Essential Medical School Application Timelines in 2021

Medical School Application Timelines: Prior to Application Season

Regardless of which application type you’ll be using, we recommend you begin planning for application season well in advance. With proper planning, all of your applications will go more smoothly, you’ll be able to have plenty of time to arrange for standardized tests and secure letter-writers, and you’ll be able to start consulting with experts for feedback before the big push as applications open and deadlines begin approaching. Here’s what we recommend for the months leading up to the application season.

• Compile short list of schools
• See: “How Many Medical Schools Should I Apply To?”
• Review factors for choosing the right medical school for you
• Gain familiarity with medical school acceptance rates
• Begin familiarizing yourself with MCAT test dates and MCAT score release dates. Keep in mind there are some medical schools that don't require the MCAT.
• See: "When Should I Take the MCAT?"
• Begin MCAT prep
• Review MCAT Exam Basics and Preparation Strategies, as well as Strategies to Ace the Critical Analysis and Reasoning (CARS) Section of the MCAT
• Give yourself time, in case you need to re-take/improve MCAT score
• See: "What Is a Good MCAT Score?"
• See: When to start studying for MCAT
• Note the MCAT score release dates. If you’re ready, most application services recommend taking the MCAT by the 3rd week of May, in order to receive your scores in June, when many applications are released to schools
• Begin brainstorming Personal Statement ideas, and seek out expert feedback
• Most medical programs require some form of personal statement
• Review successful medical school personal statement examples and TMDSAS personal statement examples
• Decide on ideal recommendation letter-writers and verifiers
• Approach professors or other possible letter-writers (in person or by email) to request a letter of recommendation
• Meet to discuss the content of the letter, bring details of work done in each professor’s course(s), and be prepared to offer some idea of the qualities you hope each letter-writer can speak to in their evaluation

3 Reasons You Must Start Your Med School Applications Early:

Medical School Application Timelines: Application Season: AMCAS, MD

Early May:

• AMCAS application opens
• Complete your personal statement. Here are some  AMCAS Personal Statement Examples
• Complete the AMCAS Work and Activities section
• AMCAS Most Meaningful Experiences

Late May – Early June:

• AMCAS begins accepting application submissions
• You want to submit your application as soon as possible – information needs to be verified, and the longer you wait, the longer it takes for your apps to get to the schools
• Technically, you can usually submit your application up to the end of July, but this significantly harms your chances. Try to apply by July 1 at the very latest – but even this is far from ideal
• U.S. Rolling Admissions: those who apply earliest will receive first consideration; if there are spots remaining after that first round, then additional invitations will be sent out

Late June:

• AMCAS releases the first batch of processed, complete applications to medical schools
• Ensuring your application is in this batch means taking the MCAT by the 3rd week of May, so the scores will be released by this time

May – February:

• CASPer Test (Situational Judgment Test)
• Here’s a comprehensive list of schools that use CASPer
• If any of your schools require it, you’ll need to find out the specific CASPer test dates
• Begin your CASPer test prep as soon as you know that you’ll need to take a CASPer test

August – October:

• Secondary applications
• Medical school Secondary Essays come with prompts the school would like you to consider, so they can learn more about you, your priorities, experiences, and values as an applicant and as a person. While there are many different prompt types, our blog on adversity essays for medical schools will teach you to answer the "overcoming challenges" prompt. 
• Some schools send all applicants a secondary application, others send secondaries to candidates who make it through a first round of review
• Check each school’s deadlines and/or the instructions sent with the secondary application request, as these vary by institution
• Some may specify that you have 2 weeks from receipt to complete and return the secondary essays/application

September – February:

• Medical School Interviews, Multiple Mini Interviews
• You need to begin your MMI prep and/or your medical school interview prep as soon as possible
• Review med school interview questions

Medical School Application Timelines: Application Season: TMDSAS, MD, DO, MD/PhD, DO/PhD

Early May:

• TMDSAS Application opens
• TMDSAS Employment and Activities
• Personal Statement
• TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay
• Optional Essay
• Dual Degree (MD/PhD, DO/PhD) Essay, review our definitive guide to MD-PhD programs if applicable

May – July:

• CASPer Test (Situational Judgment Test)
• Here’s a comprehensive list of schools that use CASPer
• If any of your schools require it, you’ll need to find out the specific CASPer test dates
• Begin your CASPer test prep as soon as you know that you’ll need to take a CASPer test

Mid-May:

• Submission deadline for applicants applying through the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP)
• JAMP is a special program designed to help highly-qualified and economically-disadvantaged students in Texas pursue an education in medicine

Late May – Early June:

• Deadline for JAMP applications to submit letters of recommendation

July – Mid-January:

• Medical School Interviews, Multiple Mini Interviews
• You need to begin your MMI prep and/or your medical school interview prep as soon as possible
• Review med school interview questions

