App and MCAT Timing: June MCAT too late? (TX resident)

[PikaMeowMeow]

Hey all!

I've kind of run into a dilemma here for applying this upcoming application cycle--especially for TMDSAS.

The dilemma: After weighing my options and commitments realistically this semester (I'm a college student) I'm planning to take the MCAT on June 18th so that I can have some extra time to really make sure I'm the best-prepared I can be.

That being said, I understand that the TMDSAS application opens up in May, and since it takes about 30 days for the MCAT scores to come back, the earliest I can send my app in July 18th--smack dab in the middle of cycle.

Is this too late? Should I wait another year? Fortunately, I've been blessed with the ability to apply early and graduate early in three years of undergrad rather than four, so there's at least a little bit of wiggle room there.

More about me:

I'm a Texas resident so I really want to apply to all of the medical schools under TMDSAS and also Baylor (AMCAS)! Right now I'm going to a top college in California with a full tuition scholarship.

I'm aiming, if possible to turn in all of the application materials (including secondaries) as soon as I get my MCAT scores back in July 18th.

Stats:

• GPA: 4.0cum/4.0BCPM (TMDSAS)
• GPA: 4.0cum/4.0BCPM (AMCAS)

MCAT
Maybe this is aiming too high, but I'm trying to get a 514 or above! I know that having a low MCAT score can take away from an application, which is why I wanted to take some extra time to study after school finishes for the spring.

Extracurriculars:

• Over two years (300+ hrs) of clinical shadowing, and currently volunteering at a cancer hospital (50+ hrs)
• Medical volunteering experiences include health fairs where I took blood pressure and blood glucose; bone marrow drives, and hepatitis C screenings, and volunteering at a homeless shelter.
• One year of organic chemistry research (pharmaceudicals)
• Social chair of my pre-med club, Capstone Event Coordinator for an APA social justice club
• Tutored students at at-risk schools near my college on science subjects

Study Abroad Experience

• None yet, but will be studying at Oxford during the summer after I take the MCAT! I'm really excited 🙂

If possible, I would love to hear back from some of the very kind AdComs that have been contributing to SDN (like @gyngyn @LizzyM @Catalystik and @Goro) and those who have experience with working with medical school admissions!

No matter what though, I'd love to hear from anyone who is kind enough to drop by and help an aspiring doctor out! Thank you so much for all of your help!

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[eteshoe]

With your stats, as long as you do decently on the MCAT it doesn't matter if you apply by July.

 

[Yellow_Elephant]

Sent you a PM

 

[ZPakEffect]

You don't have to wait for your MCAT score to submit your TMDSAS application, and you should not.

Only take the MCAT when you have maximally prepared yourself to score as highly as possible. The MCAT score matters far more than application timing.

I submitted my app last year on 07/21 and it was not processed by TMDSAS until 08/13 and I still received 7 interviews in Texas.

 

[mia123]

Submit your application no later than June 18th. It can be verified without your MCAT score. Once your MCAT comes in, then apps will be transmitted (mid-July). If you submit in mid-July, then verification can take up to 6 weeks, so preparing your app ahead of time is key (the essays). TX will let you submit May 1st if you're final grades are in. The first batch won't be transmitted until June 1st, though.

Write your secondaries for all the TX schools after you take the MCAT and before you get your score in. That way, you have a month to write grueling essays and can submit as soon as possible. This is definitely NOT too late.

ZPak is right, wait to take the MCAT until you're ready.

 

[PikaMeowMeow]

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much for all of your advice! I really appreciate the fact that all of you took time to help a premed like me out! Judging from all of your answers and from information from other threads, the MCAT is probably the most crucial part of the application, so I'm going to really put my nose to grindstone this semester and study as much as I physically can.

One more question--for all of the schools that require secondaries, I can send them in along with my primary app right away, right? Or do I have to wait for the application to be complete (MCAT+Primary app verfied) before sending my secondary essays?

 

[CognitiveSci]

I had the same dilemma, but an adcom at UTMB told me it was best to take the MCAT later and score better than to rush it just to get my app in earlier. So while mid-July isn't the earliest, a bad MCAT score would be even worse. Personally, I think submitting the app before knowing your score is a bit too risky, but given your 4.0 GPA, I'd say you'll probably be fine.

All my classmates are studying like crazy for the April test dates because they have the intention of taking the exam twice, which doesn't make sense to me. Obviously, one good score is better than one bad/ok then a second good one. Why not just take the extra time to do well? But those are just my thoughts.

To answer your second question, the primary app has to be submitted first, I believe.

 

[mia123]

Hi everyone!
One more question--for all of the schools that require secondaries, I can send them in along with my primary app right away, right? Or do I have to wait for the application to be complete (MCAT+Primary app verfied) before sending my secondary essays?

Depends on the school. Some will invite you to complete the secondary once they receive your TMDSAS app, others (1 or 2 I think), allow you to submit your secondary after you submit (not verified) the primary. This is for TX schools. I can't remember which ones they were though. However, you can look at the SDN threads to see the prompts for the secondaries. Once you get the invite, you can submit the secondary immediately, which is why I suggested spending the month when you're waiting for your MCAT score to write them. mid July to submit everything is totally fine. Waiting til August or Sept. is usually more difficult.

Good luck!

 

[mia123]

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[PikaMeowMeow]

Depends on the school. Some will invite you to complete the secondary once they receive your TMDSAS app, others (1 or 2 I think), allow you to submit your secondary after you submit (not verified) the primary. This is for TX schools. I can't remember which ones they were though. However, you can look at the SDN threads to see the prompts for the secondaries. Once you get the invite, you can submit the secondary immediately, which is why I suggested spending the month when you're waiting for your MCAT score to write them. mid July to submit everything is totally fine. Waiting til August or Sept. is usually more difficult.

Good luck!

Ahhh, thanks so much, mia123!!! I feel much better now 🙂 <3