MCAT Last Date

[Premed3]

I know it's considered good to apply early for US schools...

 

...so what would you guys say is the latest I can write the MCATs for applying to US schools?

 

I was planning early August, but I think I read you need your entire application to be "Completed" which requires the MCAT scores...meaning it would be complete in September then?

 

Thanks.

[mystery_chick]

That is correct.

[Premed3]

So what month should I aim to write the MCAT by? The latest that any of you would recommend?

 

Early July? Mid or late july?

[keith_015]

ASAP, especially if your score isn't that great and you need to rewrite. You should know your score before applying. No point submitting an app to the schools with a bogus MCAT, essentially wasting your first and most important crack at US apps.

[mystery_chick]

ASAP, especially if your score isn't that great and you need to rewrite. You should know your score before applying. No point submitting an app to the schools with a bogus MCAT, essentially wasting your first and most important crack at US apps.

 

Um hm. You have to do as well as you can (balanced 32+) as early as you can (any time that would allow you to complete in June is ideal, July is ok, August is pushing it, and September is no good)

[KTWD]

Hey,

I am in the exact same situation! I am writing July 8th, get the results August 10th. Hoping that is enough time!

[Premed3]

Um hm. You have to do as well as you can (balanced 32+) as early as you can (any time that would allow you to complete in June is ideal, July is ok, August is pushing it, and September is no good)

 

So it takes about 1month for scores to arrive. I need some time to study, so I'm thinking of writing it late June or early July.

 

That means my scores arrive either late July or early August.

 

Would you say writing late June is ok? Once I receive my scores, and I think they're fine, how long would it take to get a 'complete' status, generally?

[mystery_chick]

So it takes about 1month for scores to arrive. I need some time to study, so I'm thinking of writing it late June or early July.

 

That means my scores arrive either late July or early August.

 

Would you say writing late June is ok? Once I receive my scores, and I think they're fine, how long would it take to get a 'complete' status, generally?

 

You obviously do need some time to study... I submitted my primary last year on July 16 and wasn't complete until August 17th.... It takes about 3 weeks to a month or so to have your application process. It varies a bit depending on when in the cycle you submit because obviously a lot more people submit earlier on so it'll take a bit longer.

 

I'm not sure if there's any other option but to write in late June if you haven't studied for it yet. But that also means that you won't be complete until late August/early September and then you'll submit your secondaries (which by then should be written and be fired off immediately). It's not great, the majority of the US pre-med keeners would have already been completely at most of the schools they applied to and/or have interviews by then, but it's do-able.

Obviously if you think you can write earlier, it'll give you more time for the application.

[keith_015]

To add to Mystery's post, I estimate that the length of time to get your primary completed is due to your transcripts. If the completion is just waiting on an MCAT, once the score is published, you should become complete as AMCAS will automatically load the score from MCAT THX and doesn't need to be reviewed. Just make sure to get your transcripts in early and submit early.

[mystery_chick]

To add to Mystery's post, I estimate that the length of time to get your primary completed is due to your transcripts. If the completion is just waiting on an MCAT, once the score is published, you should become complete as AMCAS will automatically load the score from MCAT THX and doesn't need to be reviewed. Just make sure to get your transcripts in early and submit early.

 

Hm? I'm not sure if that's true... My transcript was in by July 22nd and I still wasn't complete for almost another month after that...

[keith_015]

Yeah, I had my transcripts in BEFORE I submitted my primary and it took a month as well. I guess I should've been more specific. Its grade review that takes time (based on transcripts). You'll notice that once they reviewed your grades after cross referencing the transcript, you become complete. They don't need to authorize anything else.

 

They won't start grade review until you submit and ALL transcripts have been received.

