Data on Matriculants and AMCAS Submissions

[ShloppyJoes]

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I know that everyone's advice is to send your AMCAS in as early as possible to get the best chances of entering med school. I thought this would be all fine and dandy, until I got my MCAT scores back yesterday.

I'm going to retake the test and I'm stuck with a rather difficult choice. I could either take the test very soon and get scores back in time for an early August submission, or I can take a later MCAT and submit in early September. Of course, the idea is that more time studying = better score.

To help make my decision, I was wondering if there is any data available that shows the usual stats of matriculants along with data on when the AMCAS of matriculants was received. Does such data exist?

 

[acridknight]

Well, most schools begin to seriously look at your application only after secondaries. I suppose that you could theoretically submit with your initial MCAT score, get your primaries verified, then have you secondaries in around the time your second MCAT scores come out.

This assumes that your initial MCAT score is at least reasonably competitive (eg ~30). Some schools pre-screen based on MCAT, so using the above strategy could get you rejected at those schools if your initial score is below their cutoffs.

The above strategy seems most reasonable to me for your situation. Worst case, you get rejected from the few schools that pre-screen before secondaries, and you at least get early secondaries from the schools that don't.

FYI: submitting AMCAS after July is NOT a good idea. That'll be too late for a competitive application. Remember... AMCAS verification can take up to 6 weeks (and that is before you even start working on secondaries), so waiting until your second scores are available can really delay you.

Good luck!

 

[RySerr21]

Well, most schools begin to seriously look at your application only after secondaries. I suppose that you could theoretically submit with your initial MCAT score, get your primaries verified, then have you secondaries in around the time your second MCAT scores come out.

This assumes that your initial MCAT score is at least reasonably competitive (eg ~30). Some schools pre-screen based on MCAT, so using the above strategy could get you rejected at those schools if your initial score is below their cutoffs.

The above strategy seems most reasonable to me for your situation. Worst case, you get rejected from the few schools that pre-screen before secondaries, and you at least get early secondaries from the schools that don't.

Not if the OP puts that he/she is taking another MCAT. They wont make a final decision until the file is complete. OP, i would suggest submitting primary app now just so you can get verified. Be sure to put the note that you are taking another MCAT. Then when your second score comes in you are already to go and dont have to wait for verification.

 

[todipotent]

Also consider if you think the low score on the MCAT could be because of test anxiety or something else that you could try to control on test day. If that is the fact it might be be better to take the test sooner than later, because a month makes a pretty big difference for some schools.

 

[nick_carraway]

Not if the OP puts that he/she is taking another MCAT. They wont make a final decision until the file is complete. OP, i would suggest submitting primary app now just so you can get verified. Be sure to put the note that you are taking another MCAT. Then when your second score comes in you are already to go and dont have to wait for verification.

I agree with submitting now and waiting for updated scores later to at least clear the transcript verification hurdle.

To answer your question, OP, LizzyM said that her school at one year received 25% of all their applications during the initial transmission on June 24.

That said, she added that digital applications allows easy sorting such that the top of the stack is not always read first.

Her recommendation in this digital era was that any primary submission before the end of July would be good enough for her school.

The secondaries should be all ready to go and adcom decisions should only be waiting for your MCAT score, which is received electronically and will have a much shorter processing time, in my mind, than the secondary.

 

[ShloppyJoes]

Thank you for the replies, fellas. Much appreciated.

So I've come to understand how the application process works from bits and pieces of different sources, but I still don't think I have a clear picture. Could someone confirm if the process plays out the way I understand it now:

If I fill out the AMCAS now (marking that I have a forthcoming MCAT score) and submit it next week, AAMC will take up to 6 weeks to process everything in it. Once processed, the applications sit tight until my next MCAT score comes in. When the score arrives, the application is sent to the schools of my choice. Within two weeks, I receive secondary applications.

Is this correct? Or do the schools receive the primaries even before the next MCAT score is in? And do the schools wait until the primaries are complete to send you the secondaries? Or do they collect both primaries and secondaries, then wait for the MCAT score for review? Is there a list somewhere of schools that do screen the primaries?

Sorry for the slew of questions!

 

[acridknight]

Thank you for the replies, fellas. Much appreciated.

