Applying Early vs. Waiting for Activities

[AlbertVOligh]

Hey everyone, I was wondering if you could help me decide on the correct course of action.

I originally intended on filling out the applications early on and submitting them as soon as possible, but I have probably 1 or 2 more significant activities/achievements that won't be ready by sometime in July. Also, my MCAT will probably be scored by early July.

*How exactly does the app system work -- do you submit everything, and then it's finalized, or does it allow you to continuously update after submission?

*Do I have to send update letters to all my schools?

*Is it better to have my activities on the app the first time, and do update letters have a chance of getting ignored because they aren't with the original data?



Thanks everyone!

Al

 

[SpecterGT260]

it will depend on where your app sits and what schools you are applying to. I know that several schools keep a given number of seats open to the final pool even if they have a "rolling" admission system. So if you are lacking in some aspects I would wait (and I did just that and got in). If, however, the school is completely rolling then it may be better to get the app in ASAP if you feel your ECs are acceptable

I dont know how closely additions are looked at by adcoms

 

[ModusPwnens]

You can however submit your primary before MCAT scores are released. Your app will be updated with your score when they are released, but then you are applying a little bit blind.

 

[Catalystik]

Hey everyone, I was wondering if you could help me decide on the correct course of action.

I originally intended on filling out the applications early on and submitting them as soon as possible, but I have probably 1 or 2 more significant activities/achievements that won't be ready by sometime in July. Also, my MCAT will probably be scored by early July.

*How exactly does the app system work -- do you submit everything, and then it's finalized, or does it allow you to continuously update after submission?

*Do I have to send update letters to all my schools?

*Is it better to have my activities on the app the first time, and do update letters have a chance of getting ignored because they aren't with the original data?



Thanks everyone!

Al

Once you submit you can't update activities through the application service. All schools do not accept update letters and some won't give them much weight. So you will have to judge when to submit based on how essential the inclusion of a given activity is to the strength of your application.

 

[supportivehubby]

You can start filling in your app in early May. Entering your coursework takes the longest. You can save continuously but once you submit you can only add Letters of Rec, Add schools and change your contact info if I remember correctly.

I actually listed FUTURE activities on my application. I was applying for an internship so in the description I wrote that I was intending to begin that internship and described what it would entail. I can't remember if I was able to put a future start date or not. I think I could not put a future start date and put the current date, but in the space for descriptions I wrote "Intended Start Date: October 15, 20xx" . . . I was given the advice from a pre-health advisor to list future endeavors. He said that intentions were valuable to the committees as long as they were sincere because they reflect your pursuits and interests.

During interviews you could take the opportunity to discuss these late achievments in more detail. Also, you will have the chance to fill in secondaries in late summer or fall so you can also expand on these achievements at that time.

I would list them as intended/future activities and submit as soon as the MCAT in. [edit: However, read sector9's post below and my later post for updates on this advice]

Good luck on the MCAT btw. Throw that $h!% on the Ground!!

 

[sector9]

You can start filling in your app in early May. Entering your coursework takes the longest. You can save continuously but once you submit you can only add Letters of Rec, Add schools and change your contact info if I remember correctly.

I actually listed FUTURE activities on my application. I was applying for an internship so in the description I wrote that I was intending to begin that internship and described what it would entail. I can't remember if I was able to put a future start date or not. I think I could not put a future start date and put the current date, but in the space for descriptions I wrote "Intended Start Date: October 15, 20xx" . . . I was given the advice from a pre-health advisor to list future endeavors. He said that intentions were valuable to the committees as long as they were sincere because they reflect your pursuits and interests.

During interviews you could take the opportunity to discuss these late achievments in more detail. Also, you will have the chance to fill in secondaries in late summer or fall so you can also expand on these achievements at that time.

I would list them as intended/future activities and submit as soon as the MCAT in.

