Chances of Admission/When to Apply

[jjanssen]

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I am currently in an accredited graduate anatomy program. I will be done with courses at the end of April and intend to take the MCAT the beginning of July (8 weeks of study) and apply as soon as I get my scores at the beginning of August. I am wondering, how applying this late is going to effect my chances of getting in depending of course on how well I do on the MCAT and my stats so far.
I did average in undergrad, I had a 3.6 gpa, two years of research, and worked minimum of 20 hrs/wk, volunteered at a free clinic, graduated in 3 years. (Also considered a minority/Black, if that matters) My first MCAT was a disappointment as I had a major water skiing accident the day before (bad decision to still take it). I am currently in a graduate program in anatomy with a 4.0, might slip to a 3.85 after this semester, I help teach a dissection course, still volunteer and shadow at the free clinic, and I am planning on applying in August...
My advisor suggested waiting another year but I really do not want to, so based on my stats so far and assuming I get at least a 30 on the MCAT what are my chances getting in for 2014?

 

[Goro]

Applying in August for 2014 is fine; that's still nice and early.

I'd say your chances are excellent. There are some schools that will look down upon you for having two MCATs and one of them low, but I foresee lots of interviews. Good luck!

I am currently in an accredited graduate anatomy program. I will be done with courses at the end of April and intend to take the MCAT the beginning of July (8 weeks of study) and apply as soon as I get my scores at the beginning of August. I am wondering, how applying this late is going to effect my chances of getting in depending of course on how well I do on the MCAT and my stats so far.
I did average in undergrad, I had a 3.6 gpa, two years of research, and worked minimum of 20 hrs/wk, volunteered at a free clinic, graduated in 3 years. (Also considered a minority/Black, if that matters) My first MCAT was a disappointment as I had a major water skiing accident the day before (bad decision to still take it). I am currently in a graduate program in anatomy with a 4.0, might slip to a 3.85 after this semester, I help teach a dissection course, still volunteer and shadow at the free clinic, and I am planning on applying in August...
My advisor suggested waiting another year but I really do not want to, so based on my stats so far and assuming I get at least a 30 on the MCAT what are my chances getting in for 2014?

 

[Catalystik]

Is there any reason you can't apply in June, to just one school, so you can get your transcripts verified quickly? In August it may well take 6 weeks for verification, as opposed to days or a few weeks in June. (It will take more time for you to receive Secondary invitations and to turn them around. You would not become Complete at each school until mid to late September, at best.) Once you know how competitive your MCAT score is, you can add further schools (or not). The new schools would get your entire application within a business day. The biggest risk of this approach is the cost of applying to a single school through AMCAS. While waiting for your score to come out in August, you can begin to prewrite your Secondary essays from prompts you'll find here on SDN, turn-around times would be more rapid.

 

[Sea Otter]

Is there any reason you can't apply in June, to just one school, so you can get your transcripts verified quickly? In August it may well take 6 weeks for verification, as opposed to days or a few weeks in June. (It will take more time for you to receive Secondary invitations and to turn them around. You would not become Complete at each school until mid to late September, at best.) Once you know how competitive your MCAT score is, you can add further schools (or not). The new schools would get your entire application within a business day. The biggest risk of this approach is the cost of applying to a single school through AMCAS. While waiting for your score to come out in August, you can begin to prewrite your Secondary essays from prompts you'll find here on SDN, turn-around times would be more rapid.

I agree with Catalystik. Applying in August should be avoided if possible. Apply in June and get your transcript verified (will take a couple weeks instead of a month or more) so you will be set for secondaries as soon as your MCAT score is released.

 

[Darth]

Apply the first day that AMCAS opens if you can. Most schools have rolling admission. The earlier you apply the better.

 

[darkjedi]

I will also disagree with Goro and say that August is going to be too late. The application cycle seems to be significantly geared towards early applicants. If you submit in August, you likely may not get verified until Sept.

 

[Weewee]

Apply the first day that AMCAS opens if you can. Most schools have rolling admission. The earlier you apply the better.

Ditto and good luck!!

 

[jjanssen]

Is there any reason you can't apply in June, to just one school, so you can get your transcripts verified quickly? In August it may well take 6 weeks for verification, as opposed to days or a few weeks in June. (It will take more time for you to receive Secondary invitations and to turn them around. You would not become Complete at each school until mid to late September, at best.) Once you know how competitive your MCAT score is, you can add further schools (or not). The new schools would get your entire application within a business day. The biggest risk of this approach is the cost of applying to a single school through AMCAS. While waiting for your score to come out in August, you can begin to prewrite your Secondary essays from prompts you'll find here on SDN, turn-around times would be more rapid.

I was trying to avoid applying to schools until I have my new score I don't think it is possible to get in with my old one. So you're saying I can apply to one in June and get everything verified then add schools after I get my scores and those schools will get my application right away, almost like I applied in July? But how does this effect cost? Won't I just add schools and pay for their fees?

 

[Catalystik]

1) So you're saying I can apply to one in June and get everything verified then add schools after I get my scores and those schools will get my application right away, almost like I applied in July?
2) But how does this effect cost?
3) Won't I just add schools and pay for their fees?

1) Yep.

2) When you add more schools, since you've already paid the $160 basic fee required of everyone, you just have to pay the added $35 fee needed for each additional school after the first one.

3) Yes, but you won't be applying to schools that are inappropriate for your MCAT score, so overall, you save money on Primary and Secondary fees. Unless, that is, you get another score that's too low. Then you would not add more schools and you'd lose the nonrefundable basic fee.

 

[jjanssen]

1) Yep.

2) When you add more schools, since you've already paid the $160 basic fee required of everyone, you just have to pay the added $35 fee needed for each additional school after the first one.

3) Yes, but you won't be applying to schools that are inappropriate for your MCAT score, so overall, you save money on Primary and Secondary fees. Unless, that is, you get another score that's too low. Then you would not add more schools and you'd lose the nonrefundable basic fee.

I am not sure how to word this but I'm a bit confused about one thing...
If everything has been submitted for verification how is it that the new schools will see my new score. Essentially the app is then sitting there waiting to go to schools after verification so how is the new score added, or is it? I know under the test section you can put past and future test dates so if I submit it for verification before I have my new score, when I add schools after I have seen my score will that automatically be updated before schools get it or will they only see I retook it and have to seek out that new score.

 

[Catalystik]

how is the new score added, or is it?

The new score is automatically added to your AMCAS application without you doing anything.