Why is it so important to apply on the first day?

[jdla]

Why is it important? June 1

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[Caesar]

Many schools have a rolling admissions process that puts those who apply first with somewhat lower numbers at a slightly advantaged position compared to those that apply with slightly better numbers later in the process. The key word here is slightly, does it help? sure. Is it a guarantee to get you in? no. My feeling is it is best to apply when your application is completely done and the best that it can be.

 

[Quix]

Because the application process is a lot of "hurry up and wait".

AMCAS takes 4-6 weeks to verify the information on each application, of which they receive thousands.

The secondary application process then begins (in some cases, schools send out secondaries upon receipt of the primary), followed by the interviews, and then the limbo of the schools taking their sweet-ass time in deciding, which may not even really be the end (oh, the glory of the wait-list).

It's basically a series of sprints, interspersed with periods of anxiety.





Oh, and buttloads of money just for the chance to hear "No."

 

[adamMD]

Like others have said, if you have lower stats, schools may interview you simply because there isn't a large pool of applicants in the early months. Just apply as soon as you can without sacrificing quality.

 

[milliya]

This page, entitled Early, early, early explains the importance of getting your applications and such in early. This is a really great site: http://www.medschoolready.com/app/earlyearlyapplication.asp

 

[Bananas Foster]

its not







schools don't even send out their secondaries until July, and if you completed AMCAS on June 1st or on July 15th, those secondaries are going to be available at the same time, and they're not looking at your app until you get those secondaries in, so the advantage of getting AMCAS on the first day versus the 45th day is exactly nil. I think the advantage of applying early is wildly over stated on SDN.

 

[EpiPEN]

... I think the advantage of applying early is wildly over stated on SDN.

iono man, I talked to a lot of re-applicants and rejected people and they tell me otherwise. Some of they had schools tell them they should have applied earlier when they called in post rejection for feedback.

 

[enjoydrywax]

its not







schools don't even send out their secondaries until July, and if you completed AMCAS on June 1st or on July 15th, those secondaries are going to be available at the same time, and they're not looking at your app until you get those secondaries in, so the advantage of getting AMCAS on the first day versus the 45th day is exactly nil. I think the advantage of applying early is wildly over stated on SDN.

How true is this? I thought there was a considerable difference between submitting on June 4th as opposed to say July 4th. Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[45408]

How true is this? I thought there was a considerable difference between submitting on June 4th as opposed to say July 4th. Anybody have any thoughts?

It's not that important. If you wait until September though, it's a totally different story.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Back in the days of June MCAT results (I don't know what the system is now), submitting in early June vs. the end of June used to be the difference between getting verified by AMCAS in mid-June or August. Even then though, I don't think anyone had their chances effected significantly by a July submission.

Later than that, however, and you are only hurting yourself.

 

[Bananas Foster]

Back in the days of June MCAT results (I don't know what the system is now), submitting in early June vs. the end of June used to be the difference between getting verified by AMCAS in mid-June or August. Even then though, I don't think anyone had their chances effected significantly by a July submission.

that's interesting, i forgot about that aspect of things. But from what i remember from last year, from mid june to last august AMCAS verification took about 4-5 weeks. Either way, you could use those 4-5 weeks to start rough drafts on secondary essays from last years secondaries, and still submit everything by august.

It's not that important. If you wait until September though, it's a totally different story.

that's sorta what I'm saying... now I'll grudgenly admit that having secondaries completed in August or September is preferable to being completed in November. But the OP was talking about AMCAS finished on June 1st, when the fact is most schools won't have secondaries out until mid July.

Also how many interviews are given for August and September anyways? And lets not forget that a good chunk of schools don't do rolling admissions. I'm not saying applying early isn't preferable to later, but its not a panacea for mediocre applications. If anything i think spending some extra time working on the PS would be worth the time.

 

[Giddyup5]

Also a lot of people who do not get in their first time around already have their application ready for round 2.


A member of a admissions committee told me that they get 25 percent of all their applications within the first 2 weeks of June.

Take it for what its worth.

 

[jdla]

I thinking of changing my June 13th MCAT to July or August.

 

[locus000]

I thinking of changing my June 13th MCAT to July or August.

I changed my MCAT from June to July, I figured that i can use the extra 4 weeks to improve my score. Higher scores will always look better, IMO

Med school start sending Interview Request in September, Right? So if i get everything (secondary included) in by August, it will be fine.

