August MCATer looking for adivce...

[ajnak182]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So, in a week I take the MCAT. I'm thoroughly excited for that 6 hours of HELL, by the way. Anyway, I'm trying to decide whether I should apply this year or wait until next. I don't have much of a problem taking a year off, but going straight into med school (admissions committee willing), is definitely preferrable. So, does it hurt me to apply this year, get rejected and then apply next year to the same schools, as opposed to just waiting until next year? I'm thinking that maybe I should apply to only my top choices this year and wait off on the whole full-fledged assault I'm planning until next year? Are August MCATers really at an extreme disadvantage in the app process? Are blondes really more fun? Thanks for your help guys, good luck on your applications and hopefully I'll join your future ranks as a doc someday.

AJ😕

 

[umass rower]

You will be at a disadvantage, but it won't be impossible to get in. I say go ahead and do your applications, and then when if you have to apply next year be sure to highlight the things that you did since you last applied. And do your application before you get your MCAT scores back, because it takes forever to finish. SO go with your plan, but just keep in mind that you are at a disadvantage taking the August MCAT because schools will have already seen tons of other applicants by the time your scores go in.

 

[ajnak182]

Thanks for the advice... now if I could only learn to spell that word more consistently...


AJ

 

[TTSD]

No, no.. go right ahead and apply. If you look, a lot of medschools have deadlines all the way to December. However, be wary of rolling admissions.

Personally, this year I just plan to apply to a few myself.

 

[OrneryOne]

Hang in there August MCATer's!!! Believe me, plenty of schools will be interested in you if you have a strong application. As I said in a previous post I took the August MCAT last year. My secondary applications, LORs and everything else necessary had been sent to the schools I applied to by the first of September. (With the exception of three schools that screen before sending a secondary application.) My first interview was in November with two in December and the majority were in January and February. (I turned down two in March because I was accepted at my #1 choice.) In my current class of 117 students, I have talked to several who took the August MCAT. Don't be discouraged!

 

[ajnak182]

Nice to hear that's there's hope for us "late bloomers." 😀 But, does it hurt your application if you apply to a school a second time around after being rejected by them, as compared to your first try? I really would like to go to the UW, and I don't want to apply this year if a rejection this year will make it tougher for me to get in next year. (I'm basing a rejection this year and possible acceptance next year on a higher GPA and the fact that my late MCAT score arrival will no longer be an issue).

AJ

 

[TTSD]

Originally posted by ajnak182
Nice to hear that's there's hope for us "late bloomers." 😀 But, does it hurt your application if you apply to a school a second time around after being rejected by them, as compared to your first try? I really would like to go to the UW, and I don't want to apply this year if a rejection this year will make it tougher for me to get in next year. (I'm basing a rejection this year and possible acceptance next year on a higher GPA and the fact that my late MCAT score arrival will no longer be an issue).

AJ

Good question, I don't believe it would hurt to apply a second time around.. but they will keep records because some medschools have a cap of 3 attempts. So if you don't think you're ready, seriously.. this is something that most people have trouble with.. IT'S OKAY TO WAIT A YEAR OR EVEN A FEW YEARS. There's no shame, no rush. Hell, it's probably even better to go to medschool when you're older, wiser, and more mature.

 

[conquire]

I was an august mcater last summer. While the wait for interviews to roll in was a bit excruciating given that some people had already received acceptances before i even began interviewing, taking the test late in the year had no baring on whether I was interviewed or accepted. I would encourage you to have everything in so they are only waiting for your scores, but then the rest will ride on whatever is in your application. I ended up being able to pick and choose which interviews to attend, and also ended up with the luxury of being able to choose to attend the school that fit me best. Good luck.

 

[UCLAMAN]

I took the August mcat last summer and I fared pretty well in the interview process. However, I had everything turned into the schools BEFORE my aug mcat scores arrived. I mean EVERYTHING(primaries, LORs, secondary essays, secondary fees, photos, whatever they needed it was there before my mcat scores got there.). If you do not feel you can have EVERYTHING in to the schools BEFORE the aug mcat scores come out then perhaps you should rethink applying this year.

Also keep in mind each step of the process has some sort of delay...usually the primaries take awhile to process, supplementary essays take some time to write, LORs and transcripts take some time to get sent.

As someone said...a year off never hurts(unless of course you sit on your butt and do absolutely nothing).

