Please help me decide when to apply!

[229141]

Ok I will be short with this- I have the GPA and EC's/research and all that good stuff to be competitive at most schools imo, but I have NOT taken the MCAT yet!

I originally planned to take it in July..but a few of my friends with identical (close to..) stats took it July, got a 30 or so, and only got 2-3 interviews out of 20+ applications . The adviser around here claims getting your secondaries in around September is early...but I thought that was late? It seems like people who wait til august to apply get screwed out of interviews...but thats just based off a few people I know.

When should I
a) Take MCAT (Really want 35+)
b) Apply?

If this helps, I'm applying to these schools:

Univ Washington (treated as In state here)
Nevada (ties)
Tulane (Ties to LA)
Oklahoma (Family and friend ties to state)
Ohio St.
OHSU
Univ Toledo
Univ Cincinnati
Baylor
Creighton
Vanderbilt
Minnesota
Vermont
Medical College Wisc
Wisconsin

And about 5-10 more...would prefer not to go east coast though.

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[NeuroChaos]

a) First off, take the MCAT when U R READY. There is no point of taking it in April w/o enough prep. Getting a 37 in june and then applying in august is much better than getting a 30 in april and applying early.
that being said, you should try to take the MCAT and send in your apps as early as possible...1st day it opens.

so It really is up to u. do you think u can prepare in the next 4 months for the April MCATs or do u think u will need more time and would prefer to take it on a later date....it is ur decision.

b) as said earlier, apply as early as u can. but ofcourse, u shud first decide upon when u want to take the big test.


yes, u shud try to submit ur secondaries w/in a week or 2....it all comes back to applying early. if u apply early, u probably will get secondaries early and ur application will be complete early

chk out schools in Illinois if u r looking for more schools

 

[229141]

Well the earliest I would feel ready to take MCAT is May 28th..I have 18 credits, do research 25 hrs + a week, volunteer/shadow all semester long so it'd be stupid for me to take it in April perhaps.

Ideally I'd like to take it in July but thats probably too late...what about June 18th? Do you think taking the June 18th one would hurt my chances if I completed all my apps within a month of receiving scores? (I'd start working on secondaries ahead of time since they're posted on SDN)

 

[229141]

Bump. Does the above sound like a good plan?

 

[NeuroChaos]

I would strongly recommend May 28th, only if you can manage it some how. If not, then go for June.

The goal of the game: you want to put yourself in the best position as an applicant and one of the easiest way to that is by applying early.

But again, decide what is going through ur life at the point, and see if you can study for May 28, if not take July.

If work is in ur way, have a meeting w/ your PI and tell her/him, that I have this really big test coming up and it is kind of imp. for my future. I am sure he/she will understand.

 

[229141]

I would strongly recommend May 28th, only if you can manage it some how. If not, then go for June.

The goal of the game: you want to put yourself in the best position as an applicant and one of the easiest way to that is by applying early.

But again, decide what is going through ur life at the point, and see if you can study for May 28, if not take July.

If work is in ur way, have a meeting w/ your PI and tell her/him, that I have this really big test coming up and it is kind of imp. for my future. I am sure he/she will understand.

Yeah I understand- it's just going o be a close call. My fear is that if I take it in May I'll be looking at a 29-32 whereas if I had those 3 extra weeks to study I could hit 34+.

But at this point I have no idea of knowing if thats the case...I just don't want to rush into it. Well June 18th is the LATEST I'll take it.


***Also- what if I take it june 18th, and get all my secondaries in by Aug 1? Would that still be applying too late?

 

[J ROD]

I would get everything else in and have the schools waiting on just my MCAT.

Then, take it in July when you feel you will be most competitive.


Most schools do not really get going until Aug.

Shoot for a 33+