"If you don't have an interview invitation by Thanksgiving, you're in trouble"

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Dr. Stalker

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Think I saw one of our favorite SDNers @LizzyM post this on a number of threads back when people were complete at the very beginning and panicking over not having an interview invitation on September 1 :rofl:.

So is it alright to start worrying and panicking now if all I've heard is rejections and that I'm on hold :boom:?

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Think I saw one of our favorite SDNers @LizzyM post this on a number of threads back when people were complete at the very beginning and panicking over not having an interview invitation on September 1 :rofl:.

So is it alright to start worrying and panicking now if all I've heard is rejections and that I'm on hold :boom:?
Yeah, definitely reasonable to panic now....but giving up? Not quite yet.
 
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Depends on the schools you applied to. One of my state schools is through 2/7s of their interview dates, and the other has interviewed 1/6 of the total number of applicants they interviewed last year, based on the stats they've made public to us. On the other hand, I see that some schools are booking February IIs.

Many people, including current M1s at my institution, tell me that being accepted in November is "early". This runs contrary to SDN doctrine.
 
Depends on the schools you applied to. One of my state schools is through 2/7s of their interview dates, and the other has interviewed 1/6 of the total number of applicants they interviewed last year, based on the stats they've made public to us. On the other hand, I see that some schools are booking February IIs.

Many people, including current M1s at my institution, tell me that being accepted in November is "early". This runs contrary to SDN doctrine.

Being accepted in November is early but having no interview invites by Thanksgiving is a time to start thinking about alternative plans for the 2016-2017 academic year and how to improve the application and whether to reapply in 2016 or in 2017.
 
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Being accepted in November is early but having no interview invites by Thanksgiving is a time to start thinking about alternative plans for the 2016-2017 academic year and how to improve the application and whether to reapply in 2016 or in 2017.

Is this still true for people who completed a little later than normal (September-October)?
 
Is this still true for people who completed a little later than normal (September-October)?
I would say yes. There are few interview slots left regardless of when you were complete.
 
Are you going to panic when your patient starts to code? Or are you going to stay calm, collected, and fix the problem?

We all know you really started panicking since you submitted your apps. You know you have been panicking since you submitted your apps. You don't need internet validation to continue panicking. To some people, panicking is just part of their personality.

Is this still true for people who completed a little later than normal (September-October)?

yes
 
Can anyone advise or point me in the direction to a thread that explains how reapplicants can improve their chances? I'm a nontrad with 510 mcat, 3.3 undergrad, 3.83 top 3 SMP w/ 100+ hours shadowing, 80 hours clinical volunteering, 600 hours nonclinical volunteering, 800+ hours leadership work, 2 jobs, 400 hours research, and extraordinary achievements in music and have applied broadly to 25 instate and private schools with 30-34 mcat averages. I have no II so far... Does anything stand out as a red flag or extremely weak for a successful applicant? Schools that have rejected me have been very unhelpful in even hinting at what I need to improve.

From @Goro and personal anecdotes from my SMP classmates, most successful SMPers have had 513+ MCATs
 
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Can anyone advise or point me in the direction to a thread that explains how reapplicants can improve their chances? I'm a nontrad with 510 mcat, 3.3 undergrad, 3.83 top 3 SMP w/ 100+ hours shadowing, 80 hours clinical volunteering, 600 hours nonclinical volunteering, 800+ hours leadership work, 2 jobs, 400 hours research, and extraordinary achievements in music and have applied broadly to 25 instate and private schools with 30-34 mcat averages. I have no II so far... Does anything stand out as a red flag or extremely weak for a successful applicant? Schools that have rejected me have been very unhelpful in even hinting at what I need to improve.

Where did you do your SMP? When were you complete and what is your state of residence as well? Another key question was is that your only MCAT: I'm guessing you needed an MCAT score to get into an SMP and the 510 could have only been taken this year. Having say a 25 on your record as well before the 510 could alter things.

While the 510 probably isn't low enough be what keeps you out by itself(I've seen SMPers have success with a 31 who aced their SMP like you) it does seem true that a number of SMPers who get in have higher than a 31. Having said that though, I don't know if that's necessairly the primary thing holding you back.

With a 3.83 SMP GPA did you not get any consideration at all from your host program? Depending on the SMP program that could be one of the top GPAs in their SMP class.
 
