June MCAT or later?

[chunkyfilms]

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I'm planning on studying from January up until the June 1st MCAT. Scores would be released on July 2nd. I think I want to give myself more time to study but I'm worried about applying too late. Would a July MCAT with an August release date be too late? Is applying in August too late? If my studying goes better than I expect I could schedule an earlier MCAT date.

 

[jarednogeek]

It is not too “late” but not early. The earlier you apply the better your chances. However do not rush your MCAT and get a low score. 7 months is a long time for MCAT prep, what’s your plan? Usually 3 months is sufficient.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I took it June 30. Didn’t hurt me.

 

[chunkyfilms]

It is not too “late” but not early. The earlier you apply the better your chances. However do not rush your MCAT and get a low score. 7 months is a long time for MCAT prep, what’s your plan? Usually 3 months is sufficient.

I'm starting with Chemistry first because it's my weakest subject. I bought all of the TBR review books over the summer and I'm going to use the Kaplan website videos to supplement. I don't want to rush it because I want to score high on it. I think a slow and steady plan would work best for me. I'm volunteering at the food bank and shadowing a physician currently. I'm starting hospital volunteering, shadowing, and research within the next few weeks.

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[chunkyfilms]

I took it June 30. Didn’t hurt me.

That means you applied in late July or early August?

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

That means you applied in late July or early August?

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I submitted my primary when it opened. But I got secondaries after my MCAT score was out at the end of July and was complete at all my schools in August.

 

[chunkyfilms]

I submitted my primary when it opened. But I got secondaries after my MCAT score was out at the end of July and was complete at all my schools in August.

Would I be late in the next cycle if I wait for my MCAT score to be released in August before submitting anything? I don't want to submit anything before my score in case I don't do well.

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Would I be late in the next cycle if I wait for my MCAT score to be released in August before submitting anything? I don't want to submit anything before my score in case I don't do well.

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I used to not think so, but all my friends whose results came out in August or September still got interviews—but they were for December and January.

 

[chunkyfilms]

I used to not think so, but all my friends whose results came out in August or September still got interviews—but they were for December and January.

December and January don't sound bad for interview dates. Is it better to get earlier interviews or would you be forced to make an early choice for a school before you get all of your other decisions?

I don't know if you can answer this for me, but is it better to start studying the subject you're worst at or to start with what you're better at?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

December and January don't sound bad for interview dates. Is it better to get earlier interviews or would you be forced to make an early choice for a school before you get all of your other decisions?

I don't know if you can answer this for me, but is it better to start studying the subject you're worst at or to start with what you're better at?

They aren't bad, particularly this year where a lot of schools have been WLing most applicants because of the traffic rules change (no acceptance report this year). You aren't forced to make any choice other than whether to put down the $100 deposit or not, but that's refundable, so it's not much of a risk. I just think interviewing earlier and getting accepted earlier takes a lot of the stress out of the cycle.

As for which subject to start studying first, you should really be doing content review for all of them. The subjects you need a lot of work at should just get more time. That's how I did it, anyway.

 

[OchemOficionado]

Would I be late in the next cycle if I wait for my MCAT score to be released in August before submitting anything? I don't want to submit anything before my score in case I don't do well.

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I think you will be late if you don’t even submit your primary to be verified until August. You can simply apply to a single school you don’t think you’ll have a shot at, maybe Harvard, in June just to be verified. That way when your score comes you can add schools and have it get to them the next day, instead of delaying it by several weeks possibly if you aren’t verified. You could also submit while you wait for your score, just be sure to get your PS done now.

I submitted in June, got my MCAT score in Sept, II in Oct, Nov and Dec. with my first acceptance in Nov. It can be done, but of course, the earlier the better.

 

[chunkyfilms]

They aren't bad, particularly this year where a lot of schools have been WLing most applicants because of the traffic rules change (no acceptance report this year). You aren't forced to make any choice other than whether to put down the $100 deposit or not, but that's refundable, so it's not much of a risk. I just think interviewing earlier and getting accepted earlier takes a lot of the stress out of the cycle.

