When to apply?!

[codewarrior05]

So I'm finding myself stuck between two strategies in applying for school.

The AACOMA's open up 03/May/2010
I'm registered for 17/June/2010 MCAT
Spring

With that being said I can do go one of two routes:

Plan A: Send my application out on the first day. I wouldn't have my MCAT scores, I wouldn't have my summer semester grades, and I wouldn't have replaced one bad grade.

Plan B: Send my application after the first 'block' of summer semester which is around when I take the MCAT (17 of June). I see several advantages to this, I get the bad grade replaced with a retake (not that it takes a significant dent in my GPA), I have some more positive grades under my belt (I'm working with an upward trend). The negative is I still will not have my MCAT scores back.

Given those two situations, what route would you take?

Thanks for any input

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Black Adder]

So I'm finding myself stuck between two strategies in applying for school.

The AACOMA's open up 03/May/2010
I'm registered for 17/June/2010 MCAT
Spring

With that being said I can do go one of two routes:

Plan A: Send my application out on the first day. I wouldn't have my MCAT scores, I wouldn't have my summer semester grades, and I wouldn't have replaced one bad grade.

Plan B: Send my application after the first 'block' of summer semester which is around when I take the MCAT (17 of June). I see several advantages to this, I get the bad grade replaced with a retake (not that it takes a significant dent in my GPA), I have some more positive grades under my belt (I'm working with an upward trend). The negative is I still will not have my MCAT scores back.

Given those two situations, what route would you take?

Thanks for any input

Plan A, but it's better to spend time on your application/PS and get it to look as close to perfect as possible as opposed to sending it out on the very first day that AACOMAS accepts applications. Submitting your app anytime in May and even June is very early. The earlier you submit your apps the better, but speed shouldn't come at the expense of quality. Taking the time and ironing out the kinks is much more worthwhile.

 

[marke]

it's unanimous! plan A!

 

[NeuroAP86]

Plan A! Start on your personal statement NOW, don't delay at all you can send your transcripts and updated MCAT scores to AACOMAS and to the schools directly but that won't take long at all but getting verified will.

 

[ODorDO]

Definitely plan A. AACOMAS takes 4+ weeks to process your application. You don't need an MCAT score to submit the primary. You can update your grades with AACOMAS as soon as you get them by sending a new transcript.

By any chance do you know how long it takes to update the mcat score? assuming it takes 4 weeks to get primary verified, I'm guessing it'll take about the same time.

 

[Bitsy]

So I'm finding myself stuck between two strategies in applying for school.

The AACOMA's open up 03/May/2010
I'm registered for 17/June/2010 MCAT
Spring

With that being said I can do go one of two routes:

Plan A: Send my application out on the first day. I wouldn't have my MCAT scores, I wouldn't have my summer semester grades, and I wouldn't have replaced one bad grade.

Plan B: Send my application after the first 'block' of summer semester which is around when I take the MCAT (17 of June). I see several advantages to this, I get the bad grade replaced with a retake (not that it takes a significant dent in my GPA), I have some more positive grades under my belt (I'm working with an upward trend). The negative is I still will not have my MCAT scores back.

Given those two situations, what route would you take?

Thanks for any input

The major advantage to applying early is significantly diminished by not having an MCAT score. You apply early to get an interview early and get offered a position early in the season before the applications start piling up. You won't get an interview early if your MCAT score isn't available early. Although the MCAT isn't the end all be all of your application (unless it's really bad), it is a major part of your application. Is this your first time taking the MCAT? If you had a decent MCAT score and were just retaking it that would be different, but it doesn't sound like the case from your OP. I doubt that you will get many secondaries without it, since GPAs can vary widely depending on what colleges you attended. To summarize, I don't think your application will be seriously looked at without an MCAT score, so I don't think it matters when you submit your application if it isn't accompanied by your MCAT score. Good luck!

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Just to piggy back off of this topic and understand correctly...

Even if all of your grades aren't in (including pre-reqs), you should submit in May and just update the transcripts afterwards?

If you do this, do you put your pre-reqs as "future classes I'm taking"?