What percentage of applicants apply the first month?

[FutureScaresMe]

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I don't know if this is available information, but among your experiences, what percentage of applicants do you think apply the first month of the app being open? I want to be able to submit my primary sometime in June, but if I don't, how much of a disadvantage do you think I'd be in?

Do you think most non-SDNers apply during the summer?

 

[witness23]

nah, I don't think many apply first week of June but 99% of SDN does

 

[Appless]

while there is probably no data on this, id say most non SDN people dont apply this early. I know about 20 or so people applying to med school right now and all of them havnt even done their PS...remember that SDN is extremely neurotic and represents a larger percentage of probably the top applicants, espeiclaly when it seems the SDN mcat average is 35😉

 

[witness23]

ha yea I agree. I teach MCAT for TPR and the summer session just started for us. First day I was like, well if you are gonna start a course right now, you guys are probably sophs/juniors that aren't applying this year. They all looked at me like naw mayne, we applying after our MCAT in September

 

[BlueElmo]

ha yea I agree. I teach MCAT for TPR and the summer session just started for us. First day I was like, well if you are gonna start a course right now, you guys are probably sophs/juniors that aren't applying this year. They all looked at me like naw mayne, we applying after our MCAT in September

A couple of the kids in 2014 thread are halfway done with secondaries. Astounding/neurotic/annoying.

 

[amakhosidlo]

Wait, how is that possible if AMCAS hasn't even gone out to schools? I thought they had to get your app before you got a secondary?

 

[Appless]

Wait, how is that possible if AMCAS hasn't even gone out to schools? I thought they had to get your app before you got a secondary?

they are using last years prompts since there is like a 90% chance they will not change. They stay the same from year to year typically. I cant do that, not to mention id be mad if i spent like 4 hours writing a long seconary (like columbia or something) then it changed-_-.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

You don't have to apply the first day AMCAS is open, but - if I were you - I wouldn't play around. I'd say that if your application wasn't verified and transmitted by AMCAS sometime in July, you're taking an unnecessary risk. Keep in mind that AMCAS processing/verification times in July are sometimes very quick - and sometimes very slow. There's no way to know. True, a lot of SDN folks are more than a little neurotic, but applying early is NOT neurotic.

So much of the medical school admissions process is totally random and completely beyond your control. Don't mess around with things that you CAN control.

 

[FutureScaresMe]

So, now I'm checking the app site and I see:

We are currently entering transcripts into the application that were received on 05.27.09. Please Note: Submission of the application will begin on or about June 2, 2009. Medical schools will begin receiving applications on June 24, 2009.

Does that mean medschools will receive a 'wave' of verified apps June 27th? Meaning, regardless of when your app was submitted, if it's verified before the 27th, they all get there at the same time?

 

[nick_carraway]

So, now I'm checking the app site and I see:



Does that mean medschools will receive a 'wave' of verified apps June 27th? Meaning, regardless of when your app was submitted, if it's verified before the 27th, they all get there at the same time?

Yep. The issue is that since you don't want to be unverified when 6/24 rolls around, you want to give yourself some wiggle room by submitting it earlier than you would think is necessary.

As for 2014 hopefuls finishing a lot of their secondaries, I need to get them ready before I get to Georgetown SMP and it helps having a massive collection of previous cycle essays that I wrote and were probably never even read. Neurotic? Definitely. Necessary? You betcha for a mediocre reapplicant like me.

 

[longhorn09]

The fact is, as long as you submit your complete application by Auguest 1, you will be fine.😉

 

[nick_carraway]

The fact is, as long as you submit your complete application by Auguest 1, you will be fine.😉

I'm convinced that while this was true in the past, the use of CBT exams that allow applicants to take the MCAT nearly every month accelerates the timetable.

 

[robrobbberts]

they are using last years prompts since there is like a 90% chance they will not change. They stay the same from year to year typically. I cant do that, not to mention id be mad if i spent like 4 hours writing a long seconary (like columbia or something) then it changed-_-.

Where can you find last years prompts?

 

[nick_carraway]

Where can you find last years prompts?

