Reapplicants and Accepted Students: Is there anything you wish someone told you before cycle

[hefracasado]

Cycle is starting soon and I was wondering if there is anything you would've done differently or wish you knew as you entered your own application cycle.

Thanks!

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[Poro]

Start your secondaries today.


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[DrSponge]

Apply as early as possible and use MSAR to determine school list

 

[drkube]

The application cycle is expensive. Start saving asap

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

This process makes no f****** sense sometimes

 

[Lannister]

Don't have expectations.

 

[hefracasado]

Don't have expectations.

Thank you - needed that
Great handle btw

 

[DrHart]

You will see people here on SDN with school lists that go into 25+ schools. If you value your money, don't do this.
Apply to all your in state schools, and maybe a few that are close to your state. Don't pick 10 reach schools, pick maybe 3-4. Make the bulk of your schools the ones that have similar stats to yours.
I paid a lot of money this cycle for rejection letters... would have applied to only 10 schools if I could do it over again

 

[hefracasado]

You will see people here on SDN with school lists that go into 25+ schools. If you value your money, don't do this.
Apply to all your in state schools, and maybe a few that are close to your state. Don't pick 10 reach schools, pick maybe 3-4. Make the bulk of your schools the ones that have similar stats to yours.
I paid a lot of money this cycle for rejection letters... would have applied to only 10 schools if I could do it over again

CA resident applying to 31 schools but my LizzyM is 80+ so I wanted to spread myself out. Luckily my parents have offered to cover all expenses so money isnt an issue here. Just worried about getting quality secondaries in

 

[DrHart]

CA resident applying to 31 schools but my LizzyM is 80+ so I wanted to spread myself out. Luckily my parents have offered to cover all expenses so money isnt an issue here. Just worried about getting quality secondaries in

It's true that a lot of schools have very similar secondary prompts - but I will say that my quality of writing started to drop off after about 15. Thankfully my mom is an editor and agreed to proof my stuff.. but on some of my essays (that I thought were pretty decent) she said they were straight trash ((just how my mom is)). If you're dead set on applying to that many schools, I would start looking up prompts and at least start writing in the next few weeks (at the very least start brainstorming). Have at least 3 different people read all your writing so you know your quality isn't decreasing. It's exhausting to write that much.
Still, I would shave your list down to at least under 25. Just my opinion

 

[bahdahboom]

In case you haven't heard it before..
START YOUR SECONDARAIES NOW.

You think doing your primary is time-consuming? Imagine the multiple secondaries, that have multiple essays each, that need to be submitted ASAP. I did not even finish all of my secondaries, I had to start prioritizing. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would've done my secondaries over the summer.

Also I would suggest seriously considering the schools you are applying to. Apply to your state schools, and with considerate time and thought, selectively choose which OOS to apply to. That will make your secondaries more meaningful and make the application cycle more rewarding if you have a strong reason to apply to each school.

 

[21Rush12]

Don't compare yourself to other people as the cycle plays out.

Have patience...learn to expect that everything will take approximately forever to happen and be pleasantly surprised when something arrives early.


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[njtrimed]

Cycle is starting soon and I was wondering if there is anything you would've done differently or wish you knew as you entered your own application cycle.

Thanks!

I think I got all the information I needed from SDN, quite honestly. Anything I did "wrong" was a calculated choice based on analyzing risk/reward. For example, I chose to wait for my premed committee letter after SDN convinced me to look into it (I'm nontrad and didn't "need" it). It paid off. Just make sure that you know what you should do before you apply, so if you have to take risks you know how to weigh risks versus rewards.

In case you haven't heard it before..
START YOUR SECONDARAIES NOW.

You think doing your primary is time-consuming? Imagine the multiple secondaries, that have multiple essays each, that need to be submitted ASAP. I did not even finish all of my secondaries, I had to start prioritizing. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would've done my secondaries over the summer.

Also I would suggest seriously considering the schools you are applying to. Apply to your state schools, and with considerate time and thought, selectively choose which OOS to apply to. That will make your secondaries more meaningful and make the application cycle more rewarding if you have a strong reason to apply to each school.

