does it matter?

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MP3DH4

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I was verified in late july and have completed 6 secondaries so far. However, I am taking MCAT in Sept. My questions is:

Does it matter if I complete the secondaries before I take MCAT or after, assuming I finish all my secondaries before my MCAT score comes out in Oct?

I hear that it's okay if I complete everything and the only thing waiting is MCAT by Oct. but does it really matter how early I get them done as long as it's before my MCAT comes out?

-A confused premed

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I was verified in late july and have completed 6 secondaries so far. However, I am taking MCAT in Sept. My questions is:

Does it matter if I complete the secondaries before I take MCAT or after, assuming I finish all my secondaries before my MCAT score comes out in Oct?

I hear that it's okay if I complete everything and the only thing waiting is MCAT by Oct. but does it really matter how early I get them done as long as it's before my MCAT comes out?

-A confused premed

Not really much you can do about it now, but a September MCAT is awfully late. If you hadn't already applied, I probably would suggest skipping a cycle and submitting stuff in June of the following year. But that is advice for others, you are already all in.
I would do what you can to get everything done as early as possible, but yeah, you are right that most schools won't take a serious look at you until you are totally complete.
 
I think Law2Doc is right, but I think that also makes it more important that you get secondaries in as soon as possible. You've already committed to this cycle. I imagine if you turn around secondaries quickly, that demonstrates commitment and interest, even though your MCAT is late in the game. If you wait 'til October... that could look negligent and apathetic. It's already a risky situation, but why not try to minimize further risk?
 
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While nothing the previous posters said is untrue (i.e., September MCAT is late), you should not be discouraged. This will likely not kill your application, assuming your numbers are solid and you interview well. I took the September MCAT. I sent in secondaries in December and January. I interviewed at 6 schools, got into 5.

Taking the September MCAT (future applicants) is NOT a good idea. It will cause you to miss deadlines, and it will hurt your chances at some schools. However, invariably, each year, some applicants, for a variety of reasons, find themselves in the unavoidable situation of having to take the September test. Do not lose heart. If your a strong applicant, you will be fine. The application process will, however, be much more stressful, as most of your interviews will likely come in February and March...at least that was my experience.
 
Primary already verified and secondaries filled out and ready to go, submitting those in october is a little late, but not a death sentence by any stretch. Late aug/early october will probably be about average for secondary applications, despite what SDN leads you to believe. Only problem is turnaround on completions with LORs and the like. I'd say you're fine, although I commend your balls (figurative, of course) for submitting your application with no MCAT. Good luck with everything.
 
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