HELP! Is October too late too apply?!?!

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crawlspace

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I am in massive need of advice! I am a Biomedical Science and Chemistry major, 3.86 GPA, honors student, peer mentor, and vice president of a large social honors organization. I had a research internship last summer working 50 hours a week for ten weeks in community-based research in public health and have spent the last six weeks in Peru working full time in a medical clinic and on a medical campaign provided check-ups to underprivileged children, gaining a TON of good clinical experience. BUT, I took the MCAT in June and got very sick before I took it, only scored a 25Q (6PS, 11VR, 8BS). The only time available to retake the MCAT is in September, which means they would not be released until October. My application is ready to be submitted now. Should I retake the MCAT and submit my application in October or should I submit it which the score I have? I am a New Mexico resident but go to school in Arizona so I am looking at both MD and DO schools mostly in those two areas. Any advice would be greatly appreciated🙂
 
I am in massive need of advice! I am a Biomedical Science and Chemistry major, 3.86 GPA, honors student, peer mentor, and vice president of a large social honors organization. I had a research internship last summer working 50 hours a week for ten weeks in community-based research in public health and have spent the last six weeks in Peru working full time in a medical clinic and on a medical campaign provided check-ups to underprivileged children, gaining a TON of good clinical experience. BUT, I took the MCAT in June and got very sick before I took it, only scored a 25Q (6PS, 11VR, 8BS). The only time available to retake the MCAT is in September, which means they would not be released until October. My application is ready to be submitted now. Should I retake the MCAT and submit my application in October or should I submit it which the score I have? I am a New Mexico resident but go to school in Arizona so I am looking at both MD and DO schools mostly in those two areas. Any advice would be greatly appreciated🙂

What's your MCAT score on practice exams (assuming your 25 was significantly lower because you got sick)? Unless it's super high, waiting might be better (if you aiming at top schools). This is fairly late into the game. But if you just want to get into somewhere, and your MCAT score has been good, you can probably squeeze in this cycle and land up somewhere. Just submit asap and apply broadly, should you choose to apply this cycle.
 
I am in massive need of advice! I am a Biomedical Science and Chemistry major, 3.86 GPA, honors student, peer mentor, and vice president of a large social honors organization. I had a research internship last summer working 50 hours a week for ten weeks in community-based research in public health and have spent the last six weeks in Peru working full time in a medical clinic and on a medical campaign provided check-ups to underprivileged children, gaining a TON of good clinical experience. BUT, I took the MCAT in June and got very sick before I took it, only scored a 25Q (6PS, 11VR, 8BS). The only time available to retake the MCAT is in September, which means they would not be released until October. My application is ready to be submitted now. Should I retake the MCAT and submit my application in October or should I submit it which the score I have? I am a New Mexico resident but go to school in Arizona so I am looking at both MD and DO schools mostly in those two areas. Any advice would be greatly appreciated🙂

Residency is determined by the address you place on your AMCAS.

Unless you're scoring 30+ on your September MCAT, October is too late to apply.
 
I am in massive need of advice! I am a Biomedical Science and Chemistry major, 3.86 GPA, honors student, peer mentor, and vice president of a large social honors organization. I had a research internship last summer working 50 hours a week for ten weeks in community-based research in public health and have spent the last six weeks in Peru working full time in a medical clinic and on a medical campaign provided check-ups to underprivileged children, gaining a TON of good clinical experience. BUT, I took the MCAT in June and got very sick before I took it, only scored a 25Q (6PS, 11VR, 8BS). The only time available to retake the MCAT is in September, which means they would not be released until October. My application is ready to be submitted now. Should I retake the MCAT and submit my application in October or should I submit it which the score I have? I am a New Mexico resident but go to school in Arizona so I am looking at both MD and DO schools mostly in those two areas. Any advice would be greatly appreciated🙂

It's not too late to apply for DO schools, especially if you think you will raise your score. If there are some DO schools you'd like to apply, you should call and talk to someone about the chances you'd receive a secondary and then by the time you do receive it, you'd have your scores for the second test. Also, make sure to indicate that you're planning to retake the test in September so they know you want to improve.
 
Might want to check with your top schools specifically. I noticed that a lot of them specified what the latest MCAT date was (usually August/September in my area).
 
If you scored a 25 and you have a 3.86 GPA you're good to go for some DO schools. I'd say apply to DO schools with the scores you got. It's difficult to say if it's worth waiting to October for them, that depends on what score you think you can reasonably achieve. If you can get a 30+ then that'll open doors to the upper tier DO schools probably even applying in October. However, with the scores you have now you'll be able to get into the DO schools that are less selective to MCAT.

MD schools you're forced to have to defer until the October date so no use thinking about it.
 
Thanks for all the advice! What about taking the MCAT mid August? That means I can submit my application by mid September. Before I was averaging a 30 for my practice exams and I still have more time to practice so I know that I will be able to score around that if not higher. Is September still too late?
 
Thanks for all the advice! What about taking the MCAT mid August? That means I can submit my application by mid September. Before I was averaging a 30 for my practice exams and I still have more time to practice so I know that I will be able to score around that if not higher. Is September still too late?

Being complete in mid September is not too late no, but it is still a disadvantage.
 
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