Application Cycle Reflection

[coldcase331]

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I thought it would be interesting to reflect on the cycle as it comes to a close. What is one thing you wish you knew at the start of the cycle after having gone through it?

 

[phuynh94]

Expect nothing. You have absolutely no idea where the cycle well take you, so just sit back and enjoy the ride!

 

[Valkyro]

The amount of time it would take to write secondary applications. PREWRITE THEM if you're applying this cycle.

 

[musicalfeet]

You will get love from places you don't expect, and be rejected from places you thought you had a good shot. Because of that, I wish I took off a few schools that I had very little interest in, and added in a few more dream schools. I have a feeling schools can tell how much you are a good fit for them...and applying to a school just because it falls around your stats but having little to no interest in the school will show.

I can think of about 3-4 schools I would have rather applied to than a couple I did apply to.

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Sign up for a credit card with airline mile bonuses

AND sign up for TSA Pre-check

 

[Terror Billy]

As an advisor I hear this all the time. Applicants get too caught up in a single "absolute" number of MCAT or GPA that MSAR may say without looking at their overall applications. Reach and stretch for some schools. Because if you dont ask, they cant say yes

my exact approach when it comes to asking out cute girls 😏

 

[efle]

Expect nothing. You have absolutely no idea where the cycle well take you

Ah yes, because it is shocking that a published 3.98 / 40 with ECs gets love from top schools. Shocking I tell you.

I kid, of course. Well done, and you must have been very humble going into the cycle if you really weren't expecting so much love!

 

[golfman7]

Be more patient, medical schools move very slowly in deciding who to bring into interview as well as when to accept applicants from waitlists. That and learn how to deal with uncertainty about your future when on waitlists.

 

[El-Rami]

The amount of time it would take to write secondary applications. PREWRITE THEM if you're applying this cycle.

This is not really practical, in my opinion. How can you possibly prewrite an essay for a prompt you've never even seen yet? Even if you have a good idea of the typical questions that are asked on secondary applications, the time spent writing responses to anticipated prompts can really be better used elsewhere.

 

[Lucca]

This is not really practical, in my opinion. How can you possibly prewrite an essay for a prompt you've never even seen yet? Even if you have a good idea of the typical questions that are asked on secondary applications, the time spent writing responses to anticipated prompts can really be better used elsewhere.

Prompts dont tend to change from year to year and all of the old prompts are accessible on SDN and through other websites. Prewriting secondaries isn't an odd thing. It's not even an SDN thing, a lot of premeds here do it.

 

[Dandine]

Chill. Like, really. I'd say that to myself. Time goes by quickly, even if it often seems slow and stupid (especially during the application cycle). Relish every moment. If not that--because it will get to you--at least take each day as it comes. Because if anything, this will be an exercise in when you actually are in medical school, with many more frustrations. Take both the good with the bad, and breathe.

(IOW, patience really is a virtue in the application cycle.)

 

[Lannister]

That you can check all the boxes, but if you don't have something on your application that stands out, you won't be successful.

 

[El-Rami]

Prompts dont tend to change from year to year and all of the old prompts are accessible on SDN and through other websites. Prewriting secondaries isn't an odd thing. It's not even an SDN thing, a lot of premeds here do it.

Interesting. I actually wasn't aware of this.

 

[Lannister]

This is not really practical, in my opinion. How can you possibly prewrite an essay for a prompt you've never even seen yet? Even if you have a good idea of the typical questions that are asked on secondary applications, the time spent writing responses to anticipated prompts can really be better used elsewhere.

Pre-writing is SO important, most well-prepared applicants do it.

 

[cherubb3]

Trust no one. I had a dean approach me after an interview and straight up tell me that I was a "shoe-in." A month later I was waitlisted.

 

[catie_jane]

You will get love from places you don't expect, and be rejected from places you thought you had a good shot.

This is so true.

I would also add the importance of applying early. I always wonder if my app cycle would have been somewhat different had my committee letter not been uploaded so late (9-14)

 

[carpediem22]

Believe in yourself a little more (if warranted), and don't apply to a bunch of schools that you wouldn't actually go to. It's easy to belittle yourself and your accomplishments, especially when reading about all of the amazing over-achievers on SDN, and apply to too many safeties out of over-cautiousness. However I applied to more than a couple schools that I had no interest in, and ended up withdrawing from anyway. This doesn't matter for someone with an unlimited bank account, but for me and my family it meant hundreds of dollars and a significant, unnecessary financial strain.