Can anyone advise or point me in the direction to a thread that explains how reapplicants can improve their chances? I'm a nontrad with 510 mcat, 3.3 undergrad, 3.83 top 3 SMP w/ 100+ hours shadowing, 80 hours clinical volunteering, 600 hours nonclinical volunteering, 800+ hours leadership work, 2 jobs, 400 hours research, and extraordinary achievements in music and have applied broadly to 25 instate and private schools with 30-34 mcat averages. I have no II so far... Does anything stand out as a red flag or extremely weak for a successful applicant? Schools that have rejected me have been very unhelpful in even hinting at what I need to improve.
Do you have anything more clinically than those 80 hours. It's really not that much...
 
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Where did you do your SMP? When were you complete and what is your state of residence as well? Another key question was is that your only MCAT: I'm guessing you needed an MCAT score to get into an SMP and the 510 could have only been taken this year. Having say a 25 on your record as well before the 510 could alter things.

While the 510 probably isn't low enough be what keeps you out by itself(I've seen SMPers have success with a 31 who aced their SMP like you) it does seem true that a number of SMPers who get in have higher than a 31. Having said that though, I don't think that's necessairly the primary thing holding you back.

With a 3.83 SMP GPA did you not get any consideration at all from your host program? Depending on the SMP program that could be one of the top GPAs in their SMP class.
True, it could also be mission/fit, quality of essays/statement/LORs
 
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True, it could also be mission/fit, quality of essays/statement/LORs

I'd be interested in hearing where the SMP program is. If it is really a top tier SMP like Georgetown or Cincinnati, that type of showing should have at least generated some interest from the host program itself; it would probably be in the top 15% of their class at least. If it isn't some well known SMP program and its only top 3 in the OP's mind, well that might start making things clearer as to why the SMP doesn't seem to be helping as much as you'd think. Alot of these SMP programs have become so water downed and cash cows that just focus on taking as many people and getting as much tuition as possible which in turn kills their "linkage" rates.

Also there's a good chance that isn't that persons only MCAT score. You need an MCAT to get into an SMP; the 510 could only be taken this year. If they also had say a 27 or something prior to that 510, I could see the MCAT holding them back more in that case potentially.

And yeah I agree there could easily be something off with their PS etc. Maybe perhaps they are also a re-applicant or a 3rd time reapplicant; ie applied once before hte SMP, once during the SMP, and once this year. There just a bunch of complicating factors potentially.
 
I'm really shocked that nixos hasn't had much success, although let's not hijack the thread.

Anyway, the number of interviews left really depends on the school, in my experience. Perhaps I just live in a state where the app cycle starts and ends later than many others.
 
Many people, including current M1s at my institution, tell me that being accepted in November is "early". This runs contrary to SDN doctrine.

Did you miss the title of the thread? The issue isn't lack of acceptances by Thanksgiving; the issue is a lack of any II's.


I agree that in most cases, the lack of invites by now is a problem. I don't know about Texas schools, though. Anyone know?

I do know that the other med school in my state is notoriously slow about their invite process. Maybe because it's a small med school, but they often don't issue invites until Dec or January.
 
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Can anyone advise or point me in the direction to a thread that explains how reapplicants can improve their chances? I'm a nontrad with 510 mcat, 3.3 undergrad, 3.83 top 3 SMP w/ 100+ hours shadowing, 80 hours clinical volunteering, 600 hours nonclinical volunteering, 800+ hours leadership work, 2 jobs, 400 hours research, and extraordinary achievements in music and have applied broadly to 25 instate and private schools with 30-34 mcat averages. I have no II so far... Does anything stand out as a red flag or extremely weak for a successful applicant? Schools that have rejected me have been very unhelpful in even hinting at what I need to improve.

When were you verified? What is your home state? What is your list of schools?

I think you should retest. Your MCAT is equivalent to a MCAT 31. I suspect that you're expected to have at least an equivalent 33+

Was your MCAT balanced?
 
Well out of the two big name SMPs in the Boston region they both tend to at least give out a II to a significant number of their SMPers who finish in the top 30% of the class. So while its within the realm of possibility you didn't get a II in the top 30% of your class, that is the first sign something might be off.

