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The 2026-2027 DO School Specific Threads are now available in the School Specific Discussions forum. The 2025-2026 discussions are now available in the prior year discussions forum.
Applying Question
Started by TheBoneDoctah
Submit your primary 6 weeks before your MCAT scores will be available. That way, your application will be verified and ready to go by the time you get your scores but you will also have some extra time if you want to revise/add something over the summer.
If your application happens to get verified before your MCAT scores come in (happened to me), you can wait until you get your scores to submit.
If your application happens to get verified before your MCAT scores come in (happened to me), you can wait until you get your scores to submit.
+1
Going through verification is super long and annoying. Get that out of the way as soon as you can.
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Submit to one school to get verified, then when you get your score send the app out to the rest of the schools.
Ok so it wouldn't help or hurt to apply later around July?
The limiting factor will be the receipt of your MCAT score. Make sure everything is ready to go ASAP after that is released and you will be good to go.
Survivor DO
Survivor DO
Right, so you don't think it would be at all beneficial to apply when apps open? As long as I get verified a few weeks prior to Mcat score?
It's beneficial to apply to one school right away, that way you are all verified and ready to go when your score comes in.
Okay, cool. Thank you.
Question: what is "verification?"
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Its when the application service reviews your app and verifies that everything you put in with regards to grades and courses is accurate based on your transcripts. Your app must be verified prior to being sent to schools.
At what point do I need to send in my transcripts? Do I do this after I fill out the primary?
Related question. If I submit my application in June to get it verified and go back and add additional volunteer or shadowing hours after it has already been verified, will it have to be verified again? Or is verification only really looking at the grades/transcripts? I am planning to have a lot more shadowing done in June and July that I would like to add, but I don't want to add it before I submit it originally in case I end up not doing as much as I expect. I will get my mcat scores back in early August, so if I add additional hours/experiences, I just want to make sure that won't delay anything. Make sense?
This. 👍
I wish I had thought about this with my AMCAS app (got the AACOMAS out early with a previous score before an MCAT retake).
Apply to a school you're generally not super interested in to get verified. Then, when your MCAT score is released, add all the schools you want to attend on your app and things will move almost instantly.
I see a common theme around here is "apply early" for those on the border. What constitutes "early" and when are you getting a bit too late, and may be better waiting for the next cycle?
Like the OP, I'll be doing an Aug MCAT...would it be better to wait until the Jan MCAT (more study time) and apply the following june? Or is an Aug MCAT still giving me an "early" enough application to have a fighting chance at reach schools?
Like the OP, I'll be doing an Aug MCAT...would it be better to wait until the Jan MCAT (more study time) and apply the following june? Or is an Aug MCAT still giving me an "early" enough application to have a fighting chance at reach schools?
You're starting to ask some extremely basic questions. You will really help yourself out if you read through the AACOMAS instructions front-to-back.
The verification process is for transcripts and coursework only. If you add or change volunteer/shadowing/ECs, your application will be updated within a week and re-sent to your schools.
Being complete in June would be considered early (maximal benefit from applying early). July through early September would be "on time" by most standards (little or no harm to your chances). After that, each month that goes by will theoretically hurt your chances. The degree to which applying late hurts your chances depends on a lot of variables, so it's hard to say whether it would be beneficial for you to apply this cycle or wait. Personally, I'd say go for it this cycle. Being complete in September isn't too bad. I was accepted at a school that I applied to in late January, despite being a pretty big underdog applicant (3.3c, 3.2s, 32 MCAT).
Thanks. Do you know if that is the same for AMCAS? I plan on applying both DO and MD.
I believe so, but I don't have much experience with AMCAS so I'm not sure.
Thats what I did, I got that advice from SDN last year, just want to disseminate the info! 👍
