Primary and Secondary applications

[pizzamaker]

Hi guys,

I am kinda confused applying this year and I dont know what you guys mean with secondary and primary applications. I was just wondering if someone can explain to me how to distinguish which is prim/sec, also do you apply to secondary and primary at the same time?

 

[ksmi117]

The primary application is the one submitted through AMCAS. You select which school you wish to send it to, and they all get the same information. Those schools then decide whether or not to send you a secondary application, which generally has a few more essays, that is specific to that school. Then, you submit those to their respective schools.

 

[pizzamaker]

OH I SEE. Thanks so much, so basically if you make the cut-off line you get a secondary application ah...i thought I had to select which is primary and which is secondary lol, thanks again

 

[ksmi117]

OH I SEE. Thanks so much, so basically if you make the cut-off line you get a secondary application ah...i thought I had to select which is primary and which is secondary lol, thanks again

Basically, yes. But some schools send secondaries out to everyone who submit a primary, so there's not always a cut-off line.

 

[yessira]

For the schools that don't automatically send you a secondary application (in other words, there's no cut off), would it be wrong to say that once you get a secondary, they've decided your numbers are good enough and your MCAT and GPA won't be a deciding factor? Or does it mean they're giving you a chance to rock the secondary application?