Traveling During Application Cycle

[akb5633]

I really want to take 1-2 months to visit Europe upon graduation at the end of April. So I would be abroad May and June 2017 most likely.

Has anyone applied while they were abroad? Assuming I stay in hostels with internet access, I don't see why this would be a problem...but if anyone has had a bad experience with this, let me know, and I'll reconsider before I begin planning a trip.

Also, if I were to do this, I suppose I could work on a few things prior to the application actually opening up.

(FYI I already took my MCAT, so this trip will not be getting in the way of that)

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[rolliespring]

I think it'd be fine if you can write your secondaries beforehand. It's difficult to write anything during a trip. The earliest IIs are sent out August (a few late July but that's pretty rare). I'd say go for it!

 

[chrisjh]

All throughout july is pretty common for II's, actually.
But OP will be fine regardless. AMCAS doesnt even send primaries out to schools until the end of June.

 

[akb5633]

I think it'd be fine if you can write your secondaries beforehand. It's difficult to write anything during a trip. The earliest IIs are sent out August (a few late July but that's pretty rare). I'd say go for it!

All throughout july is pretty commin for II's, actually.
But OP will be fine regardless. AMCAS doesnt even send primaries out to schools until the end of June.

Okay, thanks guys!

 

[Karabo]

I really want to take 1-2 months to visit Europe upon graduation at the end of April. So I would be abroad May and June 2017 most likely.

Has anyone applied while they were abroad? Assuming I stay in hostels with internet access, I don't see why this would be a problem...but if anyone has had a bad experience with this, let me know, and I'll reconsider before I begin planning a trip.

Also, if I were to do this, I suppose I could work on a few things prior to the application actually opening up.

(FYI I already took my MCAT, so this trip will not be getting in the way of that)

I traveled most of June this cycle. Luckily, I had finished filling out the primary (because it opens at the beginning of May), so all I had to do was hit submit and pay on June 7th (when the primary can first be submitted). Most/all hostels should have internet, so if all you have top do is submit, you'll be fine. You could probably also completely fill out the primary while abroad, but why would you want to do that during a vacation.

I did not pre-write secondaries (although I wish I had), but I was back home around the 25th of June, which I think was also the first or second day that schools were allowed to start sending secondaries.

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[akb5633]

I traveled most of June this cycle. Luckily, I had finished filling out the primary (because it opens at the beginning of May), so all I had to do was hit submit and pay on June 7th (when the primary can first be submitted). Most/all hostels should have internet, so if all you have top do is submit, you'll be fine. You could probably also completely fill out the primary while abroad, but why would you want to do that during a vacation.

I did not pre-write secondaries (although I wish I had), but I was back home around the 25th of June, which I think was also the first or second day that schools were allowed to start sending secondaries.

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Sorry for the delayed response, but thank you! My travel plans are looking like I will be leaving May 3rd or 4th, and returning to the US on July 9th. So I can fill out my application prior to leaving...how long approximately does filling out the primary app take?

Also, if I submit my application the first day I am able to (which is the plan), does this mean that secondaries will be sent to me all at once on July 1st? Because in my case, that might be a bad thing (i.e. having to write/tweak prewritten secondaries while abroad). Plus, traveling solo is something I have always wanted to do, and I consider traveling as something that defines me, so I may want to incorporate my experience in Europe into some of my essays. How long is an "acceptable" amount of time to take to work on secondaries?

@Goro @gyngyn would either of you mind giving your input on my situation?

 

[Karabo]

Sorry for the delayed response, but thank you! My travel plans are looking like I will be leaving May 3rd or 4th, and returning to the US on July 9th. So I can fill out my application prior to leaving...how long approximately does filling out the primary app take?

Also, if I submit my application the first day I am able to (which is the plan), does this mean that secondaries will be sent to me all at once on July 1st? Because in my case, that might be a bad thing (i.e. having to write/tweak prewritten secondaries while abroad). Plus, traveling solo is something I have always wanted to do, and I consider traveling as something that defines me, so I may want to incorporate my experience in Europe into some of my essays. How long is an "acceptable" amount of time to take to work on secondaries?

@Goro @gyngyn would either of you mind giving your input on my situation?

I'm not sure exactly what date in May the application opens, so it might open before you leave, or it may be a few days later. (The AMCAS website might have this date up, so I'd check there)

If you pre-write everything now, it will only take a couple hours to complete (I would type everything into the application, not copy and paste bc there could be formatting issues. If you do decide to copy and paste, do it in a program like TextEdit that doesn't have formatting). Make sure you also have an official copy of your transcripts printed out, so you can input all of your classes using the same course names, #s, etc as those that appear on your transcript.

