Applying later in the cycle may actually help....

[Nafis64]

Okay so my advisers and most people I spoke to say that you should apply as soon as you can, and if you have lower stats and a lower GPA to apply even earlier.
BUT, what I have heard through people in this group at my former university (top tier) which tends to help and support some pre-meds says that if you have below average GPA and/or below average MCAT is to actually apply later on in the cycle like end of July because if you apply in the beginning schools will have a tendency to displace your application when the hundreds of apps come in from with higher gpas and mcats (i dont mean more qualified) students. Instead if you send it in later, the stats normally drop. (note some advisors of this group actually are adcoms at a top tier med school). The thing is, I didn't hear it verbally from the advisers which is why I'm curious and reluctant to believe it. Logically it kind of makes sense because if you look at the crazy SDNers who apply in the beginning probably all have phenomenal gpas and MCATs. However, everyone i know says apply early and so do the med schools. Can anyone who knows share some insight? Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CoolWhipp]

I don't think that is correct.

 

[wingiv]

I see what they're saying, but it's sort of twisting the facts. Since med school apps are rolling admission, it is highly unlikely that applying late will help you. Sure you might be with the people with lower stats, but there's less spots available for interviews. And that is what's key.

 

[Slowpoke]

wishful thinking? I certainly think so.

Because of how unknown the admission basis for each school is. It's really going to be hard to maximaze that idea EVEN if it was true.

The best yield, logically, for a rolling basis admissions is to apply earliest. Peroid.

 

[JamesBond15]

There are waves and waves of interview invites sent out in the beginning. As time progresses, less invites are sent out. So one can argue that it is easier to get an invite in the beginning since more are sent then. And harder to get one at the end because fewer invites are left. You can argue that only the best applicants get invites at the end.

The point is.. apply as early as possible.

 

[greatnt249]

Okay so my advisers and most people I spoke to say that you should apply as soon as you can, and if you have lower stats and a lower GPA to apply even earlier.
BUT, what I have heard through people in this group at my former university (top tier) which tends to help and support some pre-meds says that if you have below average GPA and/or below average MCAT is to actually apply later on in the cycle like end of July because if you apply in the beginning schools will have a tendency to displace your application when the hundreds of apps come in from with higher gpas and mcats (i dont mean more qualified) students. Instead if you send it in later, the stats normally drop. (note some advisors of this group actually are adcoms at a top tier med school). The thing is, I didn't hear it verbally from the advisers which is why I'm curious and reluctant to believe it. Logically it kind of makes sense because if you look at the crazy SDNers who apply in the beginning probably all have phenomenal gpas and MCATs. However, everyone i know says apply early and so do the med schools. Can anyone who knows share some insight? Thanks.

Unless the schools you are applying to screen their applicants (even then you're either in the pool or out right away, regardless of submission time), you're much better off getting your application in as soon as possible.

 

[mmmcdowe]

It seems to me that a lot of review committees not only decide yes or no to interview, but also when to offer the interview. So, you might not get offered a interview until november, but that doesn't mean they didn't make the decision much earlier. It seems to me that the risk of missing a spot due to applying later is a much bigger risk than being put on hold and missing the spot that way. If pickings were really so slim that after the first month you could be so much desirable, it seems to me like they'd just go to their on hold pile anyways.

 

[nick_carraway]

Logically it kind of makes sense because if you look at the crazy SDNers who apply in the beginning probably all have phenomenal gpas and MCATs. However, everyone i know says apply early and so do the med schools. Can anyone who knows share some insight? Thanks.

I admit that it makes intuitive sense. The issue, like others have mentioned, is that with rolling admissions, some schools will send most of the interview invitations at the beginning of the cycle. You are thus competing for a larger number of interview slots at the start than you are at the end.

That said, I don't think any of us really have a clear grasp of the process to completely refute your theory, but one frustrating thing you'll realize about applying is that just because something makes sense doesn't make it true.

 

[phospho]

Okay so my advisers and most people I spoke to say that you should apply as soon as you can, and if you have lower stats and a lower GPA to apply even earlier.
BUT, what I have heard through people in this group at my former university (top tier) which tends to help and support some pre-meds says that if you have below average GPA and/or below average MCAT is to actually apply later on in the cycle like end of July because if you apply in the beginning schools will have a tendency to displace your application when the hundreds of apps come in from with higher gpas and mcats (i dont mean more qualified) students. Instead if you send it in later, the stats normally drop. (note some advisors of this group actually are adcoms at a top tier med school). The thing is, I didn't hear it verbally from the advisers which is why I'm curious and reluctant to believe it. Logically it kind of makes sense because if you look at the crazy SDNers who apply in the beginning probably all have phenomenal gpas and MCATs. However, everyone i know says apply early and so do the med schools. Can anyone who knows share some insight? Thanks.

Not sure how mentioning "top tier" would make a difference in your argument. If anything, from my experience, these so-called "top tier" schools suck when it comes to advising their applicants. Your post is an example of that. When you apply in the very beginning of the process, you're getting first dibs on their interview spots. Not only that, but when you interview, you have a much higher chance of getting an acceptance. For example, let's say there's an interview day in October. Out of 10 interviewees, 8 might get accepted. Fast forward to April - and maybe only 3 or 4 of that 10 will get in, although they had similar stats to the people that interviewed in October. It's because the # of seats being offered has drastically gone down, so the schools are saving those spots for the superstars.

Always apply as early as you can. Always.

 

[Greonis]

It's certainly a valid theory, but nothing more than that. Many such theories have been proposed here on SDN, and most of them do little more than to give people flawed or unrealistic perceptions of the application process.

