Quick question about MCAT Retake/AMCAS

[snorlax]

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[snorlax]

I'm going to paraphrase my question in hopes that someone will answer it.

Is it possible to apply to half your schools with one MCAT score, then retake the MCAT later in the summer, update your AMCAS with the new MCAT score and apply to the 2nd half of your schools?

 

[Lya]

There aren't many people who thought of doing that, but I'll just share my thoughts anyway.

If you mean "late summer" as in August, that's considered quite late at least for the SDN standard. Even if you take the MCAT in July, you are talking about not being completed until a month later (or August). So unless your new MCAT is 37+ perhaps, I don't know if waiting for the new MCAT score to come out is worthwhile at the end of the day.

So back to your question, I guess it's possible but I am not sure if applying for the other half of schools is worthwhile at that stage. But if you really want to do it, you can apply without mentioning any retake. And then later, you can add more schools as well as a future MCAT date. If I remember correctly, you can add a future MCAT date after you submit your primary application. But just remember that as soon as you add your future MCAT date, the other schools will wait until they receive the new MCAT score, leading to a further delay. There's a reason why people repeatedly say apply early, apply early, and apply early.

 

[snorlax]

There aren't many people who thought of doing that, but I'll just share my thoughts anyway.

If you mean "late summer" as in August, that's considered quite late at least for the SDN standard. Even if you take the MCAT in July, you are talking about not being completed until a month later (or August). So unless your new MCAT is 37+ perhaps, I don't know if waiting for the new MCAT score to come out is worthwhile at the end of the day.

So back to your question, I guess it's possible but I am not sure if applying for the other half of schools is worthwhile at that stage. But if you really want to do it, you can apply without mentioning any retake. And then later, you can add more schools as well as a future MCAT date. If I remember correctly, you can add a future MCAT date after you submit your primary application. But just remember that as soon as you add your future MCAT date, the other schools will wait until they receive the new MCAT score, leading to a further delay. There's a reason why people repeatedly say apply early, apply early, and apply early.

Thanks for your reply. I agree with the point about applying early - I just wanted to have a higher MCAT score to increase my chances at some of the schools with higher averages, and I am aiming for 36+; for other schools that I am closer to the average, I wanted to have the benefit of being an early applicant.

So just to clarify your answer- If I resubmit my AMCAS in July with, lets say, an August MCAT date, will the schools that I applied to in June also receive that info and postpone consideration of my application? At that point, I would be complete at those schools and possibly have some interview invites...

I know it's a complicated situation, but I really appreciate the insight!

 

[Lya]

So just to clarify your answer- If I resubmit my AMCAS in July with, lets say, an August MCAT date, will the schools that I applied to in June also receive that info and postpone consideration of my application? At that point, I would be complete at those schools and possibly have some interview invites...

That's one thing I am unsure of.

If there are schools that you were not complete by the time you add the future MCAT date, I know that usually they wait for the new score. However, if you are complete by then, I am not sure if they (1) send you ii anyways or (2) won't review your completed application until the new MCAT score. I am not really sure on that one.