<p>My S has been abroad for most of the summer and really wasn't that sure if he wanted to go to medical school. He made in the upper 30's on MCAT and has a 4.0 GPA. He will be graduating in May 2012. Is August too late to apply to med schools?</p>
<p>He’ll still get into med school. But, yes, it’s considered fairly late if he’s just starting the process now. Thus, he may not get into schools as good as ones he otherwise would’ve gotten into.</p>
<p>I’d advise him to take a gap year rather than rush.</p>
<p>I’ll agree with and elaborate on curm’s suggestion for a gap year:</p>
<p>There’s more to a med school application than MCAT and GPA. If he’s just recently determined that he wants to go to med school, developing the other aspects of his application (including but not limited to and in no particular order, research, leadership, volunteering, clinical experience, relationships with docs and profs, and shadowing) would be a great way to spend a gap year. </p>
<p>If he applies smartly, there’s absolutely no reason a high MCAT and high GPA applicant won’t get in–assuming he’s taken the time to develop the other aspects of his application too. Good luck!</p>
<p>The general rule is that any application sent after July 4 is really sabotaging yourself in the process.</p>
<p>The fact that he “really wasn’t that sure if he wanted to go to medical school” is another really, really good reason to wait. Time spent thinking about that would be time well spent.</p>
<p>If he needs a paid position, perhaps he can find one in a medical research lab, gaining all the experience there plus paying his own way and having time to shadow and volunteer.</p>
<p>Certainly people who apply in August do get in, but it seems to be a disadvantage which may limit his overall choices.</p>
<p>Why take MCAT if he didnt want to go? Neways, he might as well wait. Does he have shadowing or other med school experience? Did he finish all premed reqs? Research?</p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC App</p>
<p>Thank you for your replies. He actually took the test to “keep his options open”. I think his score kind of motivated him more in that direction as opposed to the PhD. Although he is considering and MD/PhD also. He has done research for the last four years and is trying to get published. I will keep you posted…</p>
<p>He will be an attractive candidate next year. His options are “open”.</p>
<p>But his stats are awesome, why wait?
What he is going to do for whole year? It is impossible to get into anything, to get the dirtiest manual job, it is really bad opportunity wise outside of college (at least in our home town). Many kids go to Grad. School simply because they cannot find anything else to do.</p>
<p>I’m not an expert in this, but with his scores, I would encourage him to apply.<br>
DD filed her application in late June and has received a few secondaries that she’s sent or is sending, but still no interviews. He can’t be that far back that all the slots are filled.</p>
<p>It’s the first week of August folks, it’s late. It will take time for AMCAS to process things and now we’re looking at the first week of September, or later.</p>
<p>There’s no mention of medically related ECs other than research. With his stats there’s a good chance he would get into far better schools by waiting a year and rounding out his resume.</p>
<p>Trust those who have been there…timing really is everything.</p>