Personal Advice Needed-Im sorry for beating the bushes...

[Transformers]

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Hey guys,

I had several questions about the admissions process and I am really sorry for beating the bushes with my questions that may overlap with other threads...i did my best to use the search function but I guess some of this stuff caters more to personal needs..

Well, I am applying for this cycle and I have everything except the MCAT....long story short-my full name on my ID wasn't matching the name I registered for the June 18th MCAT yesterday (i used my preferred name) and I was not allowed to take the MCAT yesterday on June 18th for the first time-- it was truly a bummer and of course i hated mysefl the entire day but i have to move on. I should hopefully get the July 2nd mcat date coming up...

With this in mind, I had a few questions to address about my application process. I just wanna present what I have about myself as I would on an MDApplicants site and ask for your opinion with regards to how I can optimize the steps I need to take as far as the AMCAS. Since this is SDN, my gpa is pretty solid with a 3.98 at a top 20 univeristy...my premed advisor said that I am def in the top 10 applicants applying so I had very positive feedback with him...the ECs are solid with a few distinguished ones that can set me apart. The recommendations are excellent too from professors who both know me well and can provide evaluation of attributes in research, academics, and extracurriculars. I think ive covered my bases in everything so far and these 3 years have definitely been hard work but rewarding....Whats holding me back at this moment is the MCAT...I havent taken it yet and I plan on doing it July 2nd. With this in mind:

1.) Should I submit everything I have on AMCAS (the primaries) right now although they dont have my MCAT scores? What actually happens after I press the submit button in terms of where and how long these apps get processed and sent to med schools? I hear that schools will get the apps and put them separately in a pile of those who havent taken the MCAT. But since schools get my mcat scores sometime in August, will that be too late?

2.) I am unfamiliar with what happens, but after I send the primaries and since the med schools need my MCAT score, I basically wont hear back for secondaries until how many weeks after schools review my MCAT score? Say they get my scores on August 3rd, when would I get information about secondaries...I assume I need to get those secondaries out immediately which I will do if I receive them.

3.) I am definitely ready for the MCAT, but theres always the chance I may take the MCAT for the second time in August. I would like to apply to some med schools in the top 20 range, but I am not sure if I should send my primaries to these schools now...I mean I want to only apply to them knowing that I have an MCAT score that that falls with their accepted range...what do I do in this situation? People recommend that if you have solid credentials, just apply to those schools that are safety to mid-tierish and hold of on primaries to those top schools until after the receipt of your mcat scores. What are your thoughts on this issue?

4.) Based on where I am at, what timetable do I need to stick to so I can still be in an early pile for med schools as opposed to someone who sends their primaries in August...?

5.) I have the MSAR but does anyone have a link to non-rolling vs. rolling medical schools in the country and is their a difference with regard to when these schools begin offerring interviews for students?

6.) What disadvantages could I face at this time and are these relatively significant?

Thanks guys. I appreciate your help. I realize that these were a lot of questions but I hope that these questions can also reflect experiences whta some users might be going through on SDN and so any advice on one or more questions would be much appreciated for me and hopefully for others as well.

thanks

 

[witness23]

5. interviews are almost always rolling. admissions offers may not. you need an interview to get an offer. therefore,

 

[Transformers]

bump

 

[JJMrK]

Hey guys,

I had several questions about the admissions process and I am really sorry for beating the bushes with my questions that may overlap with other threads...i did my best to use the search function but I guess some of this stuff caters more to personal needs..

Well, I am applying for this cycle and I have everything except the MCAT....long story short-my full name on my ID wasn't matching the name I registered for the June 18th MCAT yesterday (i used my preferred name) and I was not allowed to take the MCAT yesterday on June 18th for the first time-- it was truly a bummer and of course i hated mysefl the entire day but i have to move on. I should hopefully get the July 2nd mcat date coming up...

