Need Advice - When Should I Apply?

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whoknows2008

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Hi everyone! So I'm having a dilemma over when to apply ... here's my story ... I applied during the 07/08 cycle, didn't get in. So I'm planning to retake the MCAT in July (horrible horrible score before but I have been doing well on practice exams). Here's my problem:

1) Should I apply as soon as the application comes out?
2) Should I apply during the month I have in between when I take the MCAT and get my scores back?
3) Should I apply after I get my scores back?

Any advice would be appreciated!

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You can submit AMCAS before your other MCAT scores come out, but they would then need to be updated to the specific schools the AMCAS goes to. Whether you want to do this or not depends on your previous scores since this'll be the first score they'll see.

Also, if you wait to see your new scores (which come out in August, yes?), that will put you a little further behind than if you applied right off. Of course, if your score isn't where it needs to be, then you can decide not to apply this year and save yourself the AMCAS fee. It all depends on what you already scored and what your new score is.
 
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My previous score was a 24 .... :eek: I know ... but on practice tests I've been getting 30-32 (I know quite a jump, I have taken a lot of additional classes and prepared more). Hopefully this will pay off when I take the actual test. My GPA is around 3.75 ... I don't think my MCAT score reflects my ability, I think I just get too nervous ....... not that this is an excuse, but I don't know how to explain it!
 
Worst case scenario if you apply early: you do very poorly this time and decide not to apply. If you've already submitted the AMCAS you'll be out whatever the AMCAS fee is for the schools to which you've applied.

Best case if you apply early: you get considered earlier, interview and get an admission.


Worst case scenario if you apply late: you do very well on the MCAT and now your AMCAS is late. You pay a lot of money for applications and get no interviews or get very late interviews.

Best case if you apply late: you save money by targeting your applications or not applying at all.

Both choices have risks. The probability of one scenario or the other is unknown to me. You need to weigh the risks and the potential benefits and decide.
 
Hey, I'm in a very similar situation, so I was wondering if anybody else has some advice on this thread???

Thanks
 
I have a 3.7 gpa, okay EC's but a really low, low mcat. 23M (6V 7P 10B). I am planning to retake it on July 18th, for which the score will be out on August 18th, which is pretty late for applying. Should I still go ahead and apply now? The amcas has an option where you let the school know that you are retaking. Any advice?
 
Bumppp..... sorry i just really want to hear something from somebody. anything. any advice would be great. lol
 
I had a question if a person has a 26 MCAT, 3.6 GPA and this is following 2 years of college, can he apply to MD/DO schools since he has finished all premed req. and will graduate the following year? or do they apply after junior year after graduating, im so confused!?
 
CrownwithCoke:
submit the AMCAS and check off the option letting the med schools know you are taking the MCAT again. If your next MCAT score is a significant improvement (no pressure ;)), you may still get an acceptance. Until your score is available, however, your application will be in a limbo (if you apply to MD schools only; have you considered DO? - they do the same thing - they are doctors!). You need to make sure that everything else (LORs, transcripts, secondaries, etc) is in, and the only thing that the schools will wait for is the MCAT. Will you lose money if you are unsuccessful in your quest this cycle? Unfortunately, yes. But it will all be worth it if you score even one acceptance. Best of luck, and practice practice practice for MCAT!
 
I had a question if a person has a 26 MCAT, 3.6 GPA and this is following 2 years of college, can he apply to MD/DO schools since he has finished all premed req. and will graduate the following year? or do they apply after junior year after graduating, im so confused!?
If you plan on graduating in three years, then you apply during the summer between your second and third year of undergrad (if you were to graduate in May of 2009, you would be applying to med schools this summer, interviewing over fall/winter, and attending med school in fall of 2009). Hope this answers your question.
 
thanks JulyMorning, i had one more question: do med schools prefer you graduate in 4 years rather than 3? and take in less people that graduate in 3 years?
 
Applying during your third year of college puts you at a disadvantage in terms of having sufficient "experience" in the experience section (unless you are a non-trad who worked for awhile right out of H.S.) Whereas other students will have 3 and even 4 (or more) years to pursue activities, you will have had only 24 months. That can make an application seem a little thin. Likewise, in looking for well rounded applicants, the adcom likes to see not just the pre-reqs and a science major but additional course work in other areas of study (humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, arts) to demonstrate a well educated person of broad interests.

I don't know of any stats demonstrating how many applicants with 3 years of college are admitted (excluding those who were admitted out of HS into 7 year BS/MD programs). I would think that proportionally, students with <3 years of college at the time of the application are less likely to be admitted than students with 3 or more years of college.
 
I concur with LizzyM.
Why not spend the fourth year in college taking some advanced life science courses, or even do research (some universities have research-for-credit programs, some of which may even include a thesis and defense requirement)?
 
Hi there! I was reading on one of the other forums that maybe I should submit just one application to a school so that AMCAS verifies everything in time. Then, later submit the remaining schools I want to apply to. I thought this seemed pretty reasonable - what does everyone think?
 
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