Is it a big difference if I submit my application on July 1st rather then June 1

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

GomerPyle

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
710
Reaction score
96
Are you at a big disadvantage if you submit your application late june/early july to somebody with the same stats who applied on june 1st? What if the applicant who applied later had a 1-2 point higher mcat score?
 
Are you at a big disadvantage if you submit your application late june/early july to somebody with the same stats who applied on june 1st? What if the applicant who applied later had a 1-2 point higher mcat score?

I've heard it's always best to apply early and broadly. I would say, though, that it's good to have your ducks in a row, so if you need that extra month to make sure everything is in order, take it.
 
Submit within the first week of June. I believe there's a spot on AMCAS to list any upcoming dates you plan on taking the MCAT. Although it might take a bit longer for the school to review your file, trust me, it takes time for AMCAS to process your application, transcripts, etc. That way, even if you don't do better on the MCAT, you'll still have a headstart over other applicants who decided to submit in July.
 
Really doesn't make that much of a difference, but it's best to have your transcripts and what not sent in as early as possible since that is often the bottleneck in the process. Also, have your LOR writers ready to go
 
Are you asking this because you plan on taking the MCAT at a later date? If so,

Better to submit later if you can get the extra 2 points. One month, when it's this early in the game, does not make a difference. This is the general thought process in my eyes:

Basically, you want to take the MCAT when you are ready. So if that means you are going to be ready near the start of application submission, then that's when you take it. Now, you can do what CuttingCorneas has said, and submit your application in June and yes, you can list future test dates, so that the processing is done. This will speed things up. You will have to select one school you want to submit to and then you can add all the other schools after you get your score. This way, if you decide you're not going to apply, you won't have wasted additional money. If you don't have the money to spare to pay for a primary that you may withdraw due to a low score, then just wait. It's not going to be that much extra time.
 
Yeah, I am trying to take the MCAT on May 24th, and then after the MCAT begin writing my personal statement which should take me 2-3 weeks. I hope to have sent my transcripts in May and have all my LOR's ready, so my full application wont be ready till mid-June, and then MCAT scores wont come till June 26.
 
Yeah, I am trying to take the MCAT on May 24th, and then after the MCAT begin writing my personal statement which should take me 2-3 weeks. I hope to have sent my transcripts in May and have all my LOR's ready, so my full application wont be ready till mid-June, and then MCAT scores wont come till June 26.
Write your PS early, then you can hit the submit button the day the app opens. You need to make sure your PS is polished, but it won't take 2-3 weeks of constant work by any means. You would have plenty of time to write and polish it even while studying for the MCAT. Other than that, sounds good, :luck:
 
I believe there's a spot on AMCAS to list any upcoming dates you plan on taking the MCAT.
g.php
 
If this worries you I foresee a terrible life for you
 
Write your PS early, then you can hit the submit button the day the app opens. You need to make sure your PS is polished, but it won't take 2-3 weeks of constant work by any means. You would have plenty of time to write and polish it even while studying for the MCAT. Other than that, sounds good, :luck:

Well I am starting my physician shadowing right now (shadowing 5 doctors), and I am also starting a volunteering program that will give me a lot of patient contact experience. I want to be able to write about these experiences in my personal statement, so I would have to wait till later anyways. Well, we will see.
 
Well I am starting my physician shadowing right now (shadowing 5 doctors), and I am also starting a volunteering program that will give me a lot of patient contact experience. I want to be able to write about these experiences in my personal statement, so I would have to wait till later anyways. Well, we will see.

Sounds like you're a last minute kind of person.

Submit as early as possible. Submitting July 1 means about four to six weeks of waiting for it to complete and for you to receive secondaries. Submitting June 1 means a few hours of waiting.
 
Yeah, I am trying to take the MCAT on May 24th, and then after the MCAT begin writing my personal statement which should take me 2-3 weeks. I hope to have sent my transcripts in May and have all my LOR's ready, so my full application wont be ready till mid-June, and then MCAT scores wont come till June 26.
I agree with theseeker4. Honestly, the PS does not take all that long. Yes, some people spend months on it, but you can get it done in less than 2-3 weeks.

What you should do, as mentioned above, is write your PS, get your recs ready, put in all your EC, grades, etc into the app. When you are able to submit (can't remember - is that June 1?), go ahead and submit and choose to send the app to the school you are least interested in (or where you are least likely to get accepted). When you get your MCAT score back, if you feel it is satisfactory, add your other schools to your app. By the time you get your MCAT score back, your app should be verified or almost verified and you'll be on track time-wise.

BTW, if you decide to do what you mentioned above, you'll probably still be fine. Submitting July 1 does not necessarily mean 4-6 weeks wait. It wasn't that way this season (to my knowledge).
 
Sounds like you're a last minute kind of person.

Submit as early as possible. Submitting July 1 means about four to six weeks of waiting for it to complete and for you to receive secondaries. Submitting June 1 means a few hours of waiting.

Sorry for the newbie question, but what is the 4-6 week wait about? And why is it 4-6 weeks in July and few hours in June?
 
Sorry for the newbie question, but what is the 4-6 week wait about? And why is it 4-6 weeks in July and few hours in June?

Backlog of applications, since a person from AMCAS has to go through each application to verify its contents.
 
If possible, I would suggest that you write as much of your PS as you can now, and then add to it when you have shadowing experience. However, I really don't think submitting on July 1st will have a significant impact on your application.

For what it's worth: I didn't submit my primary app until July 13th, it was verified on the morning of August 15th, and I didn't start submitting secondaries until early September (I was on vacation during the second half of August). I finished the entire process by September 20something and didn't hear anything from any schools until late October.

I don't think submitting mine earlier would've made much of a difference overall, BUT I wish I had submitted it earlier because then I wouldn't have to wait so long to hear back from schools. The two months spent anxiously waiting were hellish :scared:
 
From my experience in applications: DO NOT WAIT. You want to be the first through the gates. You're still 5 or so months out, plenty of time to get everything squared up.

As you're gearing up to do this, make sure you have a transcript nearby for entering course work (it's likely you can get an unoffical one pretty quick online). I found this more tedious/obnoxious than writing the PS. And as far as PS writing goes - I tried not to dwell on it too hard to avoid going neurotic & overanalyzing each period. Give it its due time & credit, just don't go psychotic writing that perfect, Shakespearian personal statement...
 
Are you at a big disadvantage if you submit your application late june/early july to somebody with the same stats who applied on june 1st? What if the applicant who applied later had a 1-2 point higher mcat score?

It shouldn't be too much of a difference. If you can score 2 points higher, then the 1 month difference is fine. You can still get in the secondaries by August. Then you can start interviewing in September. Make sure that everything else is taken care of too, such as letters of recommendation.
 
It shouldn't be too much of a difference. If you can score 2 points higher, then the 1 month difference is fine. You can still get in the secondaries by August. Then you can start interviewing in September. Make sure that everything else is taken care of too, such as letters of recommendation.

You have to make sure you are motivated enough to handle the crush of secondaries you'll get in august and finish them all in a month. This is more difficult than it sounds. You have to prewrite or dedicate full time.
 
Last edited:
Dang, some of you are scaring me. I will just write my personal statement piece by piece and have everything but my mcat score submitted June 1st (I can do that right?).
 
Top