Are you ready to apply to medical school this summer? 

Are you ready to apply to medical school this summer? As springtime approaches, the application process commences, while the time to complete all of your prerequisite classes concludes.

Applying before you’re ready can be a costly mistake, especially if you’re not prepared, don’t have all of your prerequisite classes completed, or do not have any clinical experience or research completed. 

The last thing you want to do is miss out on scholarship opportunities, settle for lower-tier schools or fail to get accepted at all. 

There’s more to being ready than checking off your prerequisite classes. Here are 4 questions to ask yourself to find out if you’re ready to apply for medical school this summer…

1. 1. Are you ready to submit the application this summer? Technically, the deadline to apply for medical schools on the AMCAS website will tell you that you have until the end of the year to submit your application. However, to be a more competitive candidate, submitting your application early and during the primary application is crucial. Applications open on May 2, 2023 and you can submit them as early as May 30, 2023. It is recommended that you take your final MCAT no later than April and that you devote May and June to essay writing.  If you take the MCAT in June, you can still be competitive in this year’s application cycle, you will just need to be prompt in submitting your application. Be ready to submit your secondary applications 7-14 days after you receive them and schedule your interviews in a timely manner. If it’s the end of the summer and you’re not able to submit your application, we recommend waiting until the next application cycle. 
   2. Are you a competitive candidate? Before you apply to medical school we recommend that you review MSAR, AAMC’s Medical School Admissions Requirement database to browse and compare medical schools based on GPA and MCAT averages to determine how you compare to other applicants. If you’re not happy with your options of schools to which you can apply and likely be accepted to, evaluate your grades, MCAT score and experience. Do you need to apply to more schools and some lower-tier options you may not have considered? Or would you rather delay your application to become a stronger candidate for schools you are more serious about? There is no wrong answer here, just be sure to do your research and remember there are many factors to consider when it comes down to choosing a medical school that is a good fit for you. If you decide to delay your application, a lot can be done in just one year to strengthen your application. Learn about how you can use your gap year to give you an advantage here. 

• Do you have the paperwork, experience and prerequisite classes done? Not only do you need a competitive GPA and MCAT score before you apply, but you need to have a copy of your transcript, a strong personal statement, 4-5 letters of recommendation and enough experience to fill out your work and activities portion of the application. A list of prerequisite classes will most likely include the following:

1. • Biology
   • Gen Chemistry
   • Organic Chemistry
   • Biochemistry
   • Physics
   • English
   • Math
   • Chemistry/Physics labs

Sign up for your free Med School Mogul account to access and print out your full Medical School Prerequisite Checklist today. 

4. Do you have the financial resources lined up? Applying to medical school can be costly. Each application and secondary application you submit costs money, and you’ll need to be prepared to spend a significant amount of money traveling to schools for interviews. Although some medical schools are still doing interviews online, most are allowing in-person interviews. Cost alone shouldn’t be a reason to delay your application, but if it affects your ability to submit your applications on time, or if financial stress is a burden, waiting may be a good option. Or, if you are hoping for financial aid or scholarships, being a top performer will help you attain that. For some students, a gap year may help you become a better candidate for these. 

Submitting your medical school application will always be a little bit of an anxious process, but being prepared will help you stay confident every step of the way. Trust yourself, assess your strengths/weaknesses and plan ahead as best as you can!

Our team at Code Blue Essays is here to help you prepare, edit and strengthen your medical school application before you submit it this summer.

Learn how to make your Medical School Personal Statement stand out. Download our free whitepaper.

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