When to start preparing to re-apply?

[Haemulon]

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Obviously this is too early to really be worried about this application cycle, but when do you think its time to start preparing to re-take the MCAT and get into the mindset of applying for the next cycle? In my circumstance, I applied early to a mix of mid-tier and reach schools with mediocre undergraduate grades and a decent but unbalanced MCAT. So far only one interview and either rejections or silence from the rest. There is still plenty of time in the interview season, but i'm starting to lose optimism. How about the rest of you? Already thinking about spring MCATs?

 

[CaramelDlite]

It does no harm to start involving yourself in more extracurricular activities or perhaps taking an extra class to pull up your GPA (some schools even have wintermesters which you can take over the christmas break season). Even if you don't have to reapply (which hopefully you don't🙂 ), these could serve as updates for schools that you haven't heard from.

 

[45408]

I would've applied to more schools, if I were you, but to answer your question, I'd start preparing for the MCAT in February or so, if you were going to re-take it.

 

[Haemulon]

Thats helpful, thanks. And I agree about the schools ... in hindsight I should have purchased my MSAR earlier and used it to select my schools. There are a number of schools to which I did not apply that I may have been more competitive at. I have started to get involved with some more EC's now too, (shadowing, volunteering) so hopefully I will have a good amount to use for sending updates between now and the spring.

 

[notdeadyet]

And I agree about the schools ... in hindsight I should have purchased my MSAR earlier and used it to select my schools.

Haemulon, I completely feel for you. I too have a lopsided MCAT from my first time taking it in August, I've applied to over 30 schools (many well within my stats) and haven't gotten a single interview. Congrats on the EVMS.

The issue on when to retake the MCAT is an interesting one. I'm not giving up on getting interview offers until mid-December. But that doesn't leave a lot of time to prepare for a February MCAT. Grrrr....

Hang in there.

 

[Missterious1]

There is no February MCAT - you either take it late January, or any month between April and September

 

[Law2Doc]

There is no February MCAT - you either take it late January, or any month between April and September

I think he was saying OP should start preparing in Feb for the April 'CAT.

 

[Haemulon]

I think he was saying OP should start preparing in Feb for the April 'CAT.

Yeh, I think thats gonna be my plan. Really would suck to lose another year though. I aint gettin any younger. But we do what we have to do.

 

[microgal]

Haemulon,
I am in the same boat and wondering the same question. I have had one interview (hope to hear back from them this week). And have had rejections or silence from the rest. I applied very broadly, but things are looking pretty bad aside from the one school I interviewed at. I have the opposite problem from you however, I have a solid MCAT (33) and poor GPA (3.3). I'm preparing to apply to SMP's this January if I don't hear back from my one interview by then.

 

[Depakote]

I'd let it ride for a while...

If you have to retake the MCAT, the score's aren't going to matter when you take it, so don't try to do it Jan (unless you want to try to give yourself a bump this cycle), aim for Late Spring (april? don't know when they're doing them next cycle). But I'd see how winter/early spring treats you before you start freaking about the MCAT.

Now you can always have more ECs, and those can help you with this cycle. So go ahead and do whatever you want and see if you can get a good supplemental LOR to send to the schools.

Side note: SPACE ODYSSEY POST

 

[PandP]

Haemulon,

Seriously, prepare for the January MCAT and rock the physical section, do a few EC's, and then send a little update letter to EVMS (with a new MCAT score and your activities), and then a letter of intent, and maybe you won't have to wait a whole year longer. Good luck to you, this is my 3rd cycle (first with interviews), and so far, I've got 3 interviews resulting in 2 waitlists and I haven't heard from the 3rd (really hoping for that one since it was my first choice anyway), so I know your pain.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Side note: SPACE ODYSSEY POST

Nice 👍 and a nice segway into my thinking:

"I think you ought to calm down, take a stress pill, and think things over"

Although I have gotten a bunch of interviews, I'm still nervous about ultimately being accepted. Nov. 15 is the first day that I can be accepted by my state schools. If I haven't heard anything by the end of Nov., I will be in reapp mode, not because I am neurotic, but because if I wait until May, there's not really any time to improve my application at that point (one of my weaknesses is GPA.) Registering for classes in the Spring and Summer semesters at least gives me SOME time to improve GPA for next year's cycle.

 

[Haemulon]

Thanks everyone for their advice. Its good to know others are in a similar situation. Although at first I could not even bear the thought of prepping for another MCAT try, i'm starting to warm up to it. I think I will go into a serious study mode with the new year so I can kick that MCAT's arse once and for all. That beast needs to be slayed. And I think I will try to get so much volunteering and clinical exposure that if I need to re-apply I will need to send supplement sheets along with my AMCAS just to list it all. Maybe even try to shadow some adcoms for exposure or something 😉 If I don't get in this cycle, its really on. All out Application War.

 

[Jccripe]

We have similar stats Mcat B13,P10,V6 i think that i will loose hope/prepare for reapp if i dont hear anything by next semester.