Do ADCOMs review your applications right after you submit their secondaries?

[mrh125]

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or do they read a ton of applications together in different waves? how does it work? I'm planning on getting secondaries out as soon as I get them, but im wondering how exactly this works. are they reviewed in the order they're submitted?

 

[el_duderino]

Differs by school but generally no. I believe that at most places they go into a pike and are drawn randomly.

 

[DK2014]

I'd say they rank you by your gpa and mcat, and then look at everything else if they are still interested. This is done randomly.

 

[Jojokarade]

In terms of getting an interview, that is done in order of submission. In terms of a decision getting made, that happens whenever your file is completed and can be in a random order.

 

[aspirantmed]

In terms of getting an interview, that is done in order of submission. In terms of a decision getting made, that happens whenever your file is completed and can be in a random order.

Not always true .. This is a very common fallacy every application cycle. People get stressed out when people who submitted after them get interviews, but it doesn't work in that easy of a linear trend.

At some schools, interview decisions are rendered in order of interview date, though .. But again, not always the case.

 

[mrh125]

In terms of getting an interview, that is done in order of submission. In terms of a decision getting made, that happens whenever your file is completed and can be in a random order.

so how long is the usual turn around between secondaries and being notified? and does file being completed mean the same as having your secondary sent in?

 

[Jojokarade]

so how long is the usual turn around between secondaries and being notified? and does file being completed mean the same as having your secondary sent in?

That really depends on each school. File being completed usually means that everything they need to make an interview decision has been received (LORs, secondary, transcripts, etc). However, this again, depends on each school.

Not always true .. This is a very common fallacy every application cycle. People get stressed out when people who submitted after them get interviews, but it doesn't work in that easy of a linear trend.

At some schools, interview decisions are rendered in order of interview date, though .. But again, not always the case.

I will re-phrase. They will go through your file in order once it is deemed complete. The first time they will look to see if you fulfill minimum number requirements (for most schools this is low/mid 20s on the MCAT). After they deem your file complete, the offer for an interview can be random and could possibly be delayed if they are not sure about you at first and then make a decision later in the application cycle.

 

[Ismet]

All varies based on the school. Just focus on getting your secondaries done in a timely fashion and don't worry about the intricacies and timelines of the application process at each school. It's out of your hands anyway.

 

[Goro]

At my school they're divvied up in order of receipt to the people doing the interviews that week. They are screened only by GPA and MCAT, so that, for example, if you have a 3.0 and a 24, your file is going to sit around for awhile until all the >3.4's/>30s get taken care of. So, if we have a bumper crop of applicants (like last year), our wily Admissions dean will raise the bar to, say, 3.25/26 as the minimum for II.

This is why you'll see people complain in the school specific threads: "I was verified in October but still nothing" in February ...they haven't made the cut to the bare minim for II.

or do they read a ton of applications together in different waves? how does it work? I'm planning on getting secondaries out as soon as I get them, but im wondering how exactly this works. are they reviewed in the order they're submitted?

 

[mrh125]

I'd say they rank you by your gpa and mcat, and then look at everything else if they are still interested. This is done randomly.

At my school they're divvied up in order of receipt to the people doing the interviews that week. They are screened only by GPA and MCAT, so that, for example, if you have a 3.0 and a 24, your file is going to sit around for awhile until all the >3.4's/>30s get taken care of. So, if we have a bumper crop of applicants (like last year), our wily Admissions dean will raise the bar to, say, 3.25/26 as the minimum for II.

This is why you'll see people complain in the school specific threads: "I was verified in October but still nothing" in February ...they haven't made the cut to the bare minim for II.

If that's the case then how come i applicants with lower gpas and mcats benefit from and get acceptances from applying early? im a bit confused.

 

[nabilesmail]

If that's the case then how come i applicants with lower gpas and mcats benefit from and get acceptances from applying early? im a bit confused.

Keep in mind a 3.0 and 24 in the D.O. universe is like a 3.4 27 in the M.D., its almost to the point of not being worth applying

 

[mrh125]

Keep in mind a 3.0 and 24 in the D.O. universe is like a 3.4 27 in the M.D., its almost to the point of not being worth applying

I definitely wouldn't go that with a huge blanket statement like that. People with low gpa and mcat scores do get in. of course they wouldn't if they didn't apply and were discouraged by stuff like that.

 

[nabilesmail]

A 3.4 27 and non URM status is almost toast without amazing EC, notice I said approaching that point and its worth applying but, below that and it's not. That means a decent portion could still get in with those stats

Early apps will always benefit, but there is a point where you just have too low of stats and need amazing ec to make up, for goros school a 3.0 24 is around that point

 

[Goro]

At some schools, the mindset is fill the seats, never mind quality... we can't afford to be choosy. This is a common thing at new schools, MD or DO.

If that's the case then how come i applicants with lower gpas and mcats benefit from and get acceptances from applying early? im a bit confused.

 

[studentp0x]

At some schools, the mindset is fill the seats, never mind quality... we can't afford to be choosy. This is a common thing at new schools, MD or DO.

So is it more common for stats to be the entire decision maker in whether or not the person gets the interview?

 

[Goro]

I suspect that it is for the majority of medical schools, but not all! For example, one well known and very wise Adcom member (let's call him Dr X) on these pages has mentioned that he has to review apps from people who have single digit total MCAT scores. I am NOT making this up! Dr X's school is one of the really competitive ones, yet there, they only apparently pre-screen for IAs, and not numbers.

Remember, the are 1000s of apps, so how else could you wade through them, if you didn't cull out those that didn't meet your standards? It's still a seller's market.

So is it more common for stats to be the entire decision maker in whether or not the person gets the interview?

 

[studentp0x]

I suspect that it is for the majority of medical schools, but not all! For example, one well known and very wise Adcom member (let's call him Dr X) on these pages has mentioned that he has to review apps from people who have single digit total MCAT scores. I am NOT making this up! Dr X's school is one of the really competitive ones, yet there, they only apparently pre-screen for IAs, and not numbers.

Remember, the are 1000s of apps, so how else could you wade through them, if you didn't cull out those that didn't meet your standards? It's still a seller's market.

single digit mcat score...? how can you even get through a science course in undergrad and manage to get a single digit score?

 

[Goro]

If I knew, I'd write a paper for a medical education journal!

single digit mcat score...? how can you even get through a science course in undergrad and manage to get a single digit score?

 

[studentp0x]

If I knew, I'd write a paper for a medical education journal!

what's the lowest you've ever seen? 😀
I seriously can't imagine ever seeing a 2.0/8 application lol...

 

[Goro]

My school screens on numbers, so it's only our wily old Admissions dean who gets to see the actual app, who then promptly discards it.

The lowest I've ever seen personally was someone who had a 15, who then retook the exam (I believe several times).

what's the lowest you've ever seen? 😀
I seriously can't imagine ever seeing a 2.0/8 application lol...