So I've come to understand how the application process works from bits and pieces of different sources, but I still don't think I have a clear picture. Could someone confirm if the process plays out the way I understand it now:

If I fill out the AMCAS now (marking that I have a forthcoming MCAT score) and submit it next week, AAMC will take up to 6 weeks to process everything in it. Once processed, the applications sit tight until my next MCAT score comes in. When the score arrives, the application is sent to the schools of my choice. Within two weeks, I receive secondary applications.

Is this correct? Or do the schools receive the primaries even before the next MCAT score is in? And do the schools wait until the primaries are complete to send you the secondaries? Or do they collect both primaries and secondaries, then wait for the MCAT score for review? Is there a list somewhere of schools that do screen the primaries?

Sorry for the slew of questions!

Yes. Almost. The AMCAS "verification" is mostly a review of your transcript (against your input classes) and calculation of GPA. Schools will then get this verified AMCAS right away (even with the pending MCAT notation), and i think most will send you a secondary right away (unless they prescreen, in which case they will wait for the second MCAT score). You can start working on the secondaries that you get and at least get those in ASAP.

FYI: the MSAR tells you if a given school prescreens for secondaries. i suggest you check it out, so you know which of your schools will delay your secondaries.

good luck!

 

[gplex86]

FYI: submitting AMCAS after July is NOT a good idea. That'll be too late for a competitive application. !

This advice (which is 99.9% true) still makes me grin. Imagine my surprise last cycle (2007-2008) when I actually got interviews/acceptances after submitting the AMCAS on December 1. Hell, I didn't even take the MCAT until September, well after most applications were already in.

My point is - you can have a competitive application any time in the cycle if you need to. Stuff happens. Show your stuff. See how stuff works out.

 

[flip26]

This advice (which is 99.9% true) still makes me grin. Imagine my surprise last cycle (2007-2008) when I actually got interviews/acceptances after submitting the AMCAS on December 1. Hell, I didn't even take the MCAT until September, well after most applications were already in.

My point is - you can have a competitive application any time in the cycle if you need to. Stuff happens. Show your stuff. See how stuff works out.

And you were rejected post secondary at all of your state schools...surely you are not advocating the benefits of applying at the tail end of the cycle?

 

[gplex86]

And you were rejected post secondary at all of your state schools...surely you are not advocating the benefits of applying at the tail end of the cycle?

Of course not. I said the advice is true 99.9% of the time. But, somehow, I still managed to have a "competitive" application even though my MCAT was average and my GPA was a bit low.

I'm saying that when something is unlikely or near impossible, consider giving it a try anyway. One need not seek the approval of others (especially a web forum) before jumping in.

As for the state schools: I am SO glad they didn't interview me. I really dislike the state of Florida (it's a personal preference - I've lived in 3 other states) and only applied to the state schools because I *assumed* they'd be my best shot. Ironically, I nabbed some of the really difficult-to-get private interviews but not a single one in-state. Fine with me - I would have taken any New York or Midwestern school over my state schools. New York Medical College is 15 minutes away from where I was born. I am exactly where I need to be and couldn't be happier.

 

[erdavis]

I submitted my AMCAS day 1 minute one without having taken the MCAT! I began to recieved secondary after my AMCAS was verifyed without my MCAT score to school that said they pre-screen. May be it was because they consider my a good canidate base on my EC and PS and what whatever else thats on AMCAS. Most schools, but all that said they pre- screen had a link to secondary online so check in see.

Me and another guy took our MCAT on the same day in August but he waited til he got his score back to submit his Amcas. We has similar stat, his slightly better but I started getting interviews the week after my McAt was in. I started recieving acceptances by the next month while his AMCAS was still being verifyed.


We both got in. If you're good canidate you will most likely get in but people are still get interviewd and accepted, possible taking your spot while you are getting your stuff in!

I knew I was going be a doctor before Thanksgiving and could relax and have fun my senior year and he didnt hear anything til March.


He was actually mad at me cause his Mcat was 3 point higher then mine and he hadnt been accepted to any schools by the end of the fall semester. I told him that they probably havent gotten to his application yet. It feels GREAT to finally start a semester without worrying about getting into med school I really enjoy his bitching for 5 months about what he would do it he didnt get in 🙂

 

[daisy44]

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