Timeline for Medical School Applicants:

Although AMCAS may not be opening for several months, it is not too early to begin planning your application to medical school. In this post, we will review the timeline for applicants. Starting early will ensure that the process is as stress-free as possible.

February

• Register for MCAT– For most students, the ideal time to take the MCAT is March or April. Taking the test at this time allows adequate opportunity to re-take the test if your scores are disappointing. In addition, you will know your score before AMCAS opens, which may allow you to make a more informed decision about which schools to add to your list.

• Meet with pre-medical advisor– Most colleges and universities have a pre-medical advisor who will counsel students who are interested in attending medical school. Make use of their expertise. They will be able to help you navigate the sometimes confusing process medical school application.

• Plan letters of recommendation– Begin to think about who will write your letters of recommendation. Ideally, you will want to ask someone who is highly-accomplished and who will write you a positive letter of support. However, it is most important that the letter is positive. If the chair of the Pre-Medical program dislikes or does not know you, it would be better to ask an assistant professor with whom you have a good relationship.

• Brainstorm your personal statement- Now is the time is to start thinking about your personal statement. Begin thinking about what makes you a qualified candidate and why the admissions committee should chose you.

March-April

• Begin writing personal statement- It is now time to begin writing your personal statement. Since you have given yourself plenty of time, there is no need try and force a result. Set aside time each day to work on it. Over time, you will find that your ideas will solidify into a cohesive essay.
• Take MCAT- Try not to be too nervous. Since you are taking the test relatively early, there should be enough time to repeat the test if necessary.
• Choose schools- Begin thinking about which medical schools will receive your application.

May

• Begin AMCAS application- AMCAS will be available for students to begin the next application cycle at the beginning of May. Plan to begin completing your online application as soon as it opens. It is a lengthy process and you will want to have plenty of time to make sure everything is perfect.
• Finalize personal statement– Complete the final draft of your personal statement. Have a knowledgable third party review it before sending it to AMCAS.

June

Submit AMCAS- The initial portion of the interview process is complete. AMCAS will begin accepting applications in June. Submit your application as soon as you are comfortable that it complete and without errors. Now you can relax for a brief moment. The secondary applications and interview offers will be arriving soon!