Apply 2022 vs 2023?

[Omatter]

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Hello all, great forum, first time posting.

I'm graduating in the spring and don't plan to take the MCAT until August, 2022 because I would like to finish the biochem class and spend some time studying in the summer.

I am considering getting my AMCAS application ready and apply a throwaway school in early June, 2022. If I find out I have a decent MCAT score in early september, then I will add more schools and officially apply for next cycle.

Would you recommend me to do that or do you think it will be too late? Should I just forget it, and wait for 2023 to apply? I'm a California resident, ORM and prefer MD schools.

Thank you all.

 

[KnightDoc]

Nothing is impossible, and nobody wants to wait an extra year unnecessarily, but being a CA ORM is already two strikes against you in this brutal process. Not applying until after Labor Day will be making your path significantly more difficult than it has to be. Given that around 2/3 of all applicants have at least one gap year, why not give yourself a break and plan on the extra gap year?

That way, you won't have to rush anything or mess around with throwaway schools. You'll know your score, and have plenty of time for a retake if necessary. You'll also have a full year of gap year activities in the bank and ready to be discussed in your app, rather than all being projected. Finally, you won't be submitting secondaries months after most people, and months after IIs start going out in July and August.

To me, if you are not in a position to take the MCAT by May at the latest, it is an absolute no brainer to wait out the cycle. Good luck!

 

[candbgirl]

Apply in 2023. Don’t apply without your MCAT score and don’t wait until after Labor Day. By the time you get your secondaries and then completed them it will be October. The first round of acceptances go out around October 15. So do what @KnightDoc said and just slow down and do it right. Good luck as you move forward.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hello all, great forum, first time posting.

I'm graduating in the spring and don't plan to take the MCAT until August, 2022 because I would like to finish the biochem class and spend some time studying in the summer.

I am considering getting my AMCAS application ready and apply a throwaway school in early June, 2022. If I find out I have a decent MCAT score in early september, then I will add more schools and officially apply for next cycle.

Would you recommend me to do that or do you think it will be too late? Should I just forget it, and wait for 2023 to apply? I'm a California resident, ORM and prefer MD schools.

Thank you all.

Wait until 2023.

 

[deleted1114112]

What is your courseload for your last semester; could you study during biochem? Also how are you only taking biochem now?

 

[Schwifty]

don't plan to take the MCAT until August, 2022

apply a throwaway school in early June, 2022.

California resident, ORM and prefer MD schools.

Okay, don’t do this. Wait and apply in 2023. ORM in CA that wants to go to an MD school needs to do well on the MCAT and apply early in the cycle. Just take your time and study for the MCAT, only take it once you are ready so you only have to take it once. Then apply in 2023 with everything ready to go so you don’t need to apply to a “throwaway school”

 

[Omatter]

What is your courseload for your last semester; could you study during biochem? Also how are you only taking biochem now?

I am going to take a total of 4 classes, so it is not a heavy load. I switched major from Econ to Health Sci after sophomore, so I am doing a lot of catch up on the upper division bio classes. I guess the safest way is to wait till 2023 unless I can move up my MCAT to the end of May, but it does seem a lot of work to keep up with school, study for the MCAT and get ready for AMCAS. But thanks for the valuable input from you all.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

If your classes are rigorous, you should be well prepared to score well on the MCAT even if you don’t study that much. Obviously I’m not saying you should go take it cold but try 2 or 3 full practice tests over winter break. You may not need to study full time depending on your score.