 

[bodonid]

I changed my MCAT from June to July, I figured that i can use the extra 4 weeks to improve my score. Higher scores will always look better, IMO

Med school start sending Interview Request in September, Right? So if i get everything (secondary included) in by August, it will be fine.

just know that verification wait time will hit peak then (up to 6wks)

 

[jdla]

I changed my MCAT from June to July, I figured that i can use the extra 4 weeks to improve my score. Higher scores will always look better, IMO

Med school start sending Interview Request in September, Right? So if i get everything (secondary included) in by August, it will be fine.

When will you submit your primaries?

 

[arb011]

its not







schools don't even send out their secondaries until July, and if you completed AMCAS on June 1st or on July 15th, those secondaries are going to be available at the same time, and they're not looking at your app until you get those secondaries in, so the advantage of getting AMCAS on the first day versus the 45th day is exactly nil. I think the advantage of applying early is wildly over stated on SDN.

I totally agree. I submitted AMCAS at the end of July last year and had my first interview on September 24th. I have had many people in the know (pre-med advisor and Dean of Admissions) tell me that there isn't much difference between submitting June 5th or the end of July.

If you're ready, obviously go ahead and submit it, but don't rush finishing AMCAS just so you can submit it on June 1st. Take the time and make sure it is as good as possible before you submit.

 

[DrJD]

So, whats the difference between hitting submit June 4th and June 11th?

Is there going to be any noticeable different in your chance at admissions between these two dates?

 

[scarletgirl777]

So, whats the difference between hitting submit June 4th and June 11th?

Is there going to be any noticeable different in your chance at admissions between these two dates?

Based on last year's threads, everyone who was verified within the first 2.5 weeks of the application being open for submission had their primaries sent to schools at the same time because AMCAS did not forward primaries on till late June. So, I would say no.

 

[DrJD]

Based on threads, last year, everyone who was verified within the first 2.5 weeks of the application being open for submission had their primaries sent to schools at the same time because AMCAS did not forward primaries on till late June. So, I would say no.

So will it make a different in verification time you think?

 

[scarletgirl777]

So will it make a different in verification time you think?

I think that's person-specific. Some people were verified in a couple of days. Some people had transcripts from like 4 institutions and took more time. I would think maybe there's a vanishingly small advantage, but a bigger advantage would be to have a marginally better personal statement. And average verification time then seemed like 2 weeks, so maybe for the average person, there would be no advantage that early in June.

 

[nu2004]

Why is it important? June 1

it isn't

get your stuff in early-ish and you'll be fine. submitting early at the expense of a well-written, well-edited, heartbreakingly genius personal statement is not wise.

 

[DoctorPardi]

Getting it in the first day isn't important. Getting your AMCAS application in the first day will mean it is likely reviewed and processed within a few days. The problem is, if you wait a month or two it will then take 4-6 weeks for your AMCAS application to be processed.

You should attempt to be complete by the end of July or earlier (going into August doesn't make you late, but you aren't going to receive any advantage for being "early"). So this means you need your AMCAS application submitted by sometime in June.

Also remember you can submit your AMCAS application for processing before your MCAT scores are in. For example, if you take the MCAT June 15th (made up date) you will have to wait until around July 15th for your scores. You will not be considered by most schools until your scores are in. However you should submit your AMCAS application around June 15th so that your scores come in around the same time your application is complete.

 

[locus000]

When will you submit your primaries?

Im taking the MCAT in July 10, it takes a month to grade the damn thing. So i leaning of submitting my primary first in early July (then 4-6 week processing) so by the time Medschool get my primary they probably get the MCAT scores too.

 

[186321]

Why is it important? June 1

Let me put it this way.. if it were back in the depression and you were standing in a soup line.. and there was only a limited amount of soup.. would you want to get there late and stand in the back of the line?

 

[arb011]

Let me put it this way.. if it were back in the depression and you were standing in a soup line.. and there was only a limited amount of soup.. would you want to get there late and stand in the back of the line?

But in this case, everyone who gets to the soup line within the first few hours will all get their soup at the same time.

 

[bozz]

25% of AMCAS applications are received on the first day. And every day, it keeps increasing. Do you want to be part of that 25% ?

