Graphed Data from 2011 -- Days from App Submittal to AMCAS Validation

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
catzzz88

catzzz88

Purrrrrr!?!11??
10+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
618
Reaction score
208
I am bored and procrastinating. Thus, I compiled the data from the following thread regarding date of submission and date of AMCAS verification. :laugh:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=820933&page=19

How I made it: First, I removed data from anyone who sent in their transcript after submitting their application. Then, I removed extreme outliers, (assuming that there were other factors involved). There were only three. Then, I averaged the data for each day of submission. This was a crude and fairly biased process, but I was just doing this because I was interested. The data turned out clear and interesting, so I thought that I would share it here! :)

Notes: This data is from 2011 and may not be an accurate approximation of 2012 AMCAS verification timeline. I also included the equation on there so that you can calculate how long it might take for your application to be verified based on when you click "submit." Sorry it is a bit fuzzy... this was the largest size that I could upload.

Interpretation: Submit as early as possible and your application will be verified faster. If you submit on June 1st, your application may be verified in fewer than 5 days. If you submit August 1st, it could take over 30 days for your application to be verified.

ENJOY :)

Best,
C
Members don't see this ad.
 

Attachments

  • Days until Validation Graph.png
    24 KB · Views: 3,324
Last edited:
Members don't see this ad :)
This was great. I'm glad to have contributed to one of the sparser later points. :) :thumbup:
 
Thanks all, glad this is useful! I found the data quite striking as well.
 
Good stuff, thanks!

How does it work if you submit before your MCAT scores are in. I'll probably apply that first week of June, but my scores won't come in until June 26-ish. Will I have to be verified first (~5 days) and then again after my scores come in (~20 days), or will it just be verified once?
 
You should only have to be verified once. When the score comes in, then your application will be considered complete. I think the score updates automatically.
 
IRASNA said:
Good stuff, thanks!

How does it work if you submit before your MCAT scores are in. I'll probably apply that first week of June, but my scores won't come in until June 26-ish. Will I have to be verified first (~5 days) and then again after my scores come in (~20 days), or will it just be verified once?
Click to expand...

Using this data in an interesting way could work to your advantage!

If your scores won't come in until June 26th, your application doesn't need to be verified until that day. Looking at the graph, you could submit on June 10th, it would take an estimated 10 days for verification (which would safely land you at June 20th), and then your MCAT scores would come in just a few days later! This is how I am going to determine the day that I need to submit as well. For example, my MCAT scores will be coming in on July 1st (so I will be submitting on or a little before June 15th which will take an estimated 15 days for approval).

I hope this helps give you a little more time and flexibility for submitting. :)

Best,
C
 
Members don't see this ad :)
LazyElemental said:
This should be stickied, such useful information
Click to expand...

Yeah, but if it got stickied, the data would be skewed this year because everyone would alter their date of submission! The danger of a feedback loop is ominous... I was thinking about this when I decided to create this post haha... but then I decided not to be selfish with such cool information. I am a scientist! :D

Plus, the number of people on SDN (let alone the total number on SDN who will see this post and then alter their date of submission) is overshadowed by the total number of applicants, so it would probably only shift a little. It might be smart to overestimate the number of days it will take this year though... just to be safe.

Best,
C
 
catzzz88 said:
Using this data in an interesting way could work to your advantage!

If your scores won't come in until June 26th, your application doesn't need to be verified until that day. Looking at the graph, you could submit on June 10th, it would take an estimated 10 days for verification (which would safely land you at June 20th), and then your MCAT scores would come in just a few days later! This is how I am going to determine the day that I need to submit as well. For example, my MCAT scores will be coming in on July 1st (so I will be submitting on or a little before June 15th which will take an estimated 15 days for approval).

I hope this helps give you a little more time and flexibility for submitting. :)

Best,
C
Click to expand...

While this is true, it is always to your advantage to submit as early as possible even if your scores don't come in until later. Submit early for verification and start working on secondary prompts available on the school specific threads on SDN. MCAT scores will be added to your application as they come by and you won't be complete at your respective schools until the MCAT scores are in but it doesn't mean you have to waste the time doing nothing. Ideally, you would be marked "complete" by early August. Complete = Primary and secondary apps in, LORs in, MCAT in, any other school specific requirement in.
 
