Advice for '05 Applicant Please...

[cpb80]

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Hi-

I am planning on taking 2 courses this summer at a local 4 yr instit. in order to raise my unimpressive BCPM GPA. However, the courses don't end until June 18th, therefore, the transcript with those grades will not be available until late June.

I understand that early application submission is crucial to an acceptance. I am trying to decide btwn waiting to submit my '05 app. until the transcript is available (again late June) so my grades for the two courses will be included in my official AMCAS GPA OR submitting the app as early as possible (on or about June 2nd) without those 2 grades (ie entering those courses as "current course work") and then sending the transcript w/ the 2 summer courses to the schools I am applying to, when they are available (again late June).

The latter scenario at first glance may seem like a "no-brainer", but I am concerned that my BCPM GPA is low enough for medical schools to reject my primary app before I send them the 2 updated grades in late June...Breather...

Here's some bio...

-Undergrad: Cornell
-Post-bacc undergrad: Long Island Univ
-Published, some EC's/volunteer, a lot of shadowing, research, Cornell Minority Summer Prog (this summer)
-Business major
-BCPM GPA before/after 2 summer courses: 3.255/3.345 (assuming 2 A's)
-Overall GPA before/after 2 summer courses: ~3.4/~3.4
- Overall GPA for last 60 credits (heard schools calc this for post-bacc's) 3.478

Your help is much appreciated! Best of luck to everyone. 😳)

 

[jlee9531]

my bcpm was a 3.1
overall a 3.4
tho i had a strong upward trend in both areas.
3 acceptances - and hopefully one more on the way, but i did apply to 40+ schools and fill out 39 secondaries.

its your mcat score thts gonna matter more. hope you get doubles across to show that your lower gpa is a result of your hard program at cornell...

 

[Neuronix]

I understand that early application submission is crucial to an acceptance.

It helps, but it is hardly crucial. You're talking about so early that it doesn't matter anyways.

and then sending the transcript w/ the 2 summer courses to the schools I am applying to, when they are available (again late June).

You won't even start seeing secondaries until at least July, probably August. You probably won't get screened out of the primary, as few schools do primary screening anymore (all about the secondary fees).

but I am concerned that my BCPM GPA is low enough for medical schools to reject my primary app before I send them the 2 updated grades in late June...

It's not too low, and 2 more As is not going to significantly help. So don't worry about that aspect. You might just want to wait until you can submit the grades on your AMCAS. Submitting AMCAS in early June vs. late June won't make one iota of difference.

Relax.

 

[Amy B]

Wait until you finish the classes and have the transcripts in hand. Late June is NOT late when it comes to applying.

August and Sept and October are late

 

[cpb80]

sweet, thanks...

 

[skypilot]

I agree with the above posters. Letters of rec are what make most people late not transcripts. So if anyone out there is reading this: Schedule your committee letter and make sure your professors submit their letters of rec as soon as possible.

 

[jetskigirl]

I applied in July last year. My app was verified right before AMCAS started sending them out to the medical schools, so I got all of my secondaries at the same time as everyone else. I wouldn't suggest this for everyone, but in your unique case, 2 or 3 weeks won't make too much of a difference.

 

[docmemi]

I applied in July last year. My app was verified right before AMCAS started sending them out to the medical schools, so I got all of my secondaries at the same time as everyone else. I wouldn't suggest this for everyone, but in your unique case, 2 or 3 weeks won't make too much of a difference.

yessssssss!! i submitted amcas in mid-july. the first school transmitted on august 1st and secondaries came in AFTER that. so i got secondaries at the same time as all the june submissions!! but please get it in by mid-july.

 

[PianoGirl04]

I agree with what most people have been saying. I sent in AMCAS by the end of July, had all my files complete by October at the latest (most were Aug-Sept), and finished all but one of my interviews during the fall semester. If you get it in by the end of July, you're fine. So if you need to wait for that transcript, it won't hurt you.