Submitting AAMC in October--No Problem!

[StanfordGirl]

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So, I was told by pre-med advisors, career counselors & basically everyone that it is *TERRIBLE* to apply to med schools late in the season (right before the AAMC deadline).

But this summer I was working on a time-sensitive project in lab--a project I was really excited about and wanted to see published. And by the time I finished the project it was late September. I thought about waiting to apply next year but decided against it , went against all advice I received and submitted apps anyway...on October 11.

The surprising thing is that it doesn't seem to have mattered. I applied to three non-rolling schools and two rolling schools and have offers to choose from. Now I'm really excited about med school but also kind of annoyed that I almost did not apply this year because I was told I wouldn't have a chance. And it worries me that other people might listen to this advice and not apply.

Just a word of advice to others: You can and should talk to pre-med advisors, but it's also important to do what you think is best & what you really want to do.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this? Maybe my situation was just a fluke...

 

[TRUE]

Your case is most likely a fluke. Most people who apply late report tend to have more trouble getting interviews and acceptences. That's just a trend though so obviously there will be variation on either end.

 

[Harps]

Originally posted by facted
Your case is most likely a fluke. Most people who apply late report tend to have more trouble getting interviews and acceptences. That's just a trend though so obviously there will be variation on either end.

I agree! Students should apply as early as possible. Students can do a search on SDN and find applicants who did suffer setbacks in the process because they applied late.

Although I agree with Stanfordgirl that students shouldn't be discouraged from applying if they are strong applicants and for some reason were delayed in the process.

Don't flirt with danger, if you don't have to!

-Harps

 

[ChE_Babe]

I think that your case is more unusual than the experience most later applicants have...in fact I wish my Pre-Med advisor had said that to me. I'm (I think) a solid applicant who applied late because I was waiting for grades (it took NINE MONTHS to get my University of Ghana grades...damn Africa!) and would have waited a year if I had known.

I am faced with the possibility that I may not make it off a waitlist and am now behind the curve on getting a job or applying to grad school...what's worse is that my husband has been waiting for me to get it together before looking for jobs and now has no plan because of me. I would have appreciated the advice and done my application for 2005 instead. I was flexible and would have saved a lot of money by doing that, but no one told me. Plus, now I have to get a job because my loans are coming due if I don't continue in school.

On the upside, I shared my experience with all of the professors in my department (Chemical Engineering) and since their experience with med school applications is limited, they don't know how to advise students (and apparently neither did my Pre-Med advisor), but now they know a little more!

 

[scrabbler]

My AMCAS was verified in mid-October, and I felt that applying late didn't hurt me other than having to wait longer for news. However, *submitting your AMCAS in October seems really late, and I'm guessing you have to be a very strong applicant to get away with that.

 

[StanfordGirl]

I agree that it's best to give yourself every possible advantage by applying early but also think it's important to note that all is not lost if you apply a little later. I guess my situation might be a fluke. But I started thinking that it really has made the application process less painful than if I had applied in June and interviewed from Oct. until March. As it was, I interviewed from Jan 26 until March 15 and had decisions by mid Feb. I didn't think much about secondaries or interviews until early January and had all fall/early winter to focus on research & TAing.

 

[dtreese]

I applied late both times I applied. The first time, it got me. The second time, I got very lucky -- they called me the day before my interview because a spot opened up.

 

[BenzML320]

I wonder whatever happened to PrincetonRocks.

 

[docjolly]

Is this advice exclusively for the April MCAT test takers?

I am taking my MCAT in August, and am wondering if this applies to me. Since my MCAT scores will not be available until October, does it matter whether or not I submit my AMCAS application early (as in June/July)? I figure that it would not be a problem b/c my MCAT scores won't be in until a couple of months anyhow...

Any thoughts?

 

[TRUE]

Originally posted by docjolly
Is this advice exclusively for the April MCAT test takers?

I am taking my MCAT in August, and am wondering if this applies to me. Since my MCAT scores will not be available until October, does it matter whether or not I submit my AMCAS application early (as in June/July)? I figure that it would not be a problem b/c my MCAT scores won't be in until a couple of months anyhow...

Any thoughts?

I still suggest sending the rest of your amcas in at an early time. There is no reason you can't complete the secondaries and get your transcript and letters of rec. in.

 

[TheFlash]

Yeah, this is bad, bad advice. A very PrincetonRocks type message. All prospective applicants, apply as early as possible! You will be graciously rewarded.

