Your final steps and future directions.
If I decided to take the MCAT junior year and am satisfied with my score, what are the next steps?
You are now ready to apply to medical schools!
The first decision you need to make is if you will apply to Allopathic schools only or Osteopathic, or both. It is important to note that if you decide to both and get in to only osteopathic schools, you must attend them. To check out the differences between the two, check out our freshman year tab. As mentioned in the MCAT section, if you received the fee waiver, you are eligible to apply to 16 schools free of cost through the allopathic program called AMCAS. You can also apply for a fee waiver on the osteopathic program called AACOMAS, which will cover up to ten schools.
How do I make my school list?
What is the Pre-health Committee Letter?
What are some tips to write my Personal Statement?
What are primaries? What are secondaries? How are they different?
A primary application is a singular application you sent to each school you wish to apply to. This includes your personal statement, your list of activities/awards/shadowing experiences, and your grades. On both programs, you will have to add in your grades for all four years and make sure they match on the transcript you will submit. This is done because both programs calculate a new science and cumulative GPA for all applicants. Generally, the AMCAS service opens in May and begins accepting applications on June 1st of every year while the AACOMAS opens in May as well and starts processing applications in mid-June. It is important to know that both work on a rolling basis- meaning that the faster you submit all your primaries, the better chance you have of gaining interviews and admission.
Secondaries are invitations for applicants to complete additional school specific essay questions. While most schools send secondaries to all applicants, some do screen and give out secondaries to applicants they feel are best qualified. Secondaries are a chance to speak more about yourself and about why you want to attend a school specifically.
Interviews
Receiving an interview to either type of school is a major accomplishment and sets you up for potential admission to a school. Interviews range from August to February or March for most schools. If you would like to get in contact with someone about interview tips for specific schools, we will try our best to find someone you can speak to.
***The average age of a first year medical student is 24 years old. It is important to understand and plan your gap year if you decide to take one. Additionally, it is not uncommon for many students to take several years off before they decide to apply! No matter the age, receiving admission into medical school is a major accomplishment!