Application basics
When does the medical school application open?
Around the first week of May each year
How many sections are there in the MCAT?
Four: Chem/Physics (59 Qs, 95 min), CARS (53 Qs, 90 min), Bio/Biochemistry (59 Qs, 95 min), Psych/Soc (59 Qs, 95 min)
You need a hight MCAT and GPA to get in!
NOoOoOoOo
Ideal time to take the MCAT
Summer between sophomore and junior year. The next best time is January of junior year. Latest June/July of Junior year.
If I don't submit my application on day 1, I will drastically reduce my chances of getting in because the application process is on a rolling basis
Nope!
How many medical school application systems are there in the U.S.?
Three! There's the AMCAS (MD), AACOMAS (DO), and TMDSAS (For Texas medical schools)
How long do you have to wait before your MCAT scores are released?
One month
Taking gaps years can strengthen your application
Yesssssss...have a plan!
I should probably start drafting my personal statement during this time
January (winter quarter 2027)...it will take a few months, especially if you're asking people for feedback.
I cannot submit my application unless I have received my letters of recommendation, MCAT score, and added all the schools I want to apply to
Nope! You just need one school listed on the application to be able to submit it. You can add additional schools throughout.
Name the standardized test required by all schools and the other two that are school-dependent
MCAT (through the AAMC), AAMC PREview, and Casper.
What times of the year can you schedule the MCAT?
Jan- September
If a school sends me a secondary application, that means they like me :)
Not necessarily...
I should probably start reaching out to my letter writers during this time
April, 2027 (Spring quarter, junior year)
Adding all the schools I want to apply to at once is a good idea
NoOoO. If you apply to 25 schools, you'll most likely receive 25 secondary applications by the next morning. Don't do that to yourself. Add them in phases.
List the components of a medical school application.
Coursework, Work/Activities, Letters of Recommendation, personal statement, and impactful statement.
If applying, when is the latest you can take the MCAT?
June/July
Nope!
I should probably register for my other standardized tests during this time
After submitting your primary sometime in June (Summer 2027)
I won't receive secondaries unless I have my letters of recommendation and MCAT score
No, you will receive secondaries and can submit the secondaries, however, your application at the schools will not be considered complete until all items have been received. Only then will your app be added to the queue for review.
When does the medical school application close?
AAMC and AACOMAS are school-specific, TMDSAS has a specific deadline
What classes should you take before taking the MCAT?
Intro Bio, Biochem, Gen Chem, OChem, Physics,
I'm a strong applicant, I'll definitely get in somewhere
Life is humbling...so it's not always the case.
This is the time I can use to pre-write my secondaries
During verification time... the month of June (summer 2027)
Explain the timing of AMCAS opening, submission, verification processes
Opens the first week of May but you can't submit until the end of the month. Once you submit, it has to go through a verification process where they make sure you input your classes correctly. Once verification is complete your app is distributed to schools on your list