 

[oasis786]

StanfordGirl -

Given your successes in the MSTP world, it's probably safe to assume you're a stellar applicant. MSTPs in particular are happy to bend the rules (rules meaning the unspoken rules of late applications) to go after a hot prospect, and med schools also to some extent. But for the average applicant, starting the process late is not a very good situation to be in.

But congrats on being good enough to survive what would be trouble for most of us...

 

[Swiper]

Originally posted by docjolly
Is this advice exclusively for the April MCAT test takers?

I am taking my MCAT in August, and am wondering if this applies to me. Since my MCAT scores will not be available until October, does it matter whether or not I submit my AMCAS application early (as in June/July)? I figure that it would not be a problem b/c my MCAT scores won't be in until a couple of months anyhow...

Any thoughts?

A friend of mine (August MCAT'er) got burned by waiting - didn't submit AMCAS until the last minute, and AMCAS processing took a while. He was rushing to get secondaries in before the deadlines, and so far hasn't received any good news.

To the OP, PrincetonRocks is a former poster who seemed to give ok advice about things, and seemed to be applying for the med school 2008 classes, but ended up being a troll who fabricated parts of her(his) application process experiences, describing early interviews and acceptances from a few different schools. Stressed out a bunch of folks who hadn't heard from certain schools, when in fact nobody actually had.

 

[Spitting Camel]

Um, we need stats, stanfordgirl...

I hope some poor noob doesn't read the subject of this thread and then make the biggest mistake of his/her life! Be more careful of what you post. Next time try this...

"Anyone else apply really late and still get in?"

not

"oh, wait till the last minute to submit your AMCAS and you'll be fine... TRUST ME!"

 

[jlee9531]

FLUKE....

i really do hope that people that come on to sdn preparing to apply to the next cycle should realize that the OP is allegedly a person with excellent numbers and an MSTP applicant. even with this situation there still could be some adverse effects of applying late....but to every other potential applicant for the 2005 cycle please turn in your application as soon as possible so as to give yourself every opportunity to get reviewed by adcoms and get interviewing opportunities.

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by scrabbler
My AMCAS was verified in mid-October, and I felt that applying late didn't hurt me other than having to wait longer for news. However, *submitting your AMCAS in October seems really late, and I'm guessing you have to be a very strong applicant to get away with that.

Your modesty is overwhelming.

Anyways, NEVER NEVER EVER APPLY LATE IF YOU DONT HAVE TO.

 

[StanfordGirl]

Hi Guys,


I did not mean to start an inflammatory, misleading or

inappropriate thread. Or to be the next PrincetonRocks (thanks

for the clarification Swiper The Fox). I simply wanted to give

advice that I wish I had gotten: to apply anyway even if it is late

in the season and everyone is telling you not to. I now

understand that my case was a fluke and that I was just lucky for

some reason, and that MSTP admissions are different (I had

thought that since MSTP goes through the med school committee

too it is the same process).


My post was just out of curiosity and I will be more

responsible with my thread titles if I ever post here again. I

didn't really think much about med school applications before I

applied--just did what I thought seemed reasonable. And I didn't

even find out about this forum until before my last interview. So I

honestly wasn't sure that applying late was so detrimental. I

thought it was just some pre-med counselor hype.


So, does anyone know how I can change the title of this thread

to the title AlreadyInDebt suggested: "Anyone else apply really

really late and get in?"

Thanks. Best of luck to all.

 

[jlee9531]

dont think you can change the title of the thread but its all good...when people click on it and read they will get the message...

by the way...congratulations on the success you have recieved this application cycle. best wishes.

 

[exmike]

Stanfordgirl:

I think you make an excellent point. While applying late isnt good and should be avoided if at all possible, one shouldnt necessarily not apply at all simply because it is late. You still have a chance, depending on your app, and you might as well get your app out there to see what happens. The process is, after all, a crapshoot.

 

[CalBeE]

Originally posted by ChE_Babe
I think that your case is more unusual than the experience most later applicants have...in fact I wish my Pre-Med advisor had said that to me. I'm (I think) a solid applicant who applied late because I was waiting for grades (it took NINE MONTHS to get my University of Ghana grades...damn Africa!) and would have waited a year if I had known.

I am faced with the possibility that I may not make it off a waitlist and am now behind the curve on getting a job or applying to grad school...

Che-Babe, are you by any chance NOT a US Citizen NOR a Green card holder? If that's the case, that itself may put you at disadvantage at some schools.

Some schools will tell you straight out that they don't take foreign students, but some will let you apply and not let you know that they do take your international applicant status into consideration during decision times. The schools that are receptive to international students are mostly the really competitive ones, so they're hard to get into regardless of your citizenship status.

