Application Timeline

Work on a medical school application begins in earnest about 18 months before the intended matriculation date. All applicants and potential applicants are urged to communicate with the HP Office early and often.

Download the 2013 application timeline here.

November/December 2011

January 2012

  • Select a date for your MCAT. Bear in mind that tests taken after June may make it advisable to submit the common application before receiving your MCAT score. An up-to-date schedule is online at www.aamc.org/students/mcat/.
  • MCAT preparation should begin either independently or through a review service. Much useful material is available at the MCAT website above.
  • Send official or unofficial transcripts from summer and abroad courses to the HP Office. Copies are fine.

February 2012

March/April 2012

  • Sign up for a required individual meeting/interview with Jane when your autobiography is in and you have requested four to six letters of evaluation. (Available dates will be sent to you.) Submit a draft of your AMCAS personal statement at least 48 hours prior to your appointment with Jane if you wish it reviewed.
  • Letters of evaluation are due in the veCollect system by April 15.
  • Follow up with your evaluators regarding outstanding letters of evaluation. Whose is missing?
  • Begin thinking about your school list. Have a reason to apply to each school. We will support your applications to no more than 20 schools. Tell Jane why/if you feel you need to apply to more.
  • The MSAR 2013-2014 is available in April from www.aamc.org,
    “Publications.”
  • Attend Jane’s “Medical School Application Tips and AMCAS Essay Writing” Workshop.

May 2012

  • The AMCAS application is available to review at www.aamc.org in mid-May. Start downloading and sending in AMCAS transcript request forms to colleges you have attended. Wait until the Williams second-semester grades are in, though!
  • Finalize your personal statement for the AMCAS application.
  • Finalize your school list.
  • Attend the “What I Would Have Done Differently” panel with past year's applicants.
  • Jane begins to write summary letters for those with whom she has interviewed and whose files are complete.

June 2012

  • Submit your application to AMCAS/AADSAS/VMCAS/AACOMAS.
  • Send a copy of your processed AMCAS/AACOMAS application to the HP Office. Indicate whether you will additionally, or instead, apply to Texas medical schools, MD/PhD programs, vet, or dental schools.
  • Jane writes summary letters. Those and your veCollect-ed letters of evaluation are sent "virtually" to medical schools once a copy of your processed AMCAS application report is received by Jane.

July, August, September 2012

  • You will receive secondary applications from many of the schools to which you applied. Send back all secondaries within two weeks to facilitate early interviews.
  • Attend Jane’s “Interviewing at Medical Schools” workshop in mid-September. Review “Interviewing” materials on HP website:
    www.williams.edu/go/careers/prehealth_interviewing.php.

October, November, December 2012 – January, February, March 2013

(This is the typical time period for most medical school interviews.)

  • Please keep Jane informed of each interview you are granted and each wait-list/acceptance/rejection. Consult with Jane if no/few interviews are forthcoming.
  • Complete a “Health Professions Interview Form” after each interview:
    www.williams.edu/go/careers/prehealth_interviewing.php.
  • Once a school makes an offer, you are free to accept it, knowing that you may withdraw up until May 15 (MD schools) and have your deposit refunded, if you are given a preferable offer. Until May 15 you may hold multiple acceptances within reason, assuming that you are actively working to decide, and are waiting for financial aid decisions.

January 2013

  • Send transcripts of Williams fall semester work or post-bacc coursework to all schools in which you remain interested.
  • Urge parents to complete 2012 tax return asap — needed to apply for financial aid.
  • Consult with Jane as needed about application status.

February 2013

  • Submit financial aid paperwork to medical schools.

April 2013

  • Start making final decision among acceptances. Consult Jane as needed re: school decisions and wait-lists.
  • Tell Jane if you intend to re-apply in June of 2013.

May 2013

  • You may hold no more than one acceptance after May 15th.
  • Notify the schools you will not be attending in writing. Graciously decline other offers.
  • Notify Jane of your final choice!

June/July 2013

  • Remain active on wait-lists, if applicable.

August 2013

  • Matriculate!