How long does it take to get secondaries after submitting primaries

[630670]

As the thread title states, how long does it usually take for med schools to send out their secondaries once you have submitted the initial application?

I want to know just because I'm planning on leaving the country for about a month and I don't want to be caught outside the country, unable to reply to med schools while I get secondaries. I'll be leaving around july until august, but the dates are slightly tentative.

Thanks for all the responses, and good luck to everyone applying, hoping for acceptances and taking the mcat.

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[dajimmers]

If you (as you should) submit primaries before your trip, you'll probably start getting secondaries in July. In my experience, some schools responded within two weeks of getting the primary (as in after AMCAS was processed), and some sat on them for a month or two, even though they were a non-screening school.

If you get your secondaries done as soon as you get back, you'll still be "early" and fine for the rolling schools. Only problem may be schools w/ assigned "deadlines" (Northwestern, for instance), but you can most likely get by this with an explanatory statement when you get back that you've been out of the country and needed to be late. They'll probably like to see that you were broadening your horizons or something anyways.

 

[ND2005]

If you get your secondaries done as soon as you get back, you'll still be "early" and fine for the rolling schools. Only problem may be schools w/ assigned "deadlines" (Northwestern, for instance), but you can most likely get by this with an explanatory statement when you get back that you've been out of the country and needed to be late. They'll probably like to see that you were broadening your horizons or something anyways.

One these lines, I would contact the schools before leaving, not after. When you submit your AMCAS, just go down the line and call the admissions offices at your schools and explain the situation. They will be much friendlier about granting an extension on their "deadline" if you inform them of your plans before the fact.

 

[NoSoupforYou13]

Also, almost all of the secondaries are electronic (either web submission or .pdf download). Consequently, as long as you have access to internet you should be fine.

 

[630670]

Thanks for all the great responses, I really appreciate it.

Also, almost all of the secondaries are electronic (either web submission or .pdf download). Consequently, as long as you have access to internet you should be fine.

Unfortunately, I will be visiting some pretty impoverished areas that may not even have running water, let alone internet, so I prolly wont have internet access until I get back.

I guess I will contact all the admissions dept. of schools with deadlines and let them know my circumstances and plead for an extension. I just hope that my delay in secondaries, won't decrease my chances of getting in, since most med schools have rolling admissions....

Thanks again everyone