Late Application or wait a year?

[mzblue]

I've had some issues get in my way of studying for the MCAT. Currently, i'm scheduled to take it september. Is is worth submitting an app in october.
Basic info: i'm nontrad (26), 3.96+ GPA, 4.0 Sci GPA. ECs: Leadership, volunteering, shadowed back when i was a bio major. RN now so haven't really done any shadowing since graduating. Research: 9months at NIH in bethesda, no publications. Have 2 nonscience publications which i'm sure is irrelevant to med schools. Lots and lots of awards and honors including one from the Maryland's governor though i don't intend to apply to Univ of Maryland. I wanna get out of here.

Is it worth applying with a late score or should i wait till next year so i can reapply early. If i'm gonna have to wait till next year, i've a feeling i'll push my exam to next year. I've only studied hard core since july. Did some sporadic studying earlier during the year but research at the NIH demanded so much of my time and I had other personal things get in the way.
I'd appreciate any help. I'm just confused right now.
Thanks

 

[NuttyEngDude]

if you are scoring well on the practice exams then you'd probably get in somewhere, but with those stats (assuming good mcat score to get in somewhere late), i'd probably just wait a year. i think edlongshanks got in pretty late in the cycle (like november) into a DO with a very high gpa and 33 mcat.

but if you are thinking of really destroying the mcat, then why not wait and do it, then apply?

 

[mzblue]

if you are scoring well on the practice exams then you'd probably get in somewhere, but with those stats (assuming good mcat score to get in somewhere late), i'd probably just wait a year. i think edlongshanks got in pretty late in the cycle (like november) into a DO with a very high gpa and 33 mcat.

but if you are thinking of really destroying the mcat, then why not wait and do it, then apply?

Thanks for your suggestion. Are my stats bad? You've got me puzzled. I don't intend to apply DO because i want to work outside of this country. My intial plan was to take the mcat summer 2010 and apply summer 2011 and somehow, it's summer 2011 and i've yet to take the exam. I started the amcas app in june but i haven't even filled in my courses. All i've sent in is my transcripts. I think i'm only pushing to do it this year because that was my original plan and also i'm getting older. i really want to get out of med school no later than 31. but i get stuff happens.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Are my stats bad?

lol?

3.96+ GPA, 4.0 Sci GPA. ECs: Leadership, volunteering, shadowed back when i was a bio major. RN now so haven't really done any shadowing since graduating. Research: 9months at NIH in bethesda, no publications. Have 2 nonscience publications which i'm sure is irrelevant to med schools.

your stats are great! i was saying that i would just wait and kill the mcat to cement your app. but if you're in a hurry, then you can prob make it somewhere (and i listed someone who made it in somewhere with also a high gpa). good luck!

 

[mzblue]

Thanks, you've been helpful. My initial goal was to kill the MCAT. Now, I'm wondering if i'll settle for something less. I think the question i've been asking myself lately is if i just want to get in 'somewhere' or get in where i want... guess i've got decisions to make

 

[DrMidlife]

I don't intend to apply DO because i want to work outside of this country.

Not to push DO, just to quash bad rumors, DOs can work outside the US and participate in aid orgs such as Doctors without Borders and Mercy Corps. Getting licensed to work in a country where you didn't train is difficult no matter the degree.

You have such a killer GPA it would be a shame to apply so late this year. With an app that's complete in mid-October, you might get in somewhere. With an app (with your stats) that's complete on June 1 2012, you could get in anywhere. Also that would take the pressure off and you would be able to skip September if you need more prep time. Don't take the test until you've beaten your goal on multiple practice tests.

Best of luck to you.

 

[mzblue]

Thanks DrMidlife and Congrats on your acceptance. Thanks for the clarification. I had a friend tell me there are limitations when working outside of the country but i guess that's false info. I've nothing against DOs. Some of my attendings are DOs and honestly, i can't tell the difference between MDs and DOs in the hospital.
That said, thanks for making things clear. I wasn't planning on submitting the app till mid october so i'm pretty sure it'll take some time to be complete. I guess i may need to find something else to do in the meantime.

Not to push DO, just to quash bad rumors, DOs can work outside the US and participate in aid orgs such as Doctors without Borders and Mercy Corps. Getting licensed to work in a country where you didn't train is difficult no matter the degree.

