Should I wait or Not!? Help!

[molarseeker]

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SDN,

I am a senior neuroscience student at UCLA and I graduate this year on June 14th. Here is my dilemma. I am going to be applying to both M.D. and D.O. medical schools. I know that applications can be submitted around June 1st for both M.D. and D.O. schools. I have not taken the MCAT yet, but am registered to take it April 4th. However, I do not believe that with my course load, research, and volunteer work, I will be ready to take the exam April 4th, so I am trying to reschedule to May 23rd.

My question is this: Since it takes 30-35 days to get back the MCAT scores, I will get my scores back between June 23-28 if my test date is May 23rd. My GPA for M.D. schools will be around 3.3 and my GPA for D.O. schools around 3.4. I have 2 years of volunteer work in a surgery center, 1.5 years volunteering with a company that offers reconstructive surgery to underprivileged children, six months of volunteer in the radiology department at a hospital, 1 year of Alzheimer's research, and 50+ hours of M.D. and D.O. shadowing. Also, I am taking a year off, so in the gap year, I hopefully will get a paid job working in either a lab doing research, or working in a medical setting. On top of that, I want to get more volunteer hours. With these stats, do you think that it would hurt my chances significantly if I waited to apply till June 21st instead of applying June 1st because of rolling admissions? I am going to be applying to MOST D.O. schools and probably 30-40 M.D. schools.

Thanks! You're the best!

 

[Mosa]

Hi! Keep in mind that (this cycle at least), medical schools did not receive primary apps until June 29th. That is, even for those of us who were verified June 5th, our apps sat at AMCAS until the 29 of June before getting transmitted to med schools. So, have your application DONE in early June to get it verified as soon as possible. Verification just means checking what you input for your classes as compared to the actual transcript you send to AMCAS. I think AMCAS automatically puts in your MCAT score if it is released after your app is verified, but I would check on this particular point. I do not believe it would make a difference in when schools receive your primary application if your scores release on June 20 or thereabouts since data transmission to med school does not occur until afterwards. Just to be very clear: do not wait to complete and submit your application for verification until after your scores. Get that app verified as soon as possible!

 

[molarseeker]

Hi! Keep in mind that (this cycle at least), medical schools did not receive primary apps until June 29th. That is, even for those of us who were verified June 5th, our apps sat at AMCAS until the 29 of June before getting transmitted to med schools. So, have your application DONE in early June to get it verified as soon as possible. Verification just means checking what you input for your classes as compared to the actual transcript you send to AMCAS. I think AMCAS automatically puts in your MCAT score if it is released after your app is verified, but I would check on this particular point. I do not believe it would make a difference in when schools receive your primary application if your scores release on June 20 or thereabouts since data transmission to med school does not occur until afterwards. Just to be very clear: do not wait to complete and submit your application for verification until after your scores. Get that app verified as soon as possible!

So you're saying that I should send in my application without my MCAT?

 

[LizzyM]

Yes. The all-powerful AAMC will have your MCAT scores the moment they are released and will datea dump them into your application. They do that anyway, I think; you don't self-report your scores.

The earliest the schools will receive your AMCAS application will be the end of June so a mid-May MCAT date is fine.

 

[matanpucla]

SDN,

I am a senior neuroscience student at UCLA and I graduate this year on June 14th. Here is my dilemma. I am going to be applying to both M.D. and D.O. medical schools. I know that applications can be submitted around June 1st for both M.D. and D.O. schools. I have not taken the MCAT yet, but am registered to take it April 4th. However, I do not believe that with my course load, research, and volunteer work, I will be ready to take the exam April 4th, so I am trying to reschedule to May 11th (my birthday ).

My question is this: Since it takes 30-35 days to get back the MCAT scores, I will get my scores back between June 11-16 if my test date is May 11. My GPA for M.D. schools will be around 3.3 and my GPA for D.O. schools around 3.4. I have 2 years of volunteer work in a surgery center, 1.5 years volunteering with a company that offers reconstructive surgery to underprivileged children, six months of volunteer in the radiology department at a hospital, 1 year of Alzheimer's research, and 50+ hours of M.D. and D.O. shadowing. Also, I am taking a year off, so in the gap year, I hopefully will get a paid job working in either a lab doing research, or working in a medical setting. On top of that, I want to get more volunteer hours. With these stats, do you think that it would hurt my chances significantly if I waited to apply till June 21st instead of applying June 1st because of rolling admissions? I am going to be applying to MOST D.O. schools and probably 30-40 M.D. schools.

Thanks! You're the best!

wadup, im a ucla phy sci major, class of 2012. good luck with your app!

 

[molarseeker]

wadup, im a ucla phy sci major, class of 2012. good luck with your app!

Nice!! Congrats to you!

 

[matanpucla]

Nice!! Congrats to you!

lol thanks, enjoy your senior year. lmk if you have any questions about the process, it's brutal but you'll be alright. always glad to help out a fellow bruin.

 

[molarseeker]

Shoot the date would actually be may 23. Would this date be ok?

 

[Geebeejay]

Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, take the MCAT before you are confident that you are ready. No ifs ands or buts. End of story.

 

[dsoz]

Only take the MCAT once if possible. If you are totally ready (nobody is totally confident or optimistic about that #€&$@ test) and you have prepared as much as possible, then take it. If there is any possibility that life got in the way and you did not prepare as much as you could, then wait.

Get the rest of your application finished and submitted as early as possible. With your GPA, an MCAT of 29+ will be good to get into DO school or 33+ should be good for MD schools. I am not saying that lower will not get you in, but those would be good goals to get at least one acceptance (if the rest of your application is good). Be sure to apply broadly and fit in several safety schools.

I would say to go for it. Study for the MCAT like a crazy person and rock it!!! Then do awesome for your application. Write an awesome personal statement and kill the interviews. 🙂

dsoz

 

[mmmcdowe]

Closing duplicate thread. Those who wish to respond can go here.