Timeline Regarding Primaries and Secondaries

[daizygrl]

I am applying for this upcoming cycle and was wondering if any people who have already applied could shed light on the timeline for me. I saw AMCAS is releasing their primary app May 3rd and you can submit it starting June 7th. Then, AMCAS won't send it out to schools (granted that they've approved your app) till June 24th. Does this mean that even for schools who immediately send out secondaries without screening won't send them out till earliest June 24th?

If that's the case, is it irresponsible of me to go out of the country to travel from June 8th to June 26th, if I submit my primary when it opens on the 7th and then pre-write most of my secondaries given SDN's list of secondary questions from last year? I know they change year to year but I'd still have a few days for even the earliest secondaries to still turn them around within a week.

Thoughts?

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[Lost in Translation]

Does this mean that even for schools who immediately send out secondaries without screening won't send them out till earliest June 24th?

IIRC once you submit your primary, schools will automatically send you their secondary, regardless of whether or not AMCAS has verified your application. Your application won't be considered for review until AMCAS gives the OK, even if you've submitted the secondary already, which I guess at earliest is the 24th.

 

[daizygrl]

IIRC once you submit your primary, schools will automatically send you their secondary, regardless of whether or not AMCAS has verified your application. Your application won't be considered for review until AMCAS gives the OK, even if you've submitted the secondary already, which I guess at earliest is the 24th.

So do you think waiting to submit my secondaries until late June is time wasted or acceptable, given the school won't even get my primary until the 24th regardless of when I get their secondary. Does that make sense?

Thanks, Lost in Translation!

 

[medic86]

So do you think waiting to submit my secondaries until late June is time wasted or acceptable, given the school won't even get my primary until the 24th regardless of when I get their secondary. Does that make sense?

Thanks, Lost in Translation!

Well, you won't get their secondary until after they get your primary.

 

[daizygrl]

(2017 timeline refresh posting #5)
AMCAS doesnt start transmitting until June 24th (though some schools have secondaries sent to contact info upon submission to AMCAS)
Most Primary Apps are transmitted early July thru late August
Most adcoms dont start meeting for review until at least mid-August, more likely September (though adcom staff may be doing early reviews).
Submitting Primary Application June is Early, July Medium, August Late
Having Primary verified and transmitted to school by end of August is normal speed
Having Secondary and all LORs complete to school by end of September is normal speed, by end of October is about late.

Getting primary in on time does matter because of all the other items that follow it. But applicants often see the beginning and not understanding how it flows from there. Additionally, how each school then opens a file, reviews them on GPA, MCAT, and other factors, and what order they wind up in a queue has less to do with when the primary arrives then when the secondary is completed and received. Since the majority of schools, I dare say, send out pre-transmission, unscreened, or minimal cut off screened secondaries, this is probably a larger factor in where you wind up in the queue for 1) reading an application and 2) decision on interview invite. As I have said previously, and will undoubtedly say dozens of time during this 2017 application cycle (see count above) review of apps is not simply done in a linear chronological order. High achievers, URM, family of alumni, feeder schools, associated UG programs, linked postbaccs, and other factor may push an app forward in the process.

Thanks so much, gonnif. So I'm almost being too proactive, would you say? Going out of the country would not be irresponsible, according to your timeline.

 

[medic86]

Not entirely accurate

More schools are schedule with AMCAS to have contact info only sent to them and/or automatically have secondaries sent to applicants upon primary submitted to AMCAS. Therefore, you could get, and return the secondary to some schools prior to the school getting your primary.

Eh.

It's a moot point, regardless.

 

[heebeejeebies]

I can't believe another cycle is upon us.

 

[Cookiess]

You'll be fine with regards to your travel plans. You'll still have plenty of time to write your secondaries when you return. You'll probably start getting secondaries at the end of June/early July for the schools that send automatic secondaries. I would submit all of your secondaries by the end of August if you could, and that would give you 2 months to write them.