Deadlines are deadlines – right?
Well it turns out that things aren’t so simple for medical schools south of the border. Unlike for Canadian medical schools, the vast majority of US MD institutions have something called “rolling admissions”. This means that the admissions committee evaluates, interviews and accepts students as applications are received.
This means that at the start of the year, this means that there are plenty of open spots. However as the year goes on, those spots are filled by students who submitted their application first. It’s widely accepted that it’s advantageous to apply as early as possible – and not worth it to apply after summer ends, even if the application deadline hasn’t passed.
For students primarily applying in Canada, this can often come as an unwelcome surprise. The Canadian medical school application cycle starts months later, and most schools do not use rolling admissions. For some Canadian applicants, it can be as late as September when the possibility of applying to US schools is first explored – which is already very late in the cycle.
How late is too late?
To put yourself in the best position for an acceptance, you’ll have to apply early in the cycle – late spring.
As a general rule, if you haven’t submitted your entire application (primary and secondary) by mid-October – you’re likely wasting your time and money. However, there are exceptions to that rule.
Some medical schools don’t do rolling admissions
There are a number of schools that don’t have rolling admissions. These include a number of Canadian-friendly schools. A tool called MSAR can be used to check if the schools you’re interested in are among them.
What’s the worst that could happen?
While it might seem like a no-lose situation to throw your hat into the ring – even if it’s late – there are some downsides.
For one, it’s expensive to apply! Unless you’re set on applying in the current cycle, your money would be better spent in the spring where your application will get the attention and consideration it deserves. Additionally, being a second-time applicant if you’re unsuccessful comes with its own set of challenges.
In summary
Apply early! If it’s already well into fall, it’s probably too late to apply to US medical schools for the current cycle – unless it’s to one of the handful of institutions that don’t have rolling admissions. Your money will be better spent in the spring, and your application and hard work will be given the consideration they deserves.