Senior, applying this cycle, general advice needed/timeline

[laxgirl06]

Hey guys,
I hope your semester is going well! I just wanted to come here an ask someone who is currently applying or has already applied to med school. What was the general timeline you followed the year you were applying? In terms of personal statement writing, asking for letters of recommendation, etc. I am finalizing my MCAT study schedule, but besides that, what things should someone applying this cycle be doing now until then? Also, if anyone has any general application tips or interview tips, etc. please let me know. Thanks! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE APPLYING THIS CYCLE!

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[bananafish94]

Also, if anyone has any general application tips or interview tips, etc. please let me know.

Welcome to Hell

 

[bananafish94]

In all seriousness, I assume you mean you're applying this summer, which means you don't need to worry about that much yet in terms of applying. The most important thing, by several orders of magnitude, will be doing well on the MCAT. You can start writing your PS next semester and asking for letters of recommendation in the spring. Make sure to submit the best application you can put together as early as possible. Good luck!

 

[kitkat13]

How long did it take you guys to write, edit, and have other people edit your statement? How many and what types of people did you get it read by?

 

[Gibbward]

If you're applying next year, I would suggest:
1. Focus on the MCAT
2. continue your ECs, pick up some more if you're bored or motivated
3. start figuring out how you're going to pay for the app cycle, and if you're paying everything yourself start saving up. This applying business is expensive AF
4. I didn't start my PS until I think March, took a month or two to finish and I had around 4 drafts. I had a few people on SDN read it for content then my GF (who edits and proofreads books and academic journals for a living, score!) read most of my drafts for grammar, flow and ther technical writing stuff.
5. I asked for letters around March and told them I'd prefer to have them finished by late May, reminded my LOR writers in late April, and letters were in (except 1) by the first day that I could submit primaries.

 

[DingoPingo]

Hey guys,
I hope your semester is going well! I just wanted to come here an ask someone who is currently applying or has already applied to med school. What was the general timeline you followed the year you were applying? In terms of personal statement writing, asking for letters of recommendation, etc. I am finalizing my MCAT study schedule, but besides that, what things should someone applying this cycle be doing now until then? Also, if anyone has any general application tips or interview tips, etc. please let me know. Thanks! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE APPLYING THIS CYCLE!

For the year you are applying, if you want to be as early as possible:
Before May: request committee letter from your school.
Start filling out AMCAS in May (can't submit yet).
Have MCAT, LOR, and PS ready to go by June.
Submit on submission opening day (think it was around 6/5 this year)
You will wait a few weeks as AMCAS verifies your application and gets your LOR, then you will begin receiving secondaries
Submit secondaries ASAP, you can prewrite if you like
Wait for interviews and go to them
Wait
Wait some more
Re-apply if needed

My tips for interviews is to know common questions asked and to have personal experiences to use to answer those questions. A common question is like "Have you ever worked with someone with whom you didn't get along?" This is probably my favorite resource: http://www.colorado.edu/advising/sites/default/files/attached-files/Med_100 intquest.pdf

For MMI, look up MMI example questions