Senior year is such an exciting and busy time for college students. If you are a pre-med, then it is important that you continue following your senior year pre-med timeline. This is the application year, the year the counts the most! There is so much to do, so many deadlines, and so many things to complete. It can become overwhelming.
However, if you have followed the other posts in my Pre-med Timeline Series, then this is the year you’re wrapping everything up with a bow. Now, my senior year was lit…until the end when I had no medical school acceptances. But, I’ve learned from my mistakes so I can help you avoid them! Don’t get overwhelmed by this year. It should be a really fun year. But, here are 5 essential tasks to complete for your senior year pre-med timeline.
Taking the MCAT
If you haven’t already done so, the very first thing you need to do is take the MCAT. If you plan on applying for matriculation after your senior year, then this is an essential part of your senior year pre-med timeline. Spring of your Junior year is the ideal time to take it. However, if you didn’t feel ready and pushed it off to the summer, that’s okay too.
The MCAT is one of the major determining factors of your application. Scoring ranges from 472-528 with an average of 500. Scores below 500 have a very hard time getting into most medical schools. It’s definitely not impossible, but it is challenging. Scores above 510 have an excellent chance of getting into most medical schools. Scores between 500-510 definitely have a shot, and will have to have other great parts of their application.
The first time I took the MCAT, I scored a 501 and did not get in. I also had a science GPA of 2.99 and an overall GPA of 3.25. My resume lacked any clinical or shadowing experience, but I did have 2.5 years of research. So, you can clearly see where my application lacked. The second time I applied, my highest MCAT was a 504 and I had raised my science GPA to 3.2 and my overall to 3.5. With these stats, I was accepted into two medical schools and a bridge program.
Choose your schools
Medical school applications open early. Most services open in May with applications being sent to schools in June. So choosing schools definitely needs to be on the list for your senior year pre-med timeline. Early is better when you have a good application. However, if you have to wait until later in the application cycle, that is OK. Many schools have deadlines in October, November, December, and even January.
Figure out what schools you want to apply to. You can do this at the end of your Junior year, or at the beginning of summer in your Senior year. Having this plan is great, because it will allow you to meet deadlines and ensure you have all the requirements.
So how do you choose a medical school? Here are some considerations:
- How far is it from your home?
- How do your stats compare to their averages?
- What is the cost of tuition?
- What types of scholarships or financial aid do they offer?
- Are they private or public university? (State schools have a tendency to heavily favor in-state applicants)
- Are they accredited?
- What are their demographics? Do they truly prioritize diversity?
- How expensive is the city/town that the medical school is?
- How much do they prioritize research?
- Do they focus primarily on primary care, or not?
- What is their board exam pass rate?
- How is their curriculum structured?
Most of this is information that you can find on school websites, or call them and ask. Sites such as student doctor network and reddit may have great insight, but sometimes their information can be biased and jaded. So take it with a grain of salt. Also, reach out to the people who go to that school. Social media has opened doors like never before. DM someone with that school in their bio, and ask them these questions so you can choose which schools.
Applying is expensive, so you can’t apply willy nilly. You need to be strategic in your application process and have some reaches, some realistic choices, and some safety nets.
Complete and submit your application
After you have decided to which programs to apply, the next step in your senior year pre-med timeline is to complete and submit your application. This can be done early or later in your senior year premed timeline. Like I said, earlier is better, but only when you have a good application. If you need to raise your MCAT score, or get a little bit more experience, then take the time to do that.
Once you feel like you have a strong application, you can follow the steps I’ve outlined in my blog post “Before Applying to Medical School – 10 Things to Know“. The application does take some time, so be prepared for that. The first thing you’ll have to do is fill out a primary application that goes to all schools. Once you’ve completed that, then you will complete secondary applications for schools that require them.
Your personal statement is going to be the part of your application that really sells you. Admissions teams read thousands of personal statements. You need to make sure that yours sticks out. Write it, revise it, and then have others read it. Get a few eyes on it, especially those on the admissions committee at your school. They know what a good, persuasive essay sounds like. And they can really help you cultivate your writing so you won’t put readers to sleep. Learn more about how to write a good personal statement by reading my post “Medical School Personal Statements: How to Make Yours Stand Out.”
Finish your required classes
Once you begin your last year, it’s important to finish any required classes. You can actually apply to medical school without having all of your classes complete. Of course you want to have most of them complete, but if you have one or two left to take, then add them to your senior year pre-med timeline. Some schools will accept you with the contingency that you take and complete those classes with a B or higher.
Talk with your counselor and determine what classes you still need to take. And do well in them. Senior year can be really busy and really fun to the point where you forget that you still need those grades. Especially, if you were like me and had a low GPA, those extra classes senior year can be a great grade booster. Use the first semester of senior year to finish up those last few requirements, so when you go on your medical school interview, you can inform them of your schedule and how you’re doing in those classes. Then, when you’re done with all your required classes, you can coast the last semester and make sure to maintain your GPA.
Prepare for interview
The last important task for your senior year pre-med timeline is to prepare for your interview. Interviews are the best part of the pre-med journey. They are so exciting, and really give you a chance to showcase who you are. Once you submit your primary and secondary applications, interested schools will contact you to set up an interview date. Lately, due to Covid, they have been virtual. However, I think many schools are returning to in-person interviews.
To fully prepare for you interview, check out my blog post “Medical School Interview – Sweet 16 Rules for a Great Impact.” The most important things to do are be on time, look professional, and be yourself. Every medical school has a different vibe or atmosphere. You are interviewing the school just as much as they are interviewing you. You do not want to be at a school that does not have a great culture. If that is your only option, then you may have to just deal with it. But if you have multiple offers, it’s best to go where you can really succeed.
There are different types of interviews, so it’s best to practice each type. Sometimes you can use blogs to determine which programs do which types of interviews. However, it’s best to practice them all so you can be ready for whatever schools throw at you.
Also make sure that you look the part. It’s very important to present your BEST self at your medical school interview. For a quick guide on how to dress for success, please check out my post “Dressing for a Medical School Interview: Your Ultimate Style Guide.”
In conclusion
Your senior year pre-med timeline is busy with a lot of deadlines you have to hit. However, nothing feels as good as getting that acceptance email or phone call. It feels like all the hard work has finally paid off. After you get in, then you can enjoy graduation, moving, and starting the next chapter in your life.
However, sometimes the dice don’t fall like we want them to, and we don’t get that acceptance. It’s not the end of the world. It’s frustrating and heartbreaking, for sure. But, it’s not the end of the road. I know how it feels to be down, and how exciting it is to finally achieve what you’ve been working so hard towards. Check out my blog post “You’ve Been Rejected from Med School, Now What?”
I hope this series has been as helpful as it was to write, and I can’t wait to see where you all end up. Please share your stories, additional tips, and other content you would like for me to write in the comments, or using the contact form below!
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