Also, don't believe all of the SDN hype -- especially about submitting secondaries within the "2 week window". Submitting ASAP is important, but not to the extent that you rush and submit half-baked essays. I didn't get some of mine in until a month after I received them (as late as mid-August), and it didn't impact me in any way. In fact the last school I submitted to was the first school to offer me an interview.

However, apply for the committee letter EARLY, and tell all LOR writers that the deadline is a month earlier than it actually is (dead serious about this). Late committee letters and one LOR writer who submitted a full month after I asked him to were what held my application up.

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

You will get love from places you don't expect, and be rejected from places you thought you had a good shot. Because of that, I wish I took off a few schools that I had very little interest in, and added in a few more dream schools. I have a feeling schools can tell how much you are a good fit for them...and applying to a school just because it falls around your stats but having little to no interest in the school will show.

I can think of about 3-4 schools I would have rather applied to than a couple I did apply to.

THIS. I applied to 24 schools, probably too many in hindsight. Had Multiple MCATs (26 and 34), which made me nervous about the cycle. All turned out great in the end, but it is a really LONG CYCLE. As many say, it is a marathon, not a sprint. The total cost was more than I expected, about $7,000 in total from MCAT prep to admission. The best purchase by far: MSAR. MSAR is your best friend for this process.

 

[takeurmeds02]

You will get love from places you don't expect, and be rejected from places you thought you had a good shot. Because of that, I wish I took off a few schools that I had very little interest in, and added in a few more dream schools. I have a feeling schools can tell how much you are a good fit for them...and applying to a school just because it falls around your stats but having little to no interest in the school will show.

I can think of about 3-4 schools I would have rather applied to than a couple I did apply to.

Omg this. The school I'm matriculating wasn't actually on my radar at all until they were the first ones to send me a II. I looked more into and was sold. Turned out to be an amazing fit.

 

[breezy16]

I really wish I applied to more reach schools and never applied to the typical "low-yield" schools or the ones I had zero fit towards. The more I looked at some of those "reach" (due to MCAT), the more I realized how much I fit. (I almost didn't apply to JHU because of these fears)

Don't expect anything, drink a few more beers, don't worry until late January, and enjoy the ride. I met so many wonderful people during the cycle and am looking forward to working with you guys in the future 🙂

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I second everyone who's saying fewer safeties more reaches. Hindsight is always 20/20 but knowing now what I couldn't then I applied a bunch of places I obviously had no interest in attending (and I'm sure it showed in my secondaries).

Also just the sheer randomness of it all. I was rejected from my hometown DO school, but accepted to some schools I almost didn't write secondaries for since my numbers were so low.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Oh yea and how fun it is on the interview trail. Getting to fly all over the country and meet so many different people was a great time.

 

[Mwooster]

so just sit back and enjoy the ride

Indeed. As Philosopher Stifler once said, "Sit back, take it slow, and let the good times roll."

 

[drwoofs]

I thought it would be interesting to reflect on the cycle as it comes to a close. What is one thing you wish you knew at the start of the cycle after having gone through it?

Apply to schools that better fit my MCAT score. I only received interviews from schools with +/-2 pts of my MCAT. Also have low expectations and keep your head up. Low expectations also prevent you from feeling like you fell short.

Lastly do your research... how many people I've seen or talked to who applied to U of Washington when not from northwest or Meharry when they are a white applicant. Careless!

Don't compare yourself to others! It doesn't make any sense.

 

[takeurmeds02]

Oh yea and how fun it is on the interview trail. Getting to fly all over the country and meet so many different people was a great time.

Hey classmate ;p

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

This is so true.

I would also add the importance of applying early. I always wonder if my app cycle would have been somewhat different had my committee letter not been uploaded so late (9-14)

this is so important that I figured I'd emphasize it. when people say apply early, that means EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR APP SHOULD BE DONE EARLY! the MCAT, the committee letter/LORs, submission of the actual primary and secondaries, EVERYTHING. do not think you're early just because you pressed submit early if everything else isn't in yet. something I wish I would've paid more attention to when I applied.

 

[osckey]

I'm kind of conflicted about my choice to apply to so many programs. On the one hand, I feel that I should have applied to fewer programs (30 was way too much and paying for it was like lighting my money on fire and watching it burn). On the other hand, I got in and I don't think I would have been able to if I had not cast my net so broadly.

