Submitting secondaries BEFORE MCAT scores are released and AMCAS is validated.

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Here's the deal. I've gotten a secondary request from UC college of medicine (my first choice) and it has NO essays, it's all personal information (fill in the blank). My mcat score doesn't come out until 7/24 and my AMCAS isnt validated yet ( I submitted 7/2). I indicated on my primary that i was taking it 6/21 but i'm afraid that if i send the secondary back they will throw my app away because i got <24 on my first one. What do you think? Send it earlier or wait until everything comes back.

Kelly

call them and ask them their policies and what you should do.

1) Do they wait to look at apps until they are complete (i would assume they do)?
2) Do they give priority in review to those secondaries that were in first prior to file completeness (i would assume they don't)?

I would assume it wouldn't matter when you send in your secondary but should just check with them to be sure... especially since its only one school.

I would assume they wouldn't look at your file until you are complete, which means mcat scores need to be in. That said once your scores are in they can go ahead and look at your application since your secondary is already complete.

I don't understand what the hurry is.

Whay UC are you talking about? University of Chicago sent me one the day after submission and it had essays.

Either way, if you can fill it out and submit it without waiting, then do so. It makes you look really interested in their school.

Originally Posted by ShenanigansMD

Whay UC are you talking about? University of Chicago sent me one the day after submission and it had essays.

Either way, if you can fill it out and submit it without waiting, then do so. It makes you look really interested in their school.

Schools have rejected students in the past for doing this.

Originally Posted by MedPR

Schools have rejected students in the past for doing this.

What? Just because I submitted it within a week after they send it to me. What's the big deal with that? It's their fault for sending me the secondary before AMCAS is verified.

Just submit your secondary after your score. They probably won't even look at your app until it's complete anyway.

Originally Posted by ShenanigansMD

What? Just because I submitted it within a week after they send it to me. What's the big deal with that? It's their fault for sending me the secondary before AMCAS is verified.

I think it's okay if they actually sent you the secondary. I think Albert Einstein COM rejected applicants for submitting secondaries BEFORE actually being invited to.

Originally Posted by Lexicon0

I think it's okay if they actually sent you the secondary. I think Albert Einstein COM rejected applicants for submitting secondaries BEFORE actually being invited to.

Exactly. You run into problems by being an over zealous super pre-med and completing the secondary without actually receiving an invitation to complete the secondary. Unless you're told otherwise, you'll be fine as long as you've actually been invited.

(sent from my phone)

It's the University of Cincinnati.... and i was invited to do the secondary - you have to have a username and password from them to log in to complete it.

Really mixed reviews. Thats what i was thinking, does it look better to show how interested i am to turn it in early or will it kill my chances if they do look at it

Originally Posted by prindlks

It's the University of Cincinnati.... and i was invited to do the secondary - you have to have a username and password from them to log in to complete it.

Really mixed reviews. Thats what i was thinking, does it look better to show how interested i am to turn it in early or will it kill my chances if they do look at it

If you indicated that you retook your MCAT, they will almost certainly wait to receive that score first. I would suggest that you call/e-mail the school to verify their process. This is a pretty simple question that they can answer, and I'm sure it'll be more enlightening then anything random SDN people can provide.

Great suggestion. They emailed me back saying the they do not look at completed applications until mid-august so the sooner the better!!!