Applicants 2003

HI guys! Just wanted to get a list or discussion going on with the folks who are in this crazy process with me. wink.gif
I’ve submitted my apps (AMCAS & TMDSAS), and I’m anxiously awaiting my MCAT scores. I didn’t wait to submit 'cus I refuse to wait another year based on this stupid test! I’ll retake in Aug is necessary.
Finally got my last LOR submitted to my premed adv. committee. rolleyes.gif My review is on Wed.
The alternation between scrambling to get things done and waiting on other people/mail/etc is sometimes maddening, isn’t it?
Phew!
Theresa

ME!
I’ve submitted AACOMAS and am waiting on April MCAT scores. I’ll retake in August if needed.
I am anxiously awaiting my scores,I even had an MCAT dream this week- I got the envelope in my mail, opened it, and looked…but I CAN’T REMEMBER THE SCORES!
I’ve been in contact with my grad. advisor (from 7 years ago) about a LOE, but I’m in a quandry about who else to ask…someone from my current job, but who? Decisions, decisions…
wink.gif

I submitted to AMCAS on June 3rd. All letter writers are ready and waiting for my queues. MCAT scores will be available in 8 short days (I will get in because of them or in spite of them)
12 allopathic schools from Miami to Baltimore will see my application. UNC-Chapel Hill is my #1 dream school. Eastern Carolina is #2. It’s going to be a fun year!!
While I am waiting for the “good news”, I will take some unrequired but highly recommended prereqs, improve my Spanish, read a few novels, help women to deliver their babies, and work.
It’s nice to be on this plateau for a little while until the next BIG hill. Good luck to all of you!!!
DRD

DRD, I love your attitude! Immediately put a smile on my face. biggrin.gif
Runtita, I think I had the same MCAT dream!!! laugh.gif
Let’s see, I applied to UT Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Galveston; UNT, Baylor, U Wash, Arkansas Med, and Mayo. My husband has good job possibilites in Seattle, so that’s why U Wash is there. Mayo is a dream school, simply put.
Trying to think of it as a plateau instead of a roller coaster…
Theresa

Yup, I'm in the boat as well (now who has the paddles?).
I've applied to both AACOM and AMCAS, a bit more on the AACOM side. I have yet to take the MCAT, but Aug will come fast. Three of my transcripts have arrived, one seems to be lost - oh sighhhhh, its always something. I will also take a full load this fall, completing one last prereq (ochem lab), and a few nice-to-haves, such as biochemistry, a pharmacy course, and a first year psych course. So tell me, was the MCAT as bad as you thought it would be?
BAC

Me too. Planning to take the MCAT in August. Almost done filling in the AMCAS application (except for essay which I am spending too much time thinking about and not enough time putting words onto paper for) though I keep changes my experiences list. I filled the form out last year, and I thought it would role over to this year's app but it didn't. urgh… It also took me 2 weeks of phone calls to the AMCAS help line to get the 2004 application activated - they kept sending me new passwords and I kept getting error messages.
Just sent off the forms for the official transcripts (already have unofficial copies). One of my undergrad schools took 5 weeks to send me an unofficial transcript so I can imagine what will happen with this part of the process…
I put in over 20 schools but I am sure I will winnow this down when I figure out the costs of applying to so many.
Does anyone know where you should include summer reseach courses for which they didn't assign grades? At a marine research station for example. I thought this would go under experiences, but do they expect this to be listed under coursework and a 'transcript' or something from the research institute?
Cheers!
LM

I'm waiting for my MCAT scores before I submit my AMCAS. Depending on my scores I will either 1) apply early decision to my state school or 2) retake in August and apply more broadly. Dang I wish June 24 would get here.

Beth,
If you are commited to applying this cycle, I would strongly suggest that you submit everything, excepting the MCAT scores - of course, at the earliest opportunity. A very common theme that you will read about over & over in virtually any pre-med forum is to apply early, early, early - the same creed will apply when you're applying for residencies too. So, if you are commited to this app cycle, I would go ahead and hit send on the AMCAS app. No, the school will likely not process your app fully until they receive MCAT scores, but they can (and most likely will) do some preliminary processing.
If you are more malleable on the year, only then would I hold my app until I saw the scores and did a retake, if needed. Before the cascade begins, let me qualify my recommendation, I am not saying that the fall MCAT will shoot your application from the sky - many of us here, including myself, got in with fall MCAT scores. But, getting the application itself into the schools EARLY is critical. Having both scores & app coming in late is potentially highly detrimental, esp in schools w/ rolling admissions processes.

I am also applying this year but waiting for MCAT scores, regardless applying on the 3rd of June versus the 25th will almost be the same. I have submitted all my transcripts and they have received them thank God! just waiting to see scores, and hit send. All my LORs are ready to go, except the one from my PI, that one will be ready within a couple of weeks. I have 30 schools selected right now, depending on MCAT scores I may go down to 20, but I have saved the $$$ to apply to all 30…

thanks for the advice, Dave. smile.gif I should have been clearer–I’m not holding off my application till August, just till MCAT scores come in next week. I have to hold off till then because I need the scores in order to decide whether to apply early decision at my state school. I have to decide that before I submit, hence the wait for scores. Of course, I realize that early decision carries risks --but for family reasons I really don’t want to relocate, so I’m strongly considering it. If I do need to retake the MCAT in August, I will still submit my AMCAS next week, just to a broader range of schools.
good luck to all of us who are applying this cycle! smile.gif
Beth

Beth, I thought a lot about early decision. Ultimately I decided against it. Here's why: I concluded that the possible advantage at the one school where I would've applied ED was more than cancelled out by how late my other apps would be submitted if I didn't get in ED. And since no one could guarantee that I'd get in by applying ED, I concluded that it wasn't a good idea… applying in late September was unacceptably late and risky from my vantage point.
Your own analysis of the risks may vary, of course, and it sounds like you've been thinking this through. Just wanted to give my .02; if it's not helpful, that's okay!

