Submit Primary First Day?

[Chalupa Batman]

Hey
So I was planning on getting everything ready to submit my application the day the cycle opens then yesterday happened. I got my march mcat score and realized I absolutely have to reatake in order to get into a US School.

My stats are not that great so I want to submit as early as possible. I am retaking my mcat on may 11th so I wont get my scores back till june 11th.
Should I still submit my app June 4th or wait a week and submit June 11th?

Also if someone is familiar with the application process can you explain why it is or is not a good idea to submit before receiving your mcat scores.


Thanks

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[GopherMD]

You can submit your primary on the first day to one school (doesn't matter which one). This way, your application will start being verified right away. Then once you get your score back on the 11th (and provided you like the score), you can add on the schools you actually want to apply to.

OR, you can wait a week and do it all at once. I doubt a week will make much of a difference.

It's really up to you if the one week matters that much, although usually earlier is better.

 

[MacNCheesy]

Ditto to what mnhockeyfan said. Submit one day one or two with one school you absolutely know you are applying to. That way your application will go through the process of verification early and you won't be sitting around wondering when your app will be verified for too long. Submitting additional schools later does not put you at the back of the line for verification, so you can add them when you get your score back with no delay in processing time. People who submit within the first few days often are verified in a week or less whereas people who wait a few weeks often wait to be verified for a month.

 

[Chalupa Batman]

Hey thanks for the prompt replies.

So lets say I do apply the first day to one school, they will get my old MCAT score but how long will it be for them to receive my new scores and will it be a hassle for them to get and review this new score.

The thing is that I dont want to automatically get filtered out of a school I might have a good shot at. So should I just apply to a school I probably dont have a good shot at or still apply like I normally would.


Thanks for the help!

 

[GopherMD]

Hey thanks for the prompt replies.

So lets say I do apply the first day to one school, they will get my old MCAT score but how long will it be for them to receive my new scores and will it be a hassle for them to get and review this new score.

The thing is that I dont want to automatically get filtered out of a school I might have a good shot at. So should I just apply to a school I probably dont have a good shot at or still apply like I normally would.


Thanks for the help!

In your AMCAS, there is a place to enter in the date of your future MCAT. The schools will see you scheduled an MCAT for May 11th and will know that a new score will be uploaded in June. Most schools wait until the end of June-early July to start sending out secondaries anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I would pick a school you either have no shot at OR would not want to attend.

 

[bigdogrob4284]

i would pick a school you either have no shot at or would not want to attend.

+1

 

[sunshine02]

So the earlier you submit your primaries the better chance you have of getting an interview? Is that true with secondaries? If so, do the essay topics change every year?

 

[Redpancreas]

So the earlier you submit your primaries the better chance you have of getting an interview? Is that true with secondaries? If so, do the essay topics change every year?

I'm not + but...

From what I've gathered of SDN students secondary submission speed is more important than primary submission speed but of course secondary is dependent on primary...but from what ppl are saying June 1 vs. June 5th (primary) isn't so much of a difference than August 1st vs. August 5th (secondary)

Apparently prompts are mostly the same but are subject to change. SDNers have had some luck anticipating prompts from previous years. See school specific discussions.

(Someone tell me if I'm wrong)

 

[sunshine02]

Thanks! Do they immediately give you your secondary as soon as you turn in the primary, or does it take them awhile?

 

[GopherMD]

Thanks! Do they immediately give you your secondary as soon as you turn in the primary, or does it take them awhile?

It varies by school. Some schools sent me a secondary the day or so after my primary was verified. Some took well over a month.

The big reason submitting earlier is a good idea is because the schools have reviewed less applicants in June-July and therefore would be more willing (in theory) to interview/accept someone. The later it gets into the cycle, the more acceptances a school has handed out. With fewer spots available, the competition between applicants increases for the fewer remaining spots.

 

[sunshine02]

So I guess if you want to spend time revising/perfecting your essays, you have to start during the spring semester right? Otherwise if you wait to May/June, you won't have too much time since the earlier you submit it the better? IMO, it would definitely be a lot having to study for the MCAT, work on apps, and do well in classes at the same time.

