timeline based on 4 years of college?

[PREMEDWOAHS]

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Okay, based on 4 years of college, can anyone just give me a more clear idea of what should be done when based on years of college for a normal applicant.


Freshman - Prereq's
Sophmore - Prereq's
Junior - ask for LOR/MCATs in June
Senior - Submit apps by January?

Thanks

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

I would change two things. Ask for LORs ASAP. Sometimes waiting till the very end will cause you to wait a long time. I started asking for LORs by the end of Sophmore year. Also, you should submit primaries in the summer after Junior year and secondaries, again, asap afterwards. When it comes to the actually application process it isn't about deadlines but being as early as you can with a good presentation.

 

[jochi1543]

Junior - take the MCAT whenever you're ready, by June of your senior year. Ask for LORs anytime before the end of your junior year.

Senior: Submit primaries in June/July.

 

[jochi1543]

I would change two things. Ask for LORs ASAP. Sometimes waiting till the very end will cause you to wait a long time. I started asking for LORs by the end of Sophmore year.

I asked like a year ahead of time, sent regular updates, and still, every single writer managed to impress me with his or her procrastination abilities. They'll wait till the last minute, just like most of us would with a course assignment.

One of my LORs was supposed to be uploaded last weekend....then Tuesday night....then Thursday night "for sure...." I have yet to see it.🙄 And I asked for it last winter!👎

 

[bds03]

I asked like a year ahead of time, sent regular updates, and still, every single writer managed to impress me with his or her procrastination abilities. They'll wait till the last minute, just like most of us would with a course assignment.

One of my LORs was supposed to be uploaded last weekend....then Tuesday night....then Thursday night "for sure...." I have yet to see it.🙄 And I asked for it last winter!👎

So true - same thing happened to me. I'm still waiting for professors to write LORs I asked for in December. Professors can be really busy - I would definitely allow for as much time as possible.

 

[Law2Doc]

Okay, based on 4 years of college, can anyone just give me a more clear idea of what should be done when based on years of college for a normal applicant.


Freshman - Prereq's
Sophmore - Prereq's
Junior - ask for LOR/MCATs in June
Senior - Submit apps by January?

Thanks

For like 90% of the people out there the actual schedule is going to be:
Freshman - Prereqs
Sophmore - "That was rough -- do I even like medicine? Am I still a premed?" try orgo
Junior - change major and try to salvage GPA - no longer premed...

Which is why you probably don't need a timeline starting Freshman year. Try lots of things, keep an open mind and use the time to have fun while figuring out what you want to do in life. For many it won't actually be medicine. Also, to the extent you do want to do medicine, you need to start in on the ECs at the earliest possible time. So start volunteering someplace, maybe see your science profs about a research job early in your college career. It makes a difference.

 

[blakemd]

Pre-Med:

Year 1: Gen. Bio for Majors I/II W/Labs
Year 2: Gen Chem I/II W/Labs & Physics I/II W/Labs
Year 3: Organic Chem I/II W/Labs & Study for/take MCAT
Year 4: Apply for Med School end of third year May-Aug, Interview at med schools fourth year

Summer of fourth year, matriculate in med school, Relax!

Here is a thorough timeline from the AAMC: http://www.aamc.org/students/considering/timeline.htm

Of course you have the option of doing summer school, winter session study etc-- which is basically a requirement. Taking Physics with another difficult science course will nearly kill you. You can also apply after grad and in that case you would have a year off between med school. Great opp. to pursue an MPH or travel! 👍

 

[HunterGatherer]

Pre-Med:

Year 1: Gen. Bio for Majors I/II W/Labs
Year 2: Gen Chem I/II W/Labs & Physics I/II W/Labs
Year 3: Organic Chem I/II W/Labs & Study for/take MCAT
Year 4: Apply for Med School end of third year May-Aug, Interview at med schools fourth year

Summer of fourth year, matriculate in med school, Relax!

Here is a thorough timeline from the AAMC: http://www.aamc.org/students/considering/timeline.htm

Of course you have the option of doing summer school, winter session study etc-- which is basically a requirement. Taking Physics with another difficult science course will nearly kill you. You can also apply after grad and in that case you would have a year off between med school. Great opp. to pursue an MPH or travel! 👍

The timeline included in the AAMC link is pretty good. Some things I would like to point out:

1) You should try to submit your primary application to AAMC and/or AACOMAS as early as possible. It is not necessary to have MCAT scores to submit the application. There is an advantage in getting your primary application early.

2) Get LORs from professors as you go along. If you are using your premed department then have each professor submit a LOR to the department after you complete EACH class. As was mentioned above letter writers may procrastinate or may be a complete no show. Of my 6 or so LORs I needed last year one submitted my LOR 3 months after the deadline I gave him and another kept promising an LOR but never submitted.

3) Try to make your volunteer opportunities interesting for YOURSELF or paid. Both is nice also.

 

[3dee]

Some advice about MCAT: if you are planning on taking a prep course take it beginning of junior year or that summer.... take the MCAT in Jan and use winter break to study...that way, you have time to retake it if u need to and still be an early applicant!! I wish I had done this.

 

[TheRealMD]

The timeline included in the AAMC link is pretty good. Some things I would like to point out:

1) You should try to submit your primary application to AAMC and/or AACOMAS as early as possible. It is not necessary to have MCAT scores to submit the application. There is an advantage in getting your primary application early.

2) Get LORs from professors as you go along. If you are using your premed department then have each professor submit a LOR to the department after you complete EACH class. As was mentioned above letter writers may procrastinate or may be a complete no show. Of my 6 or so LORs I needed last year one submitted my LOR 3 months after the deadline I gave him and another kept promising an LOR but never submitted.

3) Try to make your volunteer opportunities interesting for YOURSELF or paid. Both is nice also.

It's not volunteering if you get paid!

 

[doctortobe2012]

a few pieces of advice that definitely helped me out:

1. start on your personal statement EARLY! I started on mine (well, at least started to outline it) sometime first semester of my junior year. it took me about 10-15 drafts to finish it. that way, if you have the PS done early, you can have others help you revise it.

2. keep an updated resume of everything you do as you do them. keep track of volunteer hours, etc. AMCAS allots approximately a 1300 character limit on descriptions of post-secondary activities (it's up to debate whether you should use the full space allotted), so if you decide to write extended descriptions, you could start on that during winter break or so.

 

[doctortobe2012]

oh, another thing, regarding LORs:

if you give your prof a more impending deadline (instead of like 6 months, i gave them maybe a month or two), they're more likely to give it to you ASAP. at my school, our pre-med committee sends out the LORs. what i told my profs is that i want them to have their letter in by xx date (about a month before the actual deadline that the pre-med committee suggested) so that my committee letter would be ready early and it wouldn't hold back my app any. seriously, especially if the profs know you well, and you give them a copy of your resume, transcript, etc. the letter shouldn't take them more than an hour or two to write 🙂