Putting a future MCAT date or not?

[Parfee]

So my application is pretty ready to go. The only question I have is to put down a future MCAT date or not.

I got a 28Q, 12B, 10P, and 6V.

I'm taking it again in July to improve my VERBAL!!

Just wondering if I put a date, would they put my app aside and not look at it till the score comes back?

And if they do look at it now and decide my verbal is too low, would I still have the chance to be evaluated again if I get a better MCAT score later?

These questions are probably too hard to answer, but I would appreciate any thought on this. Thanks in advance.

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[Parfee]

any one?

 

[TheRealMD]

They'll process your app and wait for your new MCAT score. A lot better than if you were to submit your entire app all at once.

Just make sure you do better on verbal, mmk?

 

[Surf Rx]

i guess the kicker is, what happens if you say that you're going to take a future mcat, but end up not taking it for some reason, or end up voiding it?

 

[3dee]

I have the same question.....

If i put that I am taking the MCAT later....they will just put my application aside...
but if i dont put anything....will they reprocess it all over again and maybe give me a better chance bc ill have better standings?

 

[NJDIF]

I spoke to my adviser about this today-

I wont be getting my MCAT scores back for a few weeks, but who knows, maybe i didnt do as crappy as I thought. I was told not to put down any extra mcat dates, and if it turns out I do take them again, contact my top few schools on my list and let them know.

 

[3dee]

what happens if you just retake it again without putting that you will??

 

[viciouz]

Well I heard from a counselor, who worked at a med school, that if you list a future mcat, they will put your application on the side until the new score comes in.

However, you don't have to notify them until you just register the MCAT, so then you have to go to AMCAS and ask update your file.

Now its up to you to strategically plan out how you want to handle it.

 

[Surf Rx]

Well I heard from a counselor, who worked at a med school, that if you list a future mcat, they will put your application on the side until the new score comes in.

However, you don't have to notify them until you just register the MCAT, so then you have to go to AMCAS and ask update your file.

Now its up to you to strategically plan out how you want to handle it.

come again?

 

[go lakers]

an advisor at my school has told me you should WANT to put down that you're taking it again. now the schools know that the score you have right now isnt all they're going to get from you, and they can sit and wait for you to rock the verbal the second time around.

if you dont put you are taking it, schools will consider your application complete.

 

[viciouz]

an advisor at my school has told me you should WANT to put down that you're taking it again. now the schools know that the score you have right now isnt all they're going to get from you, and they can sit and wait for you to rock the verbal the second time around.

if you dont put you are taking it, schools will consider your application complete.

Thats true... so if you know your MCAT score is good enough for a lower tier, and you list that your taking it again, they might just put your application on hold and not process it till later. This can make you a late applicant and seats filled up.

But if your applying for a top tier school and you know your MCAT score sucks... you first send it as complete, then once they receive your MCAT, you update your AMCAS that you are, so they will put your app on hold till they get your new MCAT score.

So you see it can be a double edged sword.

 

[NJDIF]

Thats true... so if you know your MCAT score is good enough for a lower tier, and you list that your taking it again, they might just put your application on hold and not process it till later. This can make you a late applicant and seats filled up.

But if your applying for a top tier school and you know your MCAT score sucks... you first send it as complete, then once they receive your MCAT, you update your AMCAS that you are, so they will put your app on hold till they get your new MCAT score.

So you see it can be a double edged sword.

q4t

 

[3dee]

Thats true... so if you know your MCAT score is good enough for a lower tier, and you list that your taking it again, they might just put your application on hold and not process it till later. This can make you a late applicant and seats filled up.

But if your applying for a top tier school and you know your MCAT score sucks... you first send it as complete, then once they receive your MCAT, you update your AMCAS that you are, so they will put your app on hold till they get your new MCAT score.

So you see it can be a double edged sword.

The question is...... if I turn my application in during June....knowing that I will retake the mcat in August (but not write that I will retake it).... will they re-evaluate my application so that it possibly gets bumped up higher....
OR will they take it as though it was turned in during August (or whenever they recieve the 2nd mcat score)

 

[viciouz]

For you, I would list that I am taking the MCAT, because your submitting your application so soon. They might review your app and either reject, interview, waitlist, or place you on hold.

And obviously your taking the MCAT because of a lower score which might cause you to recieve rejection letters.

This process only really works for Early Applicants who will also recieve there scores shortly after they review your app, and you want schools to quickly process your app with little delay (b/c marking a future MCAT date my put your app on hold and prevent further processing at that school).

