MCAT registration date

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I'm a junior in a big state school in the north east. 3.32 GPA as of now, expected to be a 3.4 after this semester. Had a 2.75 after freshman year so there is a very steep upward trend.
Founded and president of national organization at my school, political think tank with strong ties to the community, help write policies that affect the community in a positive way
Part of a club that spends Saturdays with foster children in the area
300 hours of shadowing over 5 specialties, one being a DO with strong ties to his school
Research at top 20 cancer center over 3 summers, PI is a DO with strong links to school
Certified in wilderness first aid
TA'd human neuropsychology (Neuroscience major)

I am gearing myself largely towards DO schools, but will most likely apply to my state schools as well (NY resident).

Is registering for the August 5 MCAT too late?

 

[DrMikeP]

I'm a junior in a big state school in the north east. 3.32 GPA as of now, expected to be a 3.4 after this semester. Had a 2.75 after freshman year so there is a very steep upward trend.
Founded and president of national organization at my school, political think tank with strong ties to the community, help write policies that affect the community in a positive way
Part of a club that spends Saturdays with foster children in the area
300 hours of shadowing over 5 specialties, one being a DO with strong ties to his school
Research at top 20 cancer center over 3 summers, PI is a DO with strong links to school
Certified in wilderness first aid
TA'd human neuropsychology (Neuroscience major)

I am gearing myself largely towards DO schools, but will most likely apply to my state schools as well (NY resident).

Is registering for the August 5 MCAT too late?

Science gpa?

August MCAT means score wont be back until Sept. While that is not late, it's not early. If you do ok on the MCAT then fine, you are in the stack with all of the other average applicants and have a shot. If you rock the MCAT (505+) and if your sgpa is 3.3+ you'd be in good position sept. If waiting until Sept then any way to also do a retake over the summer and bump gpa further?

You can send out your application earlier with MCAT pending w/a date, assuming you will have all of your other stuff in. I did such and it was ok with most but caused some confusion at several schools where one rejected me instantly due to no mcat, another instantly put me on a wait list for having an incomplete app that required a fight to get off of, one didn't update my app when the score came in, etc.

Any reason for not taking the MCAT sooner? June?

All of that said, better to be a Sept applicant than rush and screw up the MCAT and be a poor one. Apply widely.

 

[bingutothetop]

Science gpa?

August MCAT means score wont be back until Sept. While that is not late, it's not early. If you do ok on the MCAT then fine, you are in the stack with all of the other average applicants and have a shot. If you rock the MCAT (505+) and if your sgpa is 3.3+ you'd be in good position sept. If waiting until Sept then any way to also do a retake over the summer and bump gpa further?

You can send out your application earlier with MCAT pending w/a date, assuming you will have all of your other stuff in. I did such and it was ok with most but caused some confusion at several schools where one rejected me instantly due to no mcat, another instantly put me on a wait list for having an incomplete app that required a fight to get off of, one didn't update my app when the score came in, etc.

Any reason for not taking the MCAT sooner? June?

All of that said, better to be a Sept applicant than rush and screw up the MCAT and be a poor one. Apply widely.

my science gpa is around the same. I don't know if ill be prepared by June, its been harder to study during the semester with other class loads and i was much more optimistic coming into he semester. Essentially Im banking on the DO connect that I have, its my first choice and I'm hopeful i can be competitive. I just don't want to register for June just to have to reschedule and lose a seat close to home.

 

[DrMikeP]

my science gpa is around the same. I don't know if ill be prepared by June, its been harder to study during the semester with other class loads and i was much more optimistic coming into he semester. Essentially Im banking on the DO connect that I have, its my first choice and I'm hopeful i can be competitive. I just don't want to register for June just to have to reschedule and lose a seat close to home.

If you doubt you'll be ready then best to wait. Just study hard and make the extra time worth it! It is great to have a connection, BUT don't count on it and apply broadly. I actually after interviewing decided that somewhere besides my own university was a better fit and liked their program better. I've also known people that were friends with adcoms and their numbers were just too low so they didn't make it through the minimum wage/computer sorting process.

 

[mathnerd88]

I'm a junior in a big state school in the north east. 3.32 GPA as of now, expected to be a 3.4 after this semester. Had a 2.75 after freshman year so there is a very steep upward trend.
Founded and president of national organization at my school, political think tank with strong ties to the community, help write policies that affect the community in a positive way
Part of a club that spends Saturdays with foster children in the area
300 hours of shadowing over 5 specialties, one being a DO with strong ties to his school
Research at top 20 cancer center over 3 summers, PI is a DO with strong links to school
Certified in wilderness first aid
TA'd human neuropsychology (Neuroscience major)

I am gearing myself largely towards DO schools, but will most likely apply to my state schools as well (NY resident).

Is registering for the August 5 MCAT too late?

Depends which school you're talking about. Connections help, but only if your PI knows the admissions committee well and will personally vouch for you.

Given that all the northeast DO schools are extremely competitive and established (PCOM, NYIT, Rowan, UNECOM, Touro,) I would not bank on the connection. Apply as broadly as possible depending on your MCAT score.

 

[bingutothetop]

Depends which school you're talking about. Connections help, but only if your PI knows the admissions committee well and will personally vouch for you.

Given that all the northeast DO schools are extremely competitive and established (PCOM, NYIT, Rowan, UNECOM, Touro,) I would not bank on the connection. Apply as broadly as possible depending on your MCAT score.

sure, but I'm hoping that i won't need a connection, its more like icing on the cake. I think that with a 3.4, decently strong mcat (505+) and my extracurriculars should be fine