Once you start filling out the application in May, you will need to request transcripts and LORs sent to AMCAS. You also need the AMCAS "cover sheets" for these, so you can't request them before you start filling out the application (they will have your AMCAS ID, etc on them), but this can be done as soon as you start filling out the app. This part of the application may be harder to do while you're abroad, since it has to be done through the mail. If you have someone in the US that could do this for you, then being abroad shouldn't be a problem.

In regards to secondaries, you only need to include one school when getting the primary verfied. If you just include one school, then you can add the rest of the schools when you get back. This way you'll only get one secondary at the end of June/beginning of July. Once your primary is verified, if you add schools, they will get your primary that day/the following day, so there won't be any delay in them receiving your primary.

For secondaries, I would try to complete them within a couple of weeks, but it's better to send an edited essay "late" than sending an unedited essay early. I think it also depends on how long the secondary is. For short secondaries, I sent them in within a week or two, but I sent my Vanderbilt secondary after 4-6 weeks because it was longer/more involved and I had secondary burnout (and I still got an interview there). I would try to complete most secondaries by the beginning/mid august. Also, check out school specific threads to determine which schools start sending out interview invites early, and complete those secondaries first. I know Michigan and Pitt, in particular, start sending invites pretty early.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you want further clarification, or if something I wrote is confusing.

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[NecrotizingFasciitis]

I was writing secondaries on a volunteer trip in Panonome, Panama last cycle in July and I have had a great cycle. There's nothing wrong with it as long as you have internet access. It's not like you'll have to interview that early anyways. Definitely go check out Europe after you graduate.

 

[akb5633]

I'm not sure exactly what date in May the application opens, so it might open before you leave, or it may be a few days later. (The AMCAS website might have this date up, so I'd check there)

If you pre-write everything now, it will only take a couple hours to complete (I would type everything into the application, not copy and paste bc there could be formatting issues. If you do decide to copy and paste, do it in a program like TextEdit that doesn't have formatting). Make sure you also have an official copy of your transcripts printed out, so you can input all of your classes using the same course names, #s, etc as those that appear on your transcript.

Once you start filling out the application in May, you will need to request transcripts and LORs sent to AMCAS. You also need the AMCAS "cover sheets" for these, so you can't request them before you start filling out the application (they will have your AMCAS ID, etc on them), but this can be done as soon as you start filling out the app. This part of the application may be harder to do while you're abroad, since it has to be done through the mail. If you have someone in the US that could do this for you, then being abroad shouldn't be a problem.

In regards to secondaries, you only need to include one school when getting the primary verfied. If you just include one school, then you can add the rest of the schools when you get back. This way you'll only get one secondary at the end of June/beginning of July. Once your primary is verified, if you add schools, they will get your primary that day/the following day, so there won't be any delay in them receiving your primary.

For secondaries, I would try to complete them within a couple of weeks, but it's better to send an edited essay "late" than sending an unedited essay early. I think it also depends on how long the secondary is. For short secondaries, I sent them in within a week or two, but I sent my Vanderbilt secondary after 4-6 weeks because it was longer/more involved and I had secondary burnout (and I still got an interview there). I would try to complete most secondaries by the beginning/mid august. Also, check out school specific threads to determine which schools start sending out interview invites early, and complete those secondaries first. I know Michigan and Pitt, in particular, start sending invites pretty early.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you want further clarification, or if something I wrote is confusing.

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This was very helpful and clarified a lot. Thank you!

 

[akb5633]

the application may not be open until May 7

http://admissions.med.miami.edu/calendar/admissions-deadlines

I googled when AMCAS opens for the upcoming application cycle, and couldn't find anything from AAMC, but if the page linked above is correct, it appears to be May 1st. Hopefully that's the case, but if not, I'll just have to make do while abroad!

 

[Goro]

Haven't a clue.

how long approximately does filling out the primary app take?


No, Some schools only send secondaries to people who pass a screen. But other schools send them out as a tax on the hopelessly naive.
Also, if I submit my application the first day I am able to (which is the plan), does this mean that secondaries will be sent to me all at once on July 1st?

Only you can answer this. But the sooner one submits secondaries, the better.
How long is an "acceptable" amount of time to take to work on secondaries?