Through the oft ignored search feature. I have to admit that for queries about secondaries, it works amazingly well.

 

[FutureScaresMe]

Where can you find last years prompts?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=602

 

[LizzyM]

I don't know when applicants submit but a couple summers ago, the Dean of Admissions told me that 1/4 of all of the applications expected that year arrived in the first batch sent by AMCAS.

However, there isn't much advantage to being at the top of the stack. Files are now handled and sorted electronically so it is very easy for adcom members to cherry-pick "the best" for early reading and interview invitations and leave the rest until later in the season. I used to be on the bandwagon for "apply early" but I think that it makes less of a different than it did 5-10 years ago. However, I'd be sure to have the AMCAS verified by July 31 and supplementals turned around as soon as possible.

 

[longhorn09]

I'm convinced that while this was true in the past, the use of CBT exams that allow applicants to take the MCAT nearly every month accelerates the timetable.

But the medical schools won't give invitation to interview unil maybe mid or late August, right?

 

[robrobbberts]

Through the oft ignored search feature. I have to admit that for queries about secondaries, it works amazingly well.

Thanks for the facetious reply, I thought there might have been an off-site link.

 

[nick_carraway]

Thanks for the facetious reply, I thought there might have been an off-site link.

It wasn't facetious. I was perfectly serious since I've been using the search function every day to write my secondaries even though it's generally useless to find anything with general queries like "secondary."

Although the link FutureScaresMe gave you is for the subforum, for school-specific secondaries, the search feature will be faster.

 

[nick_carraway]

But the medical schools won't give invitation to interview unil maybe mid or late August, right?

Yeah, typically. I'm just going off of the poor results from my previous app. I defer to LizzyM and you that July 31 is fine.

 

[nick_carraway]

Files are now handled and sorted electronically so it is very easy for adcom members to cherry-pick "the best" for early reading and interview invitations and leave the rest until later in the season

LizzyM, I know that you said your adcom has never gone into its archives to pull a reapplicant's file, but with digital records, wouldn't it be easy for a school to retrieve the primary, secondary, and photo with an AMCAS ID?

 

[mvenus929]

But the medical schools won't give invitation to interview unil maybe mid or late August, right?

I got a couple of invites before the end of July last time I applied.

 

[robrobbberts]

It wasn't facetious. I was perfectly serious since I've been using the search function every day to write my secondaries even though it's generally useless to find anything with general queries like "secondary."

Although the link FutureScaresMe gave you is for the subforum, for school-specific secondaries, the search feature will be faster.

Ah.. sorry.. it hard to read tone in posts sometimes.. I thought you were mocking me for asking the question here instead of searching it in the forum.

🙂

 

[nick_carraway]

Ah.. sorry.. it hard to read tone in posts sometimes.. I thought you were mocking me for asking the question here instead of searching it in the forum.

🙂

It's cool. Welcome to club of neurotic, old secondary users!

Hopefully it pays off.

 

[stayclassy]

How long does AMCAS usually take to verify? They have already received my transcripts

 

[FutureScaresMe]

How long does AMCAS usually take to verify? They have already received my transcripts

They won't begin to verify you app till after you submit it. And I'm guessing the time it takes to verify varies depending on when during the cycle you submit it. A week or two to a month I seemed to gather from previous threads.

 

[mvenus929]

How long does AMCAS usually take to verify? They have already received my transcripts

If you submit on the first day (Tuesday), it'll take a couple hours to a day or two. If you submit on the last day (Novemberish) it'll probably take 6 weeks, plus you'll be way behind. If you submit by the end of June, it'll probably take a couple weeks, if you submit at the end of July, it'll probably take a month or so.

 

[longhorn09]

If you submit on the first day (Tuesday), it'll take a couple hours to a day or two. If you submit on the last day (Novemberish) it'll probably take 6 weeks, plus you'll be way behind. If you submit by the end of June, it'll probably take a couple weeks, if you submit at the end of July, it'll probably take a month or so.

Do we have to wait for the transcripts and LOR before we can submit the application? I am still waiting on them.

