***applying Early And Taking Mcat Later Thread***

[sassy24673]

Anyone on here planning on sending in their AMCAS application early (June), and taking the MCAT later?

Anyone have experiences (whether disadvantage or not, etc)?

Share your thoughts!

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[foofish]

Anyone on here planning on sending in their AMCAS application early (June), and taking the MCAT later?

Anyone have experiences (whether disadvantage or not, etc)?

Share your thoughts!

It defeats the purpose. The whole point of applying early is to have your application be *complete* early at schools. Being complete means they have your primary, secondary, fees, letters of recommendation, and MCAT score(s). Most schools won't really even look at your application file until it's complete, and specifically until they have your MCAT score.

There's nothing wrong with submitting your primary earlish so you're not caught in the big verification hold up, but if you're not going to take the MCAT early you're likely to lose any advantage.

 

[Steve203]

I wouldn't do it if I could help it...I took my MCAT over again in august, and I had to wait until October for my applications to be complete at most schools. I think it puts you at a huge disadvantage. There really is no point in submitting your AMCAS that early, except for verification purposes.

Basically...nobody is going to look at your application until there is an MCAT score with it

 

[prionsRbad]

Steve,

congrats man!!!! Your MDapps profile is truly inspiring.

Don't give up on UCLA, my classmate got in last year a week before class started!

 

[CTtarheel]

It's a good idea that you'll have everything all set to go as soon as your MCAT scores come out, and some schools will give you secondary applications even though your AMCAS won't be complete (I think), but NOBODY will look at your application until you get your MCAT scores.

Short story, you loose all the benefit of applying early because you won't really be applying until your MCAT scores come out.

 

[Steve203]

Steve,

congrats man!!!! Your MDapps profile is truly inspiring.

Don't give up on UCLA, my classmate got in last year a week before class started!

Thanks man....I appreciate it....hopefully UCLA happens...thats my number 1 for sure

 

[WhyIsThisSoHard]

So, almost everyone who has experience applying to med schools this cycle took the MCAT in 2006, which means that "late" meant August, scores were verified in October, and it did indeed hold up applications. How much this actually hurts applicants is unknown, though the common belief is that it's detrimental. (We should actually do a scientific study of this sometime using SDN data).

You, however, have the advantage of the computerized MCAT which is available significantly more often then it was in previous years. Also, it only takes about 30 days for you to get your score back.

So, say you submitted your primary on June 1, then took the June 15 MCAT. Your application would probably be verified in mid-late June, you would start working on your secondaries, and your MCAT scores would be released by the July 15. This would probably not hurt you at all. Mid July is still very early. That being said, who knows what the application dynamic will look like this year - more people might take the test "early" (ie, before June) because there are more opportunities to do it.

Basically, you have to do what's best for you. I'm guessing you want to take the MCAT after you submit your primary because you want the extra time to study. If not, take it now. The most important thing is that you do well on the MCAT, and do well in classes, so if you can't do both without taking the test until the summer, it's not the end of the world, just be smart about it. Taking the MCAT in July will still allow you to get your scores back by August, so if your secondary is completed in August, that's still pretty good.

Try to maximize your score and the promptness of your application to the best of your ability. Some secondaries require no essay (WashU, Penn, Harvard), and some allow you to work on the essay before your AMCAS is verified, as someone already said (Columbia), so that will save you time. You should check for the schools you are interested in. It is important to allow your self ample time to do a good job on your secondaries. Schools actually do look closely at these essays as well as your personal statement, and it behoves you to write good essays. Aim to be done as early as possible, but realistically before September.

Sorry this was long. Hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[Lorienne7]

Sorry to be another Debbie Downer but another potential problem with submitting your AMCAS before you get back your MCAT scores is there's always the danger that your scores won't be competitive. By the time you find that out, you've already paid for and completed your primary, sent LORs to your schools, started working on secondary apps, etc. If you then decide to withdraw your app, retake the MCAT and apply for the next cycle, I'm pretty sure you've become a reapplicant, and that's usually a much tougher road to travel. Our premed committee always tells us these sorts of horror stories to warn us against the practice of submitting before you know your MCAT.

 

[viciouz]

I plan on submitting my app June 1st while taking the May 11th MCAt, so hopefully I'll have everything by Mid June verified with a solid mcat score.

 

[CTtarheel]

but what really slows things down is that the verification lines get longer as the summer progresses. In early June you'll wait days. In July/August it becomes weeks-months. Thus, June 13 (for me) meant I was verified June 15th (or st like that) while July 15th, means you'll get verified sometime in August

 

[annawhisky]

What if you already have a (somewhat unsatisfactory) MCAT score, and submit the AMCAS application with it anyway, and then take the MCAT again, let' say, in July hopefully to get a higher score?

 

[kinsley12]

anna i was wondering the same thing - am in that situation right now. i have a 26 on my record (ick) and am retaking it in july. should i submit NOW so everything is all set or will i be at a disadvantage because of my previous low score?

 

[Alfred E Newman]

anna i was wondering the same thing - am in that situation right now. i have a 26 on my record (ick) and am retaking it in july. should i submit NOW so everything is all set or will i be at a disadvantage because of my previous low score?

You should submit now if you feel the rest of your app is 100% quality work. This allows you to be verified...and awaiting your MCAT score in August. Once your MCAT score comes out in August you will be complete and ready to be reviewed by schools rather than still awaiting verfication by AMCAS if you submitted your app in August. Be sure to note on your application that you ar retaking the MCAT so schools will know to set your app aside and wait for the updated score.

 

[schismal]

Is it possible to submit your application for verification without listing any schools (or possibly just your state school), and then add other schools when your MCAT score comes in and you can weigh the competitiveness of your entire application?

I'm taking the MCAT July 18th, but my application will be completed toward the end of this month. I figure if I submit it around the beginning of July, it will probably be verified around the time my MCAT scores come in. Then, once I see the score, I can figure out which school aside from UCONN (state school that will get an app regardless) I can reach for.

Sound silly?

 

[Alfred E Newman]

Is it possible to submit your application for verification without listing any schools (or possibly just your state school), and then add other schools when your MCAT score comes in and you can weigh the competitiveness of your entire application?

I'm taking the MCAT July 18th, but my application will be completed toward the end of this month. I figure if I submit it around the beginning of July, it will probably be verified around the time my MCAT scores come in. Then, once I see the score, I can figure out which school aside from UCONN (state school that will get an app regardless) I can reach for.

Sound silly?

You're absolutely right in your line of thinking. I'm doing the exact same thing. Submit your app with 1 school (a safety school, or a school you know you'd definitely apply to regardless of when app is submitted) so AMCAS gets you verified, and when your MCAT scores come out you can just add schools at that point.

 

[paradocs we are]

The revival of old threads upsets certain people. Doesn't upset me. But just saying. Trying to protect you all.