Which schools require early secondary submissions? (2024)

I have submitted secondaries to to 20 programs, with another 16 left to go. I know I am a bit late for this cycle, so I am wondering—what schools should I prioritize going forward? What schools am I too late for? What schools should I prioritize submission to going forward, and is my school list balanced so far?

Background:

• LM: 76
• Strong balanced application (>1500 hours in clinical work and research (with productivity), >250 volunteering, military background, rare minority and immigrant with unique story, but not URM)
• CASPer: 4th quartile
• Preview 8/9

Schools I was complete at between 8/5 and 8/28:

• Harvard
• Columbia
• Georgetown
• George Washington
• Temple
• Albert Einstein
• Boston U
• Case Western
• Colorado
• Cornell
• Dartmouth
• Icahn
• Mayo
• Northwestern
• Rochester
• Tufts
• Cleveland Clinic
• UCLA
• Hackensack

Remaining schools:

• Ohio
• Pittsburgh
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• UVM
• Uchicago
• Brown
• JHU
• NYU
• Stanford
• UVA
• UMichigan
• UPenn
• Vanderbilt
• Yale
• Penn State
• UCSF

sequeiraca said:

Curious to know why you think you are bit late for this cycle.
I am still getting secondaries.

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From what I have gathered before labor day is on time, but after labor day is starting to get into late applicant territory.

Michigan loves their early applicants. You’re on the later side there, do that first if you do want to apply!

Have you gotten a secondary yet for UCSF? They screen heavily and so secondaries go out quite late into the fall. They have a strict 2 week deadline after receiving the secondary to submit it.

lesbianherbs said:

Michigan loves their early applicants. You’re on the later side there, do that first if you do want to apply!

Have you gotten a secondary yet for UCSF? They screen heavily and so secondaries go out quite late into the fall. They have a strict 2 week deadline after receiving the secondary to submit it.

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I have not received UCSF. I hope I will in the coming weeks.

As for Michigan.. Am I so late that it would not be worthwhile to write the secondary, and rather focus on other schools?

viking_lama said:

From what I have gathered before labor day is on time, but after labor day is starting to get into late applicant territory.

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You are misinterpreting the rule of thumb. Labor Day is the checkpoint to ensure your application is complete, particularly submitting your primary application. It is not the universal deadline or rule for all secondary applications.

Usually, this checkpoint is also practical because academic programs typically have started by Labor Day. You would have much less time to finish your secondary essays if you have to do homework.

Mr.Smile12 said:

You are misinterpreting the rule of thumb. Labor Day is the checkpoint to ensure your application is complete, particularly submitting your primary application. It is not the universal deadline or rule for all secondary applications.

Usually, this checkpoint is also practical because academic programs typically have started by Labor Day. You would have much less time to finish your secondary essays if you have to do homework.

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Thanks. I know its not the rule for all secondary applications, and that people have success submitting later in the cycle than this. I think my concern is more so that I'm too late for some programs, like Pittsburgh, Michigan and NYU, and thus it would not be worthwhile to submit.

viking_lama said:

Thanks. I know its not the rule for all secondary applications, and that people have success submitting later in the cycle than this. I think my concern is more so that I'm too late for some programs, like Pittsburgh, Michigan and NYU, and thus it would not be worthwhile to submit.

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All I can say is, "Get it done." You made the list and have already prioritized your efforts to the schools you submitted. You won't get an interview if you don't submit your secondary.

The adjustment I would make: if you have already gotten an II from one school, you can start to slow down or abandon sending secondaries (one school per II).

Mr.Smile12 said:

All I can say is, "Get it done." You made the list and have already prioritized your efforts to the schools you submitted. You won't get an interview if you don't submit your secondary.

The adjustment I would make: if you have already gotten an II from one school, you can start to slow down or abandon sending secondaries (one school per II).

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Thank you for the advice. Lastly, do you think my school list is balanced? I've thought about adding some low-mid schools due to concern about my list being too top heavy.

viking_lama said:

I have not received UCSF. I hope I will in the coming weeks.

As for Michigan.. Am I so late that it would not be worthwhile to write the secondary, and rather focus on other schools?

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Check the Michigan school-specific thread; I posted an admissions snapshot that, in short, shows a drastically reduced acceptance rate for anyone who is complete after July.

Another school you’ll want to think about is Pitt. They are known for having a very quick cycle that ends much earlier than most other schools.

Mr. Macrophage said:

Check the Michigan school-specific thread; I posted an admissions snapshot that, in short, shows a drastically reduced acceptance rate for anyone who is complete after July.

Another school you’ll want to think about is Pitt. They are known for having a very quick cycle that ends much earlier than most other schools.

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Would you say I'm too late for PItt and Michigan?

viking_lama said:

Would you say I'm too late for PItt and Michigan?

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I’m no expert at all, just a fellow applicant. But, if I were you and it was my money, I wouldn’t submit to those two schools, as I think the chances of an acceptance are too low to be worth it given their timing preferences.

There are many other fantastic schools you could add to replace them, such as Iowa and USF Morsani, who love high stat OOS applicants!

Mr. Macrophage said:

I’m no expert at all, just a fellow applicant. But, if I were you and it was my money, I wouldn’t submit to those two schools, as I think the chances of an acceptance are too low to be worth it given their timing preferences.

There are many other fantastic schools you could add to replace them, such as Iowa and USF Morsani, who love high stat OOS applicants!

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I have already submitted the primary and I have FAP, so it would not cost me any additional money. I will definitely take a look at Iowa, USF, Cincinnati and similar schools.

viking_lama said:

I have already submitted the primary and I have FAP, so it would not cost me any additional money. I will definitely take a look at Iowa, USF, Cincinnati and similar schools.

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If it’s free, and wouldn’t take much time, I see no reason to not submit, then!