Application lateness kills chances... neurotic premed myth or reality?

[Myuu]

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It was my second letter from an academic "science" source, which is an explicit requirement for many schools, and by the time I started to get real antsy about it, I felt it would have been too late to seek out alternative letter writers (even if they'd agreed, their letters would have been just as late in coming). Furthermore, this particular professor also happened to be my undergraduate advisor, and I felt strongly that he could provide a very intimate, favorable, and accurate assessment of me. I was somewhat limited in my options, too, because I graduated a couple years ago and only really took the bare minimum in hard science courses.

No, no. I mean before submitting AMCAS.

 

[BHaus9]

No, no. I mean before submitting AMCAS.

Oh, I submitted AMCAS in July. I just mean I haven't been marked as complete as specific schools.

 

[LizzyM]

Part of me wonders why schools that would otherwise have no difficulty filling their classes with qualified candidates have such late application deadlines. It's misleading and pointless.

There was a time when the MCAT was offered just twice a year: April & August. The August scores were reported in October. Thus the deadlines for applications would be in mid-Fall. Historically it makes sense although even then the early bird who took the MCAT in April would be interviewed before the latecomers scores were even reported.

 

[Chrome19]

Pretty depressing thread. 👎

 

[Tim Armstrong]

As somebody who was complete early-mid September, this thread makes me really scurred.

Is mid September considered early?

 

[goodnewsplease]

Why don't you go ahead and tell me all about power.

Also, this thread still makes me scurred. Damn you all.

im scared too! 🙁 <30 mcat, 3.9 gpa, complete in early-late september for schools, no interviews.

 

[octupus]

im scared too! 🙁 29 mcat, 3.9 gpa, complete in early-late september for schools, no interviews.

hang in there! I was complete around that time too and only heard back from 2 schools, invite and hold. I have a much much lower GPA than you. it's November now, any news?

what's with all these 34+ 3.8 applicants on SDN, makes me wish I could redo my sophomore year. oh well. hope and pray now.

 

[rofl]

complete Oct 10 (when mcat score came in)

5 interviews thus far, 0 rejections, 17 ?????


(note: did very well on mcat and have pubs, EMT, ECs, etc)

 

[music2doc]

Is mid September considered early?

No.... it's mid- to late-cycle to be complete. If you are submitting your primary in Sept/Oct, you're solidly in the "late" category. However, if you were marked complete at most schools by early to mid-Sept, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I was in that group (marked complete at most schools between early August and late September) and I have 5 interviews and 1 acceptance already. Based on what I've been seeing, I am still in the strongly considered group. My stats are low 30s MCAT and 3.8+ GPA with excellent ECs and outstanding LORs. So, no, timing won't necessarily ruin you if you're just in the middle of that pack. On the other hand, a friend of mine who also has great ECs and a 4.0/38 but submitted his primary back in late August has yet to receive even an inkling of interest from any schools. My guess he'll get in somewhere, but it probably won't be where those stats would otherwise have placed him.

 

[rofl]

No.... it's mid- to late-cycle to be complete. If you are submitting your primary in Sept/Oct, you're solidly in the "late" category. However, if you were marked complete at most schools by early to mid-Sept, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I was in that group (marked complete at most schools between early August and late September) and I have 5 interviews and 1 acceptance already. Based on what I've been seeing, I am still in the strongly considered group. My stats are low 30s MCAT and 3.8+ GPA with excellent ECs and outstanding LORs. So, no, timing won't necessarily ruin you if you're just in the middle of that pack. On the other hand, a friend of mine who also has great ECs and a 4.0/38 but submitted his primary back in late August has yet to receive even an inkling of interest from any schools. My guess he'll get in somewhere, but it probably won't be where those stats would otherwise have placed him.

how the 😱 does he have no II with a 40/3.8

 

[music2doc]

how the 😱 does he have no II with a 40/3.8

He was late. He'll get them, but it will take more time for his name to even show up on their radar. Earliness is godliness when it comes to med school admissions.

 

[Camy99]

Something I've been very confused about, I was going to start a thread but maybe I can get an answer here:

I have a low gpa that's going up. I plan on applying next June. I won't get my Spring quarter grades until June 14th at the earliest. Should I still submit June 1st, with whatever my gpa/mcat will be, and then change it 2 weeks later?
How will the the possible gpa change (I calculated it could be a .1 increase) affect my chances??
I've been told you apply to schools you think you can get in with the first submition and then add more schools later, but my gpa is so low I feel like any school I apply to will say no before I get around to re-submitting (unless I manage a superb mcat).

 

[octupus]

There is virtually no difference between "June 1st" and "June 14th"... that is madness. PURE NEUROTICISM!

👍

 

[docbrill]

Something I've been very confused about, I was going to start a thread but maybe I can get an answer here:

I have a low gpa that's going up. I plan on applying next June. I won't get my Spring quarter grades until June 14th at the earliest. Should I still submit June 1st, with whatever my gpa/mcat will be, and then change it 2 weeks later?
How will the the possible gpa change (I calculated it could be a .1 increase) affect my chances??
I've been told you apply to schools you think you can get in with the first submition and then add more schools later, but my gpa is so low I feel like any school I apply to will say no before I get around to re-submitting (unless I manage a superb mcat).