 

[Surf Rx]

Thats true... so if you know your MCAT score is good enough for a lower tier, and you list that your taking it again, they might just put your application on hold and not process it till later. This can make you a late applicant and seats filled up.

But if your applying for a top tier school and you know your MCAT score sucks... you first send it as complete, then once they receive your MCAT, you update your AMCAS that you are, so they will put your app on hold till they get your new MCAT score.

So you see it can be a double edged sword.

i don't think you're making much sense. besides, you can't update your amcas app after you've submitted it.

 

[viciouz]

I heard you can change the MCAT part... where it asks if your retaking the MCAT.

maybe somebody from last year can help us out here.

 

[ryandote]

The dilemma (which I faced last year) was this:

If you tell them you have another MCAT score coming, there is a good chance they won't even begin to evaluate your app until they get your final score. I took the August MCAT last year and felt like it put me WAY behind. I was not "complete and ready for evaluation" at some schools until the end of November, even though I had EVERYTHING else beside that new MCAT score in.

If you don't tell them you have another MCAT score coming, they may evaluate and reject you before you get a chance to tell them your new score. These pre-secondary rejections can come quick and are probably tough to appeal. If you have to wait until October to get your scores, you may even get rejected post-secondary.

(NOTE: This is EXTREMELY school dependent. I decided to put on my AMCAS that I WAS taking the MCAT again. Most schools did not evaluate me until those new scores were verified. However, my state school and Pitt both invited me for an interview literally the day that the scores came back, definitely before anybody had a chance to read my PS, etc. So those schools probably had already evaluated me on my previous MCAT, decided to offer an interview, and just had to wait for my application to be technically complete. Or they had auto-interviews for GPA/MCAT combos)



My first MCAT was a 30 (but I scored a 7 in PS for some stupid mistakes) and so I knew I was going to do better. I wish that I would not have told them that I had a new score coming. I think that my 30 was good enough to keep me in the running, and then I could have blind-sided them with my new, fantastic score.

Make sense?

 

[Parfee]

So for us are not applying to the top tier.

Some clarifications:
1. Putting a date delays my application for review, which might not be a good idea for an average student like me, right?

2. If not to put a date, and my file is reviewed early. Say that they don't like my MCAT, would I be reconsidered when I get a better score? (When is the earliest school send out rejection letter? It can't be as early as Aug or Sep, right?)

 

[ryandote]

So for us are not applying to the top tier.

Some clarifications:
1. Putting a date delays my application for review, which might not be a good idea for an average student like me, right?

2. If not to put a date, and my file is reviewed early. Say that they don't like my MCAT, would I be reconsidered when I get a better score? (When is the earliest school send out rejection letter? It can't be as early as Aug or Sep, right?)

1. At most of the schools I applied to, it DID delay my application review. Which sucked, even though I was an above-average applicant numbers-wise. Call the specific schools you care about to be sure.

2. Oh, it definitely can be that early. I think that some secondary/no-secondary decisions can be made quick... especially if you don't hack the MCAT cutoff. Also, it may not necessarily be sending you a rejection letter. You may just get stuck in the rejection pile until they get around to sending you a letter next May. I'm not sure, but I don't think that a new MCAT score will warrant a fresh look at your application. Once again, call the specific schools.

However, since this is strategizing, tell them you aren't sure whether you will take the MCAT again and you are wondering how it will affect your app if you decide to.

By the way, Parfee: I wouldn't count on that score keeping you in the running until you can surprise them with a new score. Not because a 28 is terrible... but a 6V is not very good. You might get burned by sectional cutoffs.

 

[uhohspaghettio]

Hmm...

 

[Surf Rx]

Hmm...

indeed...

 

[viciouz]

1. At most of the schools I applied to, it DID delay my application review. Which sucked, even though I was an above-average applicant numbers-wise. Call the specific schools you care about to be sure.

2. Oh, it definitely can be that early. I think that some secondary/no-secondary decisions can be made quick... especially if you don't hack the MCAT cutoff. Also, it may not necessarily be sending you a rejection letter. You may just get stuck in the rejection pile until they get around to sending you a letter next May. I'm not sure, but I don't think that a new MCAT score will warrant a fresh look at your application. Once again, call the specific schools.

However, since this is strategizing, tell them you aren't sure whether you will take the MCAT again and you are wondering how it will affect your app if you decide to.

By the way, Parfee: I wouldn't count on that score keeping you in the running until you can surprise them with a new score. Not because a 28 is terrible... but a 6V is not very good. You might get burned by sectional cutoffs.

Nicely worded. Way better job than me.