Will scheduled MCAT date hinder my MD application?

[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

Hello!

I am scheduled to take the MCAT July 21st and am writing to gain some insight on how this later date could hinder my chances of matriculating. I have already written my personal statement and it has be reviewed/revised multiple times at the university writing center. Planning on filling out application when it opens in May and pressing the submit button on June 1st to have application verified ASAP. With a July 21st MCAT date, should receive scores and have a COMPLETE application on August 22nd. I will use the SDN forum to pre-write secondaries after the MCAT/before score is updated. Understanding the general "prior to Labor Day" rule, I assume I will be more than fine... just wanting some reassurance. Scheduling an earlier exam isn't an option due to a rather personal matter that won't be discussed.

I feel confident that I am a competitive applicant for MD school and am only listing the below to give those who reply a bit more insight into me as an applicant, in order to better assess the issue above.
Thank you for your time.

Schools Applying to (Washington Resident):
-University of Washington
-Washington State University
-OHSU
-MAYO (Rochester + Scottsdale Campus)
-University of Arizona (Tucson + Phoenix Campus)
-University of Colorado
-University of Utah
-University of Vermont
-Dartmouth
-Duke
-University of North Carolina
-University of Virginia
-UNLV
*** Would most definitely appreciate constructive recommendations***

GPA: 3.8 with an extreme upward trend (Four straight semesters of 4.0)

Kaplan Diagnostic: 504 (Prior to Biochemistry and Physics II this semester- Goal score of 518+)

EC: Strong.
- 4 years in special operations for US Army (Last 15 months in a leadership position)
- 2.5 years playing college football (Voted a captain 2nd year)
- >100hrs Shadowing (Primarily surgery)
- >300hrs Medical Assistant for an ENT private practice
- >200hrs Volunteer Assistant Coach for AAU-12u Girls Basketball & 10u Boys Baseball
- >100hrs Volunteer at the Veterans & Non-traditional Students Center at my university.
- Research Poster & Presentation
- 35hrs at university's medical school research lab (intestinal epithelial differentiation)

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[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

@Goro @LizzyM @Catalystik @gyngyn

Please excuse my forum etiquette if the tag is inappropriate. If you have the time, I was hoping you could review this post. Apologies if any inconvenience was caused and I hope you understand.

Best Regards.

 

[mydogmolly]

-OHSU
-MAYO (Rochester + Scottsdale Campus)
-University of Arizona (Tucson + Phoenix Campus)
-University of Colorado
-University of Utah
-University of Vermont
-Dartmouth
-Duke
-University of North Carolina
-University of Virginia
-UNLV

I'm not sure how being a few weeks late will affect you since you have such a strong app (MCAT pending). But you should probably replace these with private OOS equivalents.

 

[Goro]

Hello!

I am scheduled to take the MCAT July 21st and am writing to gain some insight on how this later date could hinder my chances of matriculating. I have already written my personal statement and it has be reviewed/revised multiple times at the university writing center. Planning on filling out application when it opens in May and pressing the submit button on June 1st to have application verified ASAP. With a July 21st MCAT date, should receive scores and have a COMPLETE application on August 22nd. I will use the SDN forum to pre-write secondaries after the MCAT/before score is updated. Understanding the general "prior to Labor Day" rule, I assume I will be more than fine... just wanting some reassurance. Scheduling an earlier exam isn't an option due to a rather personal matter that won't be discussed.

I feel confident that I am a competitive applicant for MD school and am only listing the below to give those who reply a bit more insight into me as an applicant, in order to better assess the issue above.
Thank you for your time.

Schools Applying to (Washington Resident):
-University of Washington
-Washington State University
-OHSU
-MAYO (Rochester + Scottsdale Campus)
-University of Arizona (Tucson + Phoenix Campus)
-University of Colorado
-University of Utah
-University of Vermont
-Dartmouth
-Duke
-University of North Carolina
-University of Virginia
-UNLV
*** Would most definitely appreciate constructive recommendations***

GPA: 3.8 with an extreme upward trend (Four straight semesters of 4.0)

Kaplan Diagnostic: 504 (Prior to Biochemistry and Physics II this semester- Goal score of 518+)

EC: Strong.
- 4 years in special operations for US Army (Last 15 months in a leadership position)
- 2.5 years playing college football (Voted a captain 2nd year)
- >100hrs Shadowing (Primarily surgery)
- >300hrs Medical Assistant for an ENT private practice
- >200hrs Volunteer Assistant Coach for AAU-12u Girls Basketball & 10u Boys Baseball
- >100hrs Volunteer at the Veterans & Non-traditional Students Center at my university.
- Research Poster & Presentation
- 35hrs at university's medical school research lab (intestinal epithelial differentiation)

Your timing will be fine.

 

[curbsideconsult]

- 4 years in special operations for US Army (Last 15 months in a leadership position)

I feel like anyone with this on their application can just show up to interviews at their dream school with packed bags ready to move in.

