Do I have a chance this cycle?? Applying a little late....

[zachdwphoto]

I took the MCAT just last week (August 15). I am finishing my application this week and getting my LOR's in place. If I get my application in by the end of the week will I be too late or will I be ok? Remember, my MCAT scores will not be up until around sept 16. So, If I submitted by the end of this week and had all my LOR's finished by the time my scores are up will I still be "in the running" or will I be way behind?

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[hoihaie]

depends on how good your stats are

 

[zachdwphoto]

3.6 sGPA 3.4 cGPA and say a 30 MCAT
working as a scrub tech for going on 6 years.....great LOR's

@hoihaie

 

[Abstractions]

I'd refrain from applying MD this cycle given how late it is + your stats, but you should be fine for DO.

 

[zachdwphoto]

hmmm... anybody have different opinions?

 

[Goro]

My learned colleague gyngyn states that there are still spots at his school, but at this point in the game, i'm not sanguine about OP's chances.

I took the MCAT just last week (August 15). I am finishing my application this week and getting my LOR's in place. If I get my application in by the end of the week will I be too late or will I be ok? Remember, my MCAT scores will not be up until around sept 16. So, If I submitted by the end of this week and had all my LOR's finished by the time my scores are up will I still be "in the running" or will I be way behind?

 

[zachdwphoto]

My learned colleague gyngyn states that there are still spots at his school, but at this point in the game, i'm not sanguine about OP's chances.

What about DO chances GORO?

 

[Goro]

The DO cycle is much longer. You're fine for that!

What about DO chances GORO?

 

[ridethecliche]

You wouldn't be complete for MD schools till mid sept at the earliest, provided you pre-write all your secondaries.

Slim pickings especially with your stats...

 

[zachdwphoto]

I guess I was hopeful for my state school.....DO or MD, that doesn't bother me. In fact I might be more suited for DO.

 

[AspiringERMD]

My learned colleague gyngyn states that there are still spots at his school, but at this point in the game, i'm not sanguine about OP's chances.

You say that like almost all the interviews have been given out at his school. Am I just misinterpreting?

 

[Goro]

I don't remember his exact wording, but I believe that more interview slots have been given out than remain. What % are left are unknown to me.

You say that like almost all the interviews have been given out at his school. Am I just misinterpreting?

 

[AspiringERMD]

I don't remember his exact wording, but I believe that more interview slots have been given out than remain. What % are left are unknown to me.

Is this typical?

 

[Goro]

Definitely different from last year!

Is this typical?

 

[AspiringERMD]

Well dang. That's highly disconcerting. I guess I better make the absolute most out of the one II I've got.

 

[forfun135]

I don't remember his exact wording, but I believe that more interview slots have been given out than remain. What % are left are unknown to me.

Many of us are still waiting for the committees to send out the letters. I don't have any applications completed yet., i.e. no IIs, no response, no rejections. Will the med schools reserve some slots for those students (they like) without the committee letters?

 

[Goro]

Depends upon the school. I believe that this is the case at @LizzyM's school. I'll leave it to my learned colleague to verify.

Many of us are still waiting for the committees to send out the letters. I don't have any applications completed yet., i.e. no IIs, no response, no rejections. Will the med schools reserve some slots for those students (they like) without the committee letters?

 

[LizzyM]

Many of us are still waiting for the committees to send out the letters. I don't have any applications completed yet., i.e. no IIs, no response, no rejections. Will the med schools reserve some slots for those students (they like) without the committee letters?

We know that some undergrad premed committees are "late" with committee letters and we know that those schools produce excellent applicants that we'll want to try to attract to our med school so of course we plan to have some of our later applications slots filled by applicants from those schools.

 

[FFH]

Gyngyn said to complete right now it would be like to complete mid Sep in previous cycle. So it's quite late. I don't want to advice you anything since I'm not an adcom, but I'd not put in the bet for MD if I were you.

 

[candbgirl]

A lot depends on your MCAT. Why are you so late in applying? You have to get your app completed and submitted. I have no idea how long the verication is taking these days but you'll be lucky to be complete by 10/1. I'd wait for next cycle if you are dead set on MD. Maybe submit the DO primary and get that going and see how you do on the MCAT . Do you have any other ECs besides your scrub job?

