Can you get/finish secondaries before you take the MCAT?

[anxiouslyanxious]

Let's say I was in a position where I would have to take my MCAT later in the summer but still wanted to apply to medical school this year, would I be able to submit the primary application in June and then submit secondaries as I'm studying for the MCAT so that everything is complete once my score is made official?

Thanks!

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[candbgirl]

Some schools send secondaries to everyone and others prescreen based on stats.

 

[PEM]

I filled out most of my secondaries after taking the MCAT (in July) but before getting my score back (in August), since most schools won't consider your app complete until your scores are in! A couple of schools didn't send a secondary until my MCAT was in, but at that point all of the prompts will be posted on SDN and you can write them without having access to the official secondary.

Edit: I submitted my primary app on the first day in June.

 

[JVav]

Regardless as to whether or not they send out the secondary apps before they receive your MCAT, you can check SDN and get the prompts and pre-write your the essays so that you can submit them immediately after they send you the secondary.

 

[anxiouslyanxious]

Some schools send secondaries to everyone and others prescreen based on stats.

Thanks!

In other words, some schools wont send you a secondary until you have an MCAT score. Late MCATs delay the whole process

Yeah I know but I'm finishing a SMP and cannot take it sooner than July. I'll keep studying past July so that if for a crazy reason I need to retake it can be in August.

I filled out most of my secondaries after taking the MCAT (in July) but before getting my score back (in August), since most schools won't consider your app complete until your scores are in! A couple of schools didn't send a secondary until my MCAT was in, but at that point all of the prompts will be posted on SDN and you can write them without having access to the official secondary.

Edit: I submitted my primary app on the first day in June.

The July test date wasn't considered late? This is a relief!

Regardless as to whether or not they send out the secondary apps before they receive your MCAT, you can check SDN and get the prompts and pre-write your the essays so that you can submit them immediately after they send you the secondary.

Thanks! I didn't realize SDN offered this service. I'll certainly pre-write my essays during MCAT downtime and submit immediately after the secondaries get sent to me!

 

[PEM]

July MCAT wasn't ideal but I was in a similar predicament as you with an SMP that ended in May and I chose to do that over waiting another year or rushing to take an MCAT before I was ready. I submitted in early June, studied full time for two months for the MCAT (took at the end of July), worked on secondaries after the MCAT, and then got my MCAT score late August. I had a couple straggler secondaries after that but I still was able to snag a November interview (which is relatively early) among others later in the season.

It worked out for me, but I wouldn't say it's the best option for everyone.

 

[anxiouslyanxious]

July MCAT wasn't ideal but I was in a similar predicament as you with an SMP that ended in May and I chose to do that over waiting another year or rushing to take an MCAT before I was ready. I submitted in early June, studied full time for two months for the MCAT (took at the end of July), worked on secondaries after the MCAT, and then got my MCAT score late August. I had a couple straggler secondaries after that but I still was able to snag a November interview (which is relatively early) among others later in the season.

It worked out for me, but I wouldn't say it's the best option for everyone.

Thanks for the encouragement! I also don't want to wait another year or rush and mess up my MCAT score so a late July date seemed like compromise. I hope I get similar results as you. I realize I might be late in the process but I feel like if I just put my best effort it'll work out the way it's supposed to and I'd rather apply this year with the hope of getting in than straight up wait another year. If I don't get in this cycle then I'll reapply but I think I have a shot with a decent MCAT due to my SMP turnaround if I target the right schools. Do you mind sharing where you applied? By PM is fine if you don't want to post publicly.

 

[PEM]

Thanks for the encouragement! I also don't want to wait another year or rush and mess up my MCAT score so a late July date seemed like compromise. I hope I get similar results as you. I realize I might be late in the process but I feel like if I just put my best effort it'll work out the way it's supposed to and I'd rather apply this year with the hope of getting in than straight up wait another year. If I don't get in this cycle then I'll reapply but I think I have a shot with a decent MCAT due to my SMP turnaround if I target the right schools. Do you mind sharing where you applied? By PM is fine if you don't want to post publicly.

Sure, I'll PM you.