Step II timing

So I choked on step I (sub-national mean) and I am planning on taking step II early and (hopefully) doing well.

My question is this: Am I better off waiting until I get my step II score before submitting my applications meaning that I should take step II in June or July or is okay if I take a month off at the beginning of 4th year, take step II in mid-late August, submit my applications as early as possible with my step II score pending? Or does taking step II later set my application on a direct path to the trash can based on my low step I? Do programs wait to review your application if your step II is pending?

Any opinion/advice would be helpful.

And yes, I realize what a complete tool this post make me sound like and I realize that this post probably only applies to about 10% of people on this board. Congratulation to all of you who rocked step I and do not have to deal with this s*** - I hate you with every fiber of my being.

you can actually have your cake and eat it too. You can take your Step II whenever you want, and you can submit your application as soon as you're ready. ERAS allows you to resubmit your USMLE transcript to programs at any time. So, if you do well on Step II, you resubmit your USMLE transcript whenever your scores come in, without delaying the rest of your application. I did it without any problems.