General Question about Applying in July
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I'm not sure why you would need until August 15 to submit primaries if your score comes back in July.
Start pre-writing secondaries as soon as you can. Certainly use the time after you take the MCAT to work on them.
The average MCAT for matriculants is 511. Your threshold for retaking vs. letting it ride is a personal decision, and depends a lot on they types of schools you are targeting. Some people would be over the moon with a 513, others would be crushed.
Start pre-writing secondaries as soon as you can. Certainly use the time after you take the MCAT to work on them.
The average MCAT for matriculants is 511. Your threshold for retaking vs. letting it ride is a personal decision, and depends a lot on they types of schools you are targeting. Some people would be over the moon with a 513, others would be crushed.
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Agree, you should be able to apply in July if you take your MCAT in June. Do some pre-writing now, and spend the month after the MCAT completing your primary application. Be ready to hit submit as soon as your score comes in in July. July is not late.
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Assuming your grades are not an issue (I'll accept what you write at face value), I don't think there's anything wrong with continuing or expanding your clinical exposure and non-clinical community service orientation activities during your gap years; I generally advise this anyway. It's not about your hours; it's about your impact on your community through your activities. How much do you need to be credible? How much have you done to truly understand what the most vulnerable around you need, and why being a physician is the way to address them?
It depends on what schools you believe will help you realize your goals. Are you applying to brand-name schools? Then you need a profile that reflects you are on par with the pool, including having thousands of hours in non-clinical service orientation activities (I think you have reached my minimum recommendation of 250 total hours, but I emphasize minimum.)
I don't know why medicine will bring you joy in your life; we assure you it won't bring you joy all the time. Your profile sounds like you can play the academic game, but is that really what you see yourself doing (because all you see is academic medicine around you)? How do you know you won't burn yourself out from working so hard and so long? (Pay attention to the secondary essay prompts, and understand the emotional stamina you need to answer them.)
One area I don't see your profile covering: campus leadership and teamwork. What have you done there?
It depends on what schools you believe will help you realize your goals. Are you applying to brand-name schools? Then you need a profile that reflects you are on par with the pool, including having thousands of hours in non-clinical service orientation activities (I think you have reached my minimum recommendation of 250 total hours, but I emphasize minimum.)
I don't know why medicine will bring you joy in your life; we assure you it won't bring you joy all the time. Your profile sounds like you can play the academic game, but is that really what you see yourself doing (because all you see is academic medicine around you)? How do you know you won't burn yourself out from working so hard and so long? (Pay attention to the secondary essay prompts, and understand the emotional stamina you need to answer them.)
One area I don't see your profile covering: campus leadership and teamwork. What have you done there?
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Do you know that you can submit while you are waiting for your MCAT score? The way to do this is to submit your AMCAS application to one "throw away" school. Some place you have no chance of being admitted to or have no interest in. That way you get verified and when you get your scores back and know where you stand, you submit to the schools you are serious about and the transfer is immediate because your application has already been verified.
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"Also, my friend who is applying this cycle told me that the essays for primaries vary from each school so I figured it would take some time to write them for each school I’m applying to." Your friend doesn't have it quite right or was using the wrong terminology.
The primary app = your AMCAS app. All the AMCAS schools get the same primary and that's why it's important to write your personal statement about you, and not about a particular school.
The secondary essays are the ones that vary from school to school.
You have to have a minimum of one school listed on your AMCAS primary app to submit it.
It takes AMCAS about 4 weeks to verify your app and send it to schools.
When you add more schools after it is verified, those new ones will get your primary app the next day. There is not another 4 week wait.
I think you need to spend some time reading the AMCAS guide to understand the sequence of events
The primary app = your AMCAS app. All the AMCAS schools get the same primary and that's why it's important to write your personal statement about you, and not about a particular school.
The secondary essays are the ones that vary from school to school.
You have to have a minimum of one school listed on your AMCAS primary app to submit it.
It takes AMCAS about 4 weeks to verify your app and send it to schools.
When you add more schools after it is verified, those new ones will get your primary app the next day. There is not another 4 week wait.
I think you need to spend some time reading the AMCAS guide to understand the sequence of events
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A number of things stand out:
1) Have you connected with your prehealth advisor?
2) Have you applied for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, especially before you took the MCAT?
3) Have you attended recruitment events at the medical schools closest to you or any recruitment fairs hosted by your school or nearby?
Your responses suggest you are approaching this process with little guidance beyond peers and the internet (and not necessarily from us experts).
Campus leadership would not include teaching, tutoring, or mentoring (which is a different category). Biochem lab is not a student organization. Yes, I think organizing events for your cultural organization would be an example. If you haven't been part of many clubs, that is your choice and you have your reasons; however, medical school is very isolating and involves networking and social support. Your desire to bridge gaps between communities doesn't convince me if I see your resume include just one campus activity where your involvement comes from your shared identity or heritage. You seem to be more an introvert than you claim to be.
1) Have you connected with your prehealth advisor?
2) Have you applied for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, especially before you took the MCAT?
3) Have you attended recruitment events at the medical schools closest to you or any recruitment fairs hosted by your school or nearby?
Your responses suggest you are approaching this process with little guidance beyond peers and the internet (and not necessarily from us experts).
Campus leadership would not include teaching, tutoring, or mentoring (which is a different category). Biochem lab is not a student organization. Yes, I think organizing events for your cultural organization would be an example. If you haven't been part of many clubs, that is your choice and you have your reasons; however, medical school is very isolating and involves networking and social support. Your desire to bridge gaps between communities doesn't convince me if I see your resume include just one campus activity where your involvement comes from your shared identity or heritage. You seem to be more an introvert than you claim to be.
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Do you know about patient navigators or community health workers? Why not these roles which would more directly address this? Don't you do this as a PCT?
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This is a bit concerning.... you are going to help them somewhat whether or not you become a doctor. Maybe you can help them come around to trusting doctors without becoming one yourself.
What I'd prefer to see is that what you experienced in your own family made you empathetic towards others who have similar issues and has inspired you to become a doctor to help other families that struggle with access and trust issues.
What I'd prefer to see is that what you experienced in your own family made you empathetic towards others who have similar issues and has inspired you to become a doctor to help other families that struggle with access and trust issues.
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