How harmful is a June 21st MCAT??

[MelissaThompson]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello everyone

If I write my MCAT June 21st - but submit my AMCAS application for verification in early June - how much will it hurt my chances - considering the scores won't be released until mid-late July?

I see tons of previous threads - some says June 21st is just fine - other say June 21st is so late that it will hurt my chances at most schools...so I'm really confused. Thanks!

-Melissa

 

[gmcguitar4]

It will only hurt you if you bomb it.

 

[MelissaThompson]

It will only hurt you if you bomb it.

Ok - assume if I score 30+ then how much will it hurt my chances?

 

[EBTrailRunner]

If you submit your AMCAS in early June and wait to take the MCAT on June 21st, you likely won't be complete until late July. You should know what the secondaries will be for the schools you're applying to before your scores come in, so as long as you have them and all your LORs sent in, you'll be complete as soon as your scores are made available. While not ideal, it's not a deal breaker. What's your reason for taking the MCAT in late June?

Edit: Long day. Skipped my mind that you could/should submit your AMCAS before your scores arrive.

 

[MT Headed]

You will be fine. During that month while you wait you can submit your secondaries. Very few schools wait for an mcat to send you a secondary. You'll be complete as soon as the scores show up, and being complete in July is fine. Being complete in August is when it starts to impact your chances.

 

[MelissaThompson]

If you take the MCAT June 21st, you likely won't be verified until early to mid August. You should know what the secondaries will be for the schools you're applying to before your scores come in, so as long as you have them and all your LORs ready to go, you'll be complete in August. While not ideal, it's not a deal breaker. What's your reason for taking the MCAT in late June?

I have a job now so I can't dedicate full-time hours to studying - so I gave myself 1 more month.

AAMC says my scores will be out July 24th - but I will send my app for verification in beginning of June - so everything will be complete as soon as my MCAT comes out...

 

[EBTrailRunner]

I have a job now so I can't dedicate full-time hours to studying - so I gave myself 1 more month.

AAMC says my scores will be out July 24th - but I will send my app for verification in beginning of June - so everything will be complete as soon as my MCAT comes out...

Ah, I see. If that extra month is going to help you maximize your score, then take it and don't stress over it.

 

[Thego2guy]

Depends on what your other stats are (Good ec's? cGPA? sGPA?) I just came across a previous thread where someone postponed their April MCAT to the July one and asked a similar question. Another someone answered him saying that it is okay because he had a similar situation, and still got plenty of interviews and acceptances. That person actually had a 3.99, and a 37 MCAT. If you have a 3.3 and will get a 31 MCAT instead of a 30 if you were to take it a month sooner, then I think you are actually hurting yourself a little.

Point is, GPA matters when considering how this affects an applicant. If you have a high GPA, then a month - month and a half shouldn't really make any difference. You'll still get interviews in Sept/Oct.

Edit: Sorry my message sounds convoluted. Its late. I should have proof read it before I sent it. I hope you get my point.

 

[elblackwell]

Ah, I see. If that extra month is going to help you maximize your score, then take it and don't stress over it.

I took it in July and got in. It's just stressful because if you don't do well you will have only a little time to study if you need to retake it. For me, it was worth it since I had all of June to prepare.

 

[chiddler]

Depends on what your other stats are (Good ec's? cGPA? sGPA?) I just came across a previous thread where someone postponed their April MCAT to the July one and asked a similar question. Another someone answered him saying that it is okay because he had a similar situation, and still got plenty of interviews and acceptances. That person actually had a 3.99, and a 37 MCAT. If you have a 3.3 and will get a 31 MCAT instead of a 30 if you were to take it a month sooner, then I think you are actually hurting yourself a little.

Point is, GPA matters when considering how this affects an applicant. If you have a high GPA, then a month - month and a half shouldn't really make any difference. You'll still get interviews in Sept/Oct.

Edit: Sorry my message sounds convoluted. Its late. I should have proof read it before I sent it. I hope you get my point.

on the contrary, with a low gpa, if delaying mcat means scoring a few points higher, then it is certainly worth it.

 

[RedSox10]

You'll be fine. I took a mid-July MCAT and was verified mid-August. I have 3 acceptances and a couple others pending. From what I recall some schools don't even release secondaries until July or so.

 

[ppfizenm]

If you take the MCAT June 21st, you likely won't be verified until early to mid August. You should know what the secondaries will be for the schools you're applying to before your scores come in, so as long as you have them and all your LORs ready to go, you'll be complete in August. While not ideal, it's not a deal breaker. What's your reason for taking the MCAT in late June?

This isn't accurate at all. If you take in late June you can still submit your primary the first day it is available to submit. You will be verified on time with everyone else. What I would suggest though is only sending it to the number of schools the ACMAS gives you for free, ones like your state school(s) and a few other local ones that aren't incredible reaches. Then when you get ur MCAT back you can add whatever ones you think would be good and b/c you submitted earlier you don't have to wait for the verification.