 

[Smile786]

Hi,

I am taking the MCAT's on July 18th and want to apply for this cycle. Is it too late? Knowing that AMCAS and TMDSAS takes 4-6 wks for processing, when is the best time to apply? Of course, earlier the better, so that you don't have to worry about it. But what is the process for this whole application thing? I understand that we have to complete the primary applications and then what? Do we wait 4 to 6 wks for secondaries? Can some explain the process from beginning to end with the processing waiting time periods? Thanks!

 

[45408]

Hi,

I am taking the MCAT's on July 18th and want to apply for this cycle. Is it too late? Knowing that AMCAS and TMDSAS takes 4-6 wks for processing, when is the best time to apply? Of course, earlier the better, so that you don't have to worry about it. But what is the process for this whole application thing? I understand that we have to complete the primary applications and then what? Do we wait 4 to 6 wks for secondaries? Can some explain the process from beginning to end with the processing waiting time periods? Thanks!

No, it's not too late, but your AMCAS should be submitted by the time you take the MCAT.

 

[SketchLazy]

Last year, it happened like this: June 5th came around, and people submitted their applications. AMCAS sat on them (even the verified ones) until the 21st and then began sending them out. People who submitted anywhere from the 5th to the 21st had their applications sent out by early July with little to no difference in submission dates. After that, things picked up and the delay gradually got longer and longer, until by August, transcript verification took 4-6 weeks and complete verification took up to six weeks. At least if you don't submit by July, have transcripts received and everything ready to go.

 

[alwaysaangel]

If you submit later in the season it can take a few weeks - but early on it doesn't. When I say submit I mean submitting AMCAS with all your transcripts turned into them. When I submitted July 5th or so 2 cycles ago they verified and sent my primary to schools by July 9th. It only takes a few weeks later in the season when there is a longer line.

So yes if you submit june-early july you will be in the first group reviewed (june early july group) - no problem. In fact, the first time I tried to submit was like June 21st and they started verifying it the next day (it bounced back because they lied to me about a transcript so I resubmitted in July but still - once they start verifying it it takes like a day to be done).

Timeline:
June 5 - early July are basically all the same. Anyone who submits those times will get secondaries the same time, and if they have fast turnaround for those will get interviews and acceptances as early as possible.

mid-July thru late July is midrange. Not late, but you won't get secondaries the moment they come out. If you have fast secondary turnaround (less than one week) then you should still be in pretty good shape.

August is getting average, not a good idea if you have bad numbers.

Sept is pretty late as many are already interviewing.

October is definitely late as people are already getting accepted.

Nov and Dec - why bother?

 

[phospho]

No, it's not too late, but your AMCAS should be submitted by the time you take the MCAT.

so if we submit the app before the MCAT grade comes out, AMCAS finishes the verification process and sends the apps to the medical schools without the score and then sends an update when the score comes out?

or is it just that we're hoping they'll be done with verification by the time the score comes out but they won't send anything out until we have an MCAT score?

i'm doing the mcat saturday (technically tomorrow) and i guess i'm looking for the fastest way to get everything through. I don't care about looking at my MCAT score before I submit. AAMC recieved my transcipts, but I've heard they're not going to even start verifying anything until i officially "submit"

would very much appreciate any advice

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Im thinking its probably not necessary to submit the very first day...but it would be beneficial to be ready to go before the first secondaries come out.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

so if we submit the app before the MCAT grade comes out, AMCAS finishes the verification process and sends the apps to the medical schools without the score and then sends an update when the score comes out?

or is it just that we're hoping they'll be done with verification by the time the score comes out but they won't send anything out until we have an MCAT score?

i'm doing the mcat saturday (technically tomorrow) and i guess i'm looking for the fastest way to get everything through. I don't care about looking at my MCAT score before I submit. AAMC recieved my transcipts, but I've heard they're not going to even start verifying anything until i officially "submit"

would very much appreciate any advice

Aamcas takes anywhere up to 6 weeks to verify, probably much shorter right now. Timeline starts as of when they receive all transcripts from all schools attended. One can check the status of transcripts received by logging into the web site, status is updated quickly. I've found the web site more accurate/faster than info rec'd from the staff.

MCAT rolls into the application automatically as soon as the score is available in Aamcas. My understanding is that the MCAT score also rolls over to each school to which the applicant applied as soon as it is recorded.