 

[freak7]

I'm not sure how being a few weeks late will affect you since you have such a strong app (MCAT pending). But you should probably replace these with private OOS equivalents.

UVM is OOS friendly.

 

[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

Your timing will be fine.

Great to hear! Thanks for the help.

 

[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

I'm not sure how being a few weeks late will affect you since you have such a strong app (MCAT pending). But you should probably replace these with private OOS equivalents.

Very much appreciated. I'll most definitely take a look at a few more private schools.

UVM is OOS friendly.

That was my understanding as well. Thanks for the quick feedback.

I feel like anyone with this on their application can just show up to interviews at their dream school with packed bags ready to move in.

That's what I keep telling myself, but every other conversation I overhear seems to be applications being DOA if your MCAT is after June.

Thank you everyone for the quick responses. Much appreciated.

Best Regards.

 

[BombsAway]

You would be better served by a June MCAT with a 513, than a Late July MCAT with a 518, especially for the schools you listed. UW and WSU won't care about your mcat (in the context of your app) after they see the first digit is a 5.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

That's what I keep telling myself, but every other conversation I overhear seems to be applications being DOA if your MCAT is after June.

Have had more than one adcom in real life tell me you can take it into the beginning of August and not be late.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

So you’ll be complete in late August? That’s gonna be fine

 

[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

Asking for brutal honesty. Given my unique background discussed above, would an August 23rd MCAT date change the consensus of opinion that a late completion date wouldn't cripple my application too severely? I have completed my AMCAS application as planned and am ready to submit on the first day for verification. Additionally, I have pre-written eight secondaries. I'm simply becoming anxious knowing that if I did indeed go forward with the date change, I wouldn't get my results until mid-late September and subsequently couldn't be complete before October 1st (and that's being somewhat optimistic). Reason for the delay was a last minute opportunity to volunteer as an assistant to a cancer care coordinator the last seven weeks, a little over 220 hours. It isn't ideal and if I could, I would simply push it to April and take a gap year... but alas, that isn't possible. Apologies for taking more of your time and I hope you all know that it is greatly appreciated.

Post Scriptum: Unrelated question... My mother is from Lebanon, would there be any benefit if I annotated that as an ethnicity? It is my understanding that it is considered 'Other' on AMCAS and therefore irrelevant.

Best Regards.

 

[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

My concern here is that are you planning to submit to all these schools PRIOR to having your MCAT score and that making a school list PRIOR to having an MCAT is an impossible task. So how in the world did you create a school list without having any idea what your MCAT score would be? And if you havent taken the MCAT yet, then why are you spending so much time and effort in getting AMCAS written and polished, thus taking away time from prepping for the MCAT?

Thank you for your concern. It really helps to know there are people out there with experienced/educated perspectives that are more than willing to help.

-I don't plan on adding schools to my application until after receiving my MCAT score and using MSAR to confirm that I meet/exceed school averages for matriculants, other than an initial low-yield school of course.

-I created the list above using MSAR to compare my gpa, E.Cs, and an educated guess as to how I would perform on the exam based on the Kaplan diagnostic as described above.

-Although not the ideal approach, I decided to spend the time and effort in getting AMCAS written and polished in order to submit on 'Day 1', so I wouldn't have to worry about it while studying for the MCAT.

-I'm not comfortable disclosing personal issues as indicated initially, however, I believe a brief explanation should hopefully clear up some of the unknowns. A recently lost custody battle has strongly encouraged me to submit this cycle so I may hopefully move closer to my sons (Washington State).

Given the stakes... I really would just like to know whether being complete in early October, with the application described above and an admittedly hopeful score of 518+, would still give me a reasonable chance at getting into a regional medical school so I can see my kids... not many school in the PNW...

Thanks Again and Best Regards,

Anxious Dad.

 

[gyngyn]

If you are dead set upon this timeline, apply to only a single (throwaway) school in June.

 

[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

If you are dead set upon this timeline, apply to only a single (throwaway) school in June.

Most definitely, thank you for all the help!

 

[BombsAway]

Read UWSOM's FAQs about submissions dates. You might be ok there. However, WSU will have already done half their interviews by the time they get your app. PNWCOM should be fine with that test date. For every other school you're really shooting yourself in the foot.

You should really take the test on July 21st as planned. You'll get into UW and WSU with an on-time 508.

 

[MarineMDHopeful]

Hey man, i read your experiences and would be more than happy to help. We are in the same community in the military and I just got into Mayo so I csn help with anything you have questions on, be it PS help, timelines, or even more specifically Mayo. Feel free to PM me.

 

[<2> Sua Sponte <2>]

Read UWSOM's FAQs about submissions dates. You might be ok there. However, WSU will have already done half their interviews by the time they get your app. PNWCOM should be fine with that test date. For every other school you're really shooting yourself in the foot.

You should really take the test on July 21st as planned. You'll get into UW and WSU with an on-time 508.

Thank you for the detailed response... much appreciated!