How do secondaries work? August MCAT?

[Dr.Andrews]

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Hey everyone,

I've got a few questions about secondaries and the August MCAT.

#1. Do schools email you saying they want you to fill out a secondary? Is it your responsibility to call them/go to their website and fill it out yourself? How does a school let you know that they want you to fill out their secondaries?

#2. Will schools wait until my August MCAT scores before sending me secondaries (I'm writing the MCAT for this first time this August) or can I fill them out without my MCAT scores?

Thanks

 

[kevin_md2010]

Hey everyone,

I've got a few questions about secondaries and the August MCAT.

#1. Do schools email you saying they want you to fill out a secondary? Is it your responsibility to call them/go to their website and fill it out yourself? How does a school let you know that they want you to fill out their secondaries?

#2. Will schools wait until my August MCAT scores before sending me secondaries (I'm writing the MCAT for this first time this August) or can I fill them out without my MCAT scores?

Thanks

Most schools will reply by email, so check it often and make sure its correct in AMCAS. Some do snail mail. As far as the MCAT depending on your other stats some schools may automatically send you a secondary before your scores come in. But some may not until your MCAT scores get back (around October), so it depends on the school. Anyways hopes this helps. Good luck to you.

 

[Dr.Andrews]

Most schools will reply by email, so check it often and make sure its correct in AMCAS. Some do snail mail. As far as the MCAT depending on your other stats some schools may automatically send you a secondary before your scores come in. But some may not until your MCAT scores get back (around October), so it depends on the school. Anyways hopes this helps. Good luck to you.

Hey Kevin,

What do you mean by, "so check it often and make sure its correct in AMCAS."

My GPA is 3.93+ (depending on how they calculate it, lowest will be 3.93), so maybe they'll send me some secondaries without needing to look at MCAT?

But will they schools CONTACT ME? Or, do I need to CONTACT THEM? From what you say, it seems the schools will CONTACT ME and give me the URL to fill out their application?

 

[McMD]

by "so check it out often and make sure it's correct in AMCAS" I think they were referring to your contact information-email address, mailing address, etc.

For each school you apply to, you need to go to their website and read about their "admissions process." I know that most of it is repetitive and most will tell you that they will send you their secondary, BUT a few schools expect you to be on top of things and will have their secondary online already and you will need to fill it out and send it in. I know that 2 schools I applied to did this and I think it was part of their "weeding out process"-like if you can't take the time to read directions, you don't belong at this school type of thing. Some schools will email you a link/password to their secondary and some schools will snail mail you a password/link. It all depends on the particular school. Anyways, most schools will contact you, but you really should read each school's admissions process so you don't miss out on a secondary if it's already on their website.

 

[McMD]

one last word of advice....secondaries seem to trickle in ALL at the same time, so if you get one or two...go ahead and do them ASAP because they will start piling up!!