Definitely pre-write secondaries! Writing secondaries was the second hardest part of the process (the waiting was THE hardest part). I had a lot of late nights where I'd come home from work and do nothing but write secondaries for about 1 month straight. Ended up finishing writing most secondaries by mid August and gave up on a few because I was sick and tired of writing. Also, keep in mind that receiving secondaries may feel exciting at first since it's the first time where schools are now contacting you. Remember though, most schools send back secondaries because secondaries = $$$. Don't get overly attached to schools that send you secondaries.

Prepare to hurry up and wait. It's the nature of the beast. May/June/July, you're super busy preparing and submitting your primary then your secondaries. Then the waiting game begins. AVOID NEUROTICALLY CHECKING YOUR EMAIL EVERY 5 SECONDS! I did this. Every day, for months. I became so glued at the hip to my phone that I'm still having trouble weaning myself back off of technology.

Attend as many interviews as you can financially afford until you receive an acceptance somewhere. Then, and only then, can you afford to be picky about the interviews you attend. There were times I could barely afford to eat at while traveling to interviews let alone find a hotel. I even drove through the night to attend an interview in the morning, changed in the parking lot, attended the interview, then turned around and drove home because I had work and couldn't afford lodging. It was worth it though.

Have as much fun with this disastrous roller coaster of a process as you can. If the world is burning around me, I'd rather be that one guy laughing maniacally as he accepts it. He seems like he's at least having some fun.

Shrug off your rejections no matter where they come from. Just rejected from that big name school that you fell in love with? Go get an ice cream and put them in the past.

Celebrate your first acceptance no matter where it comes from. Just been accepted to that no name school you never heard of until you saw them in the MSAR? Go big. Scream, cry, do a little dance at work, then party. Realize that you have just achieved a major life event in getting into medical school in the first place should be rewarded. Treat yourself to something nice whether small or large.

Constantly remind yourself every day why you are doing this. The answer should be that you are doing this because you wanted it. Remember that.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Hey classmate ;p

 

[osckey]

Hey classmate ;p

View attachment 201656

Hey future Miamians.

 

[CellPowerhouse]

I wish I was more patient at the beginning of the interview cycle. I submitted my application in June and started with 5 schools (my non-negotiable, "I have to apply to these" schools), then upped the list to what I called a "final 12" - a good balance of reaches and target schools. But as August came along I was getting so antsy and paranoid about not getting early IIs that I ended up applying to 11 more schools. The day after I added schools, I get an II from one of my top choices.

None of those 11 additional schools invited me for interviews. My 4 IIs came from 4 of my 5 original schools. I really wish I was more patient and didn't second-guess myself and my application. C0uld have saved at least $1000.

 

[redferrari]

Don't freak out if you don't have any II at the end of August. Case in point:

End of August: 0 II

End of September: 3 II

End of October: 4 II, 1 acceptance

End of cycle: 4 II (3 attended), 2 acceptances, 1 withdrew post-interview

 

[oobie]

One of my friends told me this and it held true: "The bad news always comes before the good news." Secondly, believe in yourself and have someone/some people to talk to. Honestly, the number of times I broke down through not hearing back for a while was a lot more than I had ever expected.

But the biggest thing I've learned is that life takes you on this journey for a reason. I don't care if you call him/it God, the Tao, the Universe, or free will, things will work out. And if they don't, it was meant to be that way. I really regretted taking this gap year, as my parents thought of me more as a failure for not getting in right away (low first MCAT score + not enough clinical experience because changed career paths late in college - from research to medicine). But when I got to go back to my state school for my first interview, two of them said I looked so much less stressed and just more relaxed than I was in college. Granted, I was insanely busy in college so that makes sense. I just know whatever happens with the last two schools I am waiting on will guide me to where I need to go.

I personally just applied to too many schools (23) - both reach and low-yield. My logic for GW and Georgetown was "if they invite me to an interview, I won't have to pay much for traveling (live in the DMV area). Otherwise oh well." Granted, my only acceptance so far is from a low-yield school. So I'm happy I applied to that many. Sure it cost me more than I wanted, but at least I don't have to apply again.

 

[Cinclus]

Trust no one. I had a dean approach me after an interview and straight up tell me that I was a "shoe-in." A month later I was waitlisted.

This applies to residency application, too, so nobody forget this.