Is it to late for me to apply for Fall 2021 if I haven't taken the MCAT?

[kcha95]

Long story short I am entering my last year of PharmD. I will graduate in May of 2021. I completed a pre-medical minor along the way to ensure that I would meet the minimum course requirements for most schools. Right now I have a 3.88 with only 4 course remaining. Last summer I started preparing for the MCAT but unfortunately I was not able to fully commit to the exam at the time. In total I have studied for about 1 month. However, I am now in a position where I can dedicate the majority of my time to preparing for and taking the MCAT. Would it still be possible for me to apply for the Fall 2021 semester, or should I spend more time preparing?

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[Goro]

Take it in Aug and you're not too late.

For DO, even Oct is fine.

It's a premed delusion that you have to have everything ready on 6/1.

 

[kcha95]

Take it in Aug and you're not too late.

For DO, even Oct is fine.

It's a premed delusion that you have to have everything ready on 6/1.

Thanks so much for the reply. I'm over here freaking myself out!

So should I fill out the AMCAS application and wait until I have my MCAT score to submit? I have heard the sooner you apply the better, but with that said is there a particular time point after which it is no longer worth applying?

 

[kcha95]

It sounds like you are rushing this whole process and that is much more risk than the MCAT. Do you understand what you will need to be a successful applicant?

I'm not sure how to best answer your question. I purposefully left out a lot of information about myself to make my original post a quick read.

I have gone through the MSAR and ranked the schools that I plan to apply to based on my currently available stats, cost, and location. I have ensured that I currently meet all course requirements for the schools that I plan to apply to. I am comfortable with my GPA and have a decent amount of work, research, and volunteer experience. I know that going forward I will be required to complete the AMCAS application and secondary applications. I know that this will also involve multiple letters of recommendation and a personal statement. Luckily I have lined up letters of recommendation. The personal statement will take me some time. But right now my major concern is the MCAT. I'd rather not rush as well, but I was hoping to start in Fall 2021.

I see that MCAT testing will reopen for registration on May 7th and offer exams from May 29th to September 28th. I feel that I could prepare all of the application materials and take the MCAT within this time window. Obviously this doesn't leave me the opportunity to retake the MCAT if needed, and I would be working against the clock. If it is reasonable possible I would like to make the attempt. Although I understand it may be beneficial to take a gap year (which I am not fully opposed too). However, I was wondering at what time point it would no longer be recommended to apply in a given cycle. Hope that makes sense.

 

[squids82]

I could be wrong on this front but I would be prepared to answer why you pursued a PharmD if you weren't going to use it

 

[Goro]

I'm not sure how to best answer your question. I purposefully left out a lot of information about myself to make my original post a quick read.

I have gone through the MSAR and ranked the schools that I plan to apply to based on my currently available stats, cost, and location. I have ensured that I currently meet all course requirements for the schools that I plan to apply to. I am comfortable with my GPA and have a decent amount of work, research, and volunteer experience. I know that going forward I will be required to complete the AMCAS application and secondary applications. I know that this will also involve multiple letters of recommendation and a personal statement. Luckily I have lined up letters of recommendation. The personal statement will take me some time. But right now my major concern is the MCAT. I'd rather not rush as well, but I was hoping to start in Fall 2021.

I see that MCAT testing will reopen for registration on May 7th and offer exams from May 29th to September 28th. I feel that I could prepare all of the application materials and take the MCAT within this time window. Obviously this doesn't leave me the opportunity to retake the MCAT if needed, and I would be working against the clock. If it is reasonable possible I would like to make the attempt. Although I understand it may be beneficial to take a gap year (which I am not fully opposed too). However, I was wondering at what time point it would no longer be recommended to apply in a given cycle. Hope that makes sense.

You take the mCAT when you are 100% ready for it, and apply when you have the best possible app.

In looking over MSAR did you pay very careful attention to OOS public schools's OOS vs IS ratios for apps, interviews and matriculants?

 

[kcha95]

I could be wrong on this front but I would be prepared to answer why you pursued a PharmD if you weren't going to use it

You're not wrong! I avoided addressing that here; but boy has this already come up a ton. With that said I have had a lot of time to think of what I would say if this came up in an interview. I did plan on using my degree when I began the program, I stayed because it made sense for me.

 

[kcha95]

prepared to talk about it? it is a very large hurdle as it brings up issue of motivation and commitment. Not too mention if PharmD is the only degree, at most schools a waiver would be required for lack of a bachelors.

1) Is your goal to get into medical school or to get into medical school quickly?
2) The majority of applicants, 60%, get rejected with another 20% getting a single acceptance, even with applying to 15 schools on average. I advise all applicants, from the moment they submit AMCAS, assume that they will be a reapplicant
3) at any individual school, at least 80% of applicants must be rejected pre interview simply due to finite interview slots.
4) you are going to try and complete primary and secondaries (which are time consuming enough) while also preparing the MCAT.
5) This year is already completely out of anything near normal

I understand that I will need to defend my choice of pursuing a PharmD, but why do you see this as a very large hurdle? I truly feel that there are also many benefits.

My goal is to get into medical school. Thank you for these statistics, they are humbling for sure.

 

[kcha95]

You take the mCAT when you are 100% ready for it, and apply when you have the best possible app.

In looking over MSAR did you pay very careful attention to OOS public schools's OOS vs IS ratios for apps, interviews and matriculants?

Yes I did.