Completing secondaries AND studying for August MCAT???

[MedicineForLife 777]

Anyone out there that wants to retake the MCAT in August? How are you guys finding time to complete all the secondaries and study for the MCAT? I want to take the August test, but I'm not sure if I'll have time to study and do well on it (haven't started studying yet). I'm considering just trying my luck with my current score, but I don't know.

Any ideas???

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[tomorrowgirl99]

I think you should just designate a day for secondaries. That is what I am doing. It will be difficult, but I guess this whole process is not supposed to be easy.

 

[AWhitehair]

Anyone out there that wants to retake the MCAT in August? How are you guys finding time to complete all the secondaries and study for the MCAT? I want to take the August test, but I'm not sure if I'll have time to study and do well on it (haven't started studying yet). I'm considering just trying my luck with my current score, but I don't know.

Any ideas???

So you finally checked your score, huh? It all depends on how much improvement you need for August. If it is just a couple of points, I suggest you get crackin', but you know what they say about retaking for a small improvement...it usually doesn't happen. Only you know what you are capable of and how hard you studied for the April exam. If you feel you gave it your all before, then it prob won't do you any good to retake with this short amount of time left.

 

[MedicineForLife 777]

So you finally checked your score, huh? It all depends on how much improvement you need for August. If it is just a couple of points, I suggest you get crackin', but you know what they say about retaking for a small improvement...it usually doesn't happen. Only you know what you are capable of and how hard you studied for the April exam. If you feel you gave it your all before, then it prob won't do you any good to retake with this short amount of time left.

lol....my science sections are pretty decent. But what messed me up real bad was my verbal. I've never really been good at verbal. Plus, the score I got on that section was lower than what I have been getting on the practice tests, so that was unexpected. Otherwise, I would've been fine with my score....

 

[dng_06]

I think 7 weeks is enough to study...especially if you took the April MCAT...take a week to refresh...and then get crackin on the problems! =)
...I don't know what difference it makes whether or not secondaries are done before or after the August MCAT...especially if AMCAS, LOR, and transcripts are all submitted..?

 

[rs76]

I think 7 weeks is enough to study...especially if you took the April MCAT...take a week to refresh...and then get crackin on the problems! =)
...I don't know what difference it makes whether or not secondaries are done before or after the August MCAT...especially if AMCAS, LOR, and transcripts are all submitted..?

Can someone tell me about secondaries. i thought you get secondaries after your MCAT score or do you get them once you submit your AMCAS? If it is the former then how can people start their secondaries if they plan to take in august? Also, do you send reccomendations to AMCAS or to individual schools? I plan on taking in August adn I know im late already and wanted to get a head start on starting. I did everything on AAMCAS except the essay which I dint submit yet. Should I write the essay, submit AMCAS, and have them process the appliation as soon as MCAT scores for August exam come?

Thanks

 

[MedicineForLife 777]

Can someone tell me about secondaries. i thought you get secondaries after your MCAT score or do you get them once you submit your AMCAS? If it is the former then how can people start their secondaries if they plan to take in august? Also, do you send reccomendations to AMCAS or to individual schools? I plan on taking in August adn I know im late already and wanted to get a head start on starting. I did everything on AAMCAS except the essay which I dint submit yet. Should I write the essay, submit AMCAS, and have them process the appliation as soon as MCAT scores for August exam come?

Thanks

I heard that you start getting secondaries in July/August. You send recommendations to individual schools. And yes, you should submit your AMCAS as early as you can!

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

I heard that you start getting secondaries in July/August. You send recommendations to individual schools. And yes, you should submit your AMCAS as early as you can!

secondaries generally come right after you submit amcas

I submitted amcas yesterday and got the GW secondary today

 

[rs76]

secondaries generally come right after you submit amcas

I submitted amcas yesterday and got the GW secondary today

So should I submit my Amcas wihtout the August MCAt and work on the secondaries and have themn wait till my August scores come out? Also, how much is the cost for submitting AMCAS and recieving secondaries?

thanks

 

[MedicineForLife 777]

So should I submit my Amcas wihtout the August MCAt and work on the secondaries and have themn wait till my August scores come out? Also, how much is the cost for submitting AMCAS and recieving secondaries?

thanks

Yes, you should submit AMCAS without the August MCAT, and indicate that you will be taking the August exam. This way it would put you ahead of the game. It would be a good idea to work on the secondaries now, if you have time that is. The cost of submitting AMCAS depends on how many schools you're applying to. It is $160 for one school and $30 for each school after that. It doesn't cost you anything to receive secondaries, just to send them in. And, the cost of that varies from school to school. I would say a range of $50-100 per secondary?