 

[ClemsonFirst]

It is a lot, but you can always do them in stages. Once you are finished with say your PS or some activities, send them off for a parent or friend to look over so you have less burden on yourself. I would say with the MCAT so close, focus mainly on that and class and after you take it, work hard on your application.

 

[NickRiviera MD]

Have everything ready to submit but don't submit until you get your MCAT score back. Submitting June 11 will in no way negatively impact your chances.

 

[SixStringPsych]

Doesn't AMCAS not even send apps to schools until June 28th (or somewhere around there?) therefore June 4th-28th is really just verification time

 

[McNCheese]

If there is any chance that your MCAT scores might influence your decision to apply this cycle, you may want to wait until June 11th. Waiting until June 11 is not going to delay your application by much. On the other hand, if you submit June 4th, and find out your MCAT scores aren't good enough, you will already be considered an applicant for this cycle. Just something to think about.

 

[pgoyal]

sorry to hijack the thread...butttt how about a June 20th mcat? my stats are borderline as well but i have all my other materials ready (personal statement, lors, etc).

i was thinking about just sending in my 1' everywhere june 1st and prewriting secondaries. obviously i'm taking a huge risk and "banking" on the fact that i do well on the mcat but would i be considered late? should I just sacrifice a couple points and take the may 30th mcat instead?

thnx.

 

[nabilesmail]

If there is any chance that your MCAT scores might influence your decision to apply this cycle, you may want to wait until June 11th. Waiting until June 11 is not going to delay your application by much. On the other hand, if you submit June 4th, and find out your MCAT scores aren't good enough, you will already be considered an applicant for this cycle. Just something to think about.

Can't you withdraw your application during verification time?

Waiting until June 11th might cause a longer verification period (it may only be 11 days behind, but verification time might be longer (say 3 weeks vs 6 weeks) no?

If money is not a concen (300$?) then submit right away and withdraw your application if you do not feel comfortable applying (also your practice test scores sooner to your MCAT date will give you more validation/input)

DO NOT TAKE MY ADVICE- Until others can verify this. Good luck!

 

[nabilesmail]

sorry to hijack the thread...butttt how about a June 20th mcat? my stats are borderline as well but i have all my other materials ready (personal statement, lors, etc).

i was thinking about just sending in my 1' everywhere june 1st and prewriting secondaries. obviously i'm taking a huge risk and "banking" on the fact that i do well on the mcat but would i be considered late? should I just sacrifice a couple points and take the may 30th mcat instead?

thnx.

July 20th complete date is early/average (pre-write your secondaries, most schools mark you complete almost immediately, some don't) You'll be fine if your MCAT checks out and you write well :]

 

[as1212559]

Dunno about AMCAS but AACOMAS was almost too fast for people submitting on the first day last year. There were people complete by like mid-June when I submitted my primary and most schools will tell you they don't start reviewing until late July or early August. Heck, the school I will be attending didn't even start to review apps until September this year.

You might just be sitting around if you are through that fast, and you would be considered a re-applicant if you tank your retake and decide not to follow through. Bottom line is wait a few days. If you are really that worried, pre-write secondaries.

 

[McNCheese]

Can't you withdraw your application during verification time?

Yes and no. You can withdraw it as long as you are still waiting in line for it to be looked at. Once it is "under review", you will not be able to withdraw it. (https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/147910/aftersub_shared_2.4.html) It is also hard to predict how long it will take for verification. If OP submits on the first day, the app may be processed before June 11, and it will be too late to withdraw.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Can someone post link to the Amcas graph showing verification times by submission date? Cannot find...

 

[McNCheese]

Can someone post link to the Amcas graph showing verification times by submission date? Cannot find...

Not sure if AMCAS distributes this kind of graph, but SDN member DAPI made this one -
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=955913

Based on that graph, it looks like OP's verification time would be about two weeks if app is submitted on june 11th. And the data isn't sent to med schools until June 28th anyway.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Not sure if AMCAS distributes this kind of graph, but SDN member DAPI made this one -
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=955913

Based on that graph, it looks like OP's verification time would be about two weeks if app is submitted on june 11th. And the data isn't sent to med schools until June 28th anyway.

17:04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP54r3jmKr0