Is submitting my application on August 22nd, 2016 too late?

[Naeu]

Hi All,

I was wondering if submitting my application on August 22nd is going to be too late to get a decent spot at a school. I will be taking my MCATs on July 22nd, but I already have my application verified, so when I get my score around the 22nd in August, it will automatically go out to the schools I have applied to.

Please let me know your opinions!

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[EaglesontheWarpath]

Depends on your state residence, stats, ec's, if you have a compelling reason for a specific school (e.g. the undergrad you attended has a medical school you want to go to). You need to take a long hard look at whether it is worth the risk of applying that late weighing the chances of getting in vs. being a reapplicant. Applying to med school is like being circumsized-you really only want to go through it once.

 

[TMC07]

Let's put it this way: I wouldn't want to be you. Does that answer your question?

 

[Meeehai]

Hi All,

I was wondering if submitting my application on August 22nd is going to be too late to get a decent spot at a school. I will be taking my MCATs on July 22nd, but I already have my application verified, so when I get my score around the 22nd in August, it will automatically go out to the schools I have applied to.

Please let me know your opinions!

No, you're fine. You want to apply as early as possible but in my opinion anything before September is good.

 

[FMDoge2020]

I think anytime before labor day would be okay.

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[doctorleospaceman]

Too late would be past a school's deadline. Though only submitting in August would be on the later side. Some people will have scheduled interviews by then.

Why the delay until August or better yet impatience towards waiting until next year? You dont want to be a reapplicant if you can avoid it.

 

[LizzyM]

If you are URM, a military veteran or have stats that would put you above the 90th percentile for the schools you are applying to, then late August is OK. A school will be saving an interview spot for an applicant like you. If you are an average applicant for that school, I do believe that not having everything including secondaries complete by Labor Day is too late. I tend to be more conservative in that regard while some other opinions you'll hear here will give you more latitude.

 

[040111333]

If you are URM, a military veteran or have stats that would put you above the 90th percentile for the schools you are applying to, then late August is OK. A school will be saving an interview spot for an applicant like you. If you are an average applicant for that school, I do believe that not having everything including secondaries complete by Labor Day is too late. I tend to be more conservative in that regard while some other opinions you'll hear here will give you more latitude.

OP would be complete by late August right? So this would be okay even if he/she were average and not one of the cases mentioned in your post?

 

[FMDoge2020]

If you are URM, a military veteran or have stats that would put you above the 90th percentile for the schools you are applying to, then late August is OK. A school will be saving an interview spot for an applicant like you. If you are an average applicant for that school, I do believe that not having everything including secondaries complete by Labor Day is too late. I tend to be more conservative in that regard while some other opinions you'll hear here will give you more latitude.

Since quite a few schools send out secondaries soon after you complete your primary, would it still be too late if Op submit the secondaries before Labor Day?

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[Chromium Surfer]

If you are URM, a military veteran or have stats that would put you above the 90th percentile for the schools you are applying to, then late August is OK. A school will be saving an interview spot for an applicant like you. If you are an average applicant for that school, I do believe that not having everything including secondaries complete by Labor Day is too late. I tend to be more conservative in that regard while some other opinions you'll hear here will give you more latitude.

For a URM with stats that are competitive relative to the national matriculant average rather than just their own race, would you recommend submitting an application at the conclusion of a prestigious summer internship program rather than at the beginning of the summer? Just wondering if it is more beneficial to have the activity completed and being able to describe it fully in the primary rather than just having it as entry with future hours and a projected description. Or is submitting in the middle of the summer when the activity is halfway done with a description of what has been accomplished the ideal medium? Thank you for your time!

 

[Goro]

This seems to be THE meme in the cycle this year. You're fine until after Labor Day for MD, and as late as T-giving for DO.

Hi All,

I was wondering if submitting my application on August 22nd is going to be too late to get a decent spot at a school. I will be taking my MCATs on July 22nd, but I already have my application verified, so when I get my score around the 22nd in August, it will automatically go out to the schools I have applied to.

Please let me know your opinions!

 

[LizzyM]

For a URM with stats that are competitive relative to the national matriculant average rather than just their own race, would you recommend submitting an application at the conclusion of a prestigious summer internship program rather than at the beginning of the summer? Just wondering if it is more beneficial to have the activity completed and being able to describe it fully in the primary rather than just having it as entry with future hours and a projected description. Or is submitting in the middle of the summer when the activity is halfway done with a description of what has been accomplished the ideal medium? Thank you for your time!

Earlier is always better. The committees will expect and save some interview slots for exceptional and highly desirable candidates who apply "late" (in my experience those candidates include veterans, URM and very high stats) but the rest of you are in the pool trying to get noticed and arriving late to the party makes it all the harder to impress anyone.

