Can you apply without April MCAT scores

[craig]

I won't be taking the cat's until August and have been told by good sources that I should definitely go ahead and have my application sent out as early as possible even though I won't have mcat scores until October. Does anyone have any concrete input on this: do i apply early or wait until October????

Thanks

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[Optimistic]

No you apply as early as possible ,dont wait till october.you can definitely apply before you get your mcat score.

 

[wingy]

I do believe that it is best not to turn it in because the medical schools will not even look at your application until you have everything complete. So to turn it in early without the MCAT score will only have your application put to the side.

 

[Amy B]

You need to send your application in AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Sorry to disagree with the previous poster. This is straight form the mouth of the dean of admissions.

You will have your file placed in the schools hold pile. When your scores come in, all the schools have to do is add them to your file. Do NOT wait to send in your applications. Some schools even send out secondaries based on all your other info before your scores come in. That way they have everything in and if they want to interview you, you will be ahead of people who waited to send things in. They are placed in the hold pile in the order they are recieved.

I speak from experience. This is what I did last year. So this is first hand information.

EARLY IS THE WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[vyc]

i took the MCAT in August and had my AMCAS sent by the beginning of August. some schools won't screen initially and you can start getting secondaries right away, even without your score.

so the moral of the story is: GET IT IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

 

[craig]

Thanks for the responses everybody. I had a feeling the majority would say go ahead, but any others who have feedback, please respond.
Thanks again to those of you who answered.
peace

 

[Doctora Foxy]

DEFINITELY get it in as early as possible. I applied in early October last year and I have lots of waitlists....who knows if those could have been acceptances if I submitted my AMCAS earlier? When you submit late, you get late interviews, and by then the classes are already filled up. So please send in your application before you get your scores. Your scores should be the very last thing to make your file complete. If you make med schools wait, you can be sure they'll wait to accept you. :wink:

 

[SMW]

There is no question but that applying as early as possible is the way to go. You want your files to be complete with everything besides those scores so that when the scores are received, your application can then go straight into the review process. You have no idea how many things can go wrong with AMCAS, LOR's, transcripts, the mail. You will need the summer to deal with all this, plus write as many secondaries as possible. If possible, do nothing but study for the MCAT and keep track of your applications this summer. That's what I did, and it definitely paid off.

 

[craig]

Thanks again everyone, the encouragement is greatly appreciated by this 35 y/o!