Any underdawgs have luck applying late in the cycle? Feb-April?

[cadingcading]

I am looking at applying a little late in the cycle. Will be taking my MCAT in a few days and have been reviewing like crazy. I have a decent GPA but have been having trouble breaking 28 on MCAT practice exams . Has anyone in the same boat been accepted late in the application cycle?

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[kalat]

Your potential aside, if you have not submitted your primary application yet most schools are no longer accepting them. If you haven't taken the MCAT your application won't be complete for at least another month anyways. Most schools stop interviewing around April. There's no reason you'd apply this cycle. Take it easy, adequately prepare for the MCAT, and just wait until June for next cycle! You have plenty of time... it's only the rest of your life.

 

[keels99]

So last year I submitted my secondaries the first week of February. I applied to only 4 schools because I didn't want to waste my money. Out of those schools, I got one II and got accepted at said school. I deferred my acceptance for this year, though, because I didn't interview until April and had just signed a lease. I considered myself an underdog (26 MCAT, 3.45 cGPA.) So those people telling you that it's impossible, that is simply not true. It's just going to be significantly more difficult.

 

[PlasticBag]

I am looking at applying a little late in the cycle. Will be taking my MCAT in a few days and have been reviewing like crazy. I have a decent GPA but have been having trouble breaking 28 on MCAT practice exams . Has anyone in the same boat been accepted late in the application cycle?

Have you submitted your AACOMAS yet? Are your transcripts in? Do you have letters of rec ready? Those things usually take some time.

You will probably hear from others that it's best to wait (June is not that far away) but if you're really set on getting in somewhere this year, I'd say why not try... There is always someone here who will say that they applied late and miraculously got in. It's an exception rather than the rule though.

The common SDN wisdom seems to be the later you apply in the cycle, the more competitive your application needs to be. Try to do well on that MCAT... You only have a few days so my best advice would be to memorize all necessary physics and chemistry equations.

 

[referee3]

Have a similar question.

If you only apply to 1-3 schools.....is there anything to lose from applying this late? Worse that can happen is rejection and you apply next cycle as you were apt to do anyway and this time pick a wider variety of schools.

Is there some negative? Do schools look at reapplicants negatively?

Im also taking the mcat soon and thinking of applying late because....why not right?

What is the downside?

There can be a downside to being a re-applicant. Many schools will ask you on secondaries if you have applied to medical school previously and if so what you have done to strengthen your application since then. You will also get asked this at some interviews. That being said, if you apply this late and do not get in anywhere you will have very little time to enhance your med school app. AdComs really like to see improvement in re-applicants and this could hurt you.

Personally, I would wait.