Look we can nitpick the MCAT all we want, we can nitpick the school list, the ECs etc but it all probably misses the greater point. You have a 3.85 SMP GPA and were in the top 30% of the class where probably at least half the SMP grads end up at MD schools. Your MCAT score is around what MD matriculants have and your uGPA wasn't that bad. There's something off with your app or what you are doing if you haven't gotten a single II. While I get its tempting to sit and defend all that you did in your app, I really do you put alot of time into it and worked your a** off to put forth your best effort in the app and the SMP, try and do the opposite. Look at your app and see where all the potential sources of problems could have arose. Here a couple things to get you thinking. Note, the point of this isn't necessairly to say these are the definite accurate reasons why you are having problems. It's to get you to think a certain way, the kind of way you want to really reflect on your app to address your problems.

Some theories for potential problems
1) The rec letters aren't as great as you think. LORs are especially important for SMPs; These are the people who have the best estimate of how well you did and can talk about your potential and how well you did compared to MS1 etc. When you have a below average track record through college, these types of things such as LORs and having somebody really strongly vouch for you matter. IF these letters aren't great, if they are vague or if other applicants from your class got better LORs from those same people, that's an issue. Key point here: There is a huge huge difference between LORs that help you and really make a difference and those that simply don't hurt you. My guess is from what you said yours could be in the latter.
2) Your overall app, be it through your ECs, LOR, essay etc lack focus. There's no clear overall theme. You always have to ask this question, particular when you are an SMP candidate who had a medicore UG record and is asking a med school to basically overlook that, what do you have that would make an ADCOM want to vouch for you and want to pick you over all the other qualifed applicants? If you don't have a clear answer to this or can't even answer it, there's a red flag right there. The strong SMP showing is a good start to that, but it takes more. Again your asking schools to overlook a 4 year mediocre record. There needs to be a reason they want to do that for you.
3) The meh MCAT score in combination with meh soft factors. In all likelihood, there's probably a combination of things at play here. The MCAT score by itself is fine, but it's not a great score for someone who has a checkered academic record in the past. By itself, it won't cause rejections. But if there are other problems, such as generic LORs that do nothing to help you, low clinical exposure etc, lack of cohesiveness in your app etc, well these things just all add up. I think that's the key point here. Trying to find one singular issue isn't what your main goal should be. It's possible there is some red flag in your app like a LOR that doesn't say something great. But that's not necessairly what's most plausible. Rather, there are probably a number of things that add up that cause schools to want to take a pass on you and think there are other candidates, including other SMP canddiates, who are a better use of a spot than you.

Just to bring a greater point, I remember talking to some SMP grads from Cincinnati who did well in the program and whom still couldn't get into UC a couple years ago. When they met with the schools ADCOMs it wasn't their academics or MCAT that caused the rejection; it was small things. The ADCOMS nitpicked their personal statement, had issues with their overall clinical exposure etc. It was things they werent expecting issues or their advisors of their apps wouldn't have expected. The key thing is to keep an open mind. There are a large number of things that could be at play. Be receptive to that idea. If you are already getting outright rejected by your state programs and your own host hasn't even offered you a II(when a number of those II's might simply courtesy interviews) that says as much as anything there are potentially clear issues with your app. It's up to you to try and figure out what is most likely. All I've done here is merely try to get you to think in the way you want to, and give some off the cuff suggestions.
 
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I only have 1 II and would like guidance regarding my panic quota.
 
I only have 1 II and would like guidance regarding my panic quota.

complete mid september. 521 mcat, 3.73gpa. rejections are starting to add up.

I have one II from Quinnipiac, which to me indicates that I don't have red flags. My ECs are 60 hours of pretty involved shadowing, 400 hours of volunteer clinical research with a publication pending that I expect by December, summers doing non-medical employment, and a pretty intense powerlifting hobby. What I do lack in non-clinical volunteering. So I don't know. I've been rejected from higher schools like Pitt, Rochester and Hofstra, so I don't believe all my rejections are yield protection. Here at Rosalind Franklin, it might be yield protection just because of where my averages are compared to them, but who knows. I went to Pitt for undergrad and I'm from Pa. I assume I have good letters but can't know for sure of course.


I think your schools think you're using them as a safety, but your ECs may not be impressive enough for the top schools. That's my only guess from this limited info. Maybe being complete "mid September" is late for your list? Where all did you apply?

You went to Pitt for undergrad and were rejected. Did the Pitt advising office give you any advice before you applied?

I don't know if this is sound advice or not: But, if you don't get any other II's within a few weeks, it might be worthwhile to send an update to Q with a mention that you would enroll if accepted.
 
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Is this still true for people who completed a little later than normal (September-October)?


