*Applying Early Decision

[Guest Ian Wong]

Author:*Paul

Date:***9/17/2000 4:04 pm*PST

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There is this private medical school that says on their website they offer an the early decision program in addition to the regular admission program. Basically if you apply during a certain time frame, it appears, your in a special applicant pool, but you agree to not apply anywhere else and if your not accepted then you go into the regular applicant pool. I was wondering what peoples opinions are on this? Also (maybe Ian can answer this one) but do you recommend participating in this early decision program the summer after my sophomore year (when I take my MCAT) just as a practice before I do most of my applying in my junior year summer(that is of course if Iam not accepted to the school)? I was wondering if it is a good idea because most colleges won't take you after 2 years, but I thought since maybe its a early decision program maybe there is a good boost in chances. Finally do a lot of schools participate in this because this is the first one on a website to say so? This school says something about you can say it on the aamcs application that you want to be a part of this process. One more question, do I have to wait to get my MCAT results before applying or can I send the application in before that because the application is due august 1 and I won't even take the test until august 14th. Finally what is this whole thing about a preprofessional recommendation packet, I have a preprofessional committee at my school, but I can't attend the meetings and I am currently just trying to get registered, I was wondering what this whole recommendation packet they do is and if it has any advantages? Wait I have one more, because of my scheduling I can't be consistent on the clubs I am a part of, will this cause a problem on a interview or my application, and if so should I explain why I can't be consistent with clubs(especially considering I live 30 miles away from the campus and drive to school so It has to be between or just after classes)?

[Guest Ian Wong]

Author:*Ian Wong, MS2

Date:***9/18/2000 5:51 pm*PST

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1)

We don't have early decision in Canada, so I can't really give you an informed opinion on that. However, I doubt that applying early decision is going to help you if you've only done 2 years of undergrad. If you're going to do it, do it for practice like you've mentioned above, because the chances of getting into medical school after two years is pretty miniscule.

 

2)

As for the MCAT, in the States, it's a huge advantage to write the MCAT in April because rolling admissions means that applicants can be accepted at any time after applications are received. Since AMCAS has a due date in June, it's entirely possible that you could receive a secondary in July, and do your interview and be accepted by August, before the August MCAT is even written! This means that there's one less spot available for that year.

 

You CAN apply without the MCAT, but your application won't be fully processed until that score is received. So, since your exam isn't marked until 60 days after August, you can't get your first interview until probably November. By this point, lots of the spots have already been taken, and it puts you at a big disadvantage.

 

3)

I don't know anything about these packets. We didn't have them at UVic.

 

4)

If you're not consistent with the clubs, then just don't over-inflate their importance. In the extreme case, if you have no involvement in the club except in writing (ie. you're on their members list), I probably wouldn't even mention it on the application.

 

Ian