when to apply

[wytosk]

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Because of when i am going to finish taking ochem, i cant take the mcat till aug. I feel that because my gpa is a little low that i am not going to be really competitive. Should I wait until spring and apply ASAP when they start accepting new applicants????

 

[Medikit]

I waited until April and I'm glad I did. One thing that is difficult about the April MCAT is that it's hard to study when you're concentrating on other classes. Since your GPA is low I'm guessing you might need some extra review in certain areas so I would start studying right now. Waiting also let my GPA increase a whole .1 🙂

 

[VFrank]

Wait ... is the reason you are waiting until August because you haven't yet finished with OChem and you're worried you won't know enough? Because I think that's a mistake. I took the MCAT without finishing physics (optics, light, etc.) and I was fine. Most people are not completely done with their premed classes before taking the MCAT. You just have to sort of find a book and learn the stuff you don't know on your own. If there is anyway you can take the April MCAT instead of the August MCAT, because you're really at a disadvantage if you apply so late. We are talking about next year, right? I'm not just ranting about something that can't be fixed now, am I?

 

[wytosk]

A) im in aerospace engineering, so I am going to bang up on the phys section, but, I am going to need to make sure i have completed both ochem and some bio. Thats why im waiting.
B) i am actually taking mcat in aug 05 so im thinking i would apply right away in spring '06 to give me the best shot. what do u think about that?
C) or should I take in spring '06??? i dont wanna wait that long. PLUS if I do really good in aug i can just apply then

 

[VFrank]

I guess you could wait to see how you do on the MCAT. If you get a stellar score, why not apply now? However, a lot of the top schools politely ask you to not apply during a subsequent year if they reject you once, so just be wary of that.

 

[exmike]

I guess you could wait to see how you do on the MCAT. If you get a stellar score, why not apply now? However, a lot of the top schools politely ask you to not apply during a subsequent year if they reject you once, so just be wary of that.

Frank, he cant wait until his MCAT because he needs to submit his AMCAS now. If he waits for his MCAT to submit his AMCAS he'll be even further behind, maybe even past the october deadline. If he submits it now and doesnt do the secondaries, he eats the primary fee AND some schools will consider him a reapplicant.

OP, what I would do is only apply to a handful of select schools you would like to go to this time around since you feel you wont be competitive, and if you dont get in, apply to a broad range of schools next year with your score in hand so you'll be on time.

 

[wytosk]

thanks!

 

[VFrank]

It says on AMCAS that schools prefer you get and review your MCAT grades before you submit your application. I didn't know it would put you back until after the deadline. Sorry.

 

[exmike]

It says on AMCAS that schools prefer you get and review your MCAT grades before you submit your application. I didn't know it would put you back until after the deadline. Sorry.

That is referring to the April MCAT. If you take the August MCAT, you have to submit before you get your score, and AMCAS will transmit the score to the schools once they are available. This brings up another point, you dont get to stop your application after you see your score, the school WILL see it, for better for worse. And again, if you wait until you get your score, it'll be too late to submit your AMCAS.

 

[zola]

Can't say I would recommend it, but you can wait to see your MCAT score before you submit the AMCAS. I did this last year. We got the scores at the beginning of October and the earliest deadlines are Oct 15th...