Yes, unless you have some amazing or diversity hook. JMHO, but SOMs interview spots get assigned quickly, and an SOM may hold back a few spots in reserve just in case some diversity-need or amazing applicant applies a little late. If you're a more typical strong applicant who's completed late, then you may just be too late.
 
I think your schools think you're using them as a safety, but your ECs may not be impressive enough for the top schools. That's my only guess from this limited info. Maybe being complete "mid September" is late for your list? Where all did you apply?

You went to Pitt for undergrad and were rejected. Did the Pitt advising office give you any advice before you applied?

I don't know if this is sound advice or not: But, if you don't get any other II's within a few weeks, it might be worthwhile to send an update to Q with a mention that you would enroll if accepted.


Yeah I learned that my list was "safety heavy" a bit after I applied from most people I shared it with. I think it is screwing me now. I really wasn't applying to them as safeties, I just didn't think I was that impressive as a candidate. This is my list:

Albany (hold)

Boston

Geisel

Georgetown

Hofstra (reject)

Temple

Quinnipiac (II)

Rosalind Franklin (reject)

Jefferson

TCMC (reject)

Ohio State

Tufts

Pitt (reject)

Rochester (reject)

Brown

Your advice about the Quinnipiac interest letter is probably good advice. I think after my interview if I have nothing I'll send something like that within a week. Unless others have contradicting advice?

And I'm slightly non trad. As my ECs sort of indicate, I didn't always pursue medicine hence my somewhat lacking activities. Therefore I didn't actually get guidance from Pitt, tried contacting them after graduation a few times and they didn't respond so I set out on my own, took the mcat, did volunteer clinical research, etc. Seems like my school list was my big mistake.
 
think after my interview if I have nothing I'll send something like that within a week. Unless others have contradicting advice?


When is your interview? Be sure to study up on Q...know its mission, its history, know some things about the city surrounding it. You'll want to professionally convey that you do want to attend.


Since you didn't get help from Pitt, the next question is... Does Pitt write Committee Letters? Are they a school that "makes a call," or does anything with their own med school to "push" some of their stars?

BTW.....you may get asked where else you're interviewing. Be thinking about how you'd answer that question to your advantage.
 
Being accepted in November is early but having no interview invites by Thanksgiving is a time to start thinking about alternative plans for the 2016-2017 academic year and how to improve the application and whether to reapply in 2016 or in 2017.

What if you do have an II but are still waiting to hear from other schools? I have a feeling I haven't been reviewed at many (still not even "complete" at 2 schools since- one I'm waiting on a secondary still). I'm just not sure if this thanksgiving rule applies to people without II or if you are saying after thanksgiving you won't be getting anymore, even if you have 1 already?
 
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What if you do have an II but are still waiting to hear from other schools? I have a feeling I haven't been reviewed at many (still not even "complete" at 2 schools since- one I'm waiting on a secondary still). I'm just not sure if this thanksgiving rule applies to people without II or if you are saying after thanksgiving you won't be getting anymore, even if you have 1 already?

We're in the same position as always, my friend. But I keep cheering myself with that point you made in the other thread: If many schools' deadlines for secondary application aren't even until January, how can they possibly be done sending out II's by Thanksgiving? Doesn't make sense!
 
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LizzyM said:
Being accepted in November is early but having no interview invites by Thanksgiving is a time to start thinking about alternative plans for the 2016-2017 academic year and how to improve the application and whether to reapply in 2016 or in 2017.


What if you do have an II but are still waiting to hear from other schools? I have a feeling I haven't been reviewed at many (still not even "complete" at 2 schools since- one I'm waiting on a secondary still). I'm just not sure if this thanksgiving rule applies to people without II or if you are saying after thanksgiving you won't be getting anymore, even if you have 1 already?


I think the way "the rule" applies to your situation is this: You have an II, great, but don't expect to get more than 1 or 2 more, at most.

There just aren't that many II's issued to unhooked applicants after Thanksgiving. An exception, that I experienced, was one of my instate schools that has a long-history of being slow with IIs, and sends IIs in Dec, Jan, and later.
 
We're in the same position as always, my friend. But I keep cheering myself with that point you made in the other thread: If many schools' deadlines for secondary application aren't even until January, how can they possibly be done sending out II's by Thanksgiving? Doesn't make sense!

