The “Advising Season” with the MCAC begins each year in the Spring Semester, to correspond to the application cycles for the medical and dental schools. Do not ask to “open a file” or to schedule an appointment to begin the application process until mid-January or so each year, as we will not have updated materials from the application services until then. Basic information as to the process appears on this website. The timeline is as follows:
Med Careers Advisory Committee 18 month Process – Applicant Timeline and Deadlines:
Spring (Feb through April) (18 – 15 months prior to start at med school):
- Inform MCAC Chair of your intent to apply
- Schedule appointment with MCAC Chair to discuss process and preparedness
- Open file with MCAC
- Register online to take the MCAT or other admissions examination
~ May 1
- AMCAS application portal opens
~ June 1
- AMCAS applications may start to be submitted to amcas beginning about now (similar situation with aacomas, aadsas, etc)
June 30
- MCAC File completion date for Early Decision (ED) applicants
- Ideal target date for the MCAC to receive Letters of Recommendation from your evaluators.
Summer (after MCAT scores are received)
- Target date for completion of your MCAC file, so that the Committee can determine its level of support for your non-ED application
- Acceptable target date for the MCAC to receive your Letters of Recommendation. The sooner we have them, the sooner we can review your file and upload them!
August 1 (one year prior to start at med school)
- AMCAS Early Decision application deadline
~ September 1
- Final acceptable target date for all applicant materials to be submitted to the MCAC, and then to AMCAS/med schools. After this date, there is a decreased chance of success in being accepted, as the admissions committees already have begun to select and review a large pool of likely candidates for admission.
October 1
- Date by which all ED acceptances will be announced
~ November 1
- Deadline for Letters of Recommendation to arrive at med schools
October through March
- Admissions Committees are reviewing files, interviewing candidates, and beginning to fill class rosters
April through mid-May
- Offers of acceptance are issued by the medical schools, and final acceptances must be made
June – July
- Some wait-listed students may be offered seats as class rosters are finalized
- Make arrangements for housing, etc, and enjoy that last summer before med school!
August
- Most medical/dental/etc schools begin in August. Let us know how things go! Good luck!
Links to other helpful timelines:
AAMC (allopathic/MD) Undergrad Admission and Applicant Timeline
AACOM (osteopathic/DO) Undergrad Admission and Applicant Timeline
ADEA (dental) Undergrad Admission and Applicant Timeline