When should I submit my AMCAS application?

[samnite]

Should I submit it at Midnight on June 1st (the first day it is open)? Or can I afford to wait until I get my April MCAT results back from the AAMC? I am debating whether or not to go ahead and submit the application right away. I figure that my APRIL MCAT will be on my application no matter when I submit the application. Therefore, I'm thinking that I will submit my application at midnight on June 1st so that I can go through the process early. What do you guys recommend?

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[rugirlie]

Should I submit it at Midnight on June 1st (the first day it is open)? Or can I afford to wait until I get my April MCAT results back from the AAMC? I am debating whether or not to go ahead and submit the application right away. I figure that my APRIL MCAT will be on my application no matter when I submit the application. Therefore, I'm thinking that I will submit my application at midnight on June 1st so that I can go through the process early. What do you guys recommend?

I would totally wait... especially because MCAT score was one of the major factors in choosing what schools I applied to... honestly, I applied by location and MCAT average... it was once I wa going through the process that I actually realized what was important in schools and what wasn't... but yea, its not gonna hurt you to submit later in june as opposed to june 1st... I submitted Oct 15th and still got into my top two choices...

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Wait until MCAT scores come back.

 

[DHMO]

I would submit it as early as possible. Your MCAT won't change depending on when you submit it, and if you are sure tthat you did well enough to apply, then do it. I think it is a huge advantage to get your file seen by adcoms early.

 

[samnite]

I would submit it as early as possible. Your MCAT won't change depending on when you submit it, and if you are sure tthat you did well enough to apply, then do it. I think it is a huge advantage to get your file seen by adcoms early.

That's what I was thinking. Even if I do badly on the April test and decide to take the August test, my april test results will be known to the Med schools no matter what. I have seen people recommend august mcat takers to apply to AMCAS early even without taking the MCAT yet! If I bombed the April test, I could still get my name on the top of the pile and hopefully deliver the good MCAT score to them in August. Thanks for all the responses so far. Any other thoughts?

 

[Crete]

Should I submit it at Midnight on June 1st (the first day it is open)? Or can I afford to wait until I get my April MCAT results back from the AAMC? I am debating whether or not to go ahead and submit the application right away. I figure that my APRIL MCAT will be on my application no matter when I submit the application. Therefore, I'm thinking that I will submit my application at midnight on June 1st so that I can go through the process early. What do you guys recommend?

Unless you're planning on applying with the 2007 applicants if you take the Aug MCAT, then you can do no wrong by applying 12am June, congrats on getting it done early! (But you can potentially do harm by waiting!)

 

[tennisnr]

Unless you're planning on applying with the 2007 applicants if you take the Aug MCAT, then you can do no wrong by applying 12am June, congrats on getting it done early! (But you can potentially do harm by waiting!)

I believe you can do wrong by applying THAT early (as in 12 am June 1). Our pre med board advises us to apply a few days after the application opens. As they say here, "Even if you decide to submit your application immediately, it would be wise to *wait at least a couple of business days* from the activation of the submission feature to make sure that the system is working as it should. Experience has taught us that any computerized system has its bugs. Unless you want to be the one to find them/experience them first hand, please consider waiting a couple of days until the system is working properly." You will not get any advantage applying June 1 over June 5 so I would suggest waiting a few business days to make sure there are no problems like there have been in the past.

 

[samnite]

I believe you can do wrong by applying THAT early (as in 12 am June 1). Our pre med board advises us to apply a few days after the application opens. As they say here, "Even if you decide to submit your application immediately, it would be wise to *wait at least a couple of business days* from the activation of the submission feature to make sure that the system is working as it should. Experience has taught us that any computerized system has its bugs. Unless you want to be the one to find them/experience them first hand, please consider waiting a couple of days until the system is working properly." You will not get any advantage applying June 1 over June 5 so I would suggest waiting a few business days to make sure there are no problems like there have been in the past.

Good...good. Thanks for the help. Keep the advice coming!

 

[Preppy]

What would you do to your application when you get your MCATs back? Maybe add a couple schools to it if you've done well? (I think you can add them after you submit). Maybe not apply to certain schools you otherwise would have applied to (you save $30/school, small amount in in comparison to the whole process unless you're thinking of dropping a bunch of schools). So my advice is, if you're certain you want to apply this year and you've done the AMCAS and feel good about, it go ahead and submit early. My 2 cents

 

[JDWflash44]

IMHO, it doesnt make a difference if you send it in after you get your scores or not. I'm waiting til after I get my scores so I can narrow down where I will apply. If i do superb, I will drop a few "safety schools"(is there such a thing) and save some $$$. Remember, most schools dont look at your application until they have your AMCAS, secondary, and LORs/committee letter. Many secondaries dont go out til july anyways. So, as long as you get it in in june, are speedy with your secondaries, and your advisor is speedy with your packets you should be at the top of the pile. Them getting your AMCAS june 1st or june 20th wont make much of a differance. Just my view.

Jim

 

[PTPoeny]

I would submit your application but without all the schools selected. Choose say 5 schools that you are going to apply to no matter what and submit it early ( agree with previous posters that June 5 is a good idea). Then, when you get your MCAT scores, choose the rest of your schools, that way you are applying to schools appropriate to your MCAT score (some safety, some averge and some stretch) but you still get your appliation out pretty early because it has already been processed and your grades have been verified and all that.

For me it sent them out the next day when I added schools after my application had been verified.

 

[samnite]

Thanks guys. I think I will submit my application sometime this week, probably not at midnight tonight though.