Sept DO Apps

[DaredevilDO]

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So I'm an non-trad and my job requires that I work 10-hr days until the end of May, which leaves me exhausted by the time I get home. I was thinking about studying for the MCAT from the beginning of June to the end of August. If I apply early September for the DO cycle, am I ridiculously late and at a huge disadvantage? I know the best time to apply is May/June, but should I not even bother with a September application? 3.6 GPA, 3.4 sciGPA.

 

[darklabel]

I wouldn't necessarily say its a huge hinderance, but definitely won't be doing you any favors. Your GPA is alright but it all comes down to the MCAT. Taking it late leaves you with no room in case you do poorly. But yes, for some schools, especially rolling admissions (Nova comes to mind), it definitely will hinder you.

 

[DaredevilDO]

How about applying in May/June, but incorporating my score as soon as I receive it in Sept/Oct?

 

[BrianK0220]

Similar stats, same situation this cycle. The mcat has to be a priority. It's better to have a good score late than a crappy score early. I was verified in October and have seven interviews so far. They aren't acceptances yet, but I'm glad I rolled the dice. Good luck. You'll do great. Don't let your competition tell you otherwise.

 

[GopherMD]

You can always submit your primary app in June, apply to one school and have it get verified right away. Once you get your MCAT score back, you can decide to add on the schools you want to apply to and your application will have already been verified.

 

[abolt18]

My opinion only, do the MCAT in July or August, submit AACOMAS July...

 

[GUH]

So I'm an non-trad and my job requires that I work 10-hr days until the end of May, which leaves me exhausted by the time I get home. I was thinking about studying for the MCAT from the beginning of June to the end of August. If I apply early September for the DO cycle, am I ridiculously late and at a huge disadvantage? I know the best time to apply is May/June, but should I not even bother with a September application? 3.6 GPA, 3.4 sciGPA.

I took my MCAT in late July this year and submitted my AACOMAS on September 1st. I'm doing well this cycle. It's impossible to know for sure if I would have done even better if I had submitted earlier.
Just get a solid MCAT score and apply broadly.

 

[CopToEM]

With DO schools operating under rolling admissions your chances of acceptance dwindle statistically as the season progresses on. You have a pretty solid GPA set so you just need to bring home a solid MCAT to combine it with. Don't use your work schedule as an excuse to avoid getting in your studying time and don't buy into the 8-hour/day commitment that many SDNers say is necessary. Do your best, try to take the earliest possible MCAT, and don't stress about being too late. Again, set yourself up for success, make the best of the situation, and take it as soon as you feel comfortable.

I was in very similar shoes to your own when it came time for me to buckle down on MCAT studying. I realized pretty quickly that I just needed to land a good enough score to get an acceptance at one of my top 5 choices and I would be satisfied. I studied as much as I could around work/school, got the score I needed, accepted the first offer I got, and I have never looked back.

Hang in there!

 

[IslandStyle808]

You can always submit your primary app in June, apply to one school and have it get verified right away. Once you get your MCAT score back, you can decide to add on the schools you want to apply to and your application will have already been verified.

👍👍

Very hidden advice on SDN and am glad to see it is brought up again.

 

[drshark]

it really depends how well you can do on your mcat, i applied first week of june, my app was all set except for my mcat which i took mid summer. take it as early as you can because you don't want to need a retake, and it be too late for one. I regret taking mine so late. try flipping through some mcat books now, such as EK bio or kaplan just to refresh your memory, start practice tests when you finish your job

 

[CRCprofessional]

So I'm an non-trad and my job requires that I work 10-hr days until the end of May, which leaves me exhausted by the time I get home. I was thinking about studying for the MCAT from the beginning of June to the end of August. If I apply early September for the DO cycle, am I ridiculously late and at a huge disadvantage? I know the best time to apply is May/June, but should I not even bother with a September application? 3.6 GPA, 3.4 sciGPA.

I took the MCAT (for the third time) in August of this past year, submitted when I got my score back in September (because I didn't want my low score to hinder my app) and was verified in October. I have lower GPA than yours (see my MDapps profile) and I have had 6 interview invites (1 MD, 5 DO) with 2 acceptances (I turned down 3 interview invites). I think you'll be fine....