Am I screwed?!?!

[Dr. Bob Doe]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am planning on taking the MCAT in July and will be applying in mod to late August. I heard that many applicants take the MCAT in may and apply in early June. By applying in mid to late August am I severely hurting my chances of acceptance?

 

[Dredgx]

I took mine in August, applied to 3 schools and got accepted at 2. You will be fine.

 

[Dr. Bob Doe]

I took mine in August, applied to 3 schools and got accepted at 2. You will be fine.

So August isn't considered late right?

 

[Pacna]

It's not maximally ideal, day 1 is your best bet, but a month late won't preclude you. Just apply to more than 3 schools. 😛

 

[SN12357]

So August isn't considered late right?

Actually submitting your AMCAS in August is late and a very bad idea. Given how slowly AMCAS verifies applications you won't be complete until at least September, maybe October. There is a very very long thread from this year detailing when people's applications were processed given their submission date. The delay climbed to over 8 weeks eventually.

Submitting your AMCAS in June or early July and then taking the MCAT in July such that your application is complete the instant your score comes in is middling. Still not a great idea but less likely to be fatal.

Better to take the MCAT no later than June.

 

[Microglia]

Actually submitting your AMCAS in August is late and a very bad idea. Given how slowly AMCAS verifies applications you won't be complete until at least September, maybe October. There is a very very long thread from this year detailing when people's applications were processed given their submission date. The delay climbed to over 8 weeks eventually.

Submitting your AMCAS in June or early July and then taking the MCAT in July such that your application is complete the instant your score comes in is middling. Still not a great idea but less likely to be fatal.

Better to take the MCAT no later than June.

Saved me having to say it. Definitely this. Submit then take. It's risky though if you don't get the score you want..

 

[LizzyM]

Here's a plan:
Prepare your AMCAS application in May, submit on the day the AMCAS season opens in June and indicate that you are applying to School A. That will get you in the queue to have your transcripts verified (last summer this was taking up to 6 weeks!) and then when your scores come out in August you assess the situation and indicate the additional schools where you'd like to have your application sent. Voila! Your application will be sitting with the schools in August rather than in a long line to be verified and not reaching the schools until October.

 

[AquiVoy13]

I was complete very early and am very glad I did so. However, many people apply a bit later, are complete sometime in September, and still get plenty of interviews. It's not ideal, but it can be done. It depends on how strong your app is. If you're on the weaker side, it's definitely better to apply early to have a shot at interviews.

Like others have said, make sure to submit your primary and indicate that you are waiting on test scores. Don't wait until you receive your scores to submit your app. Since you'll be applying a bit late, make sure to study hard and rock the MCAT.

 

[boomshaketheroom]

I took it in August and finished my mid-august (waiting for a publication so I could include it on the primary). Secondaries done in sept-oct. Got interviews in December and was recently accepted. Weak GPA, Strong MCAT and pretty good ECs.

People make a big fuss, but I'd think mid-August is fine.

 

[SN12357]

I took it in August and finished my mid-august (waiting for a publication so I could include it on the primary). Secondaries done in sept-oct. Got interviews in December and was recently accepted. Weak GPA, Strong MCAT and pretty good ECs.

People make a big fuss, but I'd think mid-August is fine.

You got in but you don't know what your cycle would have looked like if you had done things earlier. Maybe you would have gotten more interviews, better choices, better fin aid...not to mention having an acceptance in hand on Oct 15th sure quiets a lot of anxiety. A sizable chunk of schools are pretty transparent about interviewing their top prospects first and admitting more people from their early interview groups and many make rolling merit scholarship offers, not just rolling admittance offers. And then there are the schools that wrap up their entire interview season in December.

I do think applying AT THE FIRST INSTANT is less important than people around here make it out to be given various administrative bottlenecks. But being complete in August vs. being complete in October is a big enough difference to matter.

 

[boomshaketheroom]

You got in but you don't know what your cycle would have looked like if you had done things earlier. Maybe you would have gotten more interviews, better choices, better fin aid...not to mention having an acceptance in hand on Oct 15th sure quiets a lot of anxiety. A sizable chunk of schools are pretty transparent about interviewing their top prospects first and admitting more people from their early interview groups and many make rolling merit scholarship offers, not just rolling admittance offers. And then there are the schools that wrap up their entire interview season in December.

I do think applying AT THE FIRST INSTANT is less important than people around here make it out to be given various administrative bottlenecks. But being complete in August vs. being complete in October is a big enough difference to matter.

Or maybe nothing would be different... who knows. Obviously it is good to submit as early as you can. All I'm saying is it isn't the end of the world to wait a bit. I think I was actually less anxious taking my time because it removed a lot of stress that would have come from rushing.

 

[Dr. Bob Doe]

Will schools still consider me even tough my MCAT score didn't come yet? However I do have everything else.

 

[Dr. Bob Doe]

Here's a plan:
Prepare your AMCAS application in May, submit on the day the AMCAS season opens in June and indicate that you are applying to School A. That will get you in the queue to have your transcripts verified (last summer this was taking up to 6 weeks!) and then when your scores come out in August you assess the situation and indicate the additional schools where you'd like to have your application sent. Voila! Your application will be sitting with the schools in August rather than in a long line to be verified and not reaching the schools until October.

This is the single and absolute best advice anyone has ever given me on its site, I will follow this advice and hopefully it will work out. Thank you!

 

[Dr. Bob Doe]

I was complete very early and am very glad I did so. However, many people apply a bit later, are complete sometime in September, and still get plenty of interviews. It's not ideal, but it can be done. It depends on how strong your app is. If you're on the weaker side, it's definitely better to apply early to have a shot at interviews.

Like others have said, make sure to submit your primary and indicate that you are waiting on test scores. Don't wait until you receive your scores to submit your app. Since you'll be applying a bit late, make sure to study hard and rock the MCAT.

Another realistic yet positive piece of advice. I'm gonna rock the MCAT for ya buddy

 

[AquiVoy13]

Another realistic yet positive piece of advice. I'm gonna rock the MCAT for ya buddy

haha thanks dude

 

[Dr. Bob Doe]

I took it in August and finished my mid-august (waiting for a publication so I could include it on the primary). Secondaries done in sept-oct. Got interviews in December and was recently accepted. Weak GPA, Strong MCAT and pretty good ECs.

People make a big fuss, but I'd think mid-August is fine.

Thank you sir! And congratulations