Please help me prioritize guys!

[AugustMCAT]

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Due to some health issues and personal problems, I am taking the MCAT on August 5th but still applying to med school this summer. ALSO due to the health problems, I had to quit my research just 2 weeks in this past year, and I could not enroll in the EMT training that I had scheduled. I plan on mentioning the research, EMT, and MCAT issues in my PS, since my PS is actually about overcoming my health issues and all the different kinds of docs who helped along the way.

So here is where I stand:

-3.99 overall GPA/4.0 sci GPA
-MCAT on August 5th. Have studied on and off this past week, but intend on getting intense starting tomorrow. If it helps, I'm a very good test-taker.

ECs this summer: (remember, no research or clinical exposure (aka i planned on doing EMT) in america due to health concerns)

-Started research 2 weeks ago full-time (9-5 on weekdays). Plan on continuing up until school starts.
-Got approved for a research project this upcoming fall (different from the above) and have started reading up on the material for it.

ECs in college:

-Did clinical volunteer work at hospital in germany (2.5 weeks at 13 hours a day)
-Shadowed in german hospital (1.5 weeks at 13 hours a day)
-^^Immediately followed by shadowing and volunteering at private clinic (1.5 weeks, 8 hours a day)
-Volunteered as a source of advice for those with nutritional problems or eating disorders (100 total hours)
-Student government 2 years
-Teacher at both the self-employed level and at a learning center (paid work, 200 total hours-ish)
-Representative for online nutritional and supplement company (~800 hours, no $$ compensation)

Application:
-Sent out all my emails for LORs, so far 1 of my sci profs has confirmed that he will write one.
-Sent out transcript release form.
-Started drafting personal statements.

So I am having trouble prioritizing with all this stuff going on. Note that I will NOT be waiting a year to apply for numerous reasons.

My two conflicts are:
-Filling out activities section and personal statement and submitting app before studying for MCAT

OR

-Studying for MCAT only and submitting full application (minus LORs and MCAT score) by August 15th at the latest

Any advice on how to prioritize in my situation? Thanks!

 

[NightGod]

Hardcore MCAT studying now. Maybe work on AMCAS stuff during downtime (you can't study 24/7) but don't make it a huge priority. Once you take MCAT on the 5th, dive into AMCAS app full tilt and knock it out then.

I'd also put some serious effort into finding shadowing opportunities in the US in the near future. My gut says that US schools won't really recognize the German shadowing (unless you are talking about Landstuhl, of course). They want to know that you understand what being a doctor here in the US means, not what being a doctor in Europe means (though that experience may give you some useful insight into the concept of socialized medicine).

 

[IlDestriero]

I think your doing yourself a huge disservice by not applying early and probably not adequately preparing for the MCAT. If I were you, I would wait a year, properly prep for the MCAT, apply as early as possible, and address the US clinical exposure and research issues. You may still get in somewhere, but you MAY miss out on an opportunity to get into an elite school. If your MCAT practice tests are not >30, don't take the test.
You have the potential to be an exceptional applicant, don't apply as a marginal one and hope for the best.
Of course with a 4.0 and a high MCAT score, you're probably golden.

 

[AugustMCAT]

Hardcore MCAT studying now. Maybe work on AMCAS stuff during downtime (you can't study 24/7) but don't make it a huge priority. Once you take MCAT on the 5th, dive into AMCAS app full tilt and knock it out then.

I'd also put some serious effort into finding shadowing opportunities in the US in the near future. My gut says that US schools won't really recognize the German shadowing (unless you are talking about Landstuhl, of course). They want to know that you understand what being a doctor here in the US means, not what being a doctor in Europe means (though that experience may give you some useful insight into the concept of socialized medicine).

I have the option of shadowing at 10 hours/week vs my current research. Should I go for it?

Ok MCATs it is!

I think your doing yourself a huge disservice by not applying early and probably not adequately preparing for the MCAT. If I were you, I would wait a year, properly prep for the MCAT, apply as early as possible, and address the US clinical exposure and research issues. You may still get in somewhere, but you MAY miss out on an opportunity to get into an elite school. If your MCAT practice tests are not >30, don't take the test.
You have the potential to be an exceptional applicant, don't apply as a marginal one and hope for the best.
Of course with a 4.0 and a high MCAT score, you're probably golden.

I unfortunately will be applying this cycle, and believe me I know it's not ideal. I have always set the highest standard for myself, and the reason I'm not all-out quitting is bc my brain has been described as "unique." I know theres a ton of geniuses on these boards, but I have never had to read anything more than once to understand it. And since most of the info is review, I'm hoping I'll be ok, though I'm 2 years removed from O chem and Physics.

So MCATs all the way? Put all my chips into shooting for a high MCAT score, and worry about the AMCAS later at the risk of failing the MCAT and being screwed?

 

[235788]

yeah, what if you get a 24 or something on the MCAT and all that hard work on the PS and EC's could have been better spent. I think this is a no-brainer

 

[Helen Wheels]

Definitely prioritize the MCAT. It is a tough test and has brought a lot of smart people down. You have to remember this is a test designed to take people who are in the 95th percentile in their undergrad classes and separate their scores out into a bell curve. I hope you knock it out of the park but make sure you really prep for it and take it seriously.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

I know theres a ton of geniuses on these boards, but I have never had to read anything more than once to understand it.

Yeah, I believe everything everyone says on the internet too.

On a more serious note, MCAT MCAT MCAT. You could have the greatest PS and LOR's in the world, but they won't get you into medical without the MCAT score to back it up. It doesn't matter if you apply on the first of June or the end of August, without a great MCAT score you're destined for rejection. That being said, try and commit a half an hour a day to make sure that your LORs are being taken care of and to outline your PS. As soon as you finish your MCAT, use your outline to write a solid PS, have a few people read it, and submit.

 

[AugustMCAT]

yeah, what if you get a 24 or something on the MCAT and all that hard work on the PS and EC's could have been better spent. I think this is a no-brainer

Definitely prioritize the MCAT. It is a tough test and has brought a lot of smart people down. You have to remember this is a test designed to take people who are in the 95th percentile in their undergrad classes and separate their scores out into a bell curve. I hope you knock it out of the park but make sure you really prep for it and take it seriously.

Yeah, I believe everything everyone says on the internet too.

On a more serious note, MCAT MCAT MCAT. You could have the greatest PS and LOR's in the world, but they won't get you into medical without the MCAT score to back it up. It doesn't matter if you apply on the first of June or the end of August, without a great MCAT score you're destined for rejection. That being said, try and commit a half an hour a day to make sure that your LORs are being taken care of and to outline your PS. As soon as you finish your MCAT, use your outline to write a solid PS, have a few people read it, and submit.

Ok. MCAT all the way! Thanks guys. Gonna just go through every EK prep book + all of audio osmosis, and then practice tests. When do you guys suggest I take my first practice exam, and how many before the actual MCAT? I haven't taken one yet because I have forgotten all the physics/o-chem/gen-chem concepts, but I feel that in a week I could be ready. Bio and verbal are my strong suits.

I have also already written 2 PS drafts (won't use either, way above word limits 🙁), but I have an outline done for my 3rd draft, which will focus on one event rather than a couple.