Should I send in application now, or wait until August?

[Snapcount]

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Good afternoon.

First: My apologies for posting this. I am certain a forum of this size gets a fair number of these types of questions each day so if it appears overly repetitive, my bad.

Here is my situation. I am a 4th year PhD candidate in microbiology. I am finishing in the of summer '09. I have my application on AMCAS complete with the exception of my MCAT scores. Unfortunately I was unable to schedule it until the end of August. So this leaves me with a big question: Do I submit my application now with the note about no MCAT scores until possibly September, or hold?

The reason I ask, and my main concern is some of my grades as an undergrad. Although I did my BS (Biology w/ minor in Earth Science) from 99-03 my undergrad GPA is horrendous. The majority of this would be due to what people consider 'pre-req' courses. I could explain all that but I will spare everybody my life story. Anyway, if a (potential) great MCAT score arrives in September that would have offset my low undergrad grades I would hate to have my application get filtered out at the start of August.

Since everybody else seems to do this, here are my stats:

Undergrad: 2.85 overall [Research Honors, Best Research in University prize, 1 poster]
Masters (Microbiology): 3.4 (w/ 1 first author publication, while teaching undergrad micro)
PhD (Microbiology): 3.69 (no publications out yet, although 3 1st author manuscripts in preparation, one of which is in final draft form and will definitely be out by September, 3 poster presentations at national meetings, NIH fellowship, Best research in school award [as a second year], etc).

If it makes a difference I will be applying only to public, state MD programs. Top choices would be the SUNYs.
Thank you for your time.

 

[flip26]

That late August MCAT will make you a late applicant and will most likely reduce your success in getting interviews...I would wait to apply until next year.

There are lots of PhDs on SDN who have gone this path, and the issue of poor UG grades is often discussed...do some searches to find these posts...but most of them say that your poor UG GPA will definitely still hurt you in this process no matter how well you did in graduate school, and at 2.85, that is deadly...you may have to do some remedial work on the GPA...

 

[redbull928]

Hi, I'm curious as to how you know you're done in 09. don't you have to publish a certain number of articles?? Also, late applications seem detrimental. My friend - CA resident w/ 3.8/36, didn't get an interview from any UC's.

Good afternoon.

First: My apologies for posting this. I am certain a forum of this size gets a fair number of these types of questions each day so if it appears overly repetitive, my bad.

Here is my situation. I am a 4th year PhD candidate in microbiology. I am finishing in the of summer '09. I have my application on AMCAS complete with the exception of my MCAT scores. Unfortunately I was unable to schedule it until the end of August. So this leaves me with a big question: Do I submit my application now with the note about no MCAT scores until possibly September, or hold?

The reason I ask, and my main concern is some of my grades as an undergrad. Although I did my BS (Biology w/ minor in Earth Science) from 99-03 my undergrad GPA is horrendous. The majority of this would be due to what people consider 'pre-req' courses. I could explain all that but I will spare everybody my life story. Anyway, if a (potential) great MCAT score arrives in September that would have offset my low undergrad grades I would hate to have my application get filtered out at the start of August.

Since everybody else seems to do this, here are my stats:

Undergrad: 2.85 overall [Research Honors, Best Research in University prize, 1 poster]
Masters (Microbiology): 3.4 (w/ 1 first author publication, while teaching undergrad micro)
PhD (Microbiology): 3.69 (no publications out yet, although 3 1st author manuscripts in preparation, one of which is in final draft form and will definitely be out by September, 3 poster presentations at national meetings, NIH fellowship, Best research in school award [as a second year], etc).

If it makes a difference I will be applying only to public, state MD programs. Top choices would be the SUNYs.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Snapcount]

Hi, I'm curious as to how you know you're done in 09. don't you have to publish a certain number of articles?? Also, late applications seem detrimental. My friend - CA resident w/ 3.8/36, didn't get an interview from any UC's.

Good evening.

I apologize, I should have been more clear originally. You are correct, you usually need a minimum number of first author pubs to "finish." At my university it is informally two. However, this is on a case by case basis with some exceptions made (almost always for MD/PhD students who are allowed to graduate with one 'in press' or 'under review' since they need to be out in 3 years). In my case I have one manuscript almost done (needs some minor changes) should go out within 2-3 weeks. I have the data for two more done and writing started on those as well. I'd really like to get more than 4 (3 from my PhD, one from my MS), but I am not sure if that is possible.

Of course, graduation in the summer is not set in stone and my mentor is well within his rights to change his mind. However, we previously agreed that I was on track to finish in June, especially if these papers get out as expected and progress continues at its current rate. Although the average for time to completion in my department is 5 to 6 years neither of us see any advantage to me sticking around for longer than absolutely required, especially given the average length of time people spend as post-docs in the life sciences.

Anyway, thank you for your information and your post. Would your advice be to submit my application ASAP? I'd rather there be some hope instead of waiting until September and having no chance, even with a good MCAT score (if I get one). If I do turn my application in this month, what would happen? Would the universities either reject me outright for my GPA issue or put me on hold? If so, what stage would the 'hold' be at -- would I be sent a secondary application but not invited for an interview until MCAT scores posted? Or would I simply have my application put aside until the MCAT information rolled in?

Again, I apologize for all of my questions. I feel as if I would be successful in medical school, especially given much of the first year and second year PhD coursework appeared to be as rigorous as the classes attended by the med students at my school. I know the medical schools may not agree, but I feel running a research project while taking 22 (at one time 24) credits a semester in coursework plus prelims should more than demonstrate my academic ability. 🙂 I guess the trick is just getting past the initial undergrad GPA screen and getting that interview.

 

[UICer]

I would absolutely submit your application now. If you submit in late August you will have a hugely diminished chance of interviewing at your top choice schools.
Even without your MCAT score, if you have done your masters/PhD work in the natural sciences, it will show a strong interest in science and the fact that you have done so well will demonstrate the academic ability to succeed in medical school, which is essentially what the MCAT is testing anyway.
And in the absolutely worse case scenario, you can apply again next year. However, waiting for MCAT is not going to improve your application. I say go for it ASAP.

 

[student1799]

I agree with previous poster, get the damned AMCAS in pronto. (I only filed mine on Friday and I was nervous about being on the late side.) Your app can still be verified even if your MCAT score isn't in, and many schools will send you secondaries pre-MCAT. (I've even gotten a couple pre-verification.) Turn those around ASAP to give yourself the best possible chance of getting an interview.

As others have already commented, you will still have an uphill battle. A good MCAT score, even a REALLY good one, can only make up for so much. So make a backup plan for next year in case you don't get in; maybe you can take some upper-level undergrad science courses. (Only undergrad courses will affect your uGPA, which is what the med schools really care about.)

Good luck, and file that app RIGHT AWAY.