Count me in this application cycle. Whatever may be the MCAT scores, I am hitting that submit button. %&^*$# only if I can get that PS to somehow write itself! Just held up by the PS.
Just curious as to how all you folks decided on schools. How did you come up with a number?
I can only apply to 4 schools due to some personal constraints. I am limited to two cities if I want to see my son on a regular basis (and this is driving me nuts!). But that is life anyway.
Uvi

I just submitted my AMCAS application. Thanks, Linda Wilson, for reading my essay!
10 schools; UCSF is my dream school. MCAT to come in August. LORs have all been received at the premed advisor's office.
Still have to do AACOMAS and Canadian med schools.
Wish me luck!

Hi…just wanted to say to everyone who’s in the application club this year: you can do it, good luck, hang tough and all those things. The hurry up and wait might make you a bit crazy at times, but fortunately time doesn’t stand still…
[My family and I move at the end of this week to settle into our new home before med school starts in August. Big move in many ways: sell a house, buy a house, move children, dog, household stuff, and my husband’s career, etc…plus I start med school! Less than a year ago I was taking the MCAT and filling out secondaries…it’s been a tough, but good, year. wink.gif ]
Hopefully in a year the people on this “roll call” will join the other OPM’s Roll Call. Many will! Good luck everyone…

I am applying in this application cycle, primarily to Texas schools plus some dream schools. I live north of Dallas and Texas has many great SOM’s. I am taking the August MCAT, so my fingers are crossed.
Both the AMCAS and TMDSAS applications are nearly complete. I am on edge about getting in to a top choice, but truthfully would likely attend any school that accepts me rather than wait another year. At 36 currently, I am ready to get cranking.
Best of luck to all.
Bryan biggrin.gif

I am in for this year also. Have completed the AMCAS but not even started TMDSAS or ACOMAS. Will apply to all TX schools since I’m here in DAllas, but really want to go to UAMS in Arkansas, where my family is. Don’t know for DO schools yet, except TCOM and WVSOM. Got my very disappointing MCAT scores (22L) and will re-take, but need to go ahead and fill out the other applications and submit. $$$ are my problem. I don’t have the money for the fees right now. I have no “dream” school. Any school would be a dream for me. Will graduate from UTDallas in December, good riddance to them and just wanting to say FYBIGMA!!!
Kathy

Kathy:
GO HOGS GO!!
I am a U of A Fayetteville grad, started in Conway at UCA, and worked for AP&L/Entergy for several years. Small world!!
If your open to DO, you might want to consider OSU DO in Tulsa…they are very highly regarded, just check out US News ranking. Personally, I am going allopathic, but only because I think my residency options will be greater in the competitive Ortho field.
BTW, I think both AMCAS and TMDSAS require payment at the end of the process (i.e. at submission) rather than on the front end. If you are near ready but just waiting for the August score, you can get everything ready just in case.
Bryan

Greetings fellow mailbox perchers! I am re-applying this year! It took me a few weeks to decide whether to re-apply after being rejected by the 3 schools I applied to last year. The last school to notify waited until June 1st! (Lesson: do not hold breath while perching beside one's mailbox!)
I called that school (it was my first choice) about it and they couldn't see why I was rejected except for being an out of state applicant, everything was great, grades, MCAT, interviews, etc. and encouraged me to try again. They could not believe I was also rejected by my state school, they seemed to make the decision based on assuming I would be going there. The person I spoke to said she would advocate for me next time, too!
That made me feel better about the whole thing and I decided not to be defeated by becoming a victim of the numbers game. Also, my husband suddenly began having heart trouble (syncope, arrythmia, angina w/no previous history) in the past 2 weeks. Realizing I may have to support this family myself, you bet your patooties it sealed my resolve to do this.
My apps are almost finished, I've been working on an all-new personal statement and I am sending out far away transcript requests and personally delivering the closer ones today. I hope my app goes out before the Fall MCAT crowd's do.
Wendy M - veteran applicant!

“greetings fellow mailbox perchers!”
I love it, Wendy!
It’s great to have so many fellow OPM’ers on this journey. smile.gif
My TMDSAS app has been sent out and AMCAS is nearly finished, waiting on the last transcript to get posted. Seems to be taking them 3 weeks to post once they receive it!
Note to other applicants, don’t delay!!! Even if you are waiting for the Aug MCAT, the paperwork takes forever! I started the first day the app was available and here it is in July…
I’m applying to most of the Texas schools plus several out of state, including Ark SOM. My parents live near Little Rock now and my mother’s family has been in the state for many generations. Dentists. wink.gif
Good luck everyone!
Theresa

Gosh, I feel so behind ! I am applying this year and I printed out the AMCAS app but that's about it. I'm taking the MCAT in August, hence my hesitation. What are these other acronyms yall have mentioned for apps ? Also, when I do the AMCAS, does a transcript go out with that ? Is it preferable to have the transcripts sent directly to you so you can make sure the school gets them or have them sent to the school ? GA State claims it takes a month for transcripts but I made a recent request for a scholarship and it has taken 2 months !!!
Also, they do a committee letter. So what does that mean when it comes to secondaries ? Shouldn't I have other folks do letters for me outside of the school's committee letter ? Or does the committee use all my people or just my teachers ?
Thanks, I know you guys have the answers !