 

[akb5633]

Haven't a clue.

how long approximately does filling out the primary app take?


No, Some schools only send secondaries to people who pass a screen. But other schools send them out as a tax on the hopelessly naive.
Also, if I submit my application the first day I am able to (which is the plan), does this mean that secondaries will be sent to me all at once on July 1st?

Only you can answer this. But the sooner one submits secondaries, the better.
How long is an "acceptable" amount of time to take to work on secondaries?

Thank you!

 

[kraskadva]

...
Once you start filling out the application in May, you will need to request transcripts and LORs sent to AMCAS. You also need the AMCAS "cover sheets" for these, so you can't request them before you start filling out the application (they will have your AMCAS ID, etc on them), but this can be done as soon as you start filling out the app. This part of the application may be harder to do while you're abroad, since it has to be done through the mail. If you have someone in the US that could do this for you, then being abroad shouldn't be a problem.
...

Just as a note, the bolded bit above isn't necessarily true. Most schools do digital transcripts these days anyway, and you'd just download the pdf of the cover sheet and either type the ID number into your transcript service, or upload the cover sheet.
Same for LORs, the vast majority are submitted electronically and any committee or individual writer has an email address where you can send the pdf so they can attach or print it themselves.

 

[PatchA]

If you do your research now, you can start prewriting the AMCAS app. Look at the current one and start working on all the information you will need to gather and descriptions you will need to write. Start working on your PS. You can have it done prior to the app opening and just enter everything from abroad once it does.

I would also start looking at secondaries and thinking about stories you want to tell and maybe start writing some that you have good ideas for already. I really like what someone else said about including only 1 school in your original app and adding the other ones once you are back, because, though the schools do have a deadline for secondaries that generally gives you months to return them, a lot of different sources seem to recommend returning them within about 2 weeks, so you don't want a pile of them just waiting for you to get back into the states. 2 weeks isn't a hard deadline, obviously, but doing things early (in addition to well) means schools are looking at your app when they have the most interview slots still available.

 

[akb5633]

Just as a note, the bolded bit above isn't necessarily true. Most schools do digital transcripts these days anyway, and you'd just download the pdf of the cover sheet and either type the ID number into your transcript service, or upload the cover sheet.
Same for LORs, the vast majority are submitted electronically and any committee or individual writer has an email address where you can send the pdf so they can attach or print it themselves.

Yeah, I researched a bit more about the application process and recall seeing this. So that will definitely simplify the process. Thanks!

 

[akb5633]

If you do your research now, you can start prewriting the AMCAS app. Look at the current one and start working on all the information you will need to gather and descriptions you will need to write. Start working on your PS. You can have it done prior to the app opening and just enter everything from abroad once it does.

I would also start looking at secondaries and thinking about stories you want to tell and maybe start writing some that you have good ideas for already. I really like what someone else said about including only 1 school in your original app and adding the other ones once you are back, because, though the schools do have a deadline for secondaries that generally gives you months to return them, a lot of different sources seem to recommend returning them within about 2 weeks, so you don't want a pile of them just waiting for you to get back into the states. 2 weeks isn't a hard deadline, obviously, but doing things early (in addition to well) means schools are looking at your app when they have the most interview slots still available.

Thanks! I'm planning on prewriting the primary over my winter break, and continuing with secondaries from there. I don't want to apply to more than 20 schools, hoping for closer to 15 or fewer, but nonetheless, looks like I have some fun ahead of me!

 

[aprilfools]

Pre-writing secondaries is a great idea if you will be traveling. I submitted my primary the first week it was possible, and got my first secondary in late June, the day I was leaving for Africa for 3 weeks. I was a little stressed that I would be turning in secondaries late seeing I would have no internet access for these three weeks, and then a subsequent trip to New Zealand made writing them even harder, but it worked out. Youll be fine.

 

[akb5633]

Pre-writing secondaries is a great idea if you will be traveling. I submitted my primary the first week it was possible, and got my first secondary in late June, the day I was leaving for Africa for 3 weeks. I was a little stressed that I would be turning in secondaries late seeing I would have no internet access for these three weeks, and then a subsequent trip to New Zealand made writing them even harder, but it worked out. Youll be fine.

Thanks, it's reassuring to hear from people who have been through similar situations! And I talked to some of my friends who have already applied, and they said they had really regretted not prewriting secondaries...and they didn't even leave the country. I think if anything, it'll force me to not procrastinate.