Applying.

[ClaytonB543]

---

Members don't see this ad.

🙂

 

[NeuroLAX]

Google "Osteopathic CIB". Download and read it.

 

[Jas1360]

Do not take you MCAT in April and May. Take it in April and if you need a retake do it in June or July. May does not give enough time to fix anything or even know how you did the first time.

The application process is fairly straight forward. There is an instruction guide on the AACOMAS website. Here is the short version.

Start filling it out in May when it opens. There will be forms to print out for each school that you will give to your school when you request your transcript.

Right now you should be working on a personal statement and figuring out which people are going to write your letters.

Organize a list of all your activities, including how many hours.

Read up on all the schools you intend to apply to because they all have different requirements.

Find out if your school does a committee letter and figure out those requirements if they do that.

Keep studying for the MCAT and keep up with your school work.

 

[Jas1360]

Oh, and the primary is the AACOMAS application and the secondary is the application that schools send after they receive your primary.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Google "Osteopathic CIB". Download and read it.

Seriously, download this. This is your information guide the poster above me mentioned. It is the osteopathic version of what the MSAR is for MD schools.

 

[ClaytonB543]

🙂

 

[ClaytonB543]

🙂

 

[Jas1360]

It opens in May? I've created an account on their website and I started filling it out, but I haven't formally submitted anything. Will it reset in May?

I think you are filling out the app that I filled out for entering this upcoming fall. You will probably have to start over in may. But you could fill it out and print it off so that all you need to do is retype everything and its all in one place.

 

[MedPR]

^I think you can transfer info from past AACOMAS apps. Someone told me about it after I had already completed mine for this cycle 🙁

 

[Jas1360]

^I think you can transfer info from past AACOMAS apps. Someone told me about it after I had already completed mine for this cycle 🙁

I think that only works if you actually submit it and pay the fee. Otherwise I am pretty sure they just delete ones that were not submitted.

 

[MedPR]

I think that only works if you actually submit it and pay the fee. Otherwise I am pretty sure they just delete ones that were not submitted.

Oh that makes sense. Filling out coursework multiple times sucked. OP I suggest you don't go that route.

 

[NeuroLAX]

I think that only works if you actually submit it and pay the fee. Otherwise I am pretty sure they just delete ones that were not submitted.

I think I remember transferring my app from the year prior, and I didn't pay or submit the first one. Ah hell, that was too long ago for me to remember for sure.

 

[Jas1360]

I don't think you have to pay and submit for you to be able to transfer.

You could be right. I do know for sure that for AMCAS you can only import from the prior year if you paid the fee and submitted. I assumed it was true for both.

 

[NeuroLAX]

You could be right. I do know for sure that for AMCAS you can only import from the prior year if you paid the fee and submitted. I assumed it was true for both.

See my edited post. I really can't remember what I did.

 

[Syialb]

Yes, you can definitely fill in AACOMAS now and have your app. transfer over to next year without having to pay and submit. That's exactly what I did this year. I completed but never submitted my app. last year. When the new cycle opened up, I had the option to transfer over the previous year's app. Whether your transcripts will transfer over, I'm not sure. But at the minimum, you can get the general info., PS and coursework all filled in now.

 

[coolingglasses]

When you take the MCAT is down to how comfortable you feel with the material. I took mine in late May and even though I was in panic mode in the days leading up to test day, I came out alright.

 

[Jas1360]

I almost forgot, with the AACOMAS application you have to have your MCAT scores released. So after your score is released to you, then go to the THX site and log in. There will be options near the bottom to get your scores sent to other places. You only need them sent to AACOMAS. If you apply to any MD schools the AMCAS system already has access to your scores.

 

[hallowmann]

DO NOT take the MCAT back to back like that. It doesn't make sense. Take it once, and if you want to keep studying, keep it up until you get your scores. If at that point you still want to take it again, then do it in June, only after you're averaging multiple points above your target on your practice tests. It costs something like $75 to change your test date, just so you know.

 

[MedPR]

DO NOT take the MCAT back to back like that. It doesn't make sense. Take it once, and if you want to keep studying, keep it up until you get your scores. If at that point you still want to take it again, then do it in June, only after you're averaging multiple points above your target on your practice tests. It costs something like $75 to change your test date, just so you know.

No.

 

[as1212559]

I always recommend that. My test day score dropped 3-4 point below my practices average and one point below my goal. I've heard many people report similar.

 

[hallowmann]

I always recommend that. My test day score dropped 3-4 point below my practices average and one point below my goal. I've heard many people report similar.

Same exact experience, that's why I said it. Most people report getting on the low end of their practices range, especially the first time they take it.

OP can still submit his primary on day one, but will just be delayed a bit for schools. Verification won't be done until late June/early July, so if OP takes it in June, he'd be delayed maybe a week, which is probably worth a few potential points.

 

[MedPR]

Same exact experience, that's why I said it. Most people report getting on the low end of their practices range, especially the first time they take it.

OP can still submit his primary on day one, but will just be delayed a bit for schools. Verification won't be done until late June/early July, so if OP takes it in June, he'd be delayed maybe a week, which is probably worth a few potential points.

Verification takes a day or two max if you submit on the first day. If OP takes it in June he would be delayed a minimum of 4 weeks as that is the timeline for the AAMC to release scores.

 

[hallowmann]

Verification takes a day or two max if you submit on the first day. If OP takes it in June he would be delayed a minimum of 4 weeks at leas that is the timeline for the AAMC to release scores.

Is it really that fast if you submit on the first day? Verification took >4 weeks for me, but obviously I submitted late. Why did it take until July for people to get DO secondaries?

 

[MedPR]

Is it really that fast if you submit on the first day? Verification took >4 weeks for me, but obviously I submitted late. Why did it take until July for people to get DO secondaries?

Yes, it's very quick if you submit on the first day. I don't remember how AACOMAS/DO schools handled secondaries, but AMCAS didn't release applications (even if they were verified) until June 29. So MD schools couldn't send secondaries out until after that day.