 

[wwulf2k13]

I looks like primaries are taking ~20 days to be verified right now.
I don't like reading that it is already late to be complete though; reading threads like these make me panic!

 

[emannc]

I looks like primaries are taking ~20 days to be verified right now.
I don't like reading that it is already late to be complete though; reading threads like these make me panic!

Don't look into these posts too much. If you want real information call up a school you are interested in and talk to someone on adcom. Most of the people on this forum are stellar applicants who consider anything after june 3 to be late lol.

 

[FFH]

Don't look into these posts too much. If you want real information call up a school you are interested in and talk to someone on adcom. Most of the people on this forum are stellar applicants who consider anything after june 3 to be late lol.

Except the adcom have spoken here. I don't see irrational recommendation here made by neurotic gunner. The truth is, most school have received more than 2/3rds of their applications by now, which is quite unusual. UMichigan have already received 4400 app, consider last year they received a total of 5400 app. that's more than 80%. By the time the school go through the 4400 apps that they've already received, there won't be many interview spots left.

 

[Plecopotamus]

Don't look into these posts too much. If you want real information call up a school you are interested in and talk to someone on adcom. Most of the people on this forum are stellar applicants who consider anything after june 3 to be late lol.

Do you realize that some of this information is coming from adcoms and average verification time?
The verification process this year has been shorter than in past years, which has led to more complete applications in schools' hands at an earlier date and the opportunity to offer more interview invites than typical by mid August.

 

[johnnytest]

In other words, we are all screwed. SMH.

 

[FFH]

In other words, we are all screwed. SMH.

We can hope the adcom adjust their screening procedures to accommodate this unusual trend. Cheers!

 

[johnnytest]

How do adcoms determine how many interviews to give out each year? I can't see there being a cap because what if the cap is reached and you read the application of an applicant with 35+ MCAT, 3.8+ GPA, with stellar everything else. What? he/she won't get an interview?

If the adcoms are consistent with their standards then it shouldn't really matter when you apply to an extent (as long as seats are available). If your scores match their standards and your application attracts whoever is reading it then you get an interview. Ace the interview and you're most likely in. But, the thought of applicants who are deserving of an interview but do not receive it, especially when it's this "early" is just appalling and a waste of money. I'm already frustrated because I probably won't be complete by Mid-Sept since I am waiting on Committee Letter and to hear adcoms on SDN say it's already late is gut-wrenching.

 

[ellul]

terrifying thread

 

[About28]

This thread tells me that I need to get off sdn for a while. Now I'm worrying about things that are entirely out of my control.

Edit: And by that, I mean I was complete around August 7th at most places, so it's out of my hands.

 

[unnumzaan]

Guys let's try to relax a bit. I think we are mis-interpreting gyngyn's words. The sentiment was that more applications have been received now than in previous years, but the rate of interviews being assigned isn't substantially accelerated. This thread is making my blood pressure spike geez.

 

[Goro]

You do realize that med schools receive >5000-10000 apps for 100-300 seats? Those seats fill up fast. Schools with rolling admissions at least wait for the pool to fill up at times and then wade through the mess.

If that 35/3.8 applicant is not motivated enough, or is too immature to get his her app ready to apply early, and once, with the best possible app, well, what should we do with them? As mentioned above, schools do wait, but, like airlines and football stadium seats, the seats fill up fast.

Admissions deans all have some specific criteria (mandated by their Deans) that they look for in applicants. With some, it's service, others like high MCAT, others like high GPAs, and for some, it's everything. At my school, the rough formula is for every 10 apps, one is selected for interview. Other examples:

BU 11700 apps/~1100 interviews/165 seats
U Penn 5740/882/168
Pitt 4988/827/162

How do adcoms determine how many interviews to give out each year? I can't see there being a cap because what if the cap is reached and you read the application of an applicant with 35+ MCAT, 3.8+ GPA, with stellar everything else. What? he/she won't get an interview?

