Need advice from Accepted Applicants

[AF1892]

Hi,

I have a problem maybe you guys can help me out with:

I just sent in my AMCAS application. I have 2 letters of recc, but I can't get my 3rd one until early September. Also, i'm re-taking the MCAT his August. When will secondaries come? Since i'm taking the Aug MCAT and I can't get my 3rd recc letter until early Sept., will this effect me?

Thanks

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[po' boy]

Secondaries will come end of July through August for schools that do not screen, and early september for schools that do screen if you've indicated on your AMCAS that you plan to take the august mcat. In either case, the August MCAT will be the bottleneck in your application as far as interview invitations go, since committees will not even look at it until it's deemed complete. Those scores won't be sent out until mid-October, so the September letter of rec isn't an issue.

I think this is all true from what I've learned, but I apologize if I'm wrong. In that case, someone please correct me.

 

[lilycat]

As another poster mentioned recently (Popoy maybe?), if there ever was a year to apply late, take the Aug. MCAT, etc., this is probably the year. I think po' boy was pretty accurate on the timeline -- for schools that don't screen, you will start getting secondaries about 3-4 weeks after your application has been transmitted. Most screened secondaries will probably not come until after your Aug. MCAT scores have been received. As po' boy mentioned, the Aug. MCAT will be the main delaying factor in all of this. Just send in your third letter of rec in September.

By the way, if at all possible, you may want to try and get 1-2 more letters of rec -- I may be wrong on this, but I think that a few of the schools I applied to last year did ask for more than three letters.

 

[Legend]

Let's say if I were given interviews after taking August MCAT.

Does it mean that I stand a chance that is comparable to an April MCAT taker?

Any comments would be appreciated.