Pick a date?!?!

[acromonkey]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm finding it hard to pick a date based on the importance of applying early. I can take the test may 7 or may 20. I'd like to do it the 7th, but I'm also working on my Master's and have a few things due that week. (I can ask for extensions or hand the work in early though.) I'd rather take it the 20th for more study time, but then is it getting too late to apply early?? The scores wouldn't be in until June 21, 21 days after the application is open. How bad is it to apply three weeks after the application is already opened? All the advice I've heard is to apply june 1. I can't makes this decision... I'm very unsure what to do here???? Any advice?!?!

 

[nicolemeooow]

I'm finding it hard to pick a date based on the importance of applying early. I can take the test may 7 or may 20. I'd like to do it the 7th, but I'm also working on my Master's and have a few things due that week. (I can ask for extensions or hand the work in early though.) I'd rather take it the 20th for more study time, but then is it getting too late to apply early?? The scores wouldn't be in until June 21, 21 days after the application is open. How bad is it to apply three weeks after the application is already opened? All the advice I've heard is to apply june 1. I can't makes this decision... I'm very unsure what to do here???? Any advice?!?!

flip a coin. these two dates dont really make a difference...

 

[acromonkey]

flip a coin. these two dates dont really make a difference...

So the 2 weeks later that the second test would be isn't going to hurt? People who I have talked to said that even a couple days to a week can negatively affect your application.

 

[nicolemeooow]

So the 2 weeks later that the second test would be isn't going to hurt? People who I have talked to said that even a couple days to a week can negatively affect your application.

I know people who turned in apps on June 1st but haven't gotten into any school so far, and also people who turned in apps in August getting accepted everywhere, not to mention this one friend who turned in his primary at Case right before the deadline and received interview within 2 weeks. I personally submitted my primary on June 18th. Go figure. what ultimately determines your fate is the strength of ur application. any time in June seems super early IMO...

 

[gravitywave]

People who I have talked to said that even a couple days to a week can negatively affect your application.

those people are overstating the case. two weeks makes a difference in September.

take the May 20th date, submit AMCAS sometime in the first week of June, presto! scores are released and youre verified at pretty much the same time. AMCAS for some reason is transmitting app data to schools starting two weeks sooner than in the past, but i can't see that adding up to much so far as your individual circumstances are concerned.

 

[rhcarolina]

People who I have talked to said that even a couple days to a week can negatively affect your application.

These people are referring to the date you submit your AMCAS primary application, not when you take your MCAT or receive the test result.

It is very important to submit your primary application as early as possible because the time it takes to verify your transcript and complete the processing of the application can really add up over a couple of days. These stages can occur without an MCAT score.

 

[Syqers]

I would actually not recommend taking an MCAT later than April 16th. I took a June MCAT last year, and even though I submitted right on the deadline when my MCAT was verified, it didn't matter. I was so late in the cycle that I missed out on a lot of interviews/acceptances that happened early in the season.

While it may be true that someone with stellar GPA/MCAT applied in August and got a bazillion acceptances, this is NOT the norm.

My advisor told me it wouldn't matter if I applied in July/August...but it did. A lot. I'm going to have to re-apply, and you can be sure I will be applying June 1st.

 

[Buttermellow]

I'm taking it the 20th, I get out of school May 6th and I know I won't have time to study during/before finals.

 

[NickNaylor]

The only way your app could possibly be "hurt" is by the increased processing time that'll probably occur because of the two week delay. And even that's a stretch with respect to affecting your chances (i.e., it won't).

 

[wanderer]

You can send the amcas to one school before you get your score to expedite the process. Either way you're still very early.

 

[icepeak]

i know that everyone on here beats it into your head that you need to apply early early early. i got interviews with more than half the schools i applied to after taking the august mcat and being 'complete' in mid-late october. do i wish i had applied earlier? yes. would i have gotten interviews with more schools? maybe. maybe i would not have done as well on the mcat if i had taken it earlier. so to each his own, it definitely is beneficial to apply earlier, but it is NOT impossible to get into school if you decide you need a bit more time to study. especially since your still thinking in may. do the 20th.