Confused - should I apply to more schools now or wait until MCAT is in?

[yanks26dmb]

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So I applied to Western to simply get verified. I'm verified now and have received my secondary from them. I'll be receiving my MCAT scores July 22nd, but my question is, should I now apply to more schools or just wait until the MCAT is out?

Is there any benefit to one option over the other?

 

[mc3894]

I almost want to tell you to wait until you get your MCAT unless you can guarantee a higher score. If you apply to the schools without knowledge of your MCAT, you may be below their minimum and they may not even look at your application (thus losing you money). That would be my opinion.

 

[yanks26dmb]

I almost want to tell you to wait until you get your MCAT unless you can guarantee a higher score. If you apply to the schools without knowledge of your MCAT, you may be below their minimum and they may not even look at your application (thus losing you money). That would be my opinion.

My grades are pretty solid I think (non trad with significant upward trend and 3.5 sgpa/3.3 cgpa/3.8 post bacc). I've been told a 26 and applying broadly should get me an acceptance. My AAMC average was 30, and although that June 21st test was tough, I think I should *hopefully* pull at least a 26. If this is my assumption would I be best suited to apply?

FYI I signed up for a july 25th retake, not sure if this matters at all in regards ot applying before my mcat score is in...

 

[FutureDrB]

I would wait just to be on the safe side. You're only talking about 9 days until you get your score.

 

[razor]

I would wait just to be on the safe side. You're only talking about 9 days until you get your score.

Yes. If you apply 9 days later all the DO schools will go from having 0% of their class filled to having 0% of their class filled.

 

[JacobLMDorDO]

I have called multiple schools about this same question and all of them said "we do not even look at your application until your file is complete, which will be when we get your MCAT scores." As far as your GPA is concerned, it's competitive, so applying to multiple schools now shouldn't be a problem if you choose to do that

 

[Cookieee]

I have called multiple schools about this same question and all of them said "we do not even look at your application until your file is complete, which will be when we get your MCAT scores." As far as your GPA is concerned, it's competitive, so applying to multiple schools now shouldn't be a problem if you choose to do that

I thought that was only for MD schools? From what I had understood, DO schools don't wait for tentative MCAT scores and just screen based on the MCAT scores submitted whereas MD schools don't even look at apps until they are "complete."

I would just wait for your MCAT score to come in just in case you don't meet the minimum to pass subsection screening and have to take it on the 25th.

 

[JacobLMDorDO]

Well thats just what most of the schools that i called said. Others said "we will send a secondary if you have above a 2.75 c/sGPA

 

[razor]

Others said "we will send a secondary if you have above a 2.75 c/sGPA

I believe this is very common. Secondaries are free money for the school. Let an extra 2000 people fill out secondaries that never had a chance anyway. at $65 a pop, that's $130,000. They probably still just auto-screen their secondary pile based on stats before a human being ever sees your file.

 

[hallowmann]

I believe this is very common. Secondaries are free money for the school. Let an extra 2000 people fill out secondaries that never had a chance anyway. at $65 a pop, that's $130,000. They probably still just auto-screen their secondary pile based on stats before a human being ever sees your file.

This.

OP, just wait the 9 days. You did the most important thing, which was getting verified early. If you are feeling antsy, you could start prewriting the secondaries for schools that you are sure you'll apply to regardless of your MCAT score.