As long as you submit sometime June or July, you are still considered early...

 

[BHaus9]

Something I've been very confused about, I was going to start a thread but maybe I can get an answer here:

I have a low gpa that's going up. I plan on applying next June. I won't get my Spring quarter grades until June 14th at the earliest. Should I still submit June 1st, with whatever my gpa/mcat will be, and then change it 2 weeks later?
How will the the possible gpa change (I calculated it could be a .1 increase) affect my chances??
I've been told you apply to schools you think you can get in with the first submition and then add more schools later, but my gpa is so low I feel like any school I apply to will say no before I get around to re-submitting (unless I manage a superb mcat).

Although both effects are probably marginal, I'd say a 0.1-point increase in GPA will improve your chances at acceptance more than a late-June submission will hurt them. With a low-ish GPA, each point matters, and here you have an opportunity to substantiate that all-important upward trend. This might not be relevant if you are only a junior, but since your finalized grades will have to be provided at some point anyway, you might save yourself some hassle (e.g. writing an update) if you wait to include them on your AMCAS.

 

[eHombre]

Although both effects are probably marginal, I'd say a 0.1-point increase in GPA will improve your chances at acceptance more than a late-June submission will hurt them. With a low-ish GPA, each point matters, and here you have an opportunity to substantiate that all-important upward trend. This might not be relevant if you are only a junior, but since your finalized grades will have to be provided at some point anyway, you might save yourself some hassle (e.g. writing an update) if you wait to include them on your AMCAS.

A late-June submission will not hurt your application in the slightest, holy crap people.

 

[BHaus9]

A late-June submission will not hurt your application in the slightest, holy crap people.

That's my point...

EDIT: Although... depending on application volume, there may be a very, very slight benefit to being complete a month earlier.

 

[bugaboo]

Part of me wonders why schools that would otherwise have no difficulty filling their classes with qualified candidates have such late application deadlines. It's misleading and pointless.

The same reason schools aren't allowed to release their first round of acceptances until after 10/15 (the AMCAS primary application deadline) -- money. If they told you you were applying too late to have any real shot, you would wait a year instead of spending thousands of your hard-earned dollars on an already lost cause.

 

[IMSingular]

If your are in top quintile it will not matter. If you are in bottom quintile you better do as early as possible. I would think even the middle 60% should be OK. If admissions committee is smart about using historical statistics top 90% should be OK. Bottom 10 percentile are essentially marginaly qulified.

 

[Whatyousay]

Turning in secondaries this week.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[kpcrew]

Turning in secondaries this week.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

your avatar is really cute

are you the guy who used to have it with dr. zoidberg clapping his hands?

 

[saveourpens]

Just to be sure the point gets across, I had a 3.63/36T, publication, EMT: applied twice, first time completing my secondaries by December, the second time by September.

Guess where I got in!

So you went to the Caribbean? As if I don't have enough to think about...reading something like this is enough to make me consider deleting my sdn account.

 

[alexandertg6]

Turning in secondaries this week.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

I like the story of your MCAT day hahahaha

 

[notbobtrustme]

Just to be sure the point gets across, I had a 3.63/36T, publication, EMT: applied twice, first time completing my secondaries by December, the second time by September.

Guess where I got in!

why would you apply late the second time? That makes no sense. Once you know how the process goes, you should be ready the second time around. I knew that I was applying late in mid Sept/Oct, but gave it a shot anyways. I already got most things lined up for the day when the AMCAS application opens up in 2012.

 

[Whatyousay]

your avatar is really cute

are you the guy who used to have it with dr. zoidberg clapping his hands?

The one and only.

 

[Camy99]

There is virtually no difference between "June 1st" and "June 14th"... that is madness. PURE NEUROTICISM!

Well I say june 14th at the earliest. The official released-on-transcript date is the 21st. To ME it doesn't matter, I'm not neurotic at all. It's everyone else telling me "APPLY EARLY. APPLY EARLY. Oh and while you're at it APPLY EARLY." But if 3weeks is indeed nbd, then I'm good with that. 🙂

 

[StephanieZ]

why would you apply late the second time? That makes no sense. Once you know how the process goes, you should be ready the second time around. I knew that I was applying late in mid Sept/Oct, but gave it a shot anyways. I already got most things lined up for the day when the AMCAS application opens up in 2012.

I did the same thing. It never hurts to give it a shot, but I'm not holding my breath for this cycle. Already studying for MCAT retake.

 

[OrganicChemist7]

So from what it looks like AMCAS submission in August is "on-time?" Not early or late? lol

Additionally, waiting for scores from September, but having secondaries handed in ahead of time, ok?

 

[octupus]

So from what it looks like AMCAS submission in August is "on-time?" Not early or late? lol

Additionally, waiting for scores from September, but having secondaries handed in ahead of time, ok?

Not sure if you're asking a question, but yes, submit your secondaries before your retake scores come back. My advisor says that way, once the scores are reported, you'll be complete. If not, you might be pushed back for at least a month. With that said, you should be confident about the MCAT improvement (otherwise, you shouldn't/wouldn't have retaken it).