Pushing back my MCAT

[markelle]

Hello everyone,

So my test is scheduled for June 16th and I don't feel really confident. I just want to take it once, so I am willing to push my test back util July 22nd, and there are still seats open nearby my city for that date. I have my letters all sent in to my university, they will be combined with my committee letter in a letter packet. My letter packet will be sent out BY august 15th.

My application is 80% complete, and I plan to submit on the third day after the "rush".

If all else looks well, would it be bad to get my scores back in late august?

Background: Maryland resident, African American female, first generation college student, community college transfer student, graduating this May- traditional
Major: Neurophysiology
MCAT: June 16th thinking about July 22
GPA: 3.80c ; 3.69s
Clinical:
1 month of phlebotomy training and measuring vital signs
2 years ophthalmology medical technician (10-60hrs/week) depending on summer/winter break
observed shadowed physician doing surgeries
Research:
two semesters (9 months) (Jan2016-May /Sept-Dec2016, omit summer break)
2 poster presentations at my university "undergraduate research day"
1 publication, co author (4th)
EC's:
SMDEP
President of Math club
President of a science outreach club on campus
Peer educator/ TA for Cell biology
Tutor for Cell biology
Orientation leader- two summers
Deans List, every year except for sophomore year
Worked part-time every semester in college...15-30hrs/week.
Starting to volunteer at a nursing home on June 1st.

I will be using my committee letter.

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[jcorpsmanMD]

It's not optimal but you'll be fine. Best to do good on the MCAT the first time around, good luck!

 

[aafhem]

Considering you won't be complete at schools until they receive your letters anyways and you'll get both the exam and committee packet in around the same time, it'll be fine

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Hello everyone,

So my test is scheduled for June 16th and I don't feel really confident. I just want to take it once, so I am willing to push my test back util July 22nd, and there are still seats open nearby my city for that date. I have my letters all sent in to my university, they will be combined with my committee letter in a letter packet. My letter packet will be sent out BY august 15th.

My application is 80% complete, and I plan to submit on the third day after the "rush".

If all else looks well, would it be bad to get my scores back in late august?

Background: Maryland resident, African American female, first generation college student, community college transfer student, graduating this May- traditional
Major: Neurophysiology
MCAT: June 16th thinking about July 22
GPA: 3.80c ; 3.69s
Clinical:
1 month of phlebotomy training and measuring vital signs
2 years ophthalmology medical technician (10-60hrs/week) depending on summer/winter break
observed shadowed physician doing surgeries
Research:
two semesters (9 months) (Jan2016-May /Sept-Dec2016, omit summer break)
2 poster presentations at my university "undergraduate research day"
1 publication, co author (4th)
EC's:
SMDEP
President of Math club
President of a science outreach club on campus
Peer educator/ TA for Cell biology
Tutor for Cell biology
Orientation leader- two summers
Deans List, every year except for sophomore year
Worked part-time every semester in college...15-30hrs/week.
Starting to volunteer at a nursing home on June 1st.

I will be using my committee letter.

You'll be fine. Yes, there is (always) a panic factor if you're not complete June 1 with AMCAS submitted, and then being fully complete and in review at every school you apply to the day you receive the secondary. Unofficial cutoff for "late" applications (MD) is applying after Labor Day. Anything prior you'll be fine.

I found out the hard way that just because you apply early and are complete early, doesn't win you an interview/admission. Adcoms have been doing this since the stone ages; they'll review and interview somebody who applied in October with a stronger application than an early bird from July.

Your MCAT date is fine, don't push it beyond July though.

 

[markelle]

Yeah, its the tail end. Get scores back in August, but you will be middle to end of the pack for processing and review by the time you are complete. It is not advisable to send in a primary except to a single reach or throwaway school for verification. However, schools wont send an unscreened secondary unless you submit. But then again, other schools wont send a secondary until you have a MCAT score. So you will have secondaries later than most. But probably will still be mostly complete by end of Sept which is still on time for a solid candidate, which you appear to be

MCAT is priority. That score will stay forever so do not get too caught up in application over that.

Thank you. So I submit my primary within the first week, and apply to Howard as a safety school. When I get my scores back in August I add on more schools and should receive secondaries soon. If I am complete by early September is that no longer early? or is it on time?

I know this is a paranoid type question, but how much would that difference make in being early vs on time?

 

[markelle]

1) I wouldnt apply to your "safety school" as your verification school. What happens if you have just a day from hell and your MCAT score is utter crap? Apply to a high reach school that if you MCAT is great, you may have a chance
2) By Labor Day is "early" and the more selective the school, the earlier is better. By end of September is on time for most solid candidates and you seem quite solid
3) You dont get into medical school by being first; you get in by being good. And an early "bad" MCAT will get you rejected faster than a later "good" MCAT. Hence why I am very much against any student considering and working on an application prior to MCAT score.


AMCAS 2018 Timeline Summary (post count #026)
-AMCAS May 2, 2017, Primary application opens up. Can send formal requests for transcripts from your schools and letter requests to your letter writers.
-AMCAS June 1, 2017, Completed primary applications with all ECs, PS, and course information can be submitted. You enter the verification queue only when both completed primary application and all transcripts have been received.
-AMCAS June 30, 2017, begins transmission verified applications until late June (though some schools have secondaries sent to contact info upon submission to AMCAS)
-Verification peak is about August 1st and takes 20 days
-Most Primary Apps are transmitted early July thru early September
-Secondaries timelines can vary widely as to when to they are sent out from almost immediately upon submissions to 3 months, though most are in the range 1-3 weeks after transmission.
-Letters via AMCAS are processed/transmitted separately from primary
-Letters can be added after primary has been submitted and transmitted and are mostly not needed until secondary reviews at the earliest.
-Application and candidate evaluations timeline varies widely by school may not done in a linear, chronological order. EDP, High achievers, URM, family of alumni, feeder schools, associated UG programs, linked postbaccs, and other factor may push an app forward in the process.
-Most adcoms dont start meeting for review of evaluated applicants until at least mid-August, more likely September, though some reviews may be done earlier for groups mentioned above.
-Submitting Primary Application June is Early, July Medium, August Late
-Having Primary verified and transmitted to school by end of August is normal speed
-Having Secondary and all LORs complete to school by Labor Day is early. By late or end of September is about normal speed, by end of October is about late.
--After that point you will generally start getting impacted by the number of applications submitted, the finite number of interview slots, and seats given by rolling admissions. This isnt an absolute date nor is it a fixed timeline. It should be used as a guideline

Thank you! Once i get my scores back I use the MSAR, and try to be complete as soon as possible.

thank you for attaching this outline!!