I'm sticking with that statement too :)

At least until February that is haha
 
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Yeah I learned that my list was "safety heavy" a bit after I applied from most people I shared it with. I think it is screwing me now. I really wasn't applying to them as safeties, I just didn't think I was that impressive as a candidate. This is my list:

Albany (hold)

Boston

Geisel

Georgetown

Hofstra (reject)

Temple

Quinnipiac (II)

Rosalind Franklin (reject)

Jefferson

TCMC (reject)

Ohio State

Tufts

Pitt (reject)

Rochester (reject)

Brown

Your advice about the Quinnipiac interest letter is probably good advice. I think after my interview if I have nothing I'll send something like that within a week. Unless others have contradicting advice?

And I'm slightly non trad. As my ECs sort of indicate, I didn't always pursue medicine hence my somewhat lacking activities. Therefore I didn't actually get guidance from Pitt, tried contacting them after graduation a few times and they didn't respond so I set out on my own, took the mcat, did volunteer clinical research, etc. Seems like my school list was my big mistake.
Just so you know. Rejections for jefferson and BU did come out. (Trust me, unfortunately I know). So I guess you're still " in it".
 
If many schools' deadlines for secondary application aren't even until January, how can they possibly be done sending out II's by Thanksgiving? Doesn't make sense!

What are the many MD schools that have that late of a deadline? I'd have to check, but I wouldn't be surprised if the other state SOM in my state has a late date, but it seems to be more the exception, than the rule.

Either way, I don't think it's a good idea to look at deadlines as any sort of guideline. The app process keeps getting compacted and front-loaded, with late un-hooked applicants at a severe disadvantage.
 
I think the way "the rule" applies to your situation is this: You have an II, great, but don't expect to get more than 1 or 2 more, at most.

There just aren't that many II's issued to unhooked applicants after Thanksgiving. An exception, that I experienced, was one of my instate schools that has a long-history of being slow with IIs, and sends IIs in Dec, Jan, and later.

Yes, I see your point and I agree that it is very school specific. I believe some schools are closing out their II but a lot of schools still have a lot of available dates (from what I've seen on school specific threads)

I'll stay optimistic until February :)
 
Do most schools just blanket rejection around March/April/May or can I expect to hear back from most of them?
 
Yes, I see your point and I agree that it is very school specific. I believe some schools are closing out their II but a lot of schools still have a lot of available dates (from what I've seen on school specific threads)

I'll stay optimistic until February :)

Yeah stay optimistic. My recent interview invites came at schools where I had been complete for almost 4 months! So the long delay is not always a bad thing.
 
Do most schools just blanket rejection around March/April/May or can I expect to hear back from most of them?


Some schools never give a response. Some will keep applicants on WL's forever in case August arrives and they still need to go to the WL. There have been posts from MS1's who've had new students arrive after White Coat, because the school had seats to fill.
 
There is a reason for the verbal section on the MCAT (what do they call that now?)

If you apply to at least 13 schools and not even one of those schools has offered you an interview invite by Thanksgiving, there is a good likelihood, I think-- based on no data but just a gut instinct -- that you may not get any interviews at all. (I'd love to hear anecdotes to the contrary -- applicants who received their first interview invite after Thanksgiving.)
 
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There is a reason for the verbal section on the MCAT (what do they call that now?)

If you apply to at least 13 schools and not even one of those schools has offered you an interview invite by Thanksgiving, there is a good likelihood, I think-- based on no data but just a gut instinct -- that you may not get any interviews at all. (I'd love to hear anecdotes to the contrary -- applicants who received their first interview invite after Thanksgiving.)


I would wager that @LizzyM is correct. Think about it:

If you applied to 13 schools early and you have no interviews at this point, then likely schools have looked your app over and are not going to issue an II.

If you applied to 13 schools late and you have no interviews at this point, then likely schools only have a limited number of spots left and are holding them for hooked late applicants.

The exception might be if one of those 13 schools is like my state's other SOM, which is typically very slow about issueing IIs.
 
If you applied to 13 schools late and you have no interviews at this point, then likely schools only have a limited number of spots left and are holding them for hooked late applicants.

What do you mean by "hooked"?
 
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I would wager that @LizzyM is correct. Think about it:

If you applied to 13 schools early and you have no interviews at this point, then likely schools have looked your app over and are not going to issue an II.

If you applied to 13 schools late and you have no interviews at this point, then likely schools only have a limited number of spots left and are holding them for hooked late applicants.

The exception might be if one of those 13 schools is like my state's other SOM, which is typically very slow about issueing IIs.