You have such a killer GPA it would be a shame to apply so late this year. With an app that's complete in mid-October, you might get in somewhere. With an app (with your stats) that's complete on June 1 2012, you could get in anywhere. Also that would take the pressure off and you would be able to skip September if you need more prep time. Don't take the test until you've beaten your goal on multiple practice tests.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Dayzie]

Why not take the MCAT now and save your application until next year? If you've been doing the studying and are doing well on practice tests NOW, it doesn't make much sense to wait..... plus if you take it now and aren't happy, you have room to retake it if you need to. The more space you leave between now and your test date is more room to get off track from studying for whatever reason.

 

[DrMidlife]

I guess i may need to find something else to do in the meantime.

You effectively have 2 years before med school starts. If you want to cherry-pick the state where you most want to be and/or where you will have good chances at cheaper instate tuition, now's the time. There's no way to predict what's going to happen with state budgets, but at this point, Texas still wins in terms of plentiful, cheap public schools. California has the stiffest competition. If you're on the ball you could land in a state that just so happens to be offering free tuition to its first class, as some new schools in FL & VA just did.

Maybe pick up an MSAR (www.aamc.org) and do some state shopping. PM me for tips, I did this for years. YEARS.

 

[Slev]

You have such a killer GPA it would be a shame to apply so late this year. With an app that's complete in mid-October, you might get in somewhere. With an app (with your stats) that's complete on June 1 2012, you could get in anywhere.

I agree with DrMidlife. Skip this year and apply next year. It would be a shame to miss out on some great schools just because you were really late applying. If you're where you want to be on practice exams, you can still take the MCAT this year.

You might want to look into getting some more recent shadowing too since you say all of it was in your original undergrad.

 

[mzblue]

@ DrMidlife: Interesting, i was looking at Cali or NY as states to move to. Didn't know some schools were offering free tuition. Money is definitely a factor when it comes to choosing where I want to go.

Slev, thanks for the input. I actually did some shadowing the year i graduated and I've had one of my attending invite me to the OR anytime but i'm not really interested in that specialty. But that's a good suggestion. I think it's hard finding an MD to shadow especially given my current line of work. I just don't want to shadow someone at the hospital i work in. Any suggestions as to how to approach these Docs?

 

[NuttyEngDude]

mzblue, you are in good hands with drmidlife, good luck!

 

[hawkbit]

I think it's hard finding an MD to shadow especially given my current line of work. I just don't want to shadow someone at the hospital i work in. Any suggestions as to how to approach these Docs?

Since you already know several docs at your hospital, perhaps you could ask them about any docs they may know outside the hospital that would be willing to let you shadow? Always use your networks! You shouldn't need a ton of shadowing hours anyways since you work in a clinical setting with patient care; just to show you know and appreciate all the work the docs do.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I have a friend who had those stats, and a 39 MCAT and he applied late but was only interviewed by the school in his home state... apply next year

 

[mzblue]

WOW. I think you just sold me on this one. My diagnostic was a 30 and i've yet to start practice exams (next week) but i've been doing good on practice sectionals so far and aiming for a higher score. Looks like at this point in the game a high MCAT won't make much of a difference.

I think i'll take DrMidlife's advice and start looking for a "good" state to move to. as well as the other suggestions to do the shadowing and what not.

I don't regret doing research at the NIH for the year but had i known i'd be waiting a year, i'd have taken the research position Hopkins offered.

Big thanks to all of you. You've been very helpful.

I have a friend who had those stats, and a 39 MCAT and he applied late but was only interviewed by the school in his home state... apply next year

 

[Slev]

Slev, thanks for the input. I actually did some shadowing the year i graduated and I've had one of my attending invite me to the OR anytime but i'm not really interested in that specialty. But that's a good suggestion. I think it's hard finding an MD to shadow especially given my current line of work. I just don't want to shadow someone at the hospital i work in. Any suggestions as to how to approach these Docs?

I ended up cold calling a lot of local clinics in the area and although the vast majority told me no shadowing, a few got back to me and set up some fun shadowing opportunities. The best was getting to shadow residents in a family medicine residency program. They let me follow them around for a couple days on both their inpatient and outpatient service. If there are university hospitals/clinics in the area you might look into contacting the residency program to see if you can shadow.