I'd submit the summer internship shortly after it begins rather than waiting to apply late. If you are late, I'm not reading your application until October and by then I've seen all the people who had planned to do those internships but applied before or shortly after they started the internships. At that point in October, I'm becoming jaded.

 

[bluepeach9]

Earlier is always better. The committees will expect and save some interview slots for exceptional and highly desirable candidates who apply "late" (in my experience those candidates include veterans, URM and very high stats) but the rest of you are in the pool trying to get noticed and arriving late to the party makes it all the harder to impress anyone.

I'd submit the summer internship shortly after it begins rather than waiting to apply late. If you are late, I'm not reading your application until October and by then I've seen all the people who had planned to do those internships but applied before or shortly after they started the internships. At that point in October, I'm becoming jaded.

What do you consider late for these type of applicants? (bolded above)

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Earlier is always better. The committees will expect and save some interview slots for exceptional and highly desirable candidates who apply "late" (in my experience those candidates include veterans, URM and very high stats) but the rest of you are in the pool trying to get noticed and arriving late to the party makes it all the harder to impress anyone.

I'd submit the summer internship shortly after it begins rather than waiting to apply late. If you are late, I'm not reading your application until October and by then I've seen all the people who had planned to do those internships but applied before or shortly after they started the internships. At that point in October, I'm becoming jaded.

Oh okay so even if you are URM with competitive stats the benefits to submitting early still outweigh waiting to submit after the conclusion of competitive summer internship. Plus you do not know how exceptional you are relative to others especially if you wait longer and adcoms are not as easily impressed later on, got it. If I missed anything else from your post please let me know, thanks for your input!

 

[LizzyM]

What do you consider late for these type of applicants? (bolded above)

I believe that having an application complete after Labor Day is late.

 

[QuestionsAnswers]

By the same token, is an application that is complete prior to mid-August early/on-time, or do you have be generally be complete prior to August to be early? Thanks.

 

[LizzyM]

To be early, I'd say you need to have your verified application transmitted on day 1 and turn around your supplemental within 7 days of receipt.

 

[QuestionsAnswers]

To be early, I'd say you need to have your verified application transmitted on day 1 and turn around your supplemental within 7 days of receipt.

Thank you. Do you feel that sending a letter separately from the committee letter is problematic? I ask because I have 3 academic LORs ready with my committee, and my committee letter is also likely complete, but I am waiting on a 4th LOR from my scribe job that is supposed to be ready next week.

The letter will then need to be sent by mail to the committee to either be just attached as part of the packet (if there is not enough time to update the committee letter) or I will need to send it separately through AMCAS (because it is a lot faster to have my recommender upload to interfolio and send directly to AMCAS then to snail mail the letter to my committee).

Would you suggest it would be better to send the letter along with the committee packet, even if it means my committee letter isn't uploaded until ~August 1st (vs. say, mid July), or would it be better have my committee upload the letter as-is now, and then send the scribe LOR through Interfolio -> AMCAS as an additional letter (meaning all my letters would be uploaded by around July 15th but I would have to send the 4th letter separate from the committee letter).

I submitted my AMCAS on 6/26 and if past years are any indication I'm expecting a verification date of around 7/18. Thank you.

 

[LizzyM]

Thank you. Do you feel that sending a letter separately from the committee letter is problematic? I ask because I have 3 academic LORs ready with my committee, and my committee letter is also likely complete, but I am waiting on a 4th LOR from my scribe job that is supposed to be ready next week.

The letter will then need to be sent by mail to the committee to either be just attached as part of the packet (if there is not enough time to update the committee letter) or I will need to send it separately through AMCAS (because it is a lot faster to have my recommender upload to interfolio and send directly to AMCAS then to snail mail the letter to my committee).

Would you suggest it would be better to send the letter along with the committee packet, even if it means my committee letter isn't uploaded until ~August 1st (vs. say, mid July), or would it be better have my committee upload the letter as-is now, and then send the scribe LOR through Interfolio -> AMCAS as an additional letter (meaning all my letters would be uploaded by around July 15th but I would have to send the 4th letter separate from the committee letter).

I submitted my AMCAS on 6/26 and if past years are any indication I'm expecting a verification date of around 7/18. Thank you.

I'd send the scribe letter separately, particularly if it is not REQUIRED by your committee in order to get a letter from them.

 

[QuestionsAnswers]

Thank you, that letter isn't required by the committee. So a gain of 1-3 weeks in having all my letters ready is the higher priority vs. sending only 1 letter packet. Will do, that should simplify things, thanks.