Absolutely agree, and I just have to add that you should have your secondaries pre-written to the point where you don't need to edit much! I pre-wrote my secondaries and still find myself editing and/or deciding whether or not it was worth the investment. Don't get complacent; figure these things out early in the cycle and save yourself additional stress!

 

[salemstein]

Get your LoRs in order

 

[zedsdead]

Applying early is overrated. As long as you're in by mid-september, you'll be fine.

 

[breezy16]

My spouse told me to chill tf out a million times from June-Dec. I wish I actually took that advice to a larger extent.

I'll tell you.

Chill tf out.
(Until Feb, then you can panic)

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Applying early is overrated. As long as you're in by mid-september, you'll be fine.

Ehhh I wouldn't really agree with this one, especially if one is an average/middle of the road applicant. You would be 2.5 months behind the first wave of reviews at that point. I think June is excellent, July is good and August is alright

 

[tantacles]

Cycle is starting soon and I was wondering if there is anything you would've done differently or wish you knew as you entered your own application cycle.

Thanks!

I would have waited an extra year between applying and reapplying to strengthen my application.


Large dogs

 

[Mansamusa]

You will see people here on SDN with school lists that go into 25+ schools. If you value your money, don't do this.
Apply to all your in state schools, and maybe a few that are close to your state. Don't pick 10 reach schools, pick maybe 3-4. Make the bulk of your schools the ones that have similar stats to yours.
I paid a lot of money this cycle for rejection letters... would have applied to only 10 schools if I could do it over again

This times a million.


I also don't think secondaries are bad or overwhelming. I got them in, spent 20-30mins filling them out, then submitted. The longest part of the secondary is retyping every class and grade all over again- what is it with that? Such a waste of time, haha

 

[zedsdead]

This times a million.


I also don't think secondaries are bad or overwhelming. I got them in, spent 20-30mins filling them out, then submitted. The longest part of the secondary is retyping every class and grade all over again- what is it with that? Such a waste of time, haha

......... while I pretty much spent 6-8 hours a day for two months writing and rewriting secondary essays ..........

 

[madb0x]

Apply as soon as you can, both primaries and secondaries. Stay true to yourself and focus on what makes you a little different. Don't go on Facebook too much and don't become addicted to SDN, basically live your life outside your application. Be happy!! You made it this far

 

[DumboOctopus]

Applying early is overrated. As long as you're in by mid-september, you'll be fine.

I disagree. Had friends not get in this cycle with otherwise great apps bc they applied in mid-sept (not a death sentence, but avoiding it is best). Aim to have everything in by early Aug. have primary in by early July at the latest

And yeah, start secondaries ASAP.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Also be sure to consider "fit" when you apply. Turns out fit was a much better predictor of where I'd get IIs than metrics.

 

[Moko]

Stay off SDN during the application cycle. The anxiety isn't worth it.

 

[neekzg]

This times a million.


I also don't think secondaries are bad or overwhelming. I got them in, spent 20-30mins filling them out, then submitted. The longest part of the secondary is retyping every class and grade all over again- what is it with that? Such a waste of time, haha

20-30 minutes?? Maybe for the secondaries that don't have much to them. You should consider secondaries just as important, if not more important, than your primary. Every step of the application process is a chance to prove your candidacy to adcoms. Do not turn in an app for the sake of the "two week turnaround" rule if it is not your best work.

Especially if you're applying to CA schools (or other top schools) the secondaries should take you days, if not weeks, of drafting and re-visiting.

 

[MDorBust12]

Once you submit your primary and all of your secondaries, you've done all that you can until interviews come around. Take that time to take a breath and catch up on other aspects of your life that you may have neglected while you were studying for the MCAT, running around to get LORs, and completing all of your applications.

 

[bpislife]

You will see people here on SDN with school lists that go into 25+ schools. If you value your money, don't do this.
Apply to all your in state schools, and maybe a few that are close to your state. Don't pick 10 reach schools, pick maybe 3-4. Make the bulk of your schools the ones that have similar stats to yours.
I paid a lot of money this cycle for rejection letters... would have applied to only 10 schools if I could do it over again

I would tend to disagree with this, although it may be an unpopular opinion. I think of applying to medical schools as an investment and actually worth the money of applying as long as (1) you can afford it and (2) it is actually a place you could see yourself attending. Medical school admissions isn't a complete crapshoot, but you never know which schools will like you and which ones won't. I personally applied to about 28 schools (which may be a bit much but I still think 20 is a very reasonable option if you can afford it) and got interviews at schools I'd never have thought I would and almost matriculated at literally the 28th school I added to my list.