Despite this, there are several indisputable advantages to being complete early that I would say make applying earlier the superior option. Some of these include: more flexibility in choosing interview dates, receiving earlier decisions (better planning of future interviews), and greater ease of adding more schools (since all prior applications are complete earlier, it is easier to begin new secondaries before their deadlines have passed).

 

[Nafis64]

Well just to let everyone, I actually agree with most of you, but I was curious because I was hearing this actually several times from different people i started wondering if it may be true. Given that my stats are not so hot I wanted to maximize my chance.

I mentioned that I'm from a top tier school because i was just trying to emphasize why the theory might work given everything else in the application is stellar aside form GPA, MCATs. I know certain schools (UCs generally) actually place applicants in piles according to their tier schools aside from other further classifications. whether some adcoms admit it or not. they do it.

And the program is not a from the school itself, its actually funded seperatly through endowments and helps students who you can call disadvantaged. not just pre-meds, but science students in general.

But thanks, im going to apply asap as soon as I get things together.

 

[LizzyM]

The quality does drop as the season progresses but that's why some schools don't send "rejection" letters until the season is over. Nothing is preventing us from interviewing in February someone who applied in July if the later applicants aren't as good as the early ones.

 

[Bacchus]

Realize, too, as the class fills up its easier to screen out applicants. When there's less and less seats its easier to look only for the 3.7/32's.

 

[runx]

I remember this vividly... "... So in a way you're at a slight disadvantage to people that are applying later... heh." This is what I and the rest of the interviewees were told at OHSU by an adcom member (explaining their admission process) on the 2nd day of the interview cycle. So I guess it is possible, but I wouldn't put all my chips on it. Plus, OHSU is "unique" in more than just one way

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Realize, too, as the class fills up its easier to screen out applicants. When there's less and less seats its easier to look only for the 3.7/32's.

Yes, I think this is why the "intuitive sense" of the post falls apart. If it is late in the season and there are fewer slots left, schools can afford to be very choosy about who they interview at that point.

Apply early, don't try to overthink things and game the process.

 

[UVAbme2009]

Worst advice ever. Nobody listen to this.

If you want to have your application looked at again, send an update letter (if the school doesn't mind).

 

[witness23]

ashleyj (Jun 13, 2007 7:47:47 PM)
do you read every application, or do you have GPA, MCAT formula cutoffs (like mcat+gpaX10)
RobertRuizMichigan (Jun 13, 2007 7:48:41 PM)
ashley--we read every single application. However, when things get really busy (September and beyond) we prioritize them reading the highest MCAT/GPA's first and the lower ones later (i.e. February)

http://www.accepted.com/chat/transcripts/2007/med06132007_michigan.aspx

i feel like a tool but egh. its just one example. maybe fake. maybe not. who knows. why not just get **** done early and relax a bit

 

[runx]

September: "There's.... just.... so .. many. $#&@ it toss everything below a 40S!!"

 

[witness23]

best part about mich admissions is that they have a ticker of interview spots left so you know you are getting ****ed.

what if life worked like that?


witness23 has 14 days left....

 

[makoto00]

i've heard this theory too at BU GMS. it was whispered about through the admissions committee members. never tried it. don't plan to.

 

[nick_carraway]

best part about mich admissions is that they have a ticker of interview spots left so you know you are getting ****ed.

what if life worked like that?


witness23 has 14 days left....

I think Michigan has the most responsive staff I've seen. That said, it's hard to believe that they're as holistic as they say when a lot of their interviews are auto-invites based on numbers.

 

[nick_carraway]

September: "There's.... just.... so .. many. $#&@ it toss everything below a 40S!!"

I think they do that in July too, but with 38 instead of 40.

 

[greatnt249]

Another thing to consider is that the sooner you get your applications done, the less you have to worry about having to write all your essays while managing coursework at the same time.

 

[FeatherPen]

If your stats are low, you will be on the 'low priority' end of the applicant list. When you submit your application will dictate when you are placed here. Just because you submit 'late' (by SDN standards) does not mean the adcoms will give you a better look. You seem to be underestimating how organized their process must be in terms of forming stratified lists of the applicants.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

Anyone who tells you not to apply as early as possible has no idea what they are talking about, period.


Here are a few reasons...
1. The later you wait, the bigger the pile of applications your app will end up laying in, and the odds increase that yours will not be looked at in depth and will instead be skimmed. Not ideal for one who's nervous about stats.

2. Many people with lower stats apply early to offest their stats.

3. The ratio of available spots to applicants drops precipitously as time goes on. The smaller the ratio gets, the higher your stats will need to be to get in.

4. Applying early shows them you are interested and on top of your game.

 

[student1799]

This advice is preposterous, and there is no way you should follow it. The truth is that being early is not crucial at every single school, but at some it definitely is, and I don't think it ever hurts you. So just apply as early as possible.

I speak from the experience of having applied in July, but adding a bunch of schools in October. 6 of my 8 interviews and both of my acceptances came from October schools, but I think there were a few cases (VCU and Loyola especially) where I was not interviewed, but might have been if I'd applied earlier. It's noteworthy that both of these schools screen for secondaries, and in Oct when I applied, this process took a full month. During that time, precious interview slots were being given away, and by the time my secondaries were completed, there were very few left. Other schools that are known for heavy bias toward early applicants: Vandy, Pritzker, MCW, even NYMC (their interview slots fill up months in advance).

Even at schools where I interviewed, some of the dates were incredibly far out, meaning the chances of admission were much lower. For example, my first invite came from Upstate in late October, but the date was for late Feb! (I was able to move it up by asking for a cancellation).

Bottom line: apply early. It may not help much, but there's no way it will hurt you.

 

[atomi]

-