Medical School Application Checklist
AMCAS will begin accepting submissions on June 1, 2017 but will not begin transmitting information to medical schools until June 30th. In order to maximize your chances of admission, it is preferable for schools to receive your application early. Therefore, aim to submit your application on or before June 29th, so that you will be included in the first wave of applications that medical schools receive. While it is helpful to submit your medical school application early, it is even more important that your application is accurate and presents you in the best possible manner. This article will present a medical school application checklist that will help you ensure that your medical school application is ready for submission.
Step 1: Ensure Accuracy
It is extremely important to make sure that your application is complete and accurate before you submit it. Once it is accepted by AMCAS, you will only be able to edit the following information in your medical school application:
-Name
-ID numbers
-Contact information
-Date of birth, birth address, and gender
-Next MCAT test date
In addition, AMCAS will allow you to add up to ten letters of evaluation and/or delete letter writers who have not yet sent an evaluation. You may also add medical schools after you have submitted your application. Therefore, take time to review your medical school application for accuracy, clarity, and typographical errors. An application that is riddled with errors will make a poor impression on medical schools.
Step 2: Review the ‘Activities’ Section
The ‘Work and Activities’ section of the medical school application is of particular importance. Medical schools will review this section carefully as they decide which candidates to offer an interview. In order to make a good impression, you will need to ensure that this section of your application is accurate, organized, and well-written. The description of each activity should clearly state your role, what skills you demonstrated during the experience, and what you accomplished at the end of the project. Your writing should make it clear why the experience was meaningful and how it shows your preparedness for medical school.
Step 3: Proofread Your Personal Statement
Another vitally important section of the medical school application, is the personal statement. Personal statements allow applicants to share details about themselves that are not found in other portions of the AMCAS medical school application. The personal statement allows the admissions committee to get an understanding of who the applicant is as a person. A good personal statement can secure a coveted interview spot and greatly increase an applicant’s chances of admission. Therefore, make sure your personal statement is impeccable. If you have not already done so, you should have a professional editor review your essay to make sure that your work is ready for submission. Once your personal statement has been professionally reviewed, you should read it again to make sure that it says everything that you would like it to.
Step 4: Check Your Schools
Finally review your list of schools. Although you may add more schools after submitting your application, it is best to finalize your list before your initial submission to ensure that all schools receive your application early in the cycle. Take time to think about which schools would be the best fit for your talents and interests. You should also add a few “safety” schools that have somewhat lower admission standards. You will have a higher likelihood of being admitted to these schools which may be useful should you not be admitted to one of your preferred schools.
June is a busy month for prospective medical students. Get busy reviewing and finalizing your medical school application so that you will be ready to submit early. Good luck!