As for which subject to start studying first, you should really be doing content review for all of them. The subjects you need a lot of work at should just get more time. That's how I did it, anyway.

This is good to know. I've read that the DO schools deposits cost thousands of dollars and are nonrefundable.

So I should alternate between the subjects instead of going on by one?

 

[chunkyfilms]

I think you will be late if you don’t even submit your primary to be verified until August. You can simply apply to a single school you don’t think you’ll have a shot at, maybe Harvard, in June just to be verified. That way when your score comes you can add schools and have it get to them the next day, instead of delaying it by several weeks possibly if you aren’t verified. You could also submit while you wait for your score, just be sure to get your PS done now.

I submitted in June, got my MCAT score in Sept, II in Oct, Nov and Dec. with my first acceptance in Nov. It can be done, but of course, the earlier the better.

What if submit my primary to Harvard, get my MCAT score in August, but then choose not apply until 2020? Will I be considered a re-applicant?

 

[OchemOficionado]

What if submit my primary to Harvard, get my MCAT score in August, but then choose not apply until 2020? Will I be considered a re-applicant?

At Harvard. Not sure if it counts if you don’t submit the secondary, but just to be safe I’d guess yes.

 

[chunkyfilms]

@Goro @LizzyM

 

[Goro]

I'm planning on studying from January up until the June 1st MCAT. Scores would be released on July 2nd. I think I want to give myself more time to study but I'm worried about applying too late. Would a July MCAT with an August release date be too late? Is applying in August too late? If my studying goes better than I expect I could schedule an earlier MCAT date.

August is not late

 

[LizzyM]

It depends on how you are going to use your time... will you begin writing the AMCAS application while you are studying for the MCAT or will you begin that process after you take the MCAT but before scores come out? My rule is that everything including AMCAS verification, secondaries and letters of recommendation should be in by Labor Day (first Monday in September). Work backward from that date to figure out how to manage things.

Do consider that writing your personal statement, experience statements, secondary essays and so forth will take time.

 

[chunkyfilms]

August is not late

I know that everything should be in by Thanksgiving for DO. Is it late for MD?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

This is good to know. I've read that the DO schools deposits cost thousands of dollars and are nonrefundable.

So I should alternate between the subjects instead of going on by one?

The DO deposits are absurdly expensive, so yes you would see that problem with DO schools.

I made time for all of them daily. I set goals for what I wanted to cover for each subject and then adjusted my calendar accordingly if I didn’t hit it in one of the subjects.

 

[Goro]

I know that everything should be in by Thanksgiving for DO. Is it late for MD?

Yes. Labor Day to mid September is my cutoff for MD schools

 

[chunkyfilms]

It depends on how you are going to use your time... will you begin writing the AMCAS application while you are studying for the MCAT or will you begin that process after you take the MCAT but before scores come out? My rule is that everything including AMCAS verification, secondaries and letters of recommendation should be in by Labor Day (first Monday in September). Work backward from that date to figure out how to manage things.

Do consider that writing your personal statement, experience statements, secondary essays and so forth will take time.

Thank you for the Labor Day (9/2/19)deadline. That helps me map out everything much better. I have a Personal Statement written but I am still having it edited by my pre-med advisor. I will then look for more people to read the final version. I have two recommendation letters completed and uploaded onto Interfolio. One is from my physics professor and the other is from my statistics professor (psychology department). I have asked for and received confirmation from a psychology professor and a gender studies professor over the summer. I told them that I am still working on my Personal Statement so I think that it what they are still waiting on. I will probably have to look for another science professor because I don't know if my psych stats letter will count for the science letters. It doesn't count for DO schools.

 

[LizzyM]

I know that everything should be in by Thanksgiving for DO. Is it late for MD?

Everything should be in by Labor Day for MD.