If this is true it's kind of bull**** that a verified user named gonnif has told people that being complete by the end of September is "Normal speed".

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...g-secondaries-complete.1153005/#post-16750113
 
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If you apply to at least 13 schools and not even one of those schools has offered you an interview invite by Thanksgiving, there is a good likelihood, I think-- based on no data but just a gut instinct -- that you may not get any interviews at all. (I'd love to hear anecdotes to the contrary -- applicants who received their first interview invite after Thanksgiving.)

I seriously hope this is incorrect. The seemingly common method to 'hold until March (or next application cycle) when we will reject you' paired with the fact that many schools won't provide feedback leaves applicants with little idea how to improve, and no reasonable amount of time to improve or plan for the coming year.

If I'm still 'under review' at 19 school (who have rejected people with higher and lower LizzyM's, complete before and after me) and no one extends an II, or they wait until Feb to reject me, I'll reach a new high for amusement with this process. I'm not envious of the adcom position (I think it would be challenging to pick from so many applicants that are probably qualified), but the lack of communication/transparency between schools and applicants adds a layer of anxiety to the process that I think could be reduced for the benefit of applicants (in terms of learning their fate sooner, providing more time to make a improvements, etc). Oh well...

Good luck everyone! I'm remaining hopeful...
 
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For what it's worth, my friend got 5/6 of her invites after Thanksgiving last year.

I'm sure that's not the norm though.
 
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I know someone who a few years ago received 3 interviews, all between January-March and ended up getting an acceptance
 
I would wager that @LizzyM is correct. Think about it:

If you applied to 13 schools early and you have no interviews at this point, then likely schools have looked your app over and are not going to issue an II.

If you applied to 13 schools late and you have no interviews at this point, then likely schools only have a limited number of spots left and are holding them for hooked late applicants.

The exception might be if one of those 13 schools is like my state's other SOM, which is typically very slow about issueing IIs.

If this is true it's kind of bull**** that a verified user named gonnif has told people that being complete by the end of September is "Normal speed".

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...g-secondaries-complete.1153005/#post-16750113
(see below)


Just to refresh on timeline reality:

AMCAS doesnt start transmitting until July 1st (though some schools have secondaries sent to contact info upon submission to AMCAS)
Most Primary Apps are verified and transmitted mid July thru late August
Most adcoms dont start meeting for review until at least mid-August, more likely September (though adcom staff may be doing early reviews).
Submitting Primary Application June is Early, July Medium, August Late
Having Primary verified and transmitted to school by end of August is normal speed
Having Secondary and all LORs complete to school by end of September is normal speed, by end of October is about late.

Getting primary in early does matter because of all the other items that follow it. But applicants often see the beginning and not understanding how it flows from there.


It may be somewhat "normal speed," but in a highly competitive environment, why aid for normal speed? This cycle, we've seen many applicants report early IIs and receiving acceptances the first allowable date in October.




For what it's worth, my friend got 5/6 of her invites after Thanksgiving last year.

I'm sure that's not the norm though.


Not the norm, but can you give some more details? Was she a URM or have some other hook? Did she have amazing stats? Were those II's to instate publics? Was she applying to Tx schools?
 
Not the norm, but can you give some more details? Was she a URM or have some other hook? Did she have amazing stats? Were those II's to instate publics? Was she applying to Tx schools?

II's were to 2 in state publics (from different states), the rest were private schools spread around the US. Stats were middling (30/3.6). She has a pretty incredible life story. No Texas schools. Not URM. I think a major part of her success was her story and how well she articulated it.
 
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It may be somewhat "normal speed," but in a highly competitive environment, why aid for normal speed? This cycle, we've seen many applicants report early IIs and receiving acceptances the first allowable date in October.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, you just can't do it super early. Why on Earth is it the case that if you go at normal speed, you should expect to fail?
 
Sometimes, for whatever reason, you just can't do it super early. Why on Earth is it the case that if you go at normal speed, you should expect to fail?

We may not like the environment, but we have to adjust to what it is.

I don't think the choice is "super early" or "normal." In my cycle year, I couldn't apply "super early," but I was able to be complete in early September. I felt that was "almost late," but I wasn't applying to any NE or Calif schools where being "super early" may be more important.
 
I have seen in the last 2 cycles that alot of the schools I applied to many invites continued in December. I also wasnt super early complete mostly in early September.
 
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