Good luck on the MCAT btw. Throw that $h!% on the Ground!!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I certainly would not list future activities on AMCAS. AMCAS doesn't allow you to list future dates for a reason

 

[supportivehubby]

Thanks sector9 . . . your comment prompted me to google a few schools to find out how they advised undergrads to address future endeavors.

Across the board it was suggested that future activities were BEST included in PS, Secondaries and Interviews. . . I will edit my last post to reference this post.

Ironically the pre-health advisor I spoke to several years ago was affiliated with a school that does not recommend listing future activities, so his advice was apparently unofficial. . . .(Though, I am not surprised since he also told me not to apply to so many "black schools" . . . I probably should have discounted all of his advice after that statement!!!!)

OP: what kind of activities/achievements are they? You could, in your PS, reference your intentions to continue pursuing excellence this summer and into the next school year then look for opportunities in the secondaries to describe them. . . also, how about emailing the admissions office of the schools you are applying to to find out how best to express these activities???

 

[AlbertVOligh]

Thanks for the replies everyone. My activities are basically upgrades on my current research and clinical experiences. I feel like the recent developments are more impressive, but I saw a very similar thread on the first page and they mentioned how research stuff can take a lot longer than planned.

The biggest reason why I'm torn on the issue is that I'm trying to maximize benefit: Do I wait to apply in maybe July or August to make the application entries more impressive, or do I apply early to take advantage of getting earlier in the queue? My grades aren't exactly awesome but I think I have a very strong shot at my state school.

 

[Catalystik]

How many total months and total hours of research and clinical experience will you have listed if you apply by early June? What would the change be by the end of July?

 

[RedSox10]

You can start filling in your app in early May. Entering your coursework takes the longest. You can save continuously but once you submit you can only add Letters of Rec, Add schools and change your contact info if I remember correctly.

I actually listed FUTURE activities on my application. I was applying for an internship so in the description I wrote that I was intending to begin that internship and described what it would entail. I can't remember if I was able to put a future start date or not. I think I could not put a future start date and put the current date, but in the space for descriptions I wrote "Intended Start Date: October 15, 20xx" . . . I was given the advice from a pre-health advisor to list future endeavors. He said that intentions were valuable to the committees as long as they were sincere because they reflect your pursuits and interests.

During interviews you could take the opportunity to discuss these late achievements in more detail. Also, you will have the chance to fill in secondaries in late summer or fall so you can also expand on these achievements at that time.

I would list them as intended/future activities and submit as soon as the MCAT in. [edit: However, read sector9's post below and my later post for updates on this advice]

Good luck on the MCAT btw. Throw that $h!% on the Ground!!

What year did you apply? When I applied this year, I wanted to put a job I had been offered (and accepted) but wasn't starting for a month, but the activities list only allowed for the last possible date to be the present date (and not the future), so I couldn't list it. I was able to describe this future job I'd accepted in my secondaries, etc, which you could probably do. OR apply early and then use the activities as fodder for an Update letter. Ive found that most schools accept updates, and some schools love them (like UVM, Wake Forest, Georgetown)...

My gut feeling is that mediocre applicants should apply as EARLY as possible. However, superstar applicants can apply whenever they want. After looking over thousands of 3.6/31 applicants, adcoms aren't that impressed, whereas they never get tired of 3.9+/36+ applicants...

 

[Goblue89]

This is what I would do, if you feel you scored reasonably well on the MCAT (similar to practice tests) then I would submit your primary ASAP. However, I would only initially apply to schools that take update letters! You can find this info either on the schools website or by sifting through school specific threads (control+F is your friend here). Then, once you have actually begun the activities, go back into the server and add them as earlier suggested and then add the rest of the schools you want to apply to that do NOT accept update letters. While you are waiting to begin these activities, you prepare the secondaries for these additional schools so that once you get the secondary you can submit it the same day. If your file is complete by late July/early August you are still early, IMO. Good luck!

*Disclaimer*
This is all assuming the activities you will be adding are important contributions to your app.