If the adcoms are consistent with their standards then it shouldn't really matter when you apply to an extent (as long as seats are available). If your scores match their standards and your application attracts whoever is reading it then you get an interview. Ace the interview and you're most likely in. But, the thought of applicants who are deserving of an interview but do not receive it, especially when it's this "early" is just appalling and a waste of money. I'm already frustrated because I probably won't be complete by Mid-Sept since I am waiting on Committee Letter and to hear adcoms on SDN say it's already late is gut-wrenching.[/QUOTE]

 

[unnumzaan]

The distinction to be made is either or not having more applications queued up earlier will substantially increase the rate that interview invites are sent out. This probably varies drastically by different school's schedules, yield targeting strategies, applicant pool, etc. My point is that having the same number of applications received in mid August as what is usually received by mid September doesn't necessarily mean that schools has also given out as many II's as they would have by September. It's still scary and emphasizes the importance of applying early but not quite as scary as if the latter situation were true.

 

[FFH]

The distinction to be made is either or not having more applications queued up earlier will substantially increase the rate that interview invites are sent out. This probably varies drastically by different school's schedules, yield targeting strategies, applicant pool, etc. My point is that having the same number of applications received in mid August as what is usually received by mid September doesn't necessarily mean that schools has also given out as many II's as they would have by September. It's still scary and emphasizes the importance of applying early but not quite as scary as if the latter situation were true.

Correct me if I'm wrong, for most schools, applications are being viewed sequentially in the order of completion (even the schools that might prioritize high stats people, the rest of the app are probably still reviewed in semi sequential order). They might not give out II faster, because holistic review of the applications still take time. However, it doesn't change the fact that apps submitted now will have to wait for the thousands, if not ten thousands apps that were submitted before them to be reviewed first. Based on what I heard, usually it goes like this, X amount of app per committee review session and A% of interview are given.Unless schools drastically reduce A, the percentage of interviews given per X amount of app for those who have already submitted, then the amount of II left for those who submitted now are indeed equivalent to a very late completion date of the last cycle.
I am not one of those who submitted super early and I do feel the pressure too. However, I don't avoid thinking about the possibility that my app is at already at an disadvantage just because it's scary. I actually want to know more to have a healthier and more realistic expectation of the outcome.
EDIT: and I feel sorry for people who, for various reasons, had to wait to complete their apps (a lot of my friends are still waiting for the committee pack, ugh). I can only hope the process become more of a fair game for everyone. Best of luck!

 

[candbgirl]

This thread tells me that I need to get off sdn for a while. Now I'm worrying about things that are entirely out of my control.

Edit: And by that, I mean I was complete around August 7th at most places, so it's out of my hands.

You have done everything you could do to be successful. You applied early, were complete early etc. So as you said it's out of your hands.
The thing that I find interesting is that people like the OP and several others I have read about have waited until mid August or later to apply and still expect to be in the same good shape as those that applied and were complete early. I don't understand people that are so late and become irate when people that know and have lived through the process tell them to wait and apply EARLY in the next cycle. Did they just wake up one day and decide "oh I guess I'll apply to medical school today"? Very confusing to me. Sorry for the semi rant!

 

[unnumzaan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, for most schools, applications are being viewed sequentially in the order of completion (even the schools that might prioritize high stats people, the rest of the app are probably still reviewed in semi sequential order). They might not give out II faster, because holistic review of the applications still take time. However, it doesn't change the fact that apps submitted now will have to wait for the thousands, if not ten thousands apps that were submitted before them to be reviewed first. Based on what I heard, usually it goes like this, X amount of app per committee review session and A% of interview are given.Unless schools drastically reduce A, the percentage of interviews given per X amount of app for those who have already submitted, then the amount of II left for those who submitted now are indeed equivalent to a very late completion date of the last cycle.
I am not one of those who submitted super early and I do feel the pressure too. However, I don't avoid thinking about the possibility that my app is at already at an disadvantage just because it's scary. I actually want to know more to have a healthier and more realistic expectation of the outcome.
EDIT: and I feel sorry for people who, for various reasons, had to wait to complete their apps (a lot of my friends are still waiting for the committee pack, ugh). I can only hope the process become more of a fair game for everyone. Best of luck!

Yeah I think that's the gist of it. Basically boils down to A% getting consciously or subconsciously smaller as there are fewer spots left. On one hand, it's not like they interview willy nilly when all the spots are open, and on the other hand it's also not like they brute force through it and give no thought to the situation of running out of spots with a significant fraction of applications yet to be looked at.