Apply before or after MCAT results

[Nater44]

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Any advice on the pros and cons of applying before you get your MCAT results? How could it hurt (other than financial) you if you apply and your scores aren't that great? How do schools react?

 

[bigmuny]

I would apply before the MCAT, get the rest of your application in now. Some schools may send you secondaries without your MCAT scores being in yet, in which case you can start filling them out. AACOMAS will update your file when your scores come in.The secondaries can be time consuming(COMP), and the sooner you start working on them the better. However, if any of the application stuff is taking time away from studying for the MCAT, then wait. I applied VERY late this year and got in, but had I had my stuff in sooner I'm sure I would have had more options/interviews(though I'm not unhappy with the result). Best of luck on the MCAT.

 

[dctrben]

I agree with bigmuny... don't spend any time on it before the MCAT, but get them in as soon as you can. I would think that it would show that you are confident that your scores will be high enough to attend their school. Just remember to put the MCAT first (as far as academics go, anyway) and the rest will be worked out.

Good luck and exude confidence and desire in your secondaries and interviews

Ben

 

[raspberry swirl]

if i were you, i definitely wouldn't wait. i have a friend who waited until after his MCAT, didn't have his application ready, and then ran into time problems with final exams (this was last fall after the august MCAT) and then didn't get his application in until christmas break, and was subsequently offered interviews late, and is now struggling with waitlists. although because it is summer, this is not so much a problem as it would be in the fall, i still think it can only hurt you to have your application in later. regardless, you'll be ahead of the game. the earlier the better--- it will feel so good to have your applications in and maybe even some of your interviews out of the way before some of your other fellow premeds have even started the process. i took the MCAT once and i was also afraid that if i applied before i got results and did badly, it would hurt my chances, especially since my GPA was just okay. but it gave me motivation to study hard and really do well on the MCAT and i didnt have any problems at all. good luck!

 

[sacroiliac]

yup...asap