Medical School Application Timeline 2021: Important Dates and Procedures

With medical school applications opening soon, it is imperative to plan ahead and start early to maximize your chances of receiving an acceptance. In this post, we outline a definitive Medical School Application Timeline 2021 with all of the information and dates you need to keep in mind if you want to apply next cycle!

Important Medical School Application Services

• AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) – Used by most MD schools.
• TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service) – Used by medical schools in Texas (MD and DO).
• AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service) – used by DO medical schools.

Cycle Dates for 2021

The following table outlines the expected milestones for the upcoming medical school application cycle:

When To Apply To Medical School 2021

Medical school applicants often get confused because you can start submitting your AMCAS / TMDSAS / AACOMAS way before the official medical school application deadline posted on medical schools’ websites. When should you submit your primary medical school applications? As early as possible. For all our applicants, we recommend applying within the first month the medical school application portal opens (so, submit your application ideally in June 2021). But, the sooner the better. If there’s something in your application that you’re not super confident about (i.e. average GPA, average test scores, questionable letter of recommendation), we recommend that you apply the first two weeks the application portal opens.

December 2020 – January 2021: Planning Phase

Create your school list by referencing the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) for schools with median GPAs/MCATs near your own. Pay attention to the percentage of in-state vs. out-of-state accepted students. Compile all internships, jobs, extracurricular activities, and awards you plan to list on your work and activities section of the AMCAS into a document. Brainstorm ideas for your personal statement and think about your letters of recommendation (LORs).

If your school offers committee letters, request one and submit all necessary forms on time to prevent delays. If your school does not offer committee letters, create an Interfolio account or look into LOR storage services offered by your university or AMCAS. Start thinking about professors you would like to ask for a letter. Most schools will ask for at least two science LORs and one humanities LOR.

February – April 2021: Writing and Preparation

Brainstorm themes of your application. Write drafts of your personal statement and work and activities. Your personal statement should be 5300-characters and your work and activities is comprised of fifteen activities with 700-character descriptions each and an additional 1325-characters for three most meaningful activities. Ask your letter writers for LORs. Provide a copy of your transcript, CV, and personal statement draft to ensure a strong letter! Ideally, you should also meet with your letter writer in person to facilitate a personalized letter. If your school does not organize letters of recommendations for your application, make sure you register for Interfolio. Request official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended, including summer courses and classes you took before starting college. Do not let your application be delayed by late transcript requests!

High Yield Medical School Application Timeline Tip

Letters of recommendations and official transcripts sometimes take weeks to months to process and get written by your recommenders. Be sure to start planning and requesting these two documents early!