[KTWD]

Hey guys,

 

I figured my question fit in this thread so I am throwing it in, I also want to apply to the states, and it is actually my first choice. My cGPA is 3.7 by OMSA and my cGPA is 3.83 (sGPA 3.85) when converted by AMCA. My last two years are 4.0. I wrote the MCAT and got 9/9/10Q and I am planning to rewrite July 8th ( I studied for a month while preparing for my thesis defense, I think I can do much better). I have a MSc degree from U of T, I have attended a number of international conferences and should have two publications . My ECs in general are fairly standard. If I re-write the MCATs July 8th, I get my results August 10th. My first choices for medical school are NYU, Mt Sinai, Columbia, and Georgetown. I know I have to bring my MCAT up, but if I get everything submitted and apply on August 10th what are my chances with these schools (pending a decent MCAT). What schools do you suggest I apply to?

[Premed3]

Ok so just to get this straight:

 

1) Study for MCAT

 

2) Write it late June

 

3) Do my Primary application while waiting for scores + order transcript

 

4) Get scores late July, send Primary (confused here?)

 

5) Take another 3-4 weeks to receive complete status, then send my Secondaries?

 

Would this put me @ late August then? Am I missing something here? And should I begin writing Primaries AFTER my MCATs are received? In which case, that'll be late then... Do Secondaries need to be received ASAP too in order to be considered Complete? Because then that will take a lonngg time.

 

Is it even worth it to apply to the US then?

[mystery_chick]

Ok so just to get this straight:

 

1) Study for MCAT

 

2) Write it late June

 

3) Do my Primary application while waiting for scores + order transcript

 

4) Get scores late July, send Primary (confused here?)

 

5) Take another 3-4 weeks to receive complete status, then send my Secondaries?

 

Would this put me @ late August then? Am I missing something here? And should I begin writing Primaries AFTER my MCATs are received? In which case, that'll be late then... Do Secondaries need to be received ASAP too in order to be considered Complete? Because then that will take a lonngg time.

 

Is it even worth it to apply to the US then?

 

You got 1,2,3 right but you need to submit well before you get your score. They may be able start processing your transcript before your MCAT score is in but they won't know to do it if you haven't submitted

So, while waiting for your MCAT score, order your transcript, write AND submit your primary. Then immediately start working on your secondaries.

 

Some schools will send you their secondaries even before your primary is complete so in the time you're waiting, you can start working on those. I wouldn't recommend submitting those secondaries seeing as your application is contingent upon your MCAT score. If you submit your secondaries before you even find out your score, and the score doesn't come out as you expected to, you would've lost anywhere before $50 and $150USD. For those schools that don't send their secondaries until you're complete, you can look up the prompts for their secondaries on SDN (as they NEVER change ) then, the day that you're complete on amcas, fire off those secondaries.

 

I know, it's an intense process. Depending on how many schools you apply to, there are some people who do little else during the summer other than to write essays for secondaries.

[Premed3]

Depending on how many schools you apply to, there are some people who do little else during the summer other than to write essays for secondaries.

 

Holy crap.

 

Wow I thought giving 4 months for MCAT + applying would be enough. Guess not.

 

Ok so 1 more time to get it straight:

 

1) I will write MCAT mid-June

 

2) Moment I finish MCAT, I start my Primary + order transcript (do I order transcript after finishing primary?)

 

3) Finish Primary. Hopefully in like 1-2 weeks. Start Secondaries.

 

4) AMCAS gets my MCAT + transcript like mid-late July. I wait for them to process it. Would it be labeled "Complete" with or without Secondaries?

 

5) Send in Secondaries once I start finishing them. (When is it considered 'too late' to send secondaries, and why the rush?)

 

So yeah, realistically, after processing MCAT + transcript, I'll be mid-August.

 

Would you guys say it's even worth applying then? Just finished my last exam 2 days ago, and now this news has depressed me oh so much

 

Thanks Mystery_Chick, your help is invaluable.

 

EDIT: Sitting @ my computer hitting F5 repeatedly lol. Need answers so I can register for MCAT!

[mystery_chick]

Holy crap.

 

Wow I thought giving 4 months for MCAT + applying would be enough. Guess not.

 

Ok so 1 more time to get it straight:

 

1) I will write MCAT mid-June

 

2) Moment I finish MCAT, I start my Primary + order transcript (do I order transcript after finishing primary?)