Just some things to think about.

 

[SistaKaren]

For another viewpoint....I also took the MCAT last August. But I didn't send in my AMCAS till mid September, and didn't finish my secondaries till around late October/early November. I had quick turnaround for interviews: Most were in December, then the rest were in Jan/Feb. Keep in mind that I applied to several non-rolling schools, though.

Definitely get stuff out ASAP, but for now concentrate on your MCAT!

 

[Sprockette]

As long as you get all your app materials in before your score results come in, you shouldn't be at too much of a disadvantage if you take the august mcat. When I applied, I had taken the April test but wasn't happy with my scores so i took the august test as well, and the schools waited for my august results to send me interview invitations. I had one interview based on my april scores. I had my second immediately after the school received my august scores, and the rest of my interviews were in january, february, and march, respectively.

Obviously, it's not the ideal way to go about doing things, but if you get a good score on your august MCAT and the rest of your application is strong, you should be just fine. I ended up at my first choice school, which happens to be in the "top ten" for whatever that's worth. It's possible, it just might be a little harder to end up where you want to be.

 

[Mistress S]

I haven't applied yet, so take my adivce with a grain of salt, but as a fellow Aug MCATer I've decided to wait until next year to apply. There were a number of factors involved with this decision, but when I realized the April MCAT was not feasible for me I didn't even really contemplate applying this year. As other posters have said, taking the Aug MCAT the year you apply defintely puts you at a disadvantage, if not an insurmountable one; after all, at many schools you won't even be considered for an interview until after the first round of acceptances has gone out. However, I would much rather apply once, and only once, so it is important for me that I give myself every advantage possible when I do. I don't have the money, time, or energy to apply twice unless it is absolutely necessary. If you have an abundance of all three, and want to give it a shot, it is entirely possible as others have said to minimize your disadvantage by getting everything else in ASAP so that as soon as your scores arrive schools can review your app. Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[JM.]

I say go for it. I was an August MCATer last year and had 5 interviews and 2 acceptances. Just be prompt with your secondaries.

 

[Marianne11]

I already applied, and will take the test in one week. Yikes! But I don't understand how you can get secondaries in if they can't screen you until your scores come out in October? I have done my secondaries for the schools that don't screen, but most do screen that I applied to? Do you just send your LORs now anyway? And, call and request the secondary? I want to be done with everything pending scores to. 🙂

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by Marianne11
I already applied, and will take the test in one week. Yikes! But I don't understand how you can get secondaries in if they can't screen you until your scores come out in October? I have done my secondaries for the schools that don't screen, but most do screen that I applied to? Do you just send your LORs now anyway? And, call and request the secondary? I want to be done with everything pending scores to. 🙂

If the school screens then you have no choice but to wait until your scores come out and they send you a secondary. For example...Stanford heavily screens, I got my secondary from them in November and I got an interview invite from them in January. With the schools that screen you can't get things sent in early. You must wait for them to send you a secondary and that entails waiting for you aug scores.

 

[Moskeeto]

I was an august MCATer as well. I got my AMCAS in during October and got my secondaries back during late november, early december. I went to 6 interviews and had 5 acceptances, so anythings possible, but you'll definitely have to wait a much longer time for interviews/acceptances the later in the season you apply. good luck.

 

[ajnak182]

Thanks for your help, folks, much obliged(sp?)... I'm thinking that I'm going to apply to only a few schools this time around, since I don't have much time this semester to scream at computer screens and hurl obscenities at thin envelopes in my mailbox. So, as long as I don't end up cancelling my scores during the exam, I'm gonna roll a few dice. One last question... I'm from Alaska, which lacks its own med school. While us arctic folk can go to UW in-state, I don't think my chances are all that sweet to get into their program due to its high level of comp. Since I don't have any other in-state med school to apply, any advice on med schools that might just might accept an average joe such as myself? I'll admit I've been pretty ignorant towards looking at med schools thus far, other than UW, and a little advice on places to look at would be really helpful. I've got an avg. GPA, but my ex currics. are strong. I'm almost good enough, I'm almost smart enough, but gosh darnit, people like me. Take 'er easy

AJ

 

[zinjanthropus]

i think that applying to only a few schools might not be the best strategy. If you are taking the mcat in august you need to work to maximize your admissions chances. I would instead apply to as many schools as possible.