Ideally, the Aamcas app would be complete 2 or so weeks prior to sitting for the MCAT at the latest, this way Aamcas would be verified by the time the MCAT grade is available (4 weeks after the test date).

FYI for secondaries and when they are sent to applicants-- they vary. Some schools (Rush comes to mind) allow the applicant to go onto their web site to complete the secondaries immediately, as soon as an AAMC # is available. GW sent an e-mail within 2 days after the primary aamcas app was submitted from what I recall, they were much earlier than any other school which may be why they get so many applicants? Others (Oregon, Indiana, I believe Loyola, UIC, Iowa, etc) screen applicants before sending out a secondary, those schools would likely not send a secondary to the applicant for 4 weeks or so after they receive the verified primary. Some schools say that it takes several weeks after Aamcas is completely verified for them to "see" it, not sure if that's accurate or that the schools get backed up.

I have specificallly asked a large number of schools how important timing is to them, and have been told that "earlier is better" for rolling admission schools, but have not been told by any school that an august secondary would put an applicant at a substantial disadvantage (although November/Dececmber/close to the school's deadline would hurt the applicant's chances), this makes sense considering interviews mostly start in Sept/Oct.

 

[dancinRN1022]

Also how many interviews are given for August and September anyways? And lets not forget that a good chunk of schools don't do rolling admissions. I'm not saying applying early isn't preferable to later, but its not a panacea for mediocre applications. If anything i think spending some extra time working on the PS would be worth the time.

I understand what you are saying...and i don't think there is a real difference between june 1st and july 1st...if everything is is done before then...however...if u submit july 1st...your app may not be verfiied until beg/mid of august...and then you have to send your letters..wait for schools to receive those and then u have to send in your sec and wait for school to receive those...

my apps were complete at each school around 8/10-8/15...my undergrad school didn't send my letters until the first week in august...but i had all of my secs complete before them... i was invited to 22 interviews 8 DO/14 MD...i went to 11...2DO /9 MD... all of them besides 4 were in sept and august...and of those 4... 2 were in the first week of october...they would have scheduled them earlier but i didn't have the time...so schools do interview early...and i had almost all of my interview invites received by the end of sept...even if some of them were scheduled for nov/dec...

and i was accepted to my first DO school by sept 19...that took alot of the pressure off all of my other interviews...I also had 2 md acceptances by october 16th...

I think if u have a crappy application...then early versus late doesn't matter...but my advisor told me..he thought having my app in early was more important than me retaking my mcat...

a 39 mcat/4.0 gpa is going to get in despite the time they apply...an average or below average applicant has a harder time trying to prove themselves out of larger pool of applicants than a smaller one..

 

[OCallag]

Applying to med school reminds me of the old baseball phrase: "You can't win the season in April...but you sure can lose it." The parallel for med school applications is that applying incredibly early is not necessary, but if you wait you're shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[Bretzel]

Is there any advantage to applying early to deadline schools?

I have a letter of recommendation that I plan to send towards the end of the summer, but I do not want it to delay the review of my applications. Any advice?

 

[mshahid]

I took my mcat may 10th and got a 21. The only reason for that was because i was too busy with classes that semester so i didn't have a chance to study. I'm taking the august 5th mcat now. I want to know if i should submit my application now..or wait until the scores are back.

I have a 3.72 GPA, 3.62 science, 2 publications, lost of activites, etc.

I'm very confident my score will increase, i'm consistently making 30s on my practice tests. Soooo the big question is should i submit now, or wait?!

THANKSSSS!!!

 

[JackInTheBox]

I took my mcat may 10th and got a 21. The only reason for that was because i was too busy with classes that semester so i didn't have a chance to study. I'm taking the august 5th mcat now. I want to know if i should submit my application now..or wait until the scores are back.

I have a 3.72 GPA, 3.62 science, 2 publications, lost of activites, etc.

I'm very confident my score will increase, i'm consistently making 30s on my practice tests. Soooo the big question is should i submit now, or wait?!

THANKSSSS!!!

Definitely wait. If you tell the schools you're retaking the test, they won't do anything until they get your new scores. I think you'd have a better chance if you waited until next cycle, unless you're absolutely sure you can pull a 30+ on your next MCAT.