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Medical School Application Timeline - What To Do & When

Follow a medical school application timeline to enhance your chances of getting into medical school.

Applying to medical school in June or July will give you your best odds for admission.

There are a lot of unspoken rules about the timing of your application for medical school entry and I am going to share the most relevant ones with you.

To ease your concerns surrounding medical college admission there are two application timelines available for your use:

  • Monthly
  • Seasonal

 

These timelines will help you in getting into medical school because their purpose is to ensure you have a timely medical school application. The timelines are not identical so review each and use the one which best suits your needs.

The key message...

When applying to medical school being first is very important, the early bird (applicant who has met all the med school admission requirements) gets the worm (admission to medical school)!

So be sure to apply:

  • Early
  • Widely and
  • Strategically.

 

Monthly Application Timeline

Prior to applying: 

  • Gather Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation
  • Maintain your volunteer, work, research & extracurricular activities
  • MCAT-Register & choose from approximately 20 dates, but should be taken by June of the year you submit your medical school application
  • Attend medical school admission and application workshops, premed conferences, etc.
  • Familiarize yourself with individual medical schools, (MSAR)
  • Continue to save money for the application process

January - May

  • Take the MCAT. Do not wait until July-Sept. to take the MCAT for the 1st time; your application will not be processed until MCAT scores arrive
  • Request Recommendation Letter

June

  • Begin completing the AMCAS application and secondary application
  • Retake MCAT if necessary (June-August)

July

  • AMCAS verification continues; AMCAS notifies applicant of their status
  • Medical schools begin to forward secondary applications to applicants
  • Continue to forward your Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation to individual medical schools
  • Continue to submit primary applications (identify schools to apply)

August

  • Continue finishing and submitting secondary applications
  • Continue forwarding Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation
  • Begin to check medical school application websites for schools applied

Sept.-March 

  • Prepare/attend interviews
  • Continue to complete secondary applications (check for deadlines)
  • Continue to forward Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation
  • Check medical school application website for applicant status of schools applied

Oct.-May

  • Medical school admissions will make decisions: accept/reject/waitlist. Applicants are notified

March-May

  • "Second Look" or "Admit Weekend" activities held by medical schools to give admitted applicants chance to narrow their choices

May

  • Admitted applicants must notify AMCAS and the medical school that they plan to matriculate to of their decision by May 15th
  • Admits with multiple acceptances must choose one school by May 15th and withdraw their applications from other schools

May-Aug.

  • Applicants on waitlists are notified of an admission offer (most medical schools confirm their class by the end of June)

Aug.-Sept.

  • Medical school orientation and school year begins. Applicants on waitlist can no longer be offered a position at another school once orientation begins at a medical school

 

Seasonal Medical School Application Timeline

Winter 

  • Continue premed requirements. Check required courses for admission at individual medical schools and schedule needed courses
  • Explore options for MCAT preparation
  • Work/volunteer/research in medically related areas
  • Ask for Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation (at least 2 from science)
  • Investigate medical schools; use MSAR

Spring

  • Register and take MCAT for earlier medical school consideration
  • Use campus resources, mentors, physicians and clergy to have personal statement critiqued
  • Review MCAT scores in relation to specific medical school admission criteria
  • Access AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS primary applications via the internet. Follow directions and submit application in June, even if taking MCAT later in summer
  • Contact non-AMCAS participating schools for their specific applications
  • Finalize list of schools to which you will apply

Summer

  • Submit AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS application if haven't do so
  • Register/take/retake MCAT if needed
  • Complete and return secondary applications (w/in 2-3 weeks)
  • Send in Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation to individual medical schools
  • Stay informed about medically related matters, trends in medical education, ethical issues, managed health care, etc.
  • Start preparing for upcoming medical school interviews

Fall

  • Complete premed requirements as needed
  • Continue to return secondary applications and submit Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation
  • Practice interviewing skills for upcoming medical school interviews. If not invited to interview by end of January chances for interview are minimal to none
  • Travel to interviews and await decision, comes late fall through spring
  • If accepted finish college strong because medical schools will see final grades. After January 1st submit FAFSA for financial aid
  • If waitlisted, reiterate interest by submitting supplemental materials such as, update on most recent activities, added Letters of Recommendation/Evaluation, letter of interest, most recent transcript, etc.