 

[scrabbler]

Originally posted by scrabbler
My AMCAS was verified in mid-October, and I felt that applying late didn't hurt me other than having to wait longer for news. However, *submitting your AMCAS in October seems really late, and I'm guessing you have to be a very strong applicant to get away with that.

Exmike, I reread what I posted and I realize it could come off as arrogant. But if you add after "didn't hurt me", "(a below average/ordinary/strong applicant)" - any of those range of adjectives fits into the sentence and makes sense. All I meant was that I, whatever I may be, applied on a certain date that is often considered "late" and was able to do okay. However, if one applies *really* late as in getting verified in November or December, I think that would cause problems for most people, including myself.

I feel that there is an overemphasis on applying early, early, early in this process. There needs to be a balance between the quality of the essays you submit and how early you submit them. I think it's more effective to spend a few days on a secondary rather than turning in shoddy work just because you want to shave off a few days. Then you get to spend months and months staring at those glaring grammatical mistakes.

I also feel that most premeds know that you *should* apply early. I knew this; I meant to apply early. And I agree - why not apply early and maximize every chance you have to be reviewed favorably by the admissions committee? However, if for some reason you don't, you shouldn't feel like it's the end of the world. I stressed out a lot at the beginning because I'd heard all the stories about the horrors of applying late, and I think knowing then that there were at least some people who made it through okay despite applying late would have really helped me relax. I know people now that felt that applying late really hurt them; I also know others who feel that it didn't. You shouldn't take the chance of applying late if you can avoid it, but if you do take the chance, you shouldn't be made to feel like it's going to be impossible to get in where you want.

 

[mellantro]

its all good, Stanfordgirl. no worries-- congrats on all your success, very impressive . it is so intimidating to peruse the MSTP forums!

 

[ChE_Babe]

Che-Babe, are you by any chance NOT a US Citizen NOR a Green card holder? If that's the case, that itself may put you at disadvantage at some schools.

No, I am a US citizen, born and raised in Oregon! I've just lived (and gone to school) in Europe and Africa within the last few years. I'm just very frustrated with the whole process...plus, now I'm frustrated with myself because I see now how I could have better "sold" myself on my application and didn't.

If I end up applying again (which I may, because my husband has said that if he gets a job, I can spend the whole year doing applications and volunteering and then he'll quit and move ANYWHERE I want to go - what a sweetheart) I really wish I could get my hands on a complete AMCAS application for a really successful candidate, just to see what kind of things they put down and how they presented their activities.

 

[Sharky]

Applying late hurts your chances. Apply on June 1st to maximize them.

 

[StanfordGirl]

Originally posted by ChE_Babe


If I end up applying again (which I may, because my husband has said that if he gets a job, I can spend the whole year doing applications and volunteering and then he'll quit and move ANYWHERE I want to go - what a sweetheart) I really wish I could get my hands on a complete AMCAS application for a really successful candidate, just to see what kind of things they put down and how they presented their activities.

Thanks for your kind words, exmike, jlee, mellantro and scrabbler. I was just way too hasty with this thread title but learned a good lesson.

ChE_Babe, I'm sorry to hear about your experience this year. Your husband sounds incredibly supportive--that's wonderful! I don't know if I'm a "really successful candidate" but I did get offers I'm excited about and would be happy to send you my AMCAS if it will help you with planning for next year's application cycle. I tried to email and PM you but both seem to be disabled. Let me know if you would like this info.

 

[ChE_Babe]

StanfordGirl -

I would appreciate that...I checked and my PM should be enabled and I've been getting messages, so I'm not sure what's wrong with it. However, I see that I can't PM you, so I don't have a good way to give you my e-mail, so if you have a suggestion, I'm all for it!

Thanks for the offer! I don't know if it will help (you being MSTP and all), but it will help me to know how you presented your ECs and whatnot. I just want this cycle to go well, so I'm trying to get help anywhere I can find it!

 

[StanfordGirl]

Hi ChE_Babe,

I enabled my PM (I think I wasn't able to PM you because my PM wasn't enabled). I don't know how long it takes to activate but will PM you as soon as I am allowed to. The AMCAS app is the same for MSTP and MD applicants, so mine might be helpful.

 

[sacagawea]

Hey, I did a search for applying late and this thread is a little extreme but has some decent advice.

I decided to apply late instead of not applying at all, which is what this thread advocates--it's best to apply early, but it's better to apply late than not at all.

Good luck!