Advice on post-bacc program that coincides with application process

[ll16]

Hello everyone!
So I'm a recent college graduate and will be applying to medical school for the first time next year (for hopeful admission in 2018), and I've been actively seeking affordable post-bacc type programs that'll boost my science GPA in order to make me more competitive for admission. I recently found out that the university medical system that I'm employed by in Chicago offers 75-80% off tuition for full time employees, and I definitely want to take advantage of this.

The program I'm looking at is a post-bacc certificate program of 4-8 classes, which is manageable and would work perfectly for me. However, these classes won't start until the Spring quarter, which runs from March-June 10th of 2017. At that point in June, I would only have taken 2 classes that would have fulfilled the requirement, and I would receive my grades several days after application opens.

So, I'm looking for some advice. Has anyone been through a similar situation? I know for sure that I want to apply next year, but should I wait to submit until after I get my grades for those two classes on June 10th, or should I submit as early as possible and update my application when I receive those grades? Is it worth updating grades on my application as I complete the rest of the classes for the program, which would most likely be in the Fall and well into the application process? Will this make a considerable difference on my application to the schools I apply to?

I'm confident that I can perform well in these classes, but unfortuntely the timing sucks when it comes to lining up with the application process. Any info would really help! The site is great for this kind of insight, so I was wondering what you all thought of the situation.

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[LizzyM]

Once you submit your AMCAS application for verification, you can't update it. You could send update messages to the schools to which you have applied but that won't help if the automated screens will screen you out based on your GPA or sGPA. There is also the possibility that your updates won't be seen by adcoms or won't be taken seriously by adcoms because they have not been verified and aren't calculated in your official GPA.

When will you take the MCAT. Is it possible that these classes may greatly increase your ability to do well on the MCAT? If so, it might be wise to plan on taking 2 years to prepare and applying in 2018. Do it right; do it once.

 

[ll16]

Thank you fore the insight and advice! I'll be taking my MCAT at the beginning of 2017, which would be before the program starts. I should have elaborated, but it's more of a SMP than a post-bacc (even though it's listed as one). I've taken all of the pre-med required classes in undergrad, but this program would entail taking a few upper-level biology courses. I definitely am the type of person to want to do something once and right, so I have no problem applying when I'm fully ready; I just wasn't sure how the application process worked in terms of updates!
Thanks again! If anyone else had a similar experience with some insight, that would be helpful as well.