With this in mind, I had a few questions to address about my application process. I just wanna present what I have about myself as I would on an MDApplicants site and ask for your opinion with regards to how I can optimize the steps I need to take as far as the AMCAS. Since this is SDN, my gpa is pretty solid with a 3.98 at a top 20 univeristy...my premed advisor said that I am def in the top 10 applicants applying so I had very positive feedback with him...the ECs are solid with a few distinguished ones that can set me apart. The recommendations are excellent too from professors who both know me well and can provide evaluation of attributes in research, academics, and extracurriculars. I think ive covered my bases in everything so far and these 3 years have definitely been hard work but rewarding....Whats holding me back at this moment is the MCAT...I havent taken it yet and I plan on doing it July 2nd. With this in mind:

1.) Should I submit everything I have on AMCAS (the primaries) right now although they dont have my MCAT scores? What actually happens after I press the submit button in terms of where and how long these apps get processed and sent to med schools? I hear that schools will get the apps and put them separately in a pile of those who havent taken the MCAT. But since schools get my mcat scores sometime in August, will that be too late?

2.) I am unfamiliar with what happens, but after I send the primaries and since the med schools need my MCAT score, I basically wont hear back for secondaries until how many weeks after schools review my MCAT score? Say they get my scores on August 3rd, when would I get information about secondaries...I assume I need to get those secondaries out immediately which I will do if I receive them.

3.) I am definitely ready for the MCAT, but theres always the chance I may take the MCAT for the second time in August. I would like to apply to some med schools in the top 20 range, but I am not sure if I should send my primaries to these schools now...I mean I want to only apply to them knowing that I have an MCAT score that that falls with their accepted range...what do I do in this situation? People recommend that if you have solid credentials, just apply to those schools that are safety to mid-tierish and hold of on primaries to those top schools until after the receipt of your mcat scores. What are your thoughts on this issue?

4.) Based on where I am at, what timetable do I need to stick to so I can still be in an early pile for med schools as opposed to someone who sends their primaries in August...?

5.) I have the MSAR but does anyone have a link to non-rolling vs. rolling medical schools in the country and is their a difference with regard to when these schools begin offerring interviews for students?

6.) What disadvantages could I face at this time and are these relatively significant?

Thanks guys. I appreciate your help. I realize that these were a lot of questions but I hope that these questions can also reflect experiences whta some users might be going through on SDN and so any advice on one or more questions would be much appreciated for me and hopefully for others as well.

thanks

I didn't read anything but the questions, so I may have missed something.

1. You should probably submit now so you get verified before your MCAT scores come back. You might start getting secondaries from some schools that don't screen at soon as you are verified.

2. See above. You might get some secondaries, but won't get others and won't be considered for an interview until your scores come in.

3. You're just going to have to take the chance on top schools without seeing your scores if you want to apply there. You could add them once you get your scores, but that would be pretty late.

4. You're not going to be in the early pile no matter what you do (short of just applying next cycle). What you can do is submit ASAP, get verified, send in unscreened secondaries that you get, and then start using the prompts on SDN to work on other secondaries that you don't have. Try to get everything in before your MCAT scores come back in August, and then try to get all secondaries you get after that turned around in 1 week or so.

5. Some schools begin offering interviews as early as August and September.

6.

I am definitely ready for the MCAT, but theres always the chance I may take the MCAT for the second time in August.

That would hurt you quite a bit and make your application late. Try to avoid that option. If you can, you won't be early but you won't be too late.

 

[Transformers]

bump

 

[Transformers]

thanksany other advice?

 

[locus000]

Your GPA is strong, how are your ECs? If they are good too then I would submit the AMCAS early so it can be verify (it takes 2-3 weeks). If you submit your amcas now, your primary will be in long before August. The school will still send you secondaries but you wont be complete until they get your MCAT score back

August MCAT is a little late but its still OK. I believe that as long as you are complete with the school around September (that means the school has all of your info and secondaries) you will be competitive. Look on SDN and work on the secondaries ahead of time if you have too.

Apply to your "safety school" first then reapply to the reach schools if you get a high mcat score.

 

[Transformers]

ok