StoicJosher said:
While this is true, it is always to your advantage to submit as early as possible even if your scores don't come in until later. Submit early for verification and start working on secondary prompts available on the school specific threads on SDN. MCAT scores will be added to your application as they come by and you won't be complete at your respective schools until the MCAT scores are in but it doesn't mean you have to waste the time doing nothing. Ideally, you would be marked "complete" by early August. Complete = Primary and secondary apps in, LORs in, MCAT in, any other school specific requirement in.
Click to expand...

This is true. Out of the twenty schools I applied to, only one waited for my MCAT scores before sending me their secondary. The rest of them only waited for my primary to be complete.

When my MCAT scores did eventually show up, my primary app was already verified and my secondary app was turned in already, so I was insta-complete at 19 schools the day my scores showed up.

The glide month while you wait for your MCAT results is an excellent time to submit (and pay for) all your secondaries.
 
Now if we only had this data for TMDSAS :D
 
MT Headed said:
This is true. Out of the twenty schools I applied to, only one waited for my MCAT scores before sending me their secondary. The rest of them only waited for my primary to be complete.

When my MCAT scores did eventually show up, my primary app was already verified and my secondary app was turned in already, so I was insta-complete at 19 schools the day my scores showed up.

The glide month while you wait for your MCAT results is an excellent time to submit (and pay for) all your secondaries.
Click to expand...

Most (nearly all) secondaries are unscreened. Schools don't care if you have an MCAT score or not since they are waiting eagerly for you to submit the secondary for the secondary money.

However, it is useful to know for future applicants that not having an MCAT score does not mean you can't start secondaries!
 
wow cool. probably a very relevant thread in the next few months
 
Moral of the story: submit early, whether MCAT scores are in or not, allowing for time that it takes for AMCAS to validate your primary/transcript/etc.
 
Im a bit confused. So if you submitted as soon as possible the application would be verified within 5-10 days? I was under the impression that it takes around a month for verification at the earliest. Am i reading this incorrectly, or when people say a month do they mean on average for an individual who didnt submit on the first possible day?
 
DOCTAfoHIRE said:
Im a bit confused. So if you submitted as soon as possible the application would be verified within 5-10 days? I was under the impression that it takes around a month for verification at the earliest. Am i reading this incorrectly, or when people say a month do they mean on average for an individual who didnt submit on the first possible day?
Click to expand...

When people say a month, they mean for someone who submitted in Late July or August, which is when most people submit. That's the reason it takes so long. If you submit at the beginning, only the people who have their **** really together have submitted (and that's not very many), and those people don't take too long to verify.
 
This post is way too cool. My own data falls right on the curve, too :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Very cool. Really shows how waiting an extra 3 weeks to submit can equal an extra 6+ weeks before you're actually verified.
 
Wow, so do most people submit in August? That seems terribly late.
 
catzzz88 said:
Yeah, but if it got stickied, the data would be skewed this year because everyone would alter their date of submission! The danger of a feedback loop is ominous... I was thinking about this when I decided to create this post haha... but then I decided not to be selfish with such cool information. I am a scientist! :D

Plus, the number of people on SDN (let alone the total number on SDN who will see this post and then alter their date of submission) is overshadowed by the total number of applicants, so it would probably only shift a little. It might be smart to overestimate the number of days it will take this year though... just to be safe.

Best,
C
Click to expand...

You would think so, but it won't really make much of a difference.

It has been stated countless times that you should submit as early as possible. The advice could not be more stressed, and yet there are still a lot of SDN members who submit late (for whatever reason).
 
:thumbup: badass.

a Gaussian fit might be more appropriate -- have you tried it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

Amongus0000
Learn 2 Months of Orgo2 from scratch in 2 days
Replies
27
Views
2K
chssoccer7
C
S
Do AMCAS Traffic Rules Apply to TMDSAS?
Replies
7
Views
532
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
O
What to list MLT as on AMCAS application
Replies
2
Views
376
Moko
Moko
Y
Asking for personalized feedback on AMCAS app
Replies
6
Views
633
yoshistory
Y
K
  • Locked
Snail mail to AMCAS
Replies
7
Views
414
karaya
K
Top