I also got 15 pre-interview rejections, but completely worth it imo.

 

[BeachBaby]

-send in application the first day you can
-secondaries will take you a lot of time, most of the summer, esp if you are applying to a lot of schools and you want them to be well written but also returned to the school efficiently
-look at the SDN interview feedback before interviews
-apply very broadly, you never know where you will get in
-check out the pre-reqs. for example I never took a writing class so I had to do some hoop jumping to make sure that I could matriculate if I wanted to

 

[T800'sThumb]

this can't be stated often enough: START YOUR SECONDARIES as soon as you've decided where your primary goes. You can most of last year's prompts on SDN. I applied to ~50 schools and was still working on secondaries into november! I'm terrible! don't be like me.

 

[wheatthinners]

.

 

[Cookiess]

Submit your primary AMCAS application as early as you can and start pre-writing your secondaries after you submit your primary. Turn around secondaries as quickly as you can. Prepare for interviews and be able to articulate specific reasons why you want to attend a particular school during your interview. Optional: ask about the school's update letter policy during your interview day.

 

[yeasureyoubetcha]

Secondaries suck! The more you complete, the more they all begin to sound the same and you begin questioning yourself. Begin pre-writing them early, spend significant time on them and have someone look at them before submiting. The first ones you complete may very well be your best work and the school you end up matriculating at.

 

[JustKeepGoing]

Learn to live day by day and without expectations. The application process is grueling (especially if you're like me and are applying without stellar stats). Respect the process by acknowledging the uncertainty of it. Surround yourself with friends, happiness and busy work. Don't dwell too much on the unknown of everything, and instead enjoy each day. It'll make the entire year much more bearable.

 

[Tabiyou]

Extreme highs and extreme lows. Sometimes within the span of a 24 hour period. Make sure you have a support system, because you can't get through this by yourself.

 

[Fidgety]

Not sure if someone already said this, but DON'T apply to schools you don't believe you'll get into, or places you do not want to live. You will waste your money and be very sad. Do your research!

 

[Doxorubicin]

When you feel a lot of doubt about the process, stop and remember all the hard work you put in to get here. You've learned a lot and have come so far from your first day of college. Trust in all the work past you put in; trust the present you to do a great job selling yourself; therefore trust that your future will all work out in the end.

Don't be afraid to rock a beard to interviews if it makes you feel more confident!

There's a 99.999% chance that your inbox won't look any different in fifteen seconds. Stop refreshing Gmail and go have a drink.

For most of you, it's your last year. The application cycle is stressful, but it can be fun (especially with your friends.) Don't forget to make the best of this stressful time by having some fun and making memories with people you might not see again.

 

[Benito25]

I wish someone told me that EARLY application (primary and secondary) translates to EARLY interviews. Don't make the same mistake that I did and delay your interviews so you would be better prepared, would be more convenient to go or whatever. The whole point of applying early is interviewing early, so schedule your interviews as early as you can.
(Yeah, I know it might be obvious, but for some reason it didn't get through my thick skull the first time around )

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

NOBODY TOLD ME ABOUT NIH IRTA GOSH DARN IT.

I would've really enjoyed my time in DC..... *weeps incessantly*

 

[dougy]

I am a case study in what not to do.
Submitted July '14 to one school with 3.5/3.6 23, retook MCAT in sept (SR year), got 27, applied to no more schools, took gap year job.

DID NOT LEARN LESSON,did not read SDN wisdom

Submitted july'15 to one school with 3.5/3.6 27, retook MCAT in Sept, got a 512,applied to 9 more schools in Oct.

Results 10 applications, 4 ii, 2 acceptances, 2 WL

If you are on this site you know the best practice for success, Apply in June, July very latest, take MCAT before cycle opens, don't apply if u will be retaking! Apply broadly. I am now happy and grateful, but the "what ifs" keep me up at night. If I had actually had the decent MCAT on June 1, and applied broadly might have completely changed my options.

 

[sharpstickie]

@NotASerialKiller will really try and kill you.

