Question on the application cycle

[premedsp]

The first day of verification of this year's medical school application is June 25th, 2021. So does that mean my MCAT scores don't get sent in before then? Say I have my scores back by May 1st.. will my scores just be in the system until June 25th?
I am just a little confused about the dates and application material.

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[LizzyM]

The real question is when does AAMC begin sending applications to medical schools? 6/25 sounds about right. Keep in mind that some schools get a data dump of 25% of all the applications they'll see in a cycle on that Day 1. And they keep coming like repeated snow falls after a blizzard. That's why I say that any application that is submitted and verified by 7/4 is early. Schools don't use a FIFO model (first in, first out) anymore, as far as I can tell, but sort and skim what they consider the highest priority for review and work their way through the applications that way.

 

[premedsp]

The real question is when does AAMC begin sending applications to medical schools? 6/25 sounds about right. Keep in mind that some schools get a data dump of 25% of all the applications they'll see in a cycle on that Day 1. And they keep coming like repeated snow falls after a blizzard. That's why I say that any application that is submitted and verified by 7/4 is early. Schools don't use a FIFO model (first in, first out) anymore, as far as I can tell, but sort and skim what they consider the highest priority for review and work their way through the applications that way.

So just to clarify, schools get the MCAT scores starting from June 25th (the earliest)? So if you have your scores before that, they are held in the system until 6/25?

 

[LizzyM]

Your entire application, including MCAT scores, are, as far as I know, held until that day. Now, that is not to say that AAMC might make a buck by selling a mailing list to schools of test-takers who scored above X and who have other attributes (state residence, etc) to be used by the school as a recruting tool. So, it might seem like the school already has your scores but officially they would not until the scores are delivered as part of your AMCAS application.

 

[r2med]

So just to clarify, schools get the MCAT scores starting from June 25th (the earliest)? So if you have your scores before that, they are held in the system until 6/25?

MCAT results are available to AMCAS as soon as you submit your AMCAS application (assuming you have already taken MCAT and released results). Remember MCAT and AMCAS are both administered by the same organization AAMC. However, AMCAS does not send your application to med schools till after a specific date, till they verify etc.