Too late to apply this cycle??

[abs5394]

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[Axe1636]

You worked hard for those grades and MCAT, dont rush it. Also, schools ask why you are not using your committee letter and I doubt saying "I was late" is going to look good on you.

Continue getting clinical and volunteer experience and apply early next year.

 

[abs5394]

You worked hard for those grades and MCAT, dont rush it. Also, schools ask why you are not using your committee letter and I doubt saying "I was late" is going to look good on you.

Continue getting clinical and volunteer experience and apply early next year.

Thanks for your response. I guess while I have the thread open I should also ask, does anyone think the 126 in CARS will hold me back from any schools?

 

[Goro]

It won't. A 515 score is nothing to sneeze at.

Thanks for your response. I guess while I have the thread open I should also ask, does anyone think the 126 in CARS will hold me back from any schools?

 

[CyrilFiggis]

My dad really wants me to try and apply this cycle.

Why's dad pushing you to apply now? Does he know that the majority of medical students have at least one gap year between undergrad and med school? This is your career, not his.

 

[abs5394]

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[Frogger27]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I have no idea, I think he's just overconfident in me getting accepted and thinks if I can squeeze in now then why wait. Initially I was planning on taking a gap year, that's why I put off the MCAT until august, so I studied over the summer. Now that I have my score back and did quite well I was actually considering maybe trying to squeeze in this cycle. So applying at this time will put me at a really significant disadvantage? I am gunning for some competitive schools such as NYU, sinai, pitt.

You will be at a severe disadvantage, and then if you did not get in a severe disadvantage next year .. And do not underestimate how much time it takes to put a good app together, personal statement, references, secondaries, etc. you will be way behind the thousands of applicants with similar stats as you already sitting on acceptances.

Wait until next year, spend all year getting your app together. Submit on first day, pre-write secondaries. You will have multiple interviews this time next year, maybe at NYU and Pitt good luck!

 

[baratheonfire]

Why's dad pushing you to apply now? Does he know that the majority of medical students have at least one gap year between undergrad and med school? This is your career, not his.

Majority don't

 

[efle]

Also, it's too late to interview with the pre-med committee so if I were to apply this cycle I wouldn't get a committee letter

This is big from what I understand. Most schools are going to be aware that Penn State writes committee letters and notice the absence for you.

So applying at this time will put me at a really significant disadvantage? I am gunning for some competitive schools such as NYU, sinai, pitt.

It's going to be an uphill battle with a 3.8/34 to begin with, so if you have your heart set on places like that, take the extra year.

In theory you could squeeze in this cycle if your letters are already lined up and you flew through PS/primary in a week, and with those stats and a very humble list could probably make it somewhere. But, not really worth it to live with a bunch of "what ifs" if the cycle didn't turn out as you'd hoped, imo.

 

[meddesire]

Just wonder if you already completed the primary app and sent it to several schools yet? or you still didn't start doing anything as of today?

If you're still working on secondaries and about to submit them at this time, I don't think it's too late now. It's just the beginning of September.

 

[BreakfastLover]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I have no idea, I think he's just overconfident in me getting accepted and thinks if I can squeeze in now then why wait. Initially I was planning on taking a gap year, that's why I put off the MCAT until august, so I studied over the summer. Now that I have my score back and did quite well I was actually considering maybe trying to squeeze in this cycle. So applying at this time will put me at a really significant disadvantage? I am gunning for some competitive schools such as NYU, sinai, pitt.

FWIW, I was in a similar situation with my family last year. I got my MCAT score back a year ago today (514), and my parents were pushing me to apply to schools since I did pretty decent. They really weren't aware of how much of a difference applying in June vs. applying in September is since the deadlines aren't technically until October-ish, and none of our family friends in med school had ever taken a gap year. I ended up sharing a lot of information with them about what I had planned to improve my application during my "glide year," and they became more accepting of the idea. Now they are very happy that I chose to take the year off to build my app, earn money, and apply without having to worry about school - and of course I'm happy too! Talk to your dad about it, let him know that you're prepared/keeping your ultimate goal in mind, and I'm sure it'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[mistafab]

your parents are proud - they should be. They are also really confident in you, they care about you and think you can be successful.

With that being said, do not shoot yourself in the foot and apply so late. Get everything prepared for next cycle, and submit your application in the first week AMCAS opens. I wish you the best in your app cycle.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Majority don't

Cute response. However facts don't lie. The average age of medical school applicants is 25 and matriculants 24. You don't get that from the majority of med students coming right out of undergrad. But more importantly, there is no benefit to applying while still in school.
https://www.aamc.org/download/321468/data/factstablea6.pdf

It's going to be an uphill battle with a 3.8/34 to begin with,

This statement is just silly. Your grades are fine and this will not be an uphill battle. In fact, you're GPA and MCAT score is above the national average for all matriculants [https://www.aamc.org/download/321494/data/factstablea16.pdf]. You just have to make sure you're applying to the best fit programs.

I still strongly suggest that you forego applying (assuming you haven't submitted primaries anywhere), and use the next 9 months to create an even stronger application. You can easily add over 200+ hours of volunteering and other ECs that will solidify or round out your application. You'll be fine @abs5394 just remember to do things on your terms.

 

[baratheonfire]

Cute response. However facts don't lie. The average age of medical school applicants is 25 and matriculants 24. You don't get that from the majority of med students coming right out of undergrad. But more importantly, there is no benefit to applying while still in school.
https://www.aamc.org/download/321468/data/factstablea6.pdf

Median is 22.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Median is 22.

Did you even look at the link? Median is 23. And it has been since 2013.

 

[baratheonfire]

Did you even look at the link? Median is 23. And it has been since 2013.

Females are 23, males are 22

 

[efle]

I am gunning for some competitive schools such as NYU, sinai, pitt.

This statement is just silly. Your grades are fine and this will not be an uphill battle. In fact, you're GPA and MCAT score is above the national average for all matriculants

A 3.8/34 is facing an uphill battle for schools like he mentions gunning for, that have a 3.9/37 median. Read the context before you go around calling people silly!

Cute response. However facts don't lie.

Females are 23, males are 22

They are both 23, but this isn't really a definitive number because it wouldn't exclude people who were late going into college, took longer than 4 years for undergrad, failed a first app cycle and were forced into a gap year, etc. Still I think the number of people electing to go in later than 22 is probably ~50%. Traditional and gap are both equally normal these days