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abn2222

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Hello,

I am unsure what to do. I did not realize I had to sign up earlier and I want to take the MCAT in april and there are no seats within 1000 miles of me right now. Should I jjUst automatically register for an open date at an out of state location or wait a few weeks to see if i get anything from the notification locations around me?
 
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Just check the website every day. People are constantly changing their test date, so you shouldn't have an issue scheduling a date in April.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors
 
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Thanks for the reply!

should i still register for a different location just in case? Also do you know if we can reschedule locations only dates?
 
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MedSchoolTutors said:
Just check the website every day. People are constantly changing their test date, so you shouldn't have an issue scheduling a date in April.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors
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Am I incorrect in assuming that May test dates would also work in connection with what I assume is OP's desire to file an early application for the next cycle? If so, maybe that's an alternative to allow OP to lock down a date now rather than waiting for a cancellation. Of course, if this is incorrect, or there is a reason OP can't take the test in May, never mind! 🙂
 
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Yes you are correct. I wanted to take it in April due to geing told thats the latest I should take it? There is a date open however I would have to fly to another state. Should I just book it now just in case it fills uo?
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Yes you are correct. I wanted to take it in April due to geing told thats the latest I should take it? There is a date open however I would have to fly to another state. Should I just book it now just in case it fills uo?
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KnightDoc said:
Am I incorrect in assuming that May test dates would also work in connection with what I assume is OP's desire to file an early application for the next cycle? If so, maybe that's an alternative to allow OP to lock down a date now rather than waiting for a cancellation. Of course, if this is incorrect, or there is a reason OP can't take the test in May, never mind! 🙂
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Yes, you can take your MCAT in May and still be considered early. You could even take it in June and be considered early, but you'll be cutting it close.
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
I found an opening in May 15th would that be still considered early enough?
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I believe so. Scores are released approximately one month after the test date - 5/15 will be released on 6/16. The AMCAS application opens on 5/4, but cannot be submitted until 5/28, so you can either file a throw away application to start the verification process on 5/28 while waiting for your score to come back, or just wait the extra 3 weeks.

I don't think waiting the 3 weeks will keep you from being in the first batch to be verified, but I'd double check that with one of the experts here. In any event, this is stressful enough without flying to some remote city to take the test. Good luck!!!!
 
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Thank You so much!! Also could you verify what the difference between a throw out application and waiting 3 weeks? Sorry never heard of the term throw away or am not familiar with the application yet
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Thank You so much!! Also could you verify what the difference between a throw out application and waiting 3 weeks? Sorry never heard of the term throw away or am not familiar with the application yet
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Sure! Basically, you are going to file one primary application, and then designate which schools you want it sent to. Each school will then send you a school specific secondary application to complete and file. Obviously (or maybe not!), which schools you apply to is determined to a certain degree by your MCAT score, which is why EVERYONE wants to have the score before they apply, and which is why your April slots are all filled up.

One of the most time consuming aspects of the application process (other than the never ending waiting as schools sift through literally thousands of applications to decide who to invite in for interviews), is having AMCAS verify all of the grade transcripts you submit with your primary. Nothing happens until this is complete. So, people like you (if you are advised by the experts here not to wait until mid-June to submit your primary) designate a school you don't care about to receive your primary (a so-called throw away school) so that you can submit on 5/28 and start the verification process. When you add the other schools later, after you receive your scores, there will be no delay because your primary was already verified, and the application will be transmitted to the other schools within a day or two.
 
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Ahh ! I get it now! Please do correct me if I am wrong. I would submit early like May 28 first just to one school to get the verification done early and then add my other schools as my mcat releases?
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Ahh ! I get it now! Please do correct me if I am wrong. I would submit early like May 28 first just to one school to get the verification done early and then add my other schools as my mcat releases?
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If you choose to go that route. If the two experts here advise that it won't impact you to wait until 6/16, you should do that since you will save a few bucks by not submitting to a school you don't care about.
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Also would you recommend doing that or just waiting 3 weeks until my mcat gets released to get verified?
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I also haven't done it yet, so I don't know whether or not submitting on 6/16 will cause you to not be in the first batch processed by AMCAS, and even if that's the case, whether that will matter since you will still be submitting within 3 weeks of the beginning of the cycle. I would want to be as close to 5/28 as possible, but wouldn't do a throw away if I didn't have to. I think you'll be fine on 6/16, but I'd want to see what @MedSchoolTutors and @MCATKINGS have to say first.
 
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Ah! I think money won’t be an issue ! I just don’t want to submit my application and it be considered “late”
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Ah! I think money won’t be an issue ! I just don’t want to submit my application and it be considered “late”
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LOL. Late is after Labor Day, not the middle of June. 🙂

It's great that money is not an issue; this gives you flexibility. Still, it's better to know your score and be able to target your schools. Personally, I'd consider it a blessing that you now have an extra month to study. I'd then spend the month after the MCAT working on your primary (you'll have access to it starting 5/4), and compiling a school list based on how you think you'll do on the test based on the last few practice tests you take.

Again, do the throwaway if the other guys say you'll definitely miss the first batch by waiting, and if they say there is a significant disadvantage to not being in the first batch. Otherwise, you'll be fine waiting the 3 weeks. I'm glad I was able to anticipate what you really wanted, and was able to save you the anxiety and plane ride!!

Whether you submit on 5/28 or 6/16, the real heavy lifting will be completing all the secondaries, which will take up a big chunk of your summer, depending on how many schools you apply to, and you're not "done" until they are in!!!
 
