First time applicant FREAKOUT!

[lolasmommy]

I have been reading posts regarding the application process, all very helpful indeed, but some of my questions were left unanswered or I simply wasn't looking hard enough on the posts. So here is what Ive gathered thus far.

1) You can't start working on the 2011 application (just to clarify this means entering class of 2011 but 2010 is the year of application) until around May 1st.

2) Anything entered prior to that (last years app.) was wiped clean but it is assumed that we have been working on our app. prior to May 1st.

3) AMCAS accepts applications in the beginning of June.

Questions

1) When would be an appropriate time for my mentors to send the LORs? (of course they anticipate writing them well ahead of time) Will AMCAS not accept them or will they not be considered if they are sent prior to June 1st? I intend to print out the letterhead provided by AMCAS for the LORs and give them to each letter writer who will then use snail mail to send it. Timing is everything and where Im from it may take about 2-4 weeks to get where it needs to go.

2) Other than the print out from AMCAS and the LOR is a letter head or any other formality required with the letters?

3) MCAT timing. Okay, I mentally was preparing to take the MCAT on Apr. 23 as to anticipate the scores well before or on June 1st to be able to have a complete application BY June 1st. I find out that the only test center within thousands of miles will only administer the exam at earliest June 17th making the approximate score release July 20th. I realized once apps. are turned in on June 1st they take about 4-6 weeks to be verified by AMCAS meaning at this time (4-6 weeks after turning in the app) that no school has yet seen them. So completing the application without the MCAT score by June 1st isnt totally discouraging. Once the scores come in they are automatically input. Okay...the questions, does this timeline seem plausible? Will I still be considered pretty early if (assuming all things go well) if my application is complete by mid to late July (complete meaning it has been verified and all the components are in)?

Thank you all. I realized I have written the equivalence of an epic novel above. Please any advice...anything is GREATLY APPRECIATED!
Also, Good luck to all

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[mvenus929]

1) When would be an appropriate time for my mentors to send the LORs? (of course they anticipate writing them well ahead of time) Will AMCAS not accept them or will they not be considered if they are sent prior to June 1st? I intend to print out the letterhead provided by AMCAS for the LORs and give them to each letter writer who will then use snail mail to send it. Timing is everything and where Im from it may take about 2-4 weeks to get where it needs to go.

I believe you can start filling out the information to send in LORs when AMCAS opens in May. I had all my LORs on file before I submitted on the 2nd of June.

3) MCAT timing. Okay, I mentally was preparing to take the MCAT on Apr. 23 as to anticipate the scores well before or on June 1st to be able to have a complete application BY June 1st. I find out that the only test center within thousands of miles will only administer the exam at earliest June 17th making the approximate score release July 20th. I realized once apps. are turned in on June 1st they take about 4-6 weeks to be verified by AMCAS meaning at this time (4-6 weeks after turning in the app) that no school has yet seen them. So completing the application without the MCAT score by June 1st isnt totally discouraging. Once the scores come in they are automatically input. Okay...the questions, does this timeline seem plausible? Will I still be considered pretty early if (assuming all things go well) if my application is complete by mid to late July (complete meaning it has been verified and all the components are in)?

I find it hard to believe that no test center is administering the exam before June 17th. I find it more likely that you're just now looking to register for the MCAT, and that's the first available date at a center near you. Let this be a lesson to other applicants... register early.

Now, one thing you have to keep in mind is that 1) it won't take 4-6 weeks to verify your application if you submit on the first day you can (it was June 2 last year). It may take a week if you wait a day (my turnover on the first day was like 3 days, and my application was more complicated than most), but it doesn't start taking a month or more until you wait several weeks to submit.

Second thing to keep in mind is that NO school gets the application, from anyone, until a magical date at the end of June (around June 20th or 25th, if I remember correctly). The first secondaries usually don't start rolling out until the first week in July. --You can check my MDApps for when I got various secondaries, and you'll see that most didn't come until the middle of July.

So, sending in your application for verification without your MCAT score on the first date isn't a bad plan regardless. If your primary isn't complete at schools until the middle of July, that's okay too, especially if you have a quick turnover for your secondaries. The final completion date is the one that really matters.

