When do you submit your application

[pritomd]

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Quick question, are applications submitted early in the senior year or later on? I ask because I had a rough freshman year and my GPA will not look better until I have my senior year grades (granted I continue the trend I've had since my second year...I am a third year now). I've done the calculations, and if I submit my grades without my last 2 semesters, my GPA will be a tad lower than I had hoped...

 

[dr zaius]

AMCAS opens up in June. You can submit your application up until November I think, but it's best to get it in as early as possible.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Quick question, are applications submitted early in the senior year or later on? I ask because I had a rough freshman year and my GPA will not look better until I have my senior year grades (granted I continue the trend I've had since my second year...I am a third year now). I've done the calculations, and if I submit my grades without my last 2 semesters, my GPA will be a tad lower than I had hoped...

I can't really tell you what to do without knowing your GPA and what it would be after senior year, but if it is below a 3.5 after junior year and you don't have a fantastic MCAT/fantastic ECs, you can always delay applying for a year so that the GPA you submit will be higher.

I'd only do that if it would be significantly higher, though.

 

[JJMrK]

If you want to enter medical school the fall after you graduate, submit during the summer between your junior and senior year.

 

[Ativanigans]

Quick question, are applications submitted early in the senior year or later on? I ask because I had a rough freshman year and my GPA will not look better until I have my senior year grades (granted I continue the trend I've had since my second year...I am a third year now). I've done the calculations, and if I submit my grades without my last 2 semesters, my GPA will be a tad lower than I had hoped...

There's no rule saying you HAVE to apply your senior year. If you feel like your application is not as strong as you would like it to be, I would highly encourage you to delay a year or two. During this time you can augment your application by doing some significant activity such as Americorp, TFA, some form of volunteering. It will also give you an opportunity to take post-bacc classes in the sciences to possibly increase your GPA.

If for some reason you have to apply, you can start doing so in the summer between your junior and senior year. That's when AMCAS opens to allow you to fill out and submit your primaries. You then have most of autumn and winter of your senior year to submit secondaries. If you are doing this route and you think your senior grades will be a boost, you can always send update letters to your schools to list your accomplishments such as a upward trending GPA, new extracurriculars, new awards earned etc.

Either way, the most important take home message is that you should never rush into the application process. Apply when you are damn well and ready

 

[rockaction]

Submitting in June is smart. Then you're at least verified and good to go by July, which is when secondaries start to become available. Some schools will even let you interview in August should you be lucky enough to get an interview early. Some schools that really dig early apps are Pitt, Vandy, and Michigan

 

[pritomd]

Yikes, I guess I might have to delay a year then. My GPA is probably not going to be strong enough after my third year..I want to include my fourth year grades just to show the upward trend...gosh!