Why is that too late if the school’s last test date that they accept is September 19? Also, I’m not so sure about studying abroad, because I’m not sure how that works coming back to the states. I’ve been told not to do that.
You never want to be one of the last apps they review (unless you have an app that is just completely bonkers and guaranteed to land you an interview anyway).
I don't know how much you know about the application process, but I'll type it all out here for your benefit, and for anyone who uses the search function (ha) and somehow lands here.
1. Primary: this is the AMCAS. Consists of:
--Personal information going back to childhood incl parents information
--Every course you've ever taken since the start of your undergraduate career (in detail, some schools have limitations on how old your prereq courses can be)
--Your high school
--Your MCAT scores
--List of experiences (ECs; extracurriculars, shadowing, leadership, volunteering, etc) with 3 designated as most meaningful with accompanying short essays,
--Personal statement (PS; typically why medicine)
--Letters of recommendation (LORs; many schools place requirements on these)
2. Secondary: typically a collection of short essays and a fee, meant to give medical schools a better look at who you are and how you fit their mission/vision/culture and cover anything that needs to be covered but wasn't in the primary. Varies depending on school.
3. Interview: this can be traditional format, multiple mini format, or a combination of the two. CUSM includes a personality questionnaire in their interview format as well, not sure how many schools do that too.
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Many medical schools will simply not review your primary until it is complete. Assuming you put together everything else, including getting your transcript verified by AMCAS, sending strong LORs via Interfolio, and polishing your PS... taking the MCAT in August means your scores will not be reported until September, which means your primary will not be reviewed until late September, so you won't even be issued a secondary until late September or early October. Assuming you submit ASAP, they might not get to reviewing your complete application until late October, November, or even December.
Doesn't sound like a big deal, what's a few months, but medical schools typically practice rolling admission, so they earlier the app is sent in, the better. Interviews are typically held starting late-Fall/early-Winter. Some will start earlier, some will start later. Consider that there are also thousands of applicants, to the point where many schools face ~100 applications per seat. For example, even CUSM which opened their apps in Feb, received over 2500 apps for an inaugural 50 slot class that will be taught at a temporary campus. CNUCOM received nearly 8000 applications for their 90 slot class (which is really more like 60 slots because they have 3 different accelerated BS/MD programs and a post-bacc program to account for).
A large majority of these thousands of applicants will be submitting in May, when the application cycle opens (1.5 weeks from now). So with rolling admissions, your app would really only get consideration AFTER the completed primaries + secondaries from May, June, July, August, and maybe September have undergone scrutiny and interview invites have been sent out for those deserving of them. If you think your overall application is strong enough to garner an interview invite at that point, when medical schools only have a few left and are typically holding them for any exceptional candidates that might appear, an August MCAT date would be acceptable. Now I'm not saying your application isn't strong, I am just trying to cover all the bases because I simply don't know what your application looks like.
