Applying late?

[annospree]

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Hello all,
So I've thought about pursuing medicine for a while, but have done other things (returned from a year in Africa this year), so my timing is perhaps different from that of a typical pre-med. However, I've been studying for the MCAT for the last month and am planning on taking it soon, and after looking at the deadline for medical school, I'm trying to determine if it's at all possible to apply this year for starting the following year (2009). I know that 99% of applicants have all their stuff in already, but I don't want to miss out on possibly starting in 2009. My biological clock is ticking and all that, so waiting 2 years at this point before even starting the marathon years of medical training seems like forever. Has anyone done this?

 

[LossForWords]

Hello all,
So I've thought about pursuing medicine for a while, but have done other things (returned from a year in Africa this year), so my timing is perhaps different from that of a typical pre-med. However, I've been studying for the MCAT for the last month and am planning on taking it soon, and after looking at the deadline for medical school, I'm trying to determine if it's at all possible to apply this year for starting the following year (2009). I know that 99% of applicants have all their stuff in already, but I don't want to miss out on possibly starting in 2009. My biological clock is ticking and all that, so waiting 2 years at this point before even starting the marathon years of medical training seems like forever. Has anyone done this?

As Law2Doc has said in the past, you do yourself no favors by applying without giving yourself the best shot you can. Wait until you have everything together early, then pull the trigger.

People debate about whether there's a "re-applicant stigma" that works against people the second time around. Rather than have to possibly deal with that, you might want to consider waiting a year. If you're waiting to take the MCAT, then it's 30 days after that to get the scores, it'll be until at least October but probably November until you even have scores to report. That's pretty late, and unless you're a spectacular applicant with good GPA, MCAT, and ECs, it would probably be a waste of money.

By all means, apply when you feel you're ready, but make sure you do it right and only have to do it once.

 

[Loon]

I think most schools will not look at any MCATs after Sept 2008, so unless yours is in the next week, you're going to have to wait.

That said, you'll get a full jump on the next cycle and will be able to hit the ground running.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Possible, but very difficult and very unlikely; two examples that I was told by admissions directors come from U of Chicago (Pritzker) where the director told me that toward the end of the app cycle he had over 1,000 applications and maybe 10 interview slots, versus 1 interview for every 3-4 candidates early in the cycle, and Medical College of Wisconsin where, per another SDN poster, November interview slots are being made available around this week for candidates who completed secondary applications around 2-4 weeks ago. This school interviews through January, so although technically one can complete a secondary application through Jan 31, if after January enough students have been given offers that all spots in the class are taken, it does a candidate little good to turn in a secondary application around that time.

Most of us (myself included, as a reapplicant this cycle due somewhat to hubris about being able to cram all premed courses + mcat + application process into 10 months or so) initially think that due to our brains and drive we're the "exception"; in this process, only exceptional candidates have a shot at med school, and only the best prepared and most thoroughly planning ones of those get in.

Slow down, you can do this, but it's a "marathon not a race".

ps my research work was in Argentina, + work in Mexico, + lengthy travel to Europe (w & eastern), Italy, Ireland, England, etc. Welcome to the crowd.

 

[AlanAlanine]

(returned from a year in Africa this year)

DABs much?

 

[student1799]

I've been studying for the MCAT for the last month and am planning on taking it soon

That's impossible. The last MCAT of 2008 was the 9/13 exam, except if you had a Sep exam cancelled due to a hurricane (in that case it's October 9th). The next one after that is January 30th.

So it's out of the question for you to apply this year. Just roll with it, and make sure you're in shape to apply nice and early next year (i.e. June).