 

[mvenus929]

Do we have to wait for the transcripts and LOR before we can submit the application? I am still waiting on them.

You can submit before they come in, but you won't be verified until they receive your transcripts, and you won't be complete at schools until they receive your LORs.

 

[LizzyM]

LizzyM, I know that you said your adcom has never gone into its archives to pull a reapplicant's file, but with digital records, wouldn't it be easy for a school to retrieve the primary, secondary, and photo with an AMCAS ID?

We've got enough on our plate without looking up old stuff. It takes 30 minutes to read a file. Why would we want to take another 30 minutes to read last year's file?

 

[stayclassy]

If you submit on the first day (Tuesday), it'll take a couple hours to a day or two. If you submit on the last day (Novemberish) it'll probably take 6 weeks, plus you'll be way behind. If you submit by the end of June, it'll probably take a couple weeks, if you submit at the end of July, it'll probably take a month or so.

I plan to submit Wednesday-ish.

You can submit before they come in, but you won't be verified until they receive your transcripts, and you won't be complete at schools until they receive your LORs.

So AMCAS has already received my transcripts... great. My committee won't send my LORs until later this week, so in that case, should I just wait til they send the LORs to submit? (giving me more time to tweak my PS I suppose)

 

[stayclassy]

Also, to LizzyM: So, for all intents and purposes, there's no difference between submitting on Tuesday in relation to Friday? Or Tuesday compared to NEXT tuesday? Or am I not understanding?

 

[LizzyM]

All the applications that are ready to go on the first day that AMCAS sends a data-dump to the medical schools, will go on that date. As I said, one year, that day accounted for 25% of all the applications we got that year. From there the school sends secondaries. The secondaries come back, LORs are received, and the "packets" go to adcom members who read them & recommend interview or "no interview" (or "hold").

As I mentioned above, schools used to review applicaitons in the order they were received as it was unwieldy to pick "the best" on the basis of stats, school, major, URM, legacy from huge stacks of thousands of applications. Now, with electronic files, it is very easy to sort and pull the best to be reviewed first. So, rather than catching someone's eye by being the first in the queue, you are going to rise to the top if you have the goods.

Don't shoot me; I'm only the messanger.

 

[stayclassy]

All the applications that are ready to go on the first day that AMCAS sends a data-dump to the medical schools, will go on that date. As I said, one year, that day accounted for 25% of all the applications we got that year. From there the school sends secondaries. The secondaries come back, LORs are received, and the "packets" go to adcom members who read them & recommend interview or "no interview" (or "hold").

As I mentioned above, schools used to review applicaitons in the order they were received as it was unwieldy to pick "the best" on the basis of stats, school, major, URM, legacy from huge stacks of thousands of applications. Now, with electronic files, it is very easy to sort and pull the best to be reviewed first. So, rather than catching someone's eye by being the first in the queue, you are going to rise to the top if you have the goods.

Don't shoot me; I'm only the messanger.

Ugh, what a downer. Thanks for the information though, it's discouraging for an average applicant like myself who has been done with my AMCAS for about 3 weeks now. The fruits of my labor just aren't as sweet now, heh.

 

[BlueElmo]

Ugh, what a downer. Thanks for the information though, it's discouraging for an average applicant like myself who has been done with my AMCAS for about 3 weeks now. The fruits of my labor just aren't as sweet now, heh.

Yeah, the downside of the digital age.🙁

 

[nick_carraway]

Ugh, what a downer. Thanks for the information though, it's discouraging for an average applicant like myself who has been done with my AMCAS for about 3 weeks now. The fruits of my labor just aren't as sweet now, heh.

I'm sure it'll still help at some of other schools.

Even if it doesn't, it won't hurt to get things in early.

 

[stayclassy]

I'm sure it'll still help at some of other schools.

Even if it doesn't, it won't hurt to get things in early.

Thanx friend. I am not applying to like uber-top tiers so we'll see how my hand unfolds.

 

[Soba]

Thanx friend. I am not applying to like uber-top tiers so we'll see how my hand unfolds.

