<p>Hello! I’m a bit concerned about DS and his ability to submit applications. Nothing I can do about it, as he is a procrastinator and is also studying abroad this spring and he hasn’t done the required prep work at his U to get all his ducks in a row (he plans to do it this coming week before he leaves for study abroad–will that be enough time…I wonder). Since I can only ponder and fret, I’m venting here and also have a question.</p>
<p>After <em>insert miracle</em> he has everything ready, and it seems applications open up on May 1, what is the optimal timeframe to submit applications. I’ve read that you don’t want to submit immediately, but that you should submit in June if possible. Is this correct? I’ve read and forgotten lots of stuff, so hopefully having someone answer again in this thread will also help others. </p>
<p>Also, is it a sign of interest if a Med School sends information and references your MCAT score, or do they just do mass mailings? IE do medical schools screen scores before sending out such emails, or is it more like undergrad and more of a blanket email? He’s gotten a few, so I’m hoping it’s a good sign. </p>
<p>Thanks for any help, and allowing me to vent!</p>
<p>Your son can open a file after May 1 to start filling out his forms, but AMCAS doesn’t accept application submissions until early-mid June. (Exact date TBA.)</p>
<p>Med schools send out mass emails just like undergrads do. Don’t read anything into it.</p>
<p>Thanks WOWM! I figured on the emails. DS was supposed to do some things in the fall that he didn’t do, so it will be interesting to see if the U lets him catch up quickly or if he comes home stressed! He claims that he talked to them in the fall and they said he didn’t need to do anything. Not sure who he talked to, since there was a mandatory seminar fall semester for all who will be applying this year (this according to the U’s website). He seems to have an angel on his shoulder and in the past has been able to pull proverbial rabbits out of a hat, so we’ll see if he can do it again! Not sure what he will do if they give him grief. He’s on an ROTC scholarship, and I have no idea if he would even be allowed to take a gap year.</p>
<p>I’d imagine his biggest issue may be if his school uses a committee letter. Lots of hoops to jump thru for that. (Including at D2’s school a mandatory interview with a committee member as a condition to receive a letter.)</p>
<p>The fall meeting was probably just to inform students about the process and any school-based deadlines for stuff. (Like applying for a committee letter.)</p>
<p>Has your son cleared a delay in his service obligation [to attend med school] with his ROTC commander/chain of command? I understand that getting postponement isn’t automatic.</p>
<p>WOWM–Yes he needs that committee letter, which is why I’m wondering how he will get it done before he leaves for study abroad (maybe he can finish up when he returns, as he will be back on campus for 3 weeks at end of semester). I hope he at least can get the interview done and request his LoR’s so that he can finish up any remaining items when he returns. I don’t know all the details, just what I read on the U’s website. I haven’t pestered DS because he’s finally realized he’s behind the power curve and he’s finishing up finals (and it’s his future not mine;) ). I’ll just wait for him to tell me what he finds out as he as an appointment on Monday.</p>
<p>As for ROTC, he won’t be able to request an Ed delay until senior year. They will look at his grades and LDAC (summer training) scores and also medical school acceptances. If he gets accepted to med school he will most likely get the educational delay. His school has a good history of getting educational delays granted for their ROTC students.</p>
<p>That’s exactly how I handled it with my kids. Zipped lips all the way. Never volunteered info or advice. (Although if they asked, I had plenty of advice and opinions!)</p>
<p>DS is the kind of person who never wants to ask us something about med school application. This may have something to do with the fact that we were VERY involved when he applied to college and before college. So I came to CC to vent, relieve my worry and celebrate.</p>
<p>We did suggest him to apply to AMCAS schools in addition to TMDSAS schools when he was reluctant to apply to the former schools though. He complied somewhat reluctantly (still whining that it could end up being just a waste of his time) after we had convinced him that he could “fall through the crack” if not lucky. Some knowledge picked up from CC helped me here.</p>
<p>In a sense, his period of “power struggle with parents” in the process of seeking independence came later than usual. I heard some child may go through this period in high school or even in middle school! I do not know whether we should count this as a blessing or not.</p>
<p>Hellorn…we’re TX residents, and my D also attends an OOS UG. She will attend med school this fall in TX. From what I’ve been told, schools like UTSW and UTH seem to like TX residents who went OOS for UG (not sure how true this is but based on the lists D was given during her interviews, I’d say there might be something to it). Texaspg is correct about TMDSAS…they go live on 5/1 and begin interviewing the first week in August. (If I recall, UTMB is the first to send out II and UTH is the last.) Prematches (early acceptances) are sent between 11/15-12/31. Some schools send out many prematch offers whereas others send out few opting to fill most of their class during the match on 2/3. If your son receives an interview at a TX public, he’s eligible for a spot up until 2/3. If he doesn’t match with his first choice, he’s still eligible to be called off the WL in May with any school he ranked higher than the one he matched. Baylor operates under the same guidelines as all other AMCAS schools so it’s completely unaffected by the TX match. Good luck to your son!</p>
<p>Hellorn, my D is taking the MCAT on the 25th too. She has been back at school for a week and has been eerily silent. I hope that means she is calmly studying, and not freaking out! I would like to know if there are any last minute tips also… I’ve just been trying to send words of encouragement.</p>
<p>Hope MCAT goes as smoothly as possible and I wish your kids patience for the month long wait to find out the score (I remember that part was really difficult for my D)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your best wishes!!! It is very stressful. Specifically we are looking at the May dates for the next round… All March and April slots are booked for his near by states and home state…</p>
<p>Different medical schools consider multiple MCAT scores differently. Some only consider the most recent; some look at an average of the scores. There is no ‘score choice’ for the MCAT–all scores get reported to all med schools a student applies to for up to 5 years after the original test date. (Rumored to be even longer than that.) And not a single medical school superscores.</p>
<p>Lastly, it’s really, really bad to retake the MCAT and score lower on the retake. Kiss of death. </p>
<p>So unless your S’s MCAT is way, way off (>5 points) his practice scores, or his MCAT score is so low (<28) it will seriously damage his chances for an acceptance, or his score is seriously unbalanced with any section <8, he shouldn’t consider a retake. AMCAS has data tables showing the likelihood of a score change. Once a student scores in the 31-33 range, his odds of improving his score are approx. equal to scoring lower on a retake. And most retaken scores are within +/- 2 points of the original score.</p>
<p>2 or 3 points on his MCAT score really won’t make much of difference how his application will be received, assuming his application is well rounded and competitive to begin with.</p>
<p>Med schools really prefer students who are ‘one and done’ because for all the standardized exams (USMLE, shelf exams) that med students take retakes aren’t allowed.</p>
<p>@WayOutWestMom,
I see… Had no idea. But it all make sense to me now. Thanks. Are there any states for test taking month vs average score. I heard average scores are higher in April/May vs Jan?</p>
<p>Well, D had to go to the infirmary today - she has shingles! I guess the stress of studying for the MCAT and the new semeseter, and some extracurricular responsibilites are showing. I hope she will be able to get a decent score on Saturday!</p>