2008 application cycle, need some feedback

It seems to be that if you think you can handle studying for the test while doing your course work that is the best option. Only postpone your application if you have a plan in mind for strengthening your application during that time, i.e. doing research or further clinical experience. That is my opinion.

 

I'm in the same boat this year, except there's no way I'm going to be ready for the MCAT in May, so I'm now scheduled to take the test in June. But I've dug into the AMCAS date details a lot, so maybe I can help. Plus people laughed at me when I was asking these questions more than 6 months in advance, instead of answering the damned questions. Aargh.

As I understand it, if you want the benefits of an early application, then you want to be "AMCAS complete" as close to June 1 as you can get. June 1 is the earliest you can hit "submit." When your app, your transcripts, and your MCAT score are all physically present at the AMCAS office, you're "complete." Then they start to verify you. Verification takes days if you're first through the gate. It can take 6-8 weeks if you're "complete" later in the summer. If you look at AMCAS' FAQ, the most frequent mistakes people make are in their app, and in failing to get transcripts submitted. The MCAT score reporting is automatic, and thus it's the least problematic.

(You blow your early AMCAS advantage if you don't also submit your secondaries early. Which means you need to have your LORs wrapped up in June, and you want to have your secondary essays drafted in June. Some schools auto-send secondary apps within 24 hours of AMCAS verification of your app.)

You can start sending in your transcripts May 1. AMCAS has a form that they really, really want you to give to the registrar to wrap around your transcript. You can get the form, and your AMCAS ID number which goes on the form, by starting your AMCAS app, which you can do May 1.

You can hit submit before your MCAT score is available (you can state the test date). If you're done with your app June 1, you can hit submit on June 1. Supposedly AMCAS will verify all your transcript data (the most time-consuming part) and then just plug in your MCAT scores when they arrive. If your MCAT test date is May 31, your scores will get to AMCAS on about July 3, and then in theory, and depending on how many other people are submitting their apps in early July, you would start getting secondary apps right away.

For advice on the MCAT test itself, the MCAT forum is the place to go.

Best of luck to you.