When do secondaries arrive? AMCAS advice?

Hi,

I'm applying to med school this summer, but I won't have my
AMCAS submitted until July 10 probably. When can I expect
secondaries to arrive if I have a 3.46 GPA and a 29? I've
applied to a huge range of schools...is there a standard
response time for screening?

Also, I took the MCAT last year, and I have registered to
take it again. On the standardized test score section of the
AMCAS they ask if you intend to take it again, but if you
are not sure you should mark "no." If I mark "yes," will the
admissions people wait to screen my AMCAS until after
they've received my second test score or will they send me a
secondary application based off of my first score (29)? If
they do wait to send out secondaries, would it be advisable
then to mark "no" and then to have my scores sent
afterwards? If the 29 doesn't meet their standards, will
they simply throw away my application? So basically, I'm
wondering if I should mark "yes" or "no" for the question
"are you going to take the MCAT again"? There is actually a
small possibility that I will decide not to take it, but I
am almost positive that I will take it.

Finally, I was wondering what type of language I should use
for the explanation portion of the post-secondary
experiences. Should it be like a resume? Should I use the
word "I" or should it mostly be passive voice? Should I try
to be as comprehensive as possible, with each explanation
taking up the entire 510 characters alotted?

Thanks.

~andrea

If you're planning on taking it (sounds like you are), then
keep it marked "yes". At the very worst, schools where you
are borderline will probably wait for your new MCAT scores,
and if you make the cutoff w/ your old score, then you'll
probably get the secondary right away.

On 28 Jun 2004 19:37:27 -0700, andreacuckoo@yahoo.com
(Andrea) wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I'm applying to med school this summer, but I won't have my
>AMCAS submitted until July 10 probably. When can I expect
>secondaries to arrive if I have a 3.46 GPA and a 29? I've
>applied to a huge range of schools...is there a standard
>response time for screening?
>
>Also, I took the MCAT last year, and I have registered to
>take it again. On the standardized test score section of
>the AMCAS they ask if you intend to take it again, but if
>you are not sure you should mark "no." If I mark "yes,"
>will the admissions people wait to screen my AMCAS until
>after they've received my second test score or will they
>send me a secondary application based off of my first score
>(29)? If they do wait to send out secondaries, would it be
>advisable then to mark "no" and then to have my scores sent
>afterwards? If the 29 doesn't meet their standards, will
>they simply throw away my application? So basically, I'm
>wondering if I should mark "yes" or "no" for the question
>"are you going to take the MCAT again"? There is actually a
>small possibility that I will decide not to take it, but I
>am almost positive that I will take it.
>
>Finally, I was wondering what type of language I should use
>for the explanation portion of the post-secondary
>experiences. Should it be like a resume? Should I use the
>word "I" or should it mostly be passive voice? Should I try
>to be as comprehensive as possible, with each explanation
>taking up the entire 510 characters alotted?
>
>Thanks.
>
>~andrea

I'm not sure the information "noob" gave is correct. If you
mark "yes", then AMCAS may wait until your new MCAT scores
are in *before* processing your application. This means that
your application won't go out to medical schools until late
October. At this point, most schools have already selected
the majority of students they will interview, and leave only
a few open slots for exceptional candidates who apply late.

You might want to check with your premed advisor or directly
with AMCAS to clarify this.

--
Mike
George Washington University School of Medicine
http://www.NontraditionalMedicalStudent.com

"noob" <noobie@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:6ba2d00313f841d3dc115fc83e4ae27....ultrafeed.com...
> If you're planning on taking it (sounds like you are), then keep it
> marked "yes". At the very worst, schools where you are borderline will
> probably wait for your new MCAT scores, and if you make the cutoff w/
> your old score, then you'll probably get the secondary right away.

As far as I can recall, when I applied ('98), if your MCATs
were in to AMCAS at the time your application arrived, then
the scores were included as verified. If you checked "taking
again", then AMCAS would just tell schools that you were
were planning on taking the test again, but the application
would still go out. It would be up to the schools to decide
whether to wait for the new scores or just go ahead and
process the primary. Most would wait for the additional
scores if you were borderline.

On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 14:48:45 -0400, "ntmed"
<nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

>I'm not sure the information "noob" gave is correct. If you
>mark "yes", then AMCAS may wait until your new MCAT scores
>are in *before* processing your application. This means
>that your application won't go out to medical schools until
>late October. At this point, most schools have already
>selected the majority of students they will interview, and
>leave only a few open slots for exceptional candidates who
>apply late.
>
>You might want to check with your premed advisor or
>directly with AMCAS to clarify this.