Any Tips for Starting Down the Rainbow road that is AMCAS?

[LabMonster]

I will re-take the MCAT in April (decent score, but I was hungover) and I will be applying in May. My list of prospective schools is dwindling thanks to this site (eg Case, no research experience - though I work in a freaking lab) and though excited about med school, I know the stress is coming... Well, more stress is coming.

Anyway. I'm looking for tips, things you wished you would have done, things you didn't know (and probably should have), and perhaps a few cute and clever anecdotes about how wonderful the whole process is.

Thanks

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[virilep]

I will re-take the MCAT in April (decent score, but I was hungover) and I will be applying in May. My list of prospective schools is dwindling thanks to this site (eg Case, no research experience - though I work in a freaking lab) and though excited about med school, I know the stress is coming... Well, more stress is coming.

Anyway. I'm looking for tips, things you wished you would have done, things you didn't know (and probably should have), and perhaps a few cute and clever anecdotes about how wonderful the whole process is.

Thanks

1.) don't drink before the MCAT. atleast not more than 2 beers.
2.) study hardcore for ur re-take. i went out 5 nights a week while "studying" for the MCAT.. not a good idea.
3.) apply early. can't stress that enough.


Those are my top three.

 

[LabMonster]

I go out 7 days a week to the library now - getting old. I keep hearing about spring deadlines for acceptances. Is it possible that I could know earlier by applying in May?

 

[spongebob_sq]

My best advice is to submit early!!! You will hear this a thousand times but it is so true! Get everything ready now (your personal statement, list of extracurriculars, letters of rec, etc) and submit on June 1st. Don't wait for you MCAT scores. It will give you an advantage over all the people who plan to submit early but end up procrastinating a little (as I did ). Any advantage no matter how slight will help.

Another tip, apply to lots of schools (if it is within you financial means). Not like 50 schools, but at least 15-20. You will no doubt get a few surprises as to who inivites you for an interview.

The entire process is crazy! It will drive you to check your e-mail ten times a day and to check SDN maybe more than that. But its worth it when you get the fat envelopes . If you have any other specific quesions you can PM me.

 

[MoosePilot]

You won't be able to submit your app until June. The website simply won't allow it.

Even if you submit on June 2nd (first day possible last year) it won't go anywhere until about August. In the interim they will confirm your grades as entered with your transcripts and add your MCAT scores.

The biggest piece of advice I have is mail your transcript request forms, printed off the AMCAS app, to your undergrad institutions as early as possible. This has the possibility of being the biggest hold up.

Mistakes: Thinking that filling out the transcript request form does something by itself (you have to print and mail it with any fee required by your ugrad school)

 

[spongebob_sq]

Mistakes: Thinking that filling out the transcript request form does something by itself (you have to print and mail it with any fee required by your ugrad school)[/QUOTE]



I actually walked mine down to the records office and specifically asked them to include it with my transcript to ensure that there were no problems. You can never be too safe.

 

[LabMonster]

My best advice is to submit early!!! You will hear this a thousand times but it is so true!

The next logical question: If applying early gives me an advantage by being among the first applicants reviewed, then perhaps a secondary, and perhaps an interview, could I know my acceptance status by winter, or do accepted students get chosen all at once - in spring?

 

[Code Brown]

The next logical question: If applying early gives me an advantage by being among the first applicants reviewed, then perhaps a secondary, and perhaps an interview, could I know my acceptance status by winter, or do accepted students get chosen all at once - in spring?

Yes and no. Some schools are on a rolling acceptance system, meaning that they start accepting people on Oct 15th (Tulane actually started on Oct 9th this year). The schools that aren't on the rolling system (hence called non-rollers) usually accept their students in March. Check out the acceptance thread to see when people were accepted.

 

[Haybrant]

rainbow road? i didnt know applying to med school through amcas makes one gay...