how important is getting in an application by

[AppleseedCast]

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How important is it to send in the amcas application by june 1st? I've heard time and time again that getting in an application early is the most important thing to do. This being the case, I wonder if I should take my MCAT a month earlier. I originally intended on taking it may 31st to give myself the two or so extra weeks of hardcore study time after my finals end. Thoughts? Thanks all

 

[Robizzle]

How important is it to send in the amcas application by june 1st? I've heard time and time again that getting in an application early is the most important thing to do. This being the case, I wonder if I should take my MCAT a month earlier. I originally intended on taking it may 31st to give myself the two or so extra weeks of hardcore study time after my finals end. Thoughts? Thanks all

NO. You should submit the BEST possible application AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Therefore, you want to study as much as needed for the MCAT, and submit after that.

Submitting on June 1st and mid-July doesn't make a big difference. This is because schools don't give out acceptances until October 15th, so al applicants who interview before ~October 1st would be grouped together.

 

[psipsina]

How important is it to send in the amcas application by june 1st? I've heard time and time again that getting in an application early is the most important thing to do. This being the case, I wonder if I should take my MCAT a month earlier. I originally intended on taking it may 31st to give myself the two or so extra weeks of hardcore study time after my finals end. Thoughts? Thanks all

I'm pretty sure you can submit amcas before your mcat scores are released. Even if you can't, or you'd prefer to wait to see your scores, a month won't make a huge difference, especially if you are very prompt with your secondaries. If you think that those extra two weeks would give you a better shot at a high MCAT I think that is more significant than having your AMCAS submitted June 1st instead of July 1st.

 

[pjl2505]

i don't know how long it takes to score the new exam....but taking the paper form last april, i didn't receive my score until mid july. that being said, it doesnt really matter if you don't have the app in until that date. just make sure you send your transcript in to amcas the day you get your spring semester grades, it takes them longer to verify your app as the application season progresses. conclusion: i turned in my amcas when i got my mcat scores (mid-july), and everything worked out fine. i wouldnt wait much longer than that. so while it might help to get it in june 1, you won't suffer all that much if you turn it in later...just make sure you do the secondaries promptly (before school starts), or you might suffer the consequences.

 

[AppleseedCast]

So does AMCAS process the application even if I have not yet submitted an MCAT score (but have sent in everything else)?


Thanks for all the helpful comments all!

 

[bbabul01]

AMCAS will verify your transcript without scores, which is the rate limiting step in this whole process. (Sorry for the orgo reference)

 

[BellyDancingDoc]

AMCAS will verify your transcript without scores, which is the rate limiting step in this whole process. (Sorry for the orgo reference)

Nerd!

Sadly, I made this exact metaphor, myself, a few months ago.

 

[xcgirl]

i don't know how long it takes to score the new exam....but taking the paper form last april, i didn't receive my score until mid july.

According to my pre-med advisor, new exam scoring takes about 1 month. at least that's what she told me last may...

 

[AppleseedCast]

yes, this is also waht the AAMC website says as well.

to the above poster, do you mean that the transcript verification is what slows down the process the most or the mcat score? thxx

 

[QuantumMechanic]

transcript verification is going to be different this coming year since it is likely that more people will already have mcat scores before mid-June. I had taken the mcat in August 2005 so I was able to submit my AMCAS before most people had received mcat scores. as a result, it took 3 business days to get my application verified.

 

[pjl2505]

if mcat scoring now only takes a month, that throws a whole new variable into the process. formerly everyone was in the same boat: the earliest most had their mcat scores included in their amcas was mid-july (they took the mcat in april). so it didn't really matter if you didn't have the amcas done (and verified) until then. now, a bunch of applicants could theoretically have their mcat scores included and your amcas verified in early june. with that being said, if i were doing the process this year and first taking the mcat, i would probably lean toward taking it earlier if you think you can still do really well. if you really need the extra studying time, then it shouldn't matter too much if you take it later, though i don't know how things are going to change with the new mcat grading only taking a month. ask your premed advisor. but you can expect amcas verification to take at least a month after you submit your transcript, so do that early. hope this helps.

 

[AppleseedCast]

Just want to make sure I am getting this correct.

The AMCAS appication is available on the first of June. Is it at this time that you can have transcripts sent to AAMC, or can you do this beforehand. Also, is it possible to have everything you are going to submit allready set up by that time so all you have to do is actually submit the information online (i.e. do they keep all of teh needed informaton to same year to year so you know what they will be asking for on the applications). Thanks all

 

[MasonPrehealth]

The AMCAS application will have a form that you must print out to give to each registrar from whom you will be requesting a transcript. I'm not sure but I think that form can be printed out as soon as the AMCAS is posted online (but I could be wrong) in the middle of May. (You cannot submit until early June.)

Of course, you can guess how many other people from your school will also be requesting transcripts.

 

[Andromeda]

better to kick butt on the MCAT