 

[MelissaThompson]

Thanks for the advices:

my stats are 3.75 cGPA/3.65 sGPA - I would say excellent ECs in all aspect.

How would this now impact my chances?


Also - I asked the admission coordinator from my home state about writing a late MCAT - she said even early september is fine - because my state interviews ALL state residents that meet the entrance pre-reqs!

Is this too good to be true? Even a september MCAT is fine? I am concerned because I don't know if my state school practices rolling admission...

 

[phnerd1105]

I took the July 16th MCAT last year (retake), and scored quite averagely. My GPA was also average. However, my EC's were strong and I still ended up scoring 6 invites with 2 acceptances so far. It depends on how strong you feel your application is. It would be more ideal if you can submit your primary and pre-write/actually submit secondaries while you wait. However, that's taking the chance that you will score well. If you want to wait until your score, verification will take around a month, if not longer, for applications submitted end of July. This would mean you wouldn't have secondaries in until September.

On the other hand, you can take the summer to study, and apply early next year. This would eliminate the guess work and would ensure that you have the strongest cycle. I sometimes wish I did that, so I wouldn't constantly wonder "what if..?"

 

[MT Headed]

Is this too good to be true? Even a september MCAT is fine?

Not only is that not true, it's a crock of ****. It might not damage you at one school, and it would cause measurable damage to your application at the other schools.

 

[RedSox10]

Not only is that not true, it's a crock of ****. It might not damage you at one school, and it would cause measurable damage to your application at the other schools.

I agree--this is NOT a plan for success. A September MCAT is really pushing it since you wouldn't be verified until October --when some people will be receiving acceptances. Most schools wouldn't even look at your application until January or so (after sifting through the other 5-10K apps that came in before you). By the time you got looked at, perhaps half the acceptances would have been given out (for rolling schools at least). I've seen a couple people on the threads get in after being verified in October but they defntely had HIGH numbers (read: 37+). Nevertheless, June and July are still fine.

 

[ppfizenm]

I agree--this is NOT a plan for success. A September MCAT is really pushing it since you wouldn't be verified until October --when some people will be receiving acceptances. Most schools wouldn't even look at your application until January or so (after sifting through the other 5-10K apps that came in before you). By the time you got looked at, perhaps half the acceptances would have been given out (for rolling schools at least). I've seen a couple people on the threads get in after being verified in October but they defntely had HIGH numbers (read: 37+). Nevertheless, June and July are still fine.

You can and should submit your primary before the MCAT if you are planning on taking it after the application cycle begins. Theoretically, even if you are planning an August MCAT you can submit the primary in June.

 

[stannislaus]

I had a similar issue -

I was originally signed up for an April MCAT (being on track to apply this summer), but because of school and extracurricular obligations, I ended up postponing to September.

But this was because I was under the impression that there is an extreme advantage to having your application complete and in, early.
I was really upset about having to delay my application another year because of the MCAT (and overwhelming myself this year such that I didn't have time to adequately prepare), but a few people told me that postponing both my MCAT and my application was advisable because

1. There is an extreme advantage to having your application complete and verified as soon as possible (preferably before June 1), since "most med schools wont even look at your application before your application is complete - and that includes your MCAT"
2. Applying to schools blindly (choosing my target/reach/"safety" schools without knowing my MCAT score) is not the best strategy.

Is this accurate at all?

 

[dominicandoctor]

I took a September MCAT and wasn't complete at most schools until ~October 20th. I applied to a lot of non rolling schools so it didn't really matter.

However, for what it's worth... I got interviews at all my rolling admissions schools and I got waitlisted at them. I can't help but feel like if I had applied in June/July those waitlists probably would've been acceptances.

 

[PremedGirlCO]

How do schools view your application if you submit your primary without your mcat score..? Will they look at you and wait on your mcat?

I'm getting confused with the terms 'verified' and 'complete.' Does amcas send your application to schools even if you do not have an mcat score yet? Will schools send you secondaries without an mcat score?

 

[EBTrailRunner]

How do schools view your application if you submit your primary without your mcat score..? Will they look at you and wait on your mcat?

I'm getting confused with the terms 'verified' and 'complete.' Does amcas send your application to schools even if you do not have an mcat score yet? Will schools send you secondaries without an mcat score?

Verification is the process by which AMCAS cross-checks the coursework information you entered against your official transcripts. You can submit your AMCAS prior to receiving your MCAT scores by indicating when you plan to take it. All schools will send you their respective secondary if they have your verified AMCAS in hand. Some will even send you their secondary after your AMCAS is submitted, but before it's verified (e.g., BU). You're application won't be marked complete until all application materials - AMCAS, secondaries, MCAT scores, LORs, etc. - are received by the school. Most schools won't review your application until your file is complete, so your MCAT scores will have to be in.

 

[werd]

earlier is better, but having things done in july is still "earlier." in my opinion, completing your application in july is optimal, august is okay, september hurts, and october really really hurts.