 

3) Finish Primary. Hopefully in like 1-2 weeks. Start Secondaries.

 

4) AMCAS gets my MCAT + transcript like mid-late July. I wait for them to process it. Would it be labeled "Complete" with or without Secondaries?

 

5) Send in Secondaries once I start finishing them. (When is it considered 'too late' to send secondaries, and why the rush?)

 

So yeah, realistically, after processing MCAT + transcript, I'll be mid-August.

 

Would you guys say it's even worth applying then? Just finished my last exam 2 days ago, and now this news has depressed me oh so much

 

Thanks Mystery_Chick, your help is invaluable.

 

EDIT: Sitting @ my computer hitting F5 repeatedly lol. Need answers so I can register for MCAT!

 

Um... I think you can order your transcript before you finish.... I forgot... but them physically getting the transcript shouldn't take too long. Just don't forget to order them.

The primary is complete without secondaries. You submit secondary individually to each school (usually online). But not only do you want to complete at AMCAS (by finishing your primary) you also want to be complete at each school as early as possible (by finishing each school's secondary). It's too late to finish secondaries when each schools' deadline pass (some in November, some in December, AMCAS will tell you when you pick your schools) You can submit any time until then, it's just that for the schools with rolling admissions (which a lot of them are), the likelihood of you getting an interview decreases the longer you wait.

 

So for example, someone who has a strong but not outstanding application applies in mid June, he/she is complete in mid July and immediately sends off all the secondaries. That means that this person will be in the first batch of completed apps at the schools that he/she applied to. When the schools review this first batch of application, this strong but not outstanding application may warrant an interview and thus a potential acceptance. Later on in the cycle, as the ad com sees more application and have a better gauge of how strong the application pool is, this application may not be as strong compared to some of the other applications they have already seen and is thus passed up for an interview. Does that make sense?

 

Mid August is still reasonable. It was when I applied this year and I still got in somewhere. I also have two friends, one who submitted most of his secondaries in September, and the other was writing his secondaries well into October/November. The one who submitted secondaries in September interviewed at Georgetown, Jefferson, George Washington, RF and Dartmouth and have so far got into the latter 3. The one who submitted even later interviewed at Columbia, Dartmouth and Hopkins (waitlisted at the first two, no words from Hopkins yet... the fact that he submitted THAT late probably hurted a bit). So yeah, I say as long as you are not hurting for that $1000-2000, it is worth it to apply. August isn't ideal, but it could be MUCH worse.

[Premed3]

Um... I think you can order your transcript before you finish.... I forgot... but them physically getting the transcript shouldn't take too long. Just don't forget to order them.

The primary is complete without secondaries. You submit secondary individually to each school (usually online). But not only do you want to complete at AMCAS (by finishing your primary) you also want to be complete at each school as early as possible (by finishing each school's secondary). It's too late to finish secondaries when each schools' deadline pass (some in November, some in December, AMCAS will tell you when you pick your schools) You can submit any time until then, it's just that for the schools with rolling admissions (which a lot of them are), the likelihood of you getting an interview decreases the longer you wait.

 

So for example, someone who has a strong but not outstanding application applies in mid June, he/she is complete in mid July and immediately sends off all the secondaries. That means that this person will be in the first batch of completed apps at the schools that he/she applied to. When the schools review this first batch of application, this strong but not outstanding application may warrant an interview and thus a potential acceptance. Later on in the cycle, as the ad com sees more application and have a better gauge of how strong the application pool is, this application may not be as strong compared to some of the other applications they have already seen and is thus passed up for an interview. Does that make sense?

 

Mid August is still reasonable. It was when I applied this year and I still got in somewhere. I also have two friends, one who submitted most of his secondaries in September, and the other was writing his secondaries well into October/November. The one who submitted secondaries in September interviewed at Georgetown, Jefferson, George Washington, RF and Dartmouth and have so far got into the latter 3. The one who submitted even later interviewed at Columbia, Dartmouth and Hopkins (waitlisted at the first two, no words from Hopkins yet... the fact that he submitted THAT late probably hurted a bit). So yeah, I say as long as you are not hurting for that $1000-2000, it is worth it to apply. August isn't ideal, but it could be MUCH worse.

