AMCAS Submission Advice for Qtr System/May MCAT?

[rams1986]

Allright, so for now, I'm planning to apply for the 2008 cycle as an MSTP applicant. I'm still considering about whether I want to apply to some MD only programs as well.

Anyway, I have a few questions in regards to the submission of my AMCAS:

The general consensus seems to be that the earlier you submit, the better. However, as I attend a quarter system school, my spring quarter grades will not be available until late june, while the system, as everyone knows, opens up on june 1. Is it fine for qtr system applicants to send in their AMCAS with only their fall and winter qtr grades? I'm currently sitting at a 3.97 sci/3.97 overall GPA, so I can't really stand to gain very much from improvement in Spring quarter grades. In fact, i was planning on taking a pretty light spring quarter, since I'm in charge of planning my fraternity's rush (we do spring rush, lasts 2 weeks), am trying to coordinate a public health project in egypt for this summer, as well as my lab research related stuff.

Additionally, I am planning to take the May 31 MCAT, so I would receive my MCAT scores by late June.

My gameplan for now was to submit my AMCAS in early June, with just fall and winter qtr grades, get all of that verified, and then as soon as my MCATs arrive everything will be ready and good to go for final submission. I figure if I wait for my spring qtr grades and/or my MCAT scores (which will probably be coming in within a few weeks of each other) to begin verification, I might be subjecting myself to greater processing delays.

Thoughts?

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[ADeadLois]

Allright, so for now, I'm planning to apply for the 2008 cycle as an MSTP applicant. I'm still considering about whether I want to apply to some MD only programs as well.

Anyway, I have a few questions in regards to the submission of my AMCAS:

The general consensus seems to be that the earlier you submit, the better. However, as I attend a quarter system school, my spring quarter grades will not be available until late june, while the system, as everyone knows, opens up on june 1. Is it fine for qtr system applicants to send in their AMCAS with only their fall and winter qtr grades? I'm currently sitting at a 3.97 sci/3.97 overall GPA, so I can't really stand to gain very much from improvement in Spring quarter grades. In fact, i was planning on taking a pretty light spring quarter, since I'm in charge of planning my fraternity's rush (we do spring rush, lasts 2 weeks), am trying to coordinate a public health project in egypt for this summer, as well as my lab research related stuff.

Additionally, I am planning to take the May 31 MCAT, so I would receive my MCAT scores by late June.

My gameplan for now was to submit my AMCAS in early June, with just fall and winter qtr grades, get all of that verified, and then as soon as my MCATs arrive everything will be ready and good to go for final submission. I figure if I wait for my spring qtr grades and/or my MCAT scores (which will probably be coming in within a few weeks of each other) to begin verification, I might be subjecting myself to greater processing delays.

Thoughts?

Yeah, that's a good plan.

 

[BigRedPremed]

If the OP goes with his original plan, when is he expected to update med schools with his spring grades? Is the updating more of a pain in the @$$ than simply waiting the extra month or two?

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

The two weeks or whatever waiting for Spring grades costs you is not a big deal. I go to a quarter system school where our grades were available June 11th last summer and I was in the first interview day at a number of schools despite dragging my feet a little on secondaries.

Just wait for Spring grades, send them in as soon as the registrar has them and you'll be verified by the end of June. Most schools don't even send out secondaries until mid-July anyway.

 

[Lshapley]

I wouldn't wait if you have the application complete. Who cares about your spring grades especially if it is a light semester and you have such a high gpa? Just get the application in and rock the MCAT. Med schools are first come, first served.

 

[Darkshooter326]

I would probably submit earlier without the Spring grades. I have no experience with this , but I feel like with such a high GPA, you can only go down, but I wouldn't know. You can really beat the submission rush of mid-late Juners, and then you can use your Spring grades as update/interest letter fodder.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Submit early without spring grades

 

[Raekwon]

Allright, so for now, I'm planning to apply for the 2008 cycle as an MSTP applicant. I'm still considering about whether I want to apply to some MD only programs as well.

Anyway, I have a few questions in regards to the submission of my AMCAS:

The general consensus seems to be that the earlier you submit, the better. However, as I attend a quarter system school, my spring quarter grades will not be available until late june, while the system, as everyone knows, opens up on june 1. Is it fine for qtr system applicants to send in their AMCAS with only their fall and winter qtr grades? I'm currently sitting at a 3.97 sci/3.97 overall GPA, so I can't really stand to gain very much from improvement in Spring quarter grades. In fact, i was planning on taking a pretty light spring quarter, since I'm in charge of planning my fraternity's rush (we do spring rush, lasts 2 weeks), am trying to coordinate a public health project in egypt for this summer, as well as my lab research related stuff.

Additionally, I am planning to take the May 31 MCAT, so I would receive my MCAT scores by late June.

My gameplan for now was to submit my AMCAS in early June, with just fall and winter qtr grades, get all of that verified, and then as soon as my MCATs arrive everything will be ready and good to go for final submission. I figure if I wait for my spring qtr grades and/or my MCAT scores (which will probably be coming in within a few weeks of each other) to begin verification, I might be subjecting myself to greater processing delays.

Thoughts?

With your GPA I'd definitely go ahead and submit my AMCAS without my Spring quarter grades. This also gives you an excuse to write update letters to schools with your Spring grades after you submit your secondaries.

 

[Darkshooter326]

Is the updating more of a pain in the @$$ than simply waiting the extra month or two?

I don't think so, if you also add a few words about your interest in the school, it is worth it to update your application and keep it fresh.

With your GPA I'd definitely go ahead and submit my AMCAS without my Spring quarter grades. This also gives you an excuse to write update letters to schools with your Spring grades after you submit your secondaries.

Exactly what I said

 

[BigRedPremed]

The reason I ask is because I'm in a similar situation. My grades will probably go down after this semester (although I already have 7 semesters on my transcript). So if we submit early w/o the grades from the spring semester, they essentially don't factor into the admissions process?

 

[Darkshooter326]

The reason I ask is because I'm in a similar situation. My grades will probably go down after this semester (although I already have 7 semesters on my transcript). So if we submit early w/o the grades from the spring semester, they essentially don't factor into the admissions process?

They won't be on your AMCAS application. So they won't factor into the admissions decision unless you want them to, i.e, send updates.

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

I would include the Spring grades on your AMCAS application, particularly if any required classes are involved at the schools you are interested in. If your school is like mine, your grades will be available by the end of June at the latest, and if you click "submit" as soon as you have those grades on there you will have no problems getting interviews in September assuming you are just as expedient with your secondaries.

 

[BigRedPremed]

Preferably, I don't want want them to factor into my admissions decision lol If my grades come out in June but I don't update med schools till months later, would they start wondering why?

 

[rams1986]

I have all my prereqs done (except for some chem labs, which aren't offered in the spring- taking those next year); I was probably just going to take another upper division bio class or something, so like I said before, I dont think I can stand to gain very much from my Spring grades.

 

[rams1986]

Any additional thoughts on this? General consensus seems to be submit w/out spring qtr, but is this advisable for even the more competitive programs (ie, top 10 ,etc)? I can't see any reason why it wouldn't but just that I would get that verified.

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

I just think updating all the schools would be a pain in the ass. That and it might look like you have something you're worried about. I dunno though, that 3.97 or whatever it is indicates just about everything they need to know about you as a student.

If you are taking the late May MCAT, just submit your app once you get your grades back. I almost guarantee you will have your grades before your MCAT score.