Been getting mixed messages regarding what to do if I plan on taking my MCAT late May/Early June regarding being able to send AMCAS applications in as soon as possible. Some are saying you can go ahead and submit primaries without the score, but others are talking about using a "throwaway’ school in order to get applications through without MCAT scores? I have no idea what this means and what I should do to optimize the time application goes through if I am a late test taker. Could I get some clarification on what I should be doing and when? Thanks!
Your AMCAS application won’t be processed or verified without at least 1 school designated on your application list
Your application won’t be transmitted to schools without a MCAT score.
However, you can get into the verification queue without having a MCAT score.
This is where the “throwaway” school comes in. You can submit your application early in June, listing one school you have no intention of ever actually applying to. (The advice varies–a state school that doesn’t consider OOS applicant. A really high ranked school you know you don’t have the stats for. A specialized school that you really don’t qualify for.)
Since you have a school list (one school), your application will be placed in line to be verified and processed. Once your MCAT scores comes in (this takes 4-5 weeks), your application will automatically be transmitted to your throwaway school. Once you know what your MCAT score looks like, you can pick a list of appropriate schools and add them to your school list. Your application will be transmitted to the added schools within 1 week.
The reason your throwaway school should be a school you have no intention of actually applying to is because if your MCAT score come back too low and you need to reapply next cycle, you’ll only be a reapplicant for that one school.