 

Thanks a lot. You don't know how much I appreciate this. Wish I could repay you somehow

[Moderate]

I think that you should also read what people are saying about this on StudentDoctor. After all, they have a lot more experience with this than people here.

 

thread 1:

 

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=724798

 

thread 2:

 

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=724653

 

thread 3:

 

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=724227

 

it seems that some people are saying that being complete in August (for a non-stellar, or slightly above average candidate) is already hurting your chances.

 

I have been reading about this because I am in the exact same position as you - I simply would not be prepared to write before July.

 

Seeing how American schools frown on reapplicants, I am considering the following strategy (that I read about on SDN).

 

1) only apply to 1 school that you don't really want to get into that badly on AMCAS. do this as soon as you can (may~ish, june~ish). Send in all the transcripts, get them verified.

 

2) wait for your MCAT score to come out in august. But, while you are waiting, write all the secondaries for the schools that you want to apply for (this will be in July).

 

3)once your score comes out in the beginning of August, see if it's good. if it is, immediately ADD the new schools on AMCAS, copy and paste all the pre-written essays, and hope for the best. since your transcript has already been verified, you should be complete at these new schools very quickly.

 

this way you don't risk losing your "first applicant" status, and can calmly wait for next year and rewrite the MCAT if your score isn't "good enough".

 

But, you also won't waste a year as you would if you hadn't applied but received a good score.

[sky_blue2000]

I think that you should also read what people are saying about this on StudentDoctor. After all, they have a lot more experience with this than people here.

 

thread 1:

 

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=724798

 

thread 2:

 

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=724653

 

thread 3:

 

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=724227

 

it seems that some people are saying that being complete in August (for a non-stellar, or slightly above average candidate) is already hurting your chances.

 

I have been reading about this because I am in the exact same position as you - I simply would not be prepared to write before July.

 

Seeing how American schools frown on reapplicants, I am considering the following strategy (that I read about on SDN).

 

1) only apply to 1 school that you don't really want to get into that badly on AMCAS. do this as soon as you can (may~ish, june~ish). Send in all the transcripts, get them verified.

 

2) wait for your MCAT score to come out in august. But, while you are waiting, write all the secondaries for the schools that you want to apply for (this will be in July).

 

3)once your score comes out in the beginning of August, see if it's good. if it is, immediately ADD the new schools on AMCAS, copy and paste all the pre-written essays, and hope for the best. since your transcript has already been verified, you should be complete at these new schools very quickly.

 

this way you don't risk losing your "first applicant" status, and can calmly wait for next year and rewrite the MCAT if your score isn't "good enough".

 

But, you also won't waste a year as you would if you hadn't applied but received a good score.

 

I think even if you only apply to one school, the next year you're still considered a re-applicant for all. That strategy is just to minimize your wait time between applying and completing at all schools you expect on applying.

[keith_015]

Its not going to be worth the hassle either to go chase after reference letters if you aren't going to put in a worthwhile application.

[Moderate]

I think even if you only apply to one school, the next year you're still considered a re-applicant for all.

 

Are you sure? I've read the opposite.

 

Link: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=723902

 

It seems that a school will only know if you applied to it previously, not to other schools.

 

 

Its not going to be worth the hassle either to go chase after reference letters if you aren't going to put in a worthwhile application.

 

Oh, but the point is to write all the essays for real. The point is not to just put together a weak application. Besides, if your letters are saved on Interfolio, you could send the same ones in again next cycle.

[keith_015]

Oh, but the point is to write all the essays for real. The point is not to just put together a weak application. Besides, if your letters are saved on Interfolio, you could send the same ones in again next cycle.

 

You can write your essays for real and not submit either.

 

Would you actually send a letter dated from summer 2010 for an application in 2011? Doesn't look very good!