Will some DO schools send me secondaries?

[Temperature101]

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I applied last year in August before I took the MCAT in September; unfortunately I had a bad score (20) and withdrew my application. I want to apply early this year. Should I submit application in June? Will some schools send me secondary even my new mcat score is pending? I would like to start filing out secondaries in between the 30 days that I am waiting for my MCAT score... By the way, I am taking the test in July.

 

[hallowmann]

I applied last year in August before I took the MCAT in September; unfortunately I had a bad score (20) and withdrew my application. I want to apply early this year. Should I submit application in June? Will some schools send me secondary even my new mcat score is pending? I would like to start filing out secondaries in between the 30 days that I am waiting for my MCAT score... By the way, I am taking the test in July.

You should really only apply to one school at first so you don't risk getting screened out and rejected from a lot of schools before your new scores come in. 20 is very low, and its possible most schools will either pre-secondary hold you or reject you outright. Many schools wait if a score is pending, but many also screen outright.

If you really want to get started on your secondaries early, you should look at last year's threads for the schools you are planning to apply to, and see what questions were in the secondaries from then. They don't change much or at all from one year to the next, so if you prepare answers before you get the secondaries, it should save you a lot of time.

 

[Temperature101]

You should really only apply to one school at first so you don't risk getting screened out and rejected from a lot of schools before your new scores come in. 20 is very low, and its possible most schools will either pre-secondary hold you or reject you outright. Many schools wait if a score is pending, but many also screen outright.

If you really want to get started on your secondaries early, you should look at last year's threads for the schools you are planning to apply to, and see what questions were in the secondaries from then. They don't change much or at all from one year to the next, so if you prepare answers before you get the secondaries, it should save you a lot of time.

Thanks...

 

[TXKnight]

I applied last year in August before I took the MCAT in September; unfortunately I had a bad score (20) and withdrew my application. I want to apply early this year. Should I submit application in June? Will some schools send me secondary even my new mcat score is pending? I would like to start filing out secondaries in between the 30 days that I am waiting for my MCAT score... By the way, I am taking the test in July.

Do it. You will gain precious time. Just make sure you mark in the app new MCAT score are coming AND most importantly make sure you score much better -section-wise and overall. But yeah, send all in ASAP.
hallowman's advise is a good one too.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Agree with hallowmann. I recommend that one school you apply to first being one you're not as interested in attending.

 

[MurphysLaww]

Agree with hallowmann. I recommend that one school you apply to first being one you're not as interested in attending.

I agree as well, as well. I had a friend get in your same situation and he was reject pre-secondary from several schools and had a 23 MCAT. So it would be better to just get the info in and confirmed, then add schools to your list.

 

[CRCprofessional]

I applied last year in August before I took the MCAT in September; unfortunately I had a bad score (20) and withdrew my application. I want to apply early this year. Should I submit application in June? Will some schools send me secondary even my new mcat score is pending? I would like to start filing out secondaries in between the 30 days that I am waiting for my MCAT score... By the way, I am taking the test in July.

I struggled with this last year when I applied. I had a 23 MCAT score, re-took in August to get my score back in October, and bumped it up to a 27. I waited, and it turned out ok with me, but I think I would have increased my chances if I applied early. I just didn't want schools seeing my 23 and rejecting me. Pre-writing secondaries helps a lot too.

 

[Ost3oclast]

Agree with hallowmann. I recommend that one school you apply to first being one you're not as interested in attending.

This.

Goodluck on that retake man!

 

[Temperature101]

This.

Goodluck on that retake man!

Thanks....

 

[TriagePreMed]

I applied last year in August before I took the MCAT in September; unfortunately I had a bad score (20) and withdrew my application. I want to apply early this year. Should I submit application in June? Will some schools send me secondary even my new mcat score is pending? I would like to start filing out secondaries in between the 30 days that I am waiting for my MCAT score... By the way, I am taking the test in July.

I received secondaries from all before my MCAT came out.

 

[NeuroLAX]

I received secondaries from all before my MCAT came out.

Awesome, but Temp101 has already taken the MCAT and received a score. Thus he MUST report it. It would be unwise to add schools he's interested in attending with a 20 upfront.

 

[TriagePreMed]

I don't think any of the schools would be able to reject him outright if he has an mcat pending. Also, most schools wouldn't review the file unless the new mcat was in.

 

[hallowmann]

I don't think any of the schools would be able to reject him outright if he has an mcat pending. Also, most schools wouldn't review the file unless the new mcat was in.

Its a nice idea, but I was rejected pre-secondary by schools with classes pending that put me over their cutoffs. And, as others have mentioned, people have been rejected pre-secondary with an MCAT pending, when their first MCAT was low. Some schools definitely do this. In my case, most other schools put me on pre-secondary hold until after my grades came in. It really isn't worth the risk.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Its a nice idea, but I was rejected pre-secondary by schools with classes pending that put me over their cutoffs. And, as others have mentioned, people have been rejected pre-secondary with an MCAT pending, when their first MCAT was low. Some schools definitely do this. In my case, most other schools put me on pre-secondary hold until after my grades came in. It really isn't worth the risk.

Wow. That is just horrible.

 

[TXKnight]

Its a nice idea, but I was rejected pre-secondary by schools with classes pending that put me over their cutoffs. And, as others have mentioned, people have been rejected pre-secondary with an MCAT pending, when their first MCAT was low. Some schools definitely do this. In my case, most other schools put me on pre-secondary hold until after my grades came in. It really isn't worth the risk.

This is interesting. Any ideas as to what schools might not wait on new grades/mcat? I am applying, but i also need to update in Aug my summer grades, which are repeats and help tons.....any lists for those schools that you know of? I think I read KCUMB does not wait, but i may be wrong, can't find that thread anymore

 

[hallowmann]

This is interesting. Any ideas as to what schools might not wait on new grades/mcat? I am applying, but i also need to update in Aug my summer grades, which are repeats and help tons.....any lists for those schools that you know of? I think I read KCUMB does not wait, but i may be wrong, can't find that thread anymore

It might be easier to list the schools that did wait, that way we exclude the ones that just wanted to reject me. These include VCOM, LMU-DCOM, the LECOMs, AZCOM, CCOM, Nova, and maybe a couple others. Most/all of those put me on pre-secondary/interview hold and said they will hold my app until new grades/MCATs come in. For sure COMP, COMP-NW, Touro-NV, and Touro-CA did not wait for updated grades and rejected me pre-secondary with classes pending. Really I should have waited the extra 1-2 months before submitting my primary to those four.

Anyways, in general its my opinion that its in your best interest to get your grades in before applying to the ones on the second list (within reason of course, i.e. only if its a big jump in your score and its no more than 2-3 month delay), and in general definitely before submitting secondaries to almost any schools, because at that point, you'll be in line for adcom review and if they see your file without the new grades it might be too late. Some schools are good about rereviewing updated files, but I wouldn't be surprised if many didn't bother, especially if they are looking at 7,000 apps for 150 spots.