As a medical school admissions consultant, I provide insight and wisdom to med school applicants. Here’s a tip that all applicants should follow.

Apply Early!  I can’t emphasize enough the importance of entering the medical school application process early. Doing so can make a real difference in the outcome of your application. What does “early” mean?  It means submitting your application in June, when the AMCAS process opens.  Applicants who submit early in the cycle have a markedly increased chance of getting an interview over those who submit later in the process. Most medical schools operate under a rolling admission process, reading and making decisions on applications in the order in which they are received; you want to be early in the queue. Be smart and maximize your chances of admission by applying early. Work backwards from the time you want to submit (early summer) and come up with a timeline to work on your materials so that you’re fully prepared to submit your application early in the process. That said, be sure to prepare a comprehensive and compelling application which is completed to perfection. Never rush an application solely to get in the applicant pool; make sure that you submit a carefully crafted application no matter when you submit.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting