Would taking June 17th MCAT put me at a severe disadvantage?

[fastfingers]

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I have a question. Would taking the June 17th MCAT put me at a severe disadvantage when I'm applying to medical school? I'm not sure how the timeline works, but I heard that if I apply really early (June 1st right when it opens), I would be going with the first set of applicant. However, I don't feel I am completely ready and feel that if I take the MCATs on June 17th instead of this Friday, I can prolly raise my score from low 30s to mid 30s. Should I wait and take the June 17th MCAT and then apply afterwards? I should be able to get my entire application ready before that time.

Is it bad enough for you to suggest that I take a year off and apply next year? I want to apply this year, but I don't want to apply and do poorly on the application cycle.

 

[time md]

It isn't ideal, but it shouldn't be so much of hinderance that you shouldn't apply this cycle. I was in the same situation last year. I was planning on taking the MCAT in May, but something came up so I had to take it June 18th. Submit you amcas asap. All of the schools I applied to sent my a secondary before they got my mcat score. If this happens to you fill them out and send them back asap. I interviewed at one of the schools on the first interview date despite taking them mcat in June.

 

[flip26]

Ideally the latest date to take the MCAT is May, if not sooner - it is really helpful to know exactly how competitive your app will be prior to submitting AMCAS - makes the strategy for picking schools much easier...

June is OK. July is less OK. And August is a really bad idea. And many if not most schools will not accept a September MCAT for the current cycle.

So, you are OK.

 

[fastfingers]

So June should be okay? I mean, I feel like the rest of my app is solid, I just need to make sure my MCAT is good. I feel like a mid 30 would be a whole lot stronger than a low 30(like 30 or 31).

As far as how acceptance work, do they usually try to accept the best applicants or is it more of a first come first serve thing where they're more lenient at first and then later on be more selective as their quotas are filled.

 

[flip26]

So June should be okay? I mean, I feel like the rest of my app is solid, I just need to make sure my MCAT is good. I feel like a mid 30 would be a whole lot stronger than a low 30(like 30 or 31).

As far as how acceptance work, do they usually try to accept the best applicants or is it more of a first come first serve thing where they're more lenient at first and then later on be more selective as their quotas are filled.

For schools with rolling admissions and rolling interviews, earlier is much better, and the earlier you interview, the better your chances of getting an October acceptance.

The later you are complete with rolling schools, the tougher the competition for interview slots, and the tougher it is to get an acceptance (all else being equal).

You should be OK because most schools do not start sending out secondaries until July anyway...and most schools do not screen prior to sending out secondaries...so you should be OK - by the time you start returning secondaries, and assuming you submitted AMCAS in early to mid June, you will be marked complete at these schools as soon as they receive your MCAT scores, and you will be fairly early in the line for interview offers...

 

[roaming]

not too much disadvantage, as long as you do not need to retake (feel strong about your MCAT). i took it July of my application year and did well in the cycle (interview offers came from August to November, all acceptances came in December and January). i would recommend having everything ready (application filled out, essays written, LOR uploaded, etc) NOW, and then put that in the backburner, study like hell for the MCAT from now til you take it in June, then the next day submit your application on AMCAS (it should be ready anyways). that would put you at a great time (early, even) since it takes 3 weeks or so to get AMCAS verified and your MCAT should come out shortly after, so the waiting wasnt wasted.

 

[fastfingers]

Alright thanks. so it seems the best plan right now is it get my app basically ready. take my mcat june 17 and right after i finish it, submit my application to schools. Should I submit my app to lots of schools or just like 1 school to get it process until i see my mcat score and see whether or not i'm competitive or not.

 

[padoo]

my friend and i took it june 28 and we were fine. as long as you r ready for the test and then submit or secondaries in early, it prob wont hurt u

 

[flip26]

Alright thanks. so it seems the best plan right now is it get my app basically ready. take my mcat june 17 and right after i finish it, submit my application to schools. Should I submit my app to lots of schools or just like 1 school to get it process until i see my mcat score and see whether or not i'm competitive or not.

I would submit the app ASAP in June - get it out the door - lots of ways for the app to get dragged out (problems with transcripts, or you need to challenge them on classification of a BCPM class, letters don't show up). If you apply early June, chances are your app will be verified before you take the MCAT.

Lots of people do that deal of applying to just one school, then waiting to see the score. I don't like it because you will get secondaries later...

 

[fastfingers]

Alright thanks for the advice. I'm definitely not ready for this Friday's test since my aamc practice test 7 got me a 27.