Help me decide what to do!

[jsh52]

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Ok, I am applying to med schools for Fall 2012 matriculation. One of the programs I am interested in recommends applying in early summer, but I have NOT taken the MCAT yet. Ok, so there are two options I'm considering:

-Take MCAT in late May. I just started to prepare and cannot commit full-time to studying for it because I'm finishing my PhD (submitting my papers for publication, working on my thesis, etc), trying to do some shadowing, and have a family (husband + 6 month old) as well.

-Take MCAT in late June/early July (giving myself more time to study for the MCAT) and submit AMCAS application without MCAT score.

What do you think I should do?? Thanks 🙂

 

[Catalystik]

By SDN standards, if you don't apply June 1, you're screwed. AMCAS won't send out verified applications until the June 10 (until this year it was about 6/27). However, most schools don't consider applications much until about 8/1 (after Early Decision materials are due). So if you are Complete by then (all Secondaries sent in) you are "Early" IMO(definitions are not standard and vary by person, BTW). I'd call applications Complete by 9/1 "Average," and those after that date to be Late, with increasing disadvantage accrued over the next few months.

It might be easier to decide what to do if you take a full-length MCAT and see how you do. Free MCAT sample test: [URL="https://services.aamc.org/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product.displayForm&prd_id=179&prv_id=214&cfid=1&cftoken=5DDE6957-C53E-BD7C-8C582E71E14CD0A5"]https://services.aamc.org/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product.displayForm&prd_id=179&prv_id=214&cfid=1&cftoken=5DDE6957-C53E-BD7C-8C582E71E14CD0A5[/URL]

If you are on the low side, a later date might be imperative. If you do relatively well with minimal study, then an earlier date might work out fine. Your decision also depends on your MCAT goal and the selectivity of the schools you want to attend.

Submitting early to just one school without an MCAT score is a good way to get around the prolonged verification times later in the cycle.