Submitting AAMC in October--No Problem!

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

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

I wonder whatever happened to PrincetonRocks.

 

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.

 

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

 

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...

 

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.

 

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!"

 

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.

 

Your modesty is overwhelming.

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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!

 

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!