How to decide schools when no MCAT

[whateva07]

Ok so I'm taking my mcat on june 13, and I will send in my app asap (june 4 is the date I believe)...should I pick some schools now, and then add some later when I know my score...what should I do?

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[neuro1617]

Pick some now based on the rest of your app-a good range of schools & add some after you get your scores.

 

[whateva07]

what would u say is a good number...ill definately put down state schools

 

[Vihsadas]

Just apply broadly, to the top and the bottom. A good number of schools is probably about 15-20. 30 is a lot and 10 is a small number.

 

[flip26]

What is your GPA?

 

[Jolie South]

estimate your score based on what your practice scores were. i thought i did horribly on the actual MCAT, but it turned out better than my practices.

anyways, 15-20 is probably a good number and make 80% of those schools with similar stats to yours. add a few "safeties" and a few reaches.

OR

you could always submit your app with only one school selected and add the rest once your score comes in. that way if you bomb (god forbid), you aren't out a lot of money either.

 

[whateva07]

These are my mcat scores...

Kap Diag: P8 V7 B7 = 22
Kap FL#1: P9 V8 B9 = 26
Kap FL#2: P11 V8 B9 = 28
Kap FL#3: P9 V9 B6 = 24
AAMC 4: P12 V11 B8 = 31
Kap FL#5: P11 V9 B11 = 31
Kap FL#4: P12 V9 B11 = 32
AAMC 5: P11 V10 B8 = 29
Kap FL#6: P10 V7 B11 = 28
AAMC 6: P10 V10 B10 = 30
Kap FL #7: P10 V11 B9 = 30


My gpa is 3.63 in engineering.

 

[Law2Doc]

Ok so I'm taking my mcat on june 13, and I will send in my app asap (june 4 is the date I believe)...should I pick some schools now, and then add some later when I know my score...what should I do?

You won't be that late an applicant waiting to send your app until July. That's still early. Since your practice scores were a range, I personally would sit tight and not submit anything until you see. ie don't send anything on June 4, send stuff mid July when you hear. Because if you have an off day, and score low 20s like some of your earlier full lengths, you are going to want to hold off on this cycle and not doom yourself to being a reapplicant. My advice would be different if you were taking an August or later MCAT. But for a June MCAT, you are still going to be in the early half of applicants if you wait for the scores. Have everything to go, but just don't submit until you get the results and they are adequate.

 

[flip26]

These are my mcat scores...

Kap Diag: P8 V7 B7 = 22
Kap FL#1: P9 V8 B9 = 26
Kap FL#2: P11 V8 B9 = 28
Kap FL#3: P9 V9 B6 = 24
AAMC 4: P12 V11 B8 = 31
Kap FL#5: P11 V9 B11 = 31
Kap FL#4: P12 V9 B11 = 32
AAMC 5: P11 V10 B8 = 29
Kap FL#6: P10 V7 B11 = 28
AAMC 6: P10 V10 B10 = 30
Kap FL #7: P10 V11 B9 = 30


My gpa is 3.63 in engineering.

Apply to all the low tier and unranked schools you can find, plus your state schools...say around 10 - 15 schools...if you come in with say a 35+ on the MCAT, have about 5 schools from the top 30 USNWR rankings ready to go...

 

[Law2Doc]

..if you come in with say a 35+ on the MCAT, have about 5 schools from the top 30 USNWR rankings ready to go...

Just bear in mind that historically/statistically the vast majority of people score within 3 points above or below the average of their last several full lengths. So coming in running a 29-30 average, the OP is most likely going to score between 26 and 33. I wouldn't spend too much time focusing on what s/he will do if s/he scores a 35+ until it happens. It's sort of like figuring how you would spend winnings if you won the lottery. Best to be more grounded.

 

[wally47]

Why don't you just wait? The schools won't review your primaries until they have your MCAT score so applying June 4th is going to give you no advantage. They won't review your app until July 13th(1 month after MCAT) so just wait and make the choices when you have the score. If you are seriously bored you could make up some lists of schools that you would apply to if you got a 26. Then make a different list of schools if you get a 28 and so on... This way come July 13th you can just fill in and hit submit! Not to mention submitting a complete application July 13th versus June 4th probably wouldn't even matter. You would still get the same interviews.

 

[Laker4Life]

WAIT and SAVE $$$.

 

[flip26]

Just bear in mind that historically/statistically the vast majority of people score within 3 points above or below the average of their last several full lengths. So coming in running a 29-30 average, the OP is most likely going to score between 26 and 33. I wouldn't spend too much time focusing on what s/he will do if s/he scores a 35+ until it happens. It's sort of like figuring how you would spend winnings if you won the lottery. Best to be more grounded.

Did you read my post? I advised that he apply to 10+ low tier / unranked schools - i.e., the worst case, and then suggested that once he gets his MCAT back, and if he has a 35+, THEN to apply to maybe 5 more schools from the Top 30...

Granted, if he scores a 26 or 27, he is going to be in trouble. But if he scores a 28 - 30 and applies to nothing but unranked schools as I suggested, he will at least be applying to the schools he has a shot at, and will have gotten his app in early...

Chances are this person is going to do what they all do - he will spend an eternity looking over the USNWR Top 20, figuring out his "dream" schools, and will spend about 5 minutes figuring out where he really needs to be applying...