I am taking the MCAT in June and was wondering when I should apply? I have a 3.66 GPA (3.6 BCPM) and (I think) good ECs, other than clinical experience. I'm a two sport all-conference athlete, double major, volunteering with underprivilaged youths, started a fund raiser at local high schools/colleges for a cancer center, two summer research programs, etc. However I only have about 50 hours of clinical exposure (shadowing+hospital volunteering). I was planning on applying when AMCAS opened so I could be verified and early; would it help if I waited until July when my MCAT scores came in to apply so I could get some more volunteer and shadowing hours?
when to apply?
- Thread starter autodf06
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As long as you're confident that you won't completely bomb the MCAT, apply as soon as possible.
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It seems your question is "I want more volunteer/clinical hours on my app. Should I wait another month or so to turn in my app so I can write '100 hours' instead of '70 hours.'? "
I believe your application will not be reviewed until your MCAT scores are in, even if you submit in early June (remember no matter how early you submit they aren't sent out until roughly the last week of June). Perhaps others who have submitted apps before MCAT scores can tell you if they received secondaries before their MCAT scores became available or not.
You could also just put "4 hrs/week until present" on your application. I know some schools at least will consider "until present" to mean until the application deadline (e.g. December 31). So when reviewing your file they'll take into account your continued accrual of clinical hours. I don't know if this applies to all schools or not. Take it with a grain of salt.
Oh yes. And for the record I turned in my app in the beginning of June with about 80 ER volunteer hours and 15 shadowing hours and then tacked on another 70 volunteer hours during the summer. Yielded 4 acceptances. YMMV.
I believe your application will not be reviewed until your MCAT scores are in, even if you submit in early June (remember no matter how early you submit they aren't sent out until roughly the last week of June). Perhaps others who have submitted apps before MCAT scores can tell you if they received secondaries before their MCAT scores became available or not.
You could also just put "4 hrs/week until present" on your application. I know some schools at least will consider "until present" to mean until the application deadline (e.g. December 31). So when reviewing your file they'll take into account your continued accrual of clinical hours. I don't know if this applies to all schools or not. Take it with a grain of salt.
Oh yes. And for the record I turned in my app in the beginning of June with about 80 ER volunteer hours and 15 shadowing hours and then tacked on another 70 volunteer hours during the summer. Yielded 4 acceptances. YMMV.
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early.
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There's a very handsome article written by staff here at SDN that gives some great advice on the application timeline...
http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/03/the-application-process-why-apply-early/
http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/03/the-application-process-why-apply-early/