 

[JJMrK]

1) When would be an appropriate time for my mentors to send the LORs? (of course they anticipate writing them well ahead of time) Will AMCAS not accept them or will they not be considered if they are sent prior to June 1st? I intend to print out the letterhead provided by AMCAS for the LORs and give them to each letter writer who will then use snail mail to send it. Timing is everything and where Im from it may take about 2-4 weeks to get where it needs to go.

Have them start writing now. The letters can be sent any time after AMCAS opens in May.

2) Other than the print out from AMCAS and the LOR is a letter head or any other formality required with the letters?

I don't believe so.

3) MCAT timing. Okay, I mentally was preparing to take the MCAT on Apr. 23 as to anticipate the scores well before or on June 1st to be able to have a complete application BY June 1st. I find out that the only test center within thousands of miles will only administer the exam at earliest June 17th making the approximate score release July 20th. I realized once apps. are turned in on June 1st they take about 4-6 weeks to be verified by AMCAS meaning at this time (4-6 weeks after turning in the app) that no school has yet seen them. So completing the application without the MCAT score by June 1st isnt totally discouraging. Once the scores come in they are automatically input. Okay...the questions, does this timeline seem plausible? Will I still be considered pretty early if (assuming all things go well) if my application is complete by mid to late July (complete meaning it has been verified and all the components are in)?

I would submit your AMCAS early to one school to get it verified. If you primary is complete in mid-July you'll be fine, especially if you use the School Specific Discussions sub-forum to start writing your secondaries before then.

 

[starl3tte]

Also, keep in mind that schools request your LOR's at the time that they give you a secondary, so don't freak out if the LOR's are not ready by the time you submit the primary (AMCAS).

I can't really comment as to the earliest date that AMCAS starts accepting LOR's, since I used Interfolio instead.

 

[lolasmommy]

I find it hard to believe that no test center is administering the exam before June 17th. I find it more likely that you're just now looking to register for the MCAT, and that's the first available date at a center near you. Let this be a lesson to other applicants... register early.



YOu have to believe me when I say that the earliest date this year is administered on JUNE 17th. This is an international testing site...the ONLY one located in the area and the next nearest location would be in HONGKONG at the end of May. Note that the administration of the MCAT is dependent on the dates that AMCAS has allowed AND the testing site. The testing site fills its seats for the begining of the year with various other exams. People fly in from all over the Asia/Pacific region to take numerous exams at this ONE test site. So yes... NO center nearest me is administering the exam any earlier. If I do want to take in any earlier than Jun. 17th I would have to fly out and that is an expense i wish not to have.
Other than that I thank you for your advise. I have been working on a schedule and timeline and you simply have to have a back up for situations like this. You have all been incredibly helpful. Thank you

 

[TexasPhysician]

If it were me, I'd fly to Hong Kong. Sure it is an expense that may not be necessary, but if you don't get in this round of applications, then that expense would look silly compared to your 1 year loss.

When I applied, I had everything in by June 1, and it did wonders for me. Just my $0.02 though.

 

[mvenus929]

YOu have to believe me when I say that the earliest date this year is administered on JUNE 17th. This is an international testing site...the ONLY one located in the area and the next nearest location would be in HONGKONG at the end of May. Note that the administration of the MCAT is dependent on the dates that AMCAS has allowed AND the testing site. The testing site fills its seats for the begining of the year with various other exams. People fly in from all over the Asia/Pacific region to take numerous exams at this ONE test site. So yes... NO center nearest me is administering the exam any earlier. If I do want to take in any earlier than Jun. 17th I would have to fly out and that is an expense i wish not to have.

I apologize, then. End of May vs. June 17th isn't going to make that much of a difference, so I don't think it'd be worth it to fly to Hong Kong. Cool, but not worth it in terms of AMCAS.

 

[lolasmommy]

I apologize, then. End of May vs. June 17th isn't going to make that much of a difference, so I don't think it'd be worth it to fly to Hong Kong. Cool, but not worth it in terms of AMCAS.

Thanks Thats pretty much what I intend to do. I dont think end of may vs. mid june makes that much of a difference. If it were administered in Hongkong sometime in Apr. to beginning of May then i would love to go to Hongkong for the weekend. Thanks