Like you, I've been done with the primary for some time only to stumble to this thread today and hear the "bad news."

Good luck! At least, I have some more time to nag on one of the LOR writers to finish that darn letter that he's been sitting on forever! 😛

 

[stayclassy]

Like you, I've been done with the primary for some time only to stumble to this thread today and hear the "bad news."

Good luck! At least, I have some more time to nag on one of the LOR writers to finish that darn letter that he's been sitting on forever! 😛

Yeah to be honest, I am waiting on one LOR too. Apparently, he's supposed to have finished it on Friday but who knows lol. Even if my pre-health office doesn't have it til wednesday or thursday, it won't matter much I suppose.

 

[BlueElmo]

Like you, I've been done with the primary for some time only to stumble to this thread today and hear the "bad news."

Good luck! At least, I have some more time to nag on one of the LOR writers to finish that darn letter that he's been sitting on forever! 😛

Yeah to be honest, I am waiting on one LOR too. Apparently, he's supposed to have finished it on Friday but who knows lol. Even if my pre-health office doesn't have it til wednesday or thursday, it won't matter much I suppose.

I've been done with primary some time too. My one LOR writer is out of country so I can't even nag her.🙁

 

[Lukkie]

Ugh, what a downer. Thanks for the information though, it's discouraging for an average applicant like myself who has been done with my AMCAS for about 3 weeks now. The fruits of my labor just aren't as sweet now, heh.

haha same here. oh well. it can't hurt, at least. and gives us a chance to goof around at least until the secondaries start pouring in.

 

[stayclassy]

Is anyone going to start working on secondary essays once they submit this week-ish (per Shemarty's secondary thread)?

 

[Lukkie]

already started LOL

 

[stayclassy]

I have a couple done already, but when I submit on... whenever I submit this week, I need to get cracking on my state schools' secondaries

 

[Appless]

I have a couple done already, but when I submit on... whenever I submit this week, I need to get cracking on my state schools' secondaries

I started yesterday. Im hoping to have about 30 of them done by the end of the month. I did like 10 yesterday. That way ill have all my rough drafts done, so hopefully itll be easier come the real thing to turn out a better product.

 

[akademix]

So LizzyM, where is the advantage in applying early? Is it in submitting secondaries ASAP? Do schools consider you without your letters (my school's prehealth committee sends out packets August 1st) if you submit your secondaries before the committee letter packet arrives? Basically I am wondering if I will be at any advantage to submit my secondaries within days upon receiving them, and if my letter packets arriving August 1st will affect any of this.

Thanks so much,

--Akademix Esq.

 

[LizzyM]

So LizzyM, where is the advantage in applying early? Is it in submitting secondaries ASAP? Do schools consider you without your letters (my school's prehealth committee sends out packets August 1st) if you submit your secondaries before the committee letter packet arrives? Basically I am wondering if I will be at any advantage to submit my secondaries within days upon receiving them, and if my letter packets arriving August 1st will affect any of this.

Thanks so much,

--Akademix Esq.

Schools vary, I'm sure, but at my school the adcom doesn't get busy reading applications until after Aug 1 (we like a little summer vacation time, too) so if you have the supplemental and LORs in by Aug 1-15 you'll be as early as anyone else at competing for our attention.

 

[Bryson17]

A couple of the kids in 2014 thread are halfway done with secondaries. Astounding/neurotic/annoying.

Blue's calling me annoying. 🙄 Sorry, gotta go. I have a secondary to write.

Jk, since I have more time now than I will when I'm trying to finish my thesis this summer, I figured I'd make a dent. Even if my dent is only 90% effective.

 

[BlueElmo]

Blue's calling me annoying. 🙄 Sorry, gotta go. I have a secondary to write.

Jk, since I have more time now than I will when I'm trying to finish my thesis this summer, I figured I'd make a dent. Even if my dent is only 90% effective.

That's right.😡

 

[stayclassy]

I talked to my pre-med advisor today, and she said that it doesn't matter if AMCAS has received your LORs with your submission - in essence, you can have your AMCAS verified without AMCAS receiving your LORs