Apply again to schools where I was small-pooled?

[About28]

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So as March approaches, I'm losing hope for this cycle. It was my stupidity that led to my failure, I was complete in october-november. I have been "small pooled", "put under further consideration" and other things like that at 7 schools right now. I understand there is still the smallest glimmer of hope, but I have to be realistic and prepare to reapply again this coming cycle.

Luckily, I planned for the future and continued my ECs well into my senior year (added shadowing, volunteering and leadership roles as well as securing a few really good LORs). When it comes time to reapply, should I apply again to the schools that I was interviewed and rejected at/ places I was "small pooled" at? Something tells me some of these interview waitlists would have turned into real interviews had I applied even remotely on time.

Thank you guys for any input!

PS- I know the general consensus is to apply to a bunch of new schools so I'm not seen as a reapplicant, and I plan on doing that as well.

 

[DokterMom]

So as March approaches, I'm losing hope for this cycle. It was my stupidity that led to my failure, I was complete in october-november. I have been "small pooled", "put under further consideration" and other things like that at 7 schools right now. I understand there is still the smallest glimmer of hope, but I have to be realistic and prepare to reapply again this coming cycle.

Luckily, I planned for the future and continued my ECs well into my senior year (added shadowing, volunteering and leadership roles as well as securing a few really good LORs). When it comes time to reapply, should I apply again to the schools that I was interviewed and rejected at/ places I was "small pooled" at? Something tells me some of these interview waitlists would have turned into real interviews had I applied even remotely on time.

Thank you guys for any input!

PS- I know the general consensus is to apply to a bunch of new schools so I'm not seen as a reapplicant, and I plan on doing that as well.

If you were small-pooled and/or interviewed, that means they saw something in your application that they liked. Considering that your application will be even better next year (Aren't you glad you kept up with your EC's?), I'd definitely apply to those schools again next cycle. (Assuming of course, that you'd still like to go there.)

I think the 'don't re-apply to the same place' message is more for the schools that rejected you pre-interview or post-interview instead of death-by-waitlist.

I suspect you're right about timing being your big problem

 

[Stoptheclot]

I agree with the above - make sure that you find out WHY you never received an ii. You should hear back from all schools before (the latest) May 15, which is plenty time before the first week of June when you would submit your 2014-2015 app. Ask the schools specifically what you could improve to become a more competitive applicant. Not only does this give you a better chance on the first "read through" of your application, but it also allows you to have an answer for "so, what did you do to improve your application THIS round?" Yes, timing of submission is a factor, but even if you were late and had a strong application that fit a schools missions statement, they more than likely would have sent you an ii. It worked for me! I'm a reapplicant this year, received II's where they explicitly asked "so, youre a reapplicant. what did you do to improve?" I told them everything their admissions staff told me this past summer and how i changed it. I'm assuming it worked because I'm accepted now. Best of luck!

 

[About28]

I think the 'don't re-apply to the same place' message is more for the schools that rejected you pre-interview or post-interview instead of death-by-waitlist.

Unfortunately, my only interview so far (that I thought went great) ended in a rejection, so I'm discussing my rejection with them next week. Aside from that school, I'll look into reapplying to schools where I was small-pooled.

 

[About28]

I agree with the above - make sure that you find out WHY you never received an ii. You should hear back from all schools before (the latest) May 15, which is plenty time before the first week of June when you would submit your 2014-2015 app. Ask the schools specifically what you could improve to become a more competitive applicant. Not only does this give you a better chance on the first "read through" of your application, but it also allows you to have an answer for "so, what did you do to improve your application THIS round?" Yes, timing of submission is a factor, but even if you were late and had a strong application that fit a schools missions statement, they more than likely would have sent you an ii. It worked for me! I'm a reapplicant this year, received II's where they explicitly asked "so, youre a reapplicant. what did you do to improve?" I told them everything their admissions staff told me this past summer and how i changed it. I'm assuming it worked because I'm accepted now. Best of luck!

That's pretty good advice. I understand it's way more than just timing. I was pretty much on my own when I was applying this cycle, so I didn't apply to enough schools, applied way too top heavy, my application was poorly written besides my PS, I took my time returning secondaries and I wasn't complete at most schools until late october-november. Pretty much every single application sin imaginable. I will absolutely contact the schools where I got small-pooled, however.

I know people tend to pretend like it isn't their stat's fault, but I genuinely think my GPA, MCAT, and ECs are average/ above average for admitted applicants. That idea could come crashing down when I speak to the school where I interviewed next week. And thanks for wishing me luck, I'm gonna need it!

 

[Psai]

You never know what will catch a person's eye. Maybe the next person to look at your application will love something about you where the previous person wasn't impressed. The admissions process isn't perfect and there are plenty of people who were rejected from a school that accepted them the next year without much change in their application. An earlier application means that there are more spots for interviewees and more seats open. So people are more likely to take a chance on someone and interview them whereas they need to be more selective as the season goes on. This is why everyone says that you should prepare beforehand and apply early.