Early August:

• Deadline for supporting documentation (transcripts, letters of evaluation, MCAT scores) for Early Decision Programs (EDPs)
• Deadline for submitting the application for select programs
• AAMC Early Decision Program - Texas Tech University HSC SOM
• Early Decision Program - UNT HSC - Texas College of Osteopathic
• Texas A&M COM - Partnership for Primary Care Program (PPC)
• Texas A&M COM - The Premed Fellows Early Admission Program (PMF)
• Texas A&M COM - The Engineering to Medicine Early Admission Program (E2M)

Mid-September:

• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and University of North Texas Health Science Center - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine notify Early Decision Program applicants regarding their admission

Late September – Early October:

• Medical School Application deadline
• All sections of the application must be complete by this date
• This includes payment of fees. Fees received after the deadline will be refunded and the application will not be processed. No extensions are granted

Mid-October:

• Deadline for all supporting documents (transcripts and letters of evaluation)
• If sent by mail, documents must be post-marked by this date
• Note that some schools will not extend offers for interviews until all supporting documents have been received. It is recommended to ensure these arrive as soon as possible
• Note the MCAT score release dates to ensure your scores will be released in advance of this deadline
• Initial date for medical schools to begin extending admission offers for non-residents, Special Program applicants (MD/PhD, DO/PhD and MD/MBA), and Assured Acceptance Program applicants

Mid-November – Late December:

• Pre-match open acceptance period for admission offers to Texas resident med school applicants

Mid-January:

• Deadline for Ranking of School Preference for TMDSAS admissions match

Late January - Early February:

• Results of medical school admissions match are announced
• Rolling admissions period begins

Medical School Application Timelines: Application Season: DO and AACOMAS Application Timelines

Osteopathic medical schools aren’t as systematized as those schools that participate in AMCAS. In general, the application cycle opens in May each year, and closes the following April, but actual deadlines vary by school. General deadline guidelines will be provided below, but it is critically important that you verify the exact dates for each cycle, as well as each medical school's requirements. If you're looking for help with your personal statement, review our blog for AACOMAS personal statement examples. Note that many DO programs utilize the CASPer test, as well as multiple mini interviews and other medical school interview formats. 

Early May:

• AACOMAS application opens
• Personal Statement

Mid-June:

• First AACOMAS applications released to medical schools
• Many colleges begin reviewing applications

Early August:

• Applicants are encouraged to ensure application materials are complete and submitted by this time

Early December:

• Application deadline for:
• Michigan State University COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: mid-February

January – April:

• AACOMAS application deadlines

Early January:

• Application deadline for:
• Arizona COM of Midwestern University
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March
• Chicago COM of Midwestern University
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March

Mid-January:

• Application deadline for:
• Nova Southeastern University, Dr. Kiran C. Patel COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March

Early February:

• Application deadline for:
• A.T. Still University – Kirksville COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March
• Marian University COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March
• New York Institute of Technology COM (Old Westbury, NY/Jonesboro, AR)
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-February
• Ohio University Heritage COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-March
• Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March
• Philadelphia COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March
• Georgia Campus – Philadelphia COM (Suwanee and Moultrie campuses)
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March
• Rowan University COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-February
• University of New England COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-March
• University of Pikeville – Kentucky COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early March
• Western University of Health Sciences/COM of the Pacific (Pomona and Lebanon campuses)
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-February

Mid-February:

• Application deadline for:
• West Virginia SOM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-February

Late February:

• Application deadline for:
• Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Late March

Early March:

• Application deadline for:
• Alabama COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April
• Arkansas COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Rolling
• A.T. Still University – SOM in Arizona
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early April
• Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace SOM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early April
• Des Moines University COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: N/A
• Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Late March
• Liberty University COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-March
• Edward Via COM – Auburn
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Rolling
• Edward Via COM – Carolinas
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Rolling
• Edward Via COM – Virginia
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Rolling

Mid-March:

• Application deadline for:
• Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-March
• Rocky Vista University COM (Colorado, Utah)
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April
• Touro University COM – California
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April
• Touro University Nevada COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April
• University of the Incarnate Word SOM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April
• William Carey University COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April

Late March:

• Application deadline for:
• Burrell COM at New Mexico State University
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April

Early April:

• Application deadline for:
• Idaho COM
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April
• Lake Erie COM Bradenton Campus
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Early April
• Touro COM – New York
• Secondary/Supplemental application deadline: Mid-April

Medical School Application Timelines: Additional Notes on Application Deadlines

Not all medical schools (MD and DO) in the U.S. use AMCAS, TMDSAS, or AACOMAS. You must ensure that you are aware of any independent deadlines for such programs. 

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