Is January 2018 too late to take the MCAT for the Fall 2018 DO cycle?

[TragicalDrFaust]

I searched and couldn't find anything specific to DO school. I'm currently a senior. I recently switched from pre-pharmacy to pre-DO. If it takes about a month to release the scores, my application would be complete just days before the March DO school deadlines. Obviously it's not ideal but I'm trying to avoid taking a 4th gap year (I took three years off for financial reasons after my freshman year). Is this feasible? I have everything else in line for the application: GPA, LOR, scribing, volunteer hours.

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[Served]

If you take the MCAT in January, your score will come out in February. By then, most schools already have a very good idea of who they're getting for the entering class. It's definitely a gamble even if you do exceptional on your MCAT. Taking another gap year and applying early the next cycle can save you the money and stress, and can strengthen your application.

 

[IslandStyle808]

No its not. To give you and idea, in one of my cycles I applied in August and got some interviews in February. I was pretty much interviewing for waitlist spots at that point....

(My stats were low though FYI)

 

[SLU Student]

If you are applying to matriculate fall 2018, then yes it is too late.

Also, most schools do not even accept a January MCAT for the previous year's cycle if it is your first time taking it.

 

[workaholic181]

I searched and couldn't find anything specific to DO school. I'm currently a senior. I recently switched from pre-pharmacy to pre-DO. If it takes about a month to release the scores, my application would be complete just days before the March DO school deadlines. Obviously it's not ideal but I'm trying to avoid taking a 4th gap year (I took three years off for financial reasons after my freshman year). Is this feasible? I have everything else in line for the application: GPA, LOR, scribing, volunteer hours.

It's absolutely too late. Do yourself a favor and apply early for the Fall 2019 cycle. You'll thank yourself later!

 

[Goro]

I searched and couldn't find anything specific to DO school. I'm currently a senior. I recently switched from pre-pharmacy to pre-DO. If it takes about a month to release the scores, my application would be complete just days before the March DO school deadlines. Obviously it's not ideal but I'm trying to avoid taking a 4th gap year (I took three years off for financial reasons after my freshman year). Is this feasible? I have everything else in line for the application: GPA, LOR, scribing, volunteer hours.

Yes, too late. By March, at best, you'd interviewing for a spot on a wait list.

 

[ortnakas]

MIGHT work, but probably too late.

The deadline may be March, but with rolling admissions, you're almost definitely interviewing for waitlists if they even bother processing new applications in late February. Save the cash and apply with a strong early application next cycle. No, you won't be "old."

 

[814965]

Why apply super late this cycle when you could wait just four more months and apply super early next cycle?

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

Why apply super late this cycle when you could wait just four more months and apply super early next cycle?

Well said phantom. In case anyone's curious, I decided to wait partially on the advice of this forum and partially due my health professions committee's refusal to send letters of recommendation unless the candidate has a proper application put together a year prior to application cycle.

 

[ReapPremed]

Yes, too late. By March, at best, you'd interviewing for a spot on a wait list.

Do schools actually invite people to interview specifically for spots on the waitlist? Judging by some of your remarks in other threads it sounded like everyone invited is interviewing for a spot, and is ranked, and if they don't make the cut the committee moves and interviews more people.

Is this something specific to the end of the cycle and late interviews?

 

[Goro]

Do schools actually invite people to interview specifically for spots on the waitlist? Judging by some of your remarks in other threads it sounded like everyone invited is interviewing for a spot, and is ranked, and if they don't make the cut the committee moves and interviews more people.

Is this something specific to the end of the cycle and late interviews?

By the end of the interview season are classes mostly full and we rationed spots we give the seat to the best of the best of the interviewees and everybody else goes on the waitlist.

So unless you're a shining Superstar at that interview in the end of April, you will likely end up on the waitlist.

Hence it would be better if you wait for the June start of the new app cycle and apply fresh