 

[MedicineForLife 777]

Speaking of time to complete secondaries, are any of you that are taking the August exam finding time to complete these??? We only have a month and a half left to study, and that's not exactly a lot of time. What are you guys doing???

 

[abadri421]

ummm what do u guys mean by secondaries? Is that wat the LOR is?? and how many LOR's do u need??

 

[R-35]

secondaries generally come right after you submit amcas


I submitted amcas yesterday and got the GW secondary today

I already received and submitted 4 secondaries

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Anyone out there that wants to retake the MCAT in August? How are you guys finding time to complete all the secondaries and study for the MCAT? I want to take the August test, but I'm not sure if I'll have time to study and do well on it (haven't started studying yet). I'm considering just trying my luck with my current score, but I don't know.

Any ideas???

You do what you have to do. I took the August MCAT two years ago (first time taking it); I was writing apps, taking two semesters of orgo and working 3 volunteer jobs/shadowing. I had no life but got thru it all. You will too; keep on trucking...

 

[abadri421]

ummm what do u guys mean by secondaries? Is that wat the LOR is?? and how many LOR's do u need??

Can someone please answer my questions??

 

[MedicineForLife 777]

Can someone please answer my questions??

First you'll submit your primaries, which are the AMCAS, TMDSAS (for Texas schools), etc. Then, the individual schools will send you an invite to complete their secondary application. These require a separate fee for each secondary, probably around $50-100 each. Secondaries often times ask you to answer more essay questions. Sometimes they'll just ask you to send the fee, and that's it. LOR's are letters of recommendation. These are generally sent around the time you send secondaries. The number of LOR's depend on the school and how many they require, usually around 3. You can find all this info for each individual school on their website. Good luck!

 

[abadri421]

First you'll submit your primaries, which are the AMCAS, TMDSAS (for Texas schools), etc. Then, the individual schools will send you an invite to complete their secondary application. These require a separate fee for each secondary, probably around $50-100 each. Secondaries often times ask you to answer more essay questions. Sometimes they'll just ask you to send the fee, and that's it. LOR's are letters of recommendation. These are generally sent around the time you send secondaries. The number of LOR's depend on the school and how many they require, usually around 3. You can find all this info for each individual school on their website. Good luck!

And they will only send secondaries after they receive your mcat scores and amcas I suppose..So in Oct I should be recieving my scores, then they will send me the secondaries...sounds a little close..when are med school deadlines usually?

 

[MedicineForLife 777]

And they will only send secondaries after they receive your mcat scores and amcas I suppose..So in Oct I should be recieving my scores, then they will send me the secondaries...sounds a little close..when are med school deadlines usually?

I heard that sometimes they send secondaries to you even without the MCAT score. Many schools don't screen so they send the secondaries to everyone. The primaries are usually due between October-December depending on the school. The secondaries I'm not too sure. I think it's around December or January (also depending on the school)? (Can someone verify that?) Many schools already have their secondaries online that you can access so you can start on it early. Also, there's a bunch of posts here on SDN that have secondary essay questions for some of the schools.

 

[njmd55]

Anyone out there that wants to retake the MCAT in August? How are you guys finding time to complete all the secondaries and study for the MCAT? I want to take the August test, but I'm not sure if I'll have time to study and do well on it (haven't started studying yet). I'm considering just trying my luck with my current score, but I don't know.

Any ideas???

Is there any advantage in submitting the AMCAS early and completing secondaries early because don't all the schools look at your application only when they recieve the MCAT score which will be in october for me. So my question is what is the difference in completing all the required materials now to let's say before the scores come out in october?

 

[MedicineForLife 777]

Is there any advantage in submitting the AMCAS early and completing secondaries early because don't all the schools look at your application only when they recieve the MCAT score which will be in october for me. So my question is what is the difference in completing all the required materials now to let's say before the scores come out in october?

I believe they look at all your other material first. So all you have left for them to evaluate is your MCAT score. Your application will probably be processed faster if you turn in everything early.