How late is this? Will I still be okay?

[bluepeach9]

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If I'm complete at med schools late August will that be fine? Or am I at a severe disadvantage?

The rest of my app is pretty strong btw, it's just that a July mcat score might delay my app to being complete in august so I just wanted some input on this!

 

[claduva94]

Suboptimal but won't kill your chances

 

[mw18]

I had a June mcat and then a dragging LOR that took a while to make me complete (August-September) and I interviewed at 10+ places including some very competitive ones. I only mention the competitiveness because one could say that people with fairly high stats would recover from a somewhat but not very late app more easily than someone with average stats, but everyone at the most competitive places has those stats and I still survived. If you don't get in, it won't be because your app wasn't submitted until August.

 

[bluepeach9]

I had a June mcat and then a dragging LOR that took a while to make me complete (August-September) and I interviewed at 10+ places including some very competitive ones. I only mention the competitiveness because one could say that people with fairly high stats would recover from a somewhat but not very late app more easily than someone with average stats, but everyone at the most competitive places has those stats and I still survived. If you don't get in, it won't be because your app wasn't submitted until August.

Wow that's great! Would you mind sharing your stats and schools accepted to? Were you URM or was there something really special about your app that most people don't have?

 

[bluepeach9]

Suboptimal but won't kill your chances

I see, I noticed you had a pretty good cycle! Would you mind sharing when you were complete by at most of these schools? Were there any schools where you were complete late August-September, but still got an II?

 

[whatsupdr]

Due to a late MCAT re-take I wasnt complete until early September. You just may get later invites which drags out the cycle.

 

[bluepeach9]

Due to a late MCAT re-take I wasnt complete until early September. You just may get later invites which drags out the cycle.

But you still managed to get interviews and acceptances though? May I ask when you retook the MCAT? And did the second retake pose a problem for admissions?

 

[whatsupdr]

But you still managed to get interviews and acceptances though?

Yes...but I had to wait until late in the cycle for an acceptance.

 

[bluepeach9]

Applying without a MCAT score is a dangerous risk; unforeseen circumstances for the most mundane of reason could come up and cause a disaster on test day.
Applying "late" (though July isnt that late) is also a unnecessary added factor.

What I suggest, though I am not a big fan of this tactic, is to apply early to a single school to get your transcripts verified. Once that happens any additional school you add will take one business day to transmit. Unlike others who suggest a "throwaway school" I would pick a "high reach" school, a place you would love to attend but dont think you have a good chance at unless you have a great MCAT and some luck. Who knows, you might get lucky. You can do the throwaway school instead and simply never fill out a secondary, thus avoiding that fee

Thanks gonnif! This is my plan…I plan to submit AMCAS early for sure and pre-write as I wait for my score. However, I think this might end up to being complete by late August (august 23-26th isn) Is that okay?

I'm an otherwise strong applicant who has already taken gap years, so I really don't want to wait another whole cycle because of this if I don't have to! Also, my choice of medical schools is flexible…I just want to get into an MD somewhere, preferably mid-tier (VCU, SLU, EVMS type is my goal really!)

 

[bluepeach9]

So by complete, you mean your primary will be verified, MCAT score available, and transmitted to the schools? Thats fine. Having secondaries and letters in by mid September is fine as well. Can I suggest you focus most of your energy in prepping for the MCAT and work on the applications after you have take that exam?

Yes, that's what I mean. Actually, my letters and transcripts are already in. I will hopefully submit my primary around June 20th, retake my MCAT July 22, and then pre-write all secondaries as I wait for my score. Then, when it comes out August 23rd, I should be complete with everything right? I will of course add the rest of my schools after receiving the second MCAT score.

Please let me know if you see any flaws in this plan! Thanks 🙂 it's just that the SDN hype has been really getting to me lately, and I feel discouraged that I'm not the "ideal, perfect" applicant who submits day 1

 

[Catalystik]

Yes, that's what I mean. Actually, my letters and transcripts are already in. I will hopefully submit my primary around June 20th, retake my MCAT July 22, and then pre-write all secondaries as I wait for my score. Then, when it comes out August 23rd, I should be complete with everything right? I will of course add the rest of my schools after receiving the second MCAT score.

Please let me know if you see any flaws in this plan! Thanks 🙂 it's just that the SDN hype has been really getting to me lately, and I feel discouraged that I'm not the "ideal, perfect" applicant who submits day 1

I am more conservative than gonnif, and still feel you'll be fine. My cutoff for "not late" is September 1, with Complete application and all supplemental information (Secondaries, photo, LORs, etc) sent in before that date. Note: where schools screen before offering a Secondary, you may not receive one before than date.

 

[claduva94]

I see, I noticed you had a pretty good cycle! Would you mind sharing when you were complete by at most of these schools? Were there any schools where you were complete late August-September, but still got an II?

I got everything in as early as I could. I was complete almost everywhere (including secondaries) by early August. But my MCAT was done by April. That is not something you want to rush. A good MCAT and a somewhat delayed app is far better than a bad MCAT and an early app. So you have to ask yourself how early you can take your MCAT and still get a good score.