Questions about app process and letters

[XRanger]

I have several questions:
1. I want to apply early, I know the earliest is June 1st, but what is still considered early? end of june? beginning of july?

2. I'm planning to visit my family in another country from mid july to mid august. Would this interfere with my application process at all? let's say if I apply mid June. When do schools generally send out secondaries and give interviews?

3. kinda random, but For my non-science letter, I can only get a letter from my spanish professor, and she's a TA(no PhD title). Would this be looked down upon/would they accept this? Because most professors only teach big lecture hall with 400+ students, the TA is the one who runs the discussion section, so I get to know the TA really well.

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[iduwanna]

I'll respond since nobody else has, and hopefully other readers will correct my mistakes.

1. If your primary is complete in July, that's fairly early. Early July is probably considered "early".

2. It shouldn't, as long as you can access your email and have a cell phone.

3. Have her write a letter to keep on file, but why can't you get one from a PhD? If you've ever earned a decent grade in a non-science class, you should ask the Prof. for a letter.

 

[Kernal83]

I would kind of sort of agree with #2. You would need access to a computer. If you were to submit your primary in mid-June, your secondaries would start flooding in around mid-July after your primary gets approved. Even if your primary is in "early" if you don't turn those secondaries right around you won't be getting reviewed. You can always start working on your primary even before June 1st (or whatever date it is) and have it ready to submit when the first day comes up. I think the application opens up soon.

 

[HumidBeing]

The only thing I have to add is that a TA isn't a professor. It is very common to have a TA write an LOR, which is then co-signed by the professor. Perhaps yours could do this.

 

[XRanger]

I know the TA doesnt have PhD title and i'm trying to get it co-signed with the professor, but just in case I couldnt do it in time, would med school accept this letter? cause this is my only non-science letter

AND when do we have to get all the letters in? by the time we submit primaries or secondaries? Cause I'll be applying around mid june, but I told some of my professors the deadline for submitting letters end june/early july cause i'm guessing that's the time when i'll be getting secondaries.

 

[Pedsbro]

I know the TA doesnt have PhD title and i'm trying to get it co-signed with the professor, but just in case I couldnt do it in time, would med school accept this letter? cause this is my only non-science letter

AND when do we have to get all the letters in? by the time we submit primaries or secondaries? Cause I'll be applying around mid june, but I told some of my professors the deadline for submitting letters end june/early july cause i'm guessing that's the time when i'll be getting secondaries.

Letters need to be ready to go for secondaries. You don't send LORs with your primary AMCAS app. When the secondaries come, fill them out and send them back along with LOR and anything else the school asks from you. That deadline you gave them should be fine, I doubt you would get too many, if any, secondaries by then even if you apply the first day.

I've always been told that letters from a TA alone are a no-no, but that's only my experience. If you absolutely can't get one from a PhD or get it co-signed by a professor, then i'm not sure what to tell you. Are there any other profs you got remotely close to and also did well in their class? Maybe re-introduce yourself... Tough call, but I don't think a TA-only letter would be looked upon favorably by med schools.

 

[jimboapu]

I would kind of sort of agree with #2. You would need access to a computer. If you were to submit your primary in mid-June, your secondaries would start flooding in around mid-July after your primary gets approved. Even if your primary is in "early" if you don't turn those secondaries right around you won't be getting reviewed. You can always start working on your primary even before June 1st (or whatever date it is) and have it ready to submit when the first day comes up. I think the application opens up soon.

Im planning on sending my primary in around june 10th, which would bring my secondaries back in mid-july right? how soon would be good to return the secondaries? I wont be back in the country until about July 11th...Should I wait till a little later in June to submit my primary app?

 

[Pedsbro]

Im planning on sending my primary in around june 10th, which would bring my secondaries back in mid-july right? how soon would be good to return the secondaries? I wont be back in the country until about July 11th...Should I wait till a little later in June to submit my primary app?

That's an easy one: ASAP!!!!!!!! Search the SDN threads for the secondary app questions from the schools you are applying to and maybe start drafting responses ahead of time. But seriously: As fast as you can fill them out and write out thoughtful answers to any essay questions

 

[jimboapu]

That's an easy one: ASAP!!!!!!!! Search the SDN threads for the secondary app questions from the schools you are applying to and maybe start drafting responses ahead of time. But seriously: As fast as you can fill them out and write out thoughtful answers to any essay questions

Thank you much, good to know!

 

[XRanger]

so everything I need to complete the secondary (essay, payment, etc...) can be done online? cause yea I'll be gone from mid july to mid august but i'll have internet access.

Also i'm planning to submit my app around june 20thish, so that's still early right?

 

[chad5871]

so everything I need to complete the secondary (essay, payment, etc...) can be done online? cause yea I'll be gone from mid july to mid august but i'll have internet access.

Also i'm planning to submit my app around june 20thish, so that's still early right?

Some secondaries are in paper format and are mailed to you. Others are completely online.

Yes, June 20th is still early.

 

[MilkmanAl]

AMCAS doesn't even send out primaries 'til the 24th, right? I think I remembered seeing that somewhere.

 

[chad5871]

AMCAS doesn't even send out primaries 'til the 24th, right? I think I remembered seeing that somewhere.

That's right. June 24th is the first day AMCAS applications are available to medical schools.