A question on MD/PhD deadlines

[wuhanese]

Many MD/PhD sites say something like this:

"Therefore, APPLY EARLY, APPLY EARLY, APPLY EARLY. You are strongly encouraged to submit your AMCAS application by September 1, even if you haven't taken the MCAT exam yet. This allows us to start processing your application. If the rest of your file is complete, once we get your MCAT scores, your file is ready to be screened. "

http://weill.cornell.edu/mdphd/admissions/tips.html?name1=Admissions+Tips+&type1=2Active

What deadline is the sept. 1 referring to? When I finish submitting my primary application? secondary application? or when my school submits the recommendation letter packet to the medical school?

what is a good timeline to do things without being cut-throat about deadlines?

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[Build]

The best thing to do is to apply as soon as possible. There is nothing cut throat about applying early. As someone else put it on the forum, you've put years of effort into getting ready to apply. There's no reason to detract from your application simply over an issue of timing. Be thorough, but get things moving as soon as you can.

I think that post is emphasizing that an early application is to your advantage, not that there is a september deadline. Again, same thing: apply ASAP!

 

[Neuronix]

I think Cornell's site is right on this. You generally want your primary certified and complete by the end of August. SDN seems to have gotten really crazy about getting primaries done in June and July. I think it's a good idea if you can. Still, you probably won't even get most of your secondaries until August or September even if you have your AMCAS completed ASAP. Getting those secondaries back as soon as you receive them or within a reasonable time (~2 weeks) is pretty important as well.

What programs are tired of is receiving a flood of applications just before their deadline. Way back in my brain I seem to remember hearing that our program receives something like a third of its apps within 2 weeks of its very late deadline. These are just lazy students who put their secondaries off until the last minute! It puts a burden on our staff to have this last minute bolus, and it does hurt for those rolling schools that have limited spots left to give out.

I get PMed about once a month by a pre-med who is pushing their MCAT up too far to get their primary done by June. This is a BAD IDEA and is a result of SDN NEUROTICISM. Rule of thumb: 5 points on your MCAT is worth FAR more than a super early application. If this applies to you, just remember that AMCAS has to verify your transcripts which can take a month or more, so get that part done early even if you're waiting on an MCAT score. That way your app is ready to go.

 

[harvman11]

My advice (like Neuronix) is to apply as early as you can without hurting your application. I applied somewhat "late", as my primary wasn't verified until early-mid September. I definitely would not have wanted to apply any later than I did, and I wish I had applied a little earlier just to take some of the stress off, but in the end it worked out fine.

The reason I applied late was 1) I was still working on my essays, and I think the extra time I took with them really helped (in general I'm not a good writer, so it takes me a long long time to write a good essay), and 2) I didn't have my MCAT scores yet. I would say if you need to work on essays, it's a good idea, but waiting on MCAT scores was kinda dumb in hindsight, just apply as soon as everything else is ready, at least to 1 school to get your app verified.