 

[Dr.NickRiviera]

Unless you're one of those that are accepted on 10/15, do not take the application cycle personally. Do not take your rejections to heart.

 

[Traveler2016]

Don't let SDN make you crazy. If you start to feel the urge to accost a recently accepted student for their "stats" you're starting to lose it and should probably take a few days away from this site..

 

[beyoncepadthaii]

Yes to all of the above, and also, the lesson I learned is: Don't turn down interviews for the wrong reasons! I got so burned out from interviews and, I guess, undeservedly complacent after doing a bunch that I declined my last three interviews. I was just tired of spending money on flights and felt bad missing more work for interview travel. But now that I find myself on a whopping 8 waitlists I am so mad at myself for carelessly declining them and I so wish I had done those last 3 interviews so that MAYBE I would have had a choice about what school to go to in the end. Every interview invite is an honor and I guess I started taking them for granted a little bit. (Also: If I read this advice last year I would never have thought it would apply to me. I went into this cycle pretty certain that I would not get any interviews because of my extremely mediocre science grades so none of this was what I expected. My advisor basically told me she didn't think I had much of a shot. So that's some more advice: don't listen to the naysayers because this process is just so unpredictable, and don't stress TOO much about your GPA, because it turns out plenty of schools are willing to at least give you a chance even if you never got higher than a B- in any chemistry class...!) This year has been such a rollercoaster of emotions :/

 

[Pastamahn]

Not sure if someone already said this, but DON'T apply to schools you don't believe you'll get into, or places you do not want to live. You will waste your money and be very sad. Do your research!

Ehh I don't agree with the couple people who are saying to apply to minimal reach schools or places where you don't think you will be accepted. Right now I will be matriculating to a school I thought was wayyyyy out of my league (and know many others who have been equally fortunate). No, half of your list shouldn't be reaches, but I think it's perfectly fine if you have the means to apply to a good amount of reaches. Who knows what might happen?

 

[Monkey.King]

Surprised somebody didn't say something like "Finding a better place to hide the bodies"

 

[thrudheim]

Don't underestimate yourself. Also, be prepared to make some of the hardest decisions of your life.

 

[familyaerospace]

I learned to avoid SDN when in cycle as the constant dick measuring will stress out anyone.

I learned that adcomms will research what you say on SDN and will very easily figure out who you are if you post in your school's thread.

I learned that a 26/3.5 can get you into a mid-tier allopathic school yet will allow you to get rejected osteopathic and international (yea I don't understand either).

I learned that my PRN anxiety medication is very necessary before medical school interviews.

I learned that when in doubt, Trust the Cat (Goro)

I learned after four cycles that don't apply to anywhere that you will simply not be happy with and to not settle. When I finally got in, I had only applied to 3. Previous year I applied to way more.

I learned those interviewers will be very nitpicky about your file especially if you are a non-trad.

I learned to make friends with your doctors and watch the change that happens once you get accepted. Your relationship with your doctors will never be the same again. Actually with some, they will start giving advice as soon as they find out you are applying to medical school.

I learned that the second you move to your school, you need to set up an alarm system for your house. Trust me.

I'm sure I can come up with more.

 

[Fidgety]

Ehh I don't agree with the couple people who are saying to apply to minimal reach schools or places where you don't think you will be accepted. Right now I will be matriculating to a school I thought was wayyyyy out of my league (and know many others who have been equally fortunate). No, half of your list shouldn't be reaches, but I think it's perfectly fine if you have the means to apply to a good amount of reaches. Who knows what might happen?

I mean if you have the means then by all means apply wherever you want. If however, you are on a budget, then just be selective. For example I applied to two schools in Michigan that a) I didn't want to go to anyway and b) I was almost 100% sure I wouldn't get into. Waste of $240. I of course adhered to the idea of "apply broadly". I completely agree with that idea, but it must equally be paired with "apply smartly".

 

[attitudeofgratitude]

I really can't drive home enough how important properly selecting a school list is.

In hindsight I can't believe how lucky I got with how poorly I applied

 

[hefracasado]

I really can't drive home enough how important properly selecting a school list is.

In hindsight I can't believe how lucky I got with how poorly I applied

By that you mean using MSAR and targeting with GPA/MCAT?