAT course.  This is the same advice that course instructors give to second year medical students taking their USMLE Part 1 exam.  Don't delay the inevitable.  Take the exam while the content is still fresh in your head and when you are still in study and test taking mode.  Postponing the exam beyond 3 weeks may cause you to loose momentum going into the final testing day. Once you take the exam, you can "resume" your life and do research and pursue clinical experiences that are vital to your medical school application.