Rule 1: Take A Breath
With over 60,000 total primary applications initially submitted, over 100,000 transcripts to be processed, with each applicant averaging 54 courses, AMCAS will verified over 34.5 million indivdual data points during the course of the application cycle
People can submit transcripts beginning early May. Everyone who had both transcripts received and primary application submitted before you on June 5th is ahead of you in the verification queue, which could be 10,000-20,000 or more.
It can take from 1 to 30 calendar days to verify, depending on the volume and your transcript. But you better learn to pace yourself as this is a long slow process that is basically "Hurry Up and Wait." Your application will then go in the 10-20 medical school application queues that you have applied to.
AMCAS 2018 Timeline Summary (post count #036)
-AMCAS May 2, 2017, Primary application opens up. Can send formal requests for transcripts from your schools and letter requests to your letter writers.
-AMCAS June 1, 2017, Completed primary applications with all ECs, PS, and course information can be submitted. You enter the verification queue only when both completed primary application and all transcripts have been received.
-AMCAS June 30, 2017, begins transmission verified applications until late June (though some schools have secondaries sent to contact info upon submission to AMCAS)
-Verification peak is about August 1st and takes 20 days
-Most Primary Apps are transmitted early July thru early September
-Secondaries timelines can vary widely as to when to they are sent out from almost immediately upon submissions to 3 months, though most are in the range 1-3 weeks after transmission.
-Letters via AMCAS are processed/transmitted separately from primary
-Letters can be added after primary has been submitted and transmitted and are mostly not needed until secondary reviews at the earliest.
-Application and candidate evaluations timeline varies widely by school may not done in a linear, chronological order. EDP, High achievers, URM, family of alumni, feeder schools, associated UG programs, linked postbaccs, and other factor may push an app forward in the process.
-Most adcoms dont start meeting for review of evaluated applicants until at least mid-August, more likely September, though some reviews may be done earlier for groups mentioned above.
-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 Labor Day is early. By late or end of September is about normal speed, by end of October is about late.
--After that point you will generally start getting impacted by the number of applications submitted, the finite number of interview slots, and seats given by rolling admissions. This isnt an absolute date nor is it a fixed timeline. It should be used as a guideline