And just curious, how important do you think having a scribe LOR is if I already have 3 academic LORs? I am an older nontrad (stats are 3.89/515). I have been a scribe for a bit more than a year.

 

[LizzyM]

Thank you, that letter isn't required by the committee. So a gain of 1-3 weeks in having all my letters ready is the higher priority vs. sending only 1 letter packet. Will do, that should simplify things, thanks.

And just curious, how important do you think having a scribe LOR is if I already have 3 academic LORs? I am an older nontrad (stats are 3.89/515). I have been a scribe for a bit more than a year.

If you are employed f/t it is nice to have a letter from the employer but, obviously, some people don't ask for one because they are keeping information about their application and possible departure private.

 

[QuestionsAnswers]

Thanks. It sounds like then if I have 3 strong academic letters testifying to my academic abilities but also reliability, work ethic, etc. (because I worked on e.g., an independent research manuscript and some other things with one of my professors who wrote an LOR) it wouldn't necessarily be a big issue to not have an employer LOR then... I am pretty sure my scribe LOR writer will have the letter complete soon but I was just curious as this LOR is the only thing I'm still waiting on. Thank you again.

 

[MimiGH]

If you are URM, a military veteran or have stats that would put you above the 90th percentile for the schools you are applying to, then late August is OK. A school will be saving an interview spot for an applicant like you. If you are an average applicant for that school, I do believe that not having everything including secondaries complete by Labor Day is too late. I tend to be more conservative in that regard while some other opinions you'll hear here will give you more latitude.

@LizzyM , I am aware this post is more than 5 years old but it seems to be one that answers my question and calms my doubts. Does this response still hold true in 2021. I am a reapplicant and looking to submit an application soon. I have my essays written out, secondaries pre written and looking to take the MCAT late August. I am URM and using my FAP benefits to apply so I‘m not very much worried about the expenses ( a few have told me that apply late is just a waste of money). I look forward to your response! Thank you

 

[LizzyM]

You will be late. Obviously this is not your first MCAT so needing to retake will be held against you (unless your prior score has expired). You have a couple strikes against you (later than ideal, reapplicant, more than one MCAT) but you might be seen as worthy of one of the later interview slots being saved for strong candidates. Since the financial cost is low and you feel that you have the time to devote to this, you might as well go all in. Good luck!

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

@LizzyM is submitting secondaries by August 21st too late? I have sent in about 30 secondaries right now but I don’t have any II so clearly I need to add some more. I was thinking about adding 25 more but I’m a bit burnt out and I have 3 superdays over the next few weeks. Will it be too late if I submit secondaries by Aug. 21 or even 31.

Im worried because when I applied previously, I had about 4 IIs by the end of July but now I have none. Also I previously got the UCSF/LA secondaries but haven’t got them this time. I listened to a podcast yesterday in which a Dean was talking about red flags. He said some Adcoms throw apps in the trash while others give people a second chance. So I need to apply to a broad range of schools.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Thanks!

 

[LizzyM]

@LizzyM is submitting secondaries by August 21st too late? I have sent in about 30 secondaries right now but I don’t have any II so clearly I need to add some more. I was thinking about adding 25 more but I’m a bit burnt out and I have 3 superdays over the next few weeks. Will it be too late if I submit secondaries by Aug. 21 or even 31.

Im worried because when I applied previously, I had about 4 IIs by the end of July but now I have none. Also I previously got the UCSF/LA secondaries but haven’t got them this time. I listened to a podcast yesterday in which a Dean was talking about red flags. He said some Adcoms throw apps in the trash while others give people a second chance. So I need to apply to a broad range of schools.

first off, by my calendar, it is not yet the end of July. So, some interview invites might be coming in the next 11 days. Second, you should have primary verified, secondary submitted and letters of recommendation in your file by Labor Day. I don't know about every school but I know that the person who handles interview schedules at my school is out enjoying the sun and surf at the moment so I wouldn't expect interview invites to be headed your way for a few weeks.

Unless your list is very bad (poorly targeted)I highly doubt that you need 25 more schools beyond the 30 you've already applied to.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

My list is 10 T20s, 10 mid tier, 3 state schools, 2 low yield
I have had a pretty rough time deciding on which schools because I have high stats (521/3.99) but also a pretty glaring red flag. So I didn’t know whether to apply to schools that are in my stats range or schools that are more mid tier and possibly willing to overlook the flag for the stats

 

[LizzyM]

Did you have the same stats and red flag the last time you applied?
How many times did you take the MCAT? Is the 521 your only score or your best score?
Is the red flag an IA that involves lying, cheating or stealing?
Does the red flag involve a criminal record or Title IX violation?
How many schools that you interviewed at previously are in that 2022 group of 25?

DM me if you don't want to answer publicly.