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KnightDoc said:
Thanks. You too. Read my last edit in my last post. You might have missed it!
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Thanks! I just read it. I just paid for an mcat day on May15th after that I will definitely work on primary. By any chance do you know when transcripts should be sent to AMCAS?
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Thanks! I just read it. I just paid for an mcat day on May15th after that I will definitely work on primary. By any chance do you know when transcripts should be sent to AMCAS?
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Again, I haven't done it yet, but I'm pretty sure it goes in with your primary. You can access the application beginning 5/4, and at that point you can populate the section with your grades, fill in which institutions will be submitting official transcripts, and generate a pre-printed form for you to give to the schools to make it easier for AMCAS to match the transcript to your application. Nothing happens with respect to verification you submit the primary, but you can get started beginning 5/4 (probably even earlier, but there's no advantage since you can't do anything until 5/28 at the earliest). Also, it is recommended that you get transcripts for yourself to ensure that what you self report will match what's on the official transcripts.

You should check out the AAMC website and find the official Applicant Guide, which will give you all the details. Just beware that the new one for next year isn't out yet, since the season won't official open until 5/4.
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Sweet thanks for the guide on primaries and just looked at the thread! Seems strange they mentioned its a delusion to apply by June 1st still debating if I shiuld apply with a throw out school. Ill talk to my pre med advisor in a few weeks and keep you updated !
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The guy who said that is a member of an admissions committee at a med school. He's saying we are all neurotic, and applying at the very beginning of a cycle confers no advantage. The premed advisers tend to be less well informed than the more knowledgeable people here, so be careful! I really don't think the 3 weeks will be critical.

What happens is, you don't get the secondary until the school receives the primary, and you really want to get the secondaries in in July and August to be "early." People like to get the primary in as early as possible because the AMCAS verification gets backed up as applications flood in, and at the peak, it stretches from days to weeks.

Still, being in on day #19 instead of day #1 shouldn't create such a delay that you won't be able to submit secondaries along with everyone else in July and August, especially since you will be able to come back here, go on school specific threads, and see what the questions are before you even receive the secondary so you can begin to work on them!!!

Again, I'd love for the other guys to confirm my advice, but I'm pretty comfortable with it.
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
Sweet thanks for the guide on primaries and just looked at the thread! Seems strange they mentioned its a delusion to apply by June 1st still debating if I shiuld apply with a throw out school. Ill talk to my pre med advisor in a few weeks and keep you updated !
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Look at these::

StewartOConnor said:
It doesn’t matter. I did the thing where I submitted the first day (May 31st) without knowing my mcat with my state school and then added the rest with my verified application and after I knew my score. But it really doesn’t matter. You can just wait, it isn’t a disadvantage.

That said I submitted my application first day you could and was verified the next day (best kept secret)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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LizzyM said:
Applying with a throw-away school is not a great idea if it means that your personal statement and work/activity (experience, EC) sections will be slap-dash and contain typos or omissions. Remember, there is no going back to fix anything after you submit the AMCAS. Don't try to study for the MCAT and do justice to the AMCAS application.
Submit by July 4th, have letters and secondaries in by Labor Day. On that time line, you should have an interview invite by Thanksgiving Day and an offer of admission by Mardi Gras.
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Allenbnguyen said:
Sweet thanks for the guide on primaries and just looked at the thread! Seems strange they mentioned its a delusion to apply by June 1st still debating if I shiuld apply with a throw out school. Ill talk to my pre med advisor in a few weeks and keep you updated !
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This one too...

gonnif said:
Lets please correct this
The AMCAS application opens in early May for applicants to fill out, order transcripts, etc.
The AMCAS application starts accepting submissions in late May/Early June. At that time, applications can enter the verification queue . Once they have been verified, they are ready to transmit
AMCAS starts starts transmitting applications to the individual schools at the end of June
Schools will start some processing at that time, but the bulk of evaluations to not begin until August, adcoms usually dont start meeting until August
Click to expand...
 
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You are usually considered "early" as long as you are able to submit all of your secondaries by the end of July. That's why you're actually able to take your MCAT as late as mid-June and still be considered early. As long as you submit your primary on the day that AMCAS opens (is that May 28th this year? Isn't it usually June 1st?), then they will verify your application. Then, once you receive your MCAT score, your primary will be finished by mid July. Most schools will then automatically send you their secondaries. If you do it this way, you need to pre-write your secondary essays, but this is doable because most schools don't change their prompts from year to year.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors
 
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MedSchoolTutors said:
You are usually considered "early" as long as you are able to submit all of your secondaries by the end of July. That's why you're actually able to take your MCAT as late as mid-June and still be considered early. As long as you submit your primary on the day that AMCAS opens (is that May 28th this year? Isn't it usually June 1st?), then they will verify your application. Then, once you receive your MCAT score, your primary will be finished by mid July. Most schools will then automatically send you their secondaries. If you do it this way, you need to pre-write your secondary essays, but this is doable because most schools don't change their prompts from year to year.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors
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So you would recommend submitting a throw out application on June 1st to get verified early ?
 
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Allenbnguyen said:
So you would recommend submitting a throw out application on June 1st to get verified early ?
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I don't think it is necessary if you are going to submit 19 days later anyway. According to one of the posts on the other thread, AMCAS won't actually send anything to schools until the end of June anyway, so it won't matter whether you are verified on June 2nd or June 25th. I think the advice is geared more for people who won't be ready to submit until much later, when the verification queue will be longer. One of the adcoms on the other thread advised against rushing a throw away just to get it in early.
 
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Just heard an old podcast and offered some nice advice ! Still early as secondaries get in by July .

check out mcat podcast episode 64: its on spotify and online!
 
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