Applying again.... When to start?

[picklebee]

My first SDN post!

I was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on when to start applying again for Class 2009. I'm so far on hold for Penn State, and interviewed at Einstein and UCLA/Drew. When should I think about reapplying for next year? I basically don't want to hang around waiting to get off waitlists until June/July, find out that I don't have a spot, and then frantically reapply late summer. What should I do?

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[coachB]

i'm in a similar boat. a few waitlists. still waiting on a couple of decisions. no acceptances yet. i'm still optimistic that something will work out this cycle but am starting to think ahead to the next one. i am definitely going to plan on applying early this year if need be. i was an august mcater last year.

in short, i'm going to have things ready to go to apply in late june. it should be a lot easier this time around. if i get in somewhere after i've submitted the primary, i'll just withdraw.

also, i would start to think about what you can do to improve your application. i have some deficincies in terms of certain types of experience and i'm going to work on those in the next few months. reapplying with the same application will likely yield similar results.

 

[DrPharaohX]

Similar situation here. One waitlist, no acceptance.

In mid May I'm gonna start studying for the August MCAT, as if I have no acceptances and as if I am not anticipating any. This is so when the news comes of a possible acceptance in June (God willing), it wouldn't mess me up either way.

Also, soon I'm gonna start asking some of the new professors/employer that I've met to write me some letters of recommendation, so that they're ready to submit by August.

As far as the AMCAS is concerned, I'll fill it out when it becomes available in June, but won't submit until early August (or earlier if I hear in June I have no acceptance, God forbid).

Oh yea, since I'll be studying for MCAT during the summer, I won't be able to do much in the way of volunteering, etc. but I'll volunteer at a local Red Cross chapter (or the like) once a week, just so I have a new activity. In the unfortunate event (again, God forbid) that I have no acceptance then I'll start picking up more activities after the August MCAT.

SO........it's a lot of sacrifices, especially restudying for that August MCAT when I don't even know if there's an acceptance (God willing) in the future or not, but it has to be done. There's no other way around it.

I hope this helps. People like us need to hang in there! Do your part and work hard, but also have some faith and say your prayers. Best of luck!

 

[hope280]

the real problem is that you have to improve your application in between not getting in and applying again. that seems like a very difficult task.

 

[Heal&Teach]

It is indeed. Most folks I know tend to take off a year between appication cycles so that they can improve. Some didn't get in due to a lack of experience, and for some it was a matter of getting their applications in late. If you have a year to stretch, I'd suggest waiting it out, meeting with the admissions folks at the schools that you applied to in order to assess the strengths/weaknesses of your application, and then re-applying. But many people apply right away and make it work well. It's all up to you and whether you feel like waiting another two years to enter medical school.

Best,
H&T

 

[Mr Reddly]

I would agree. If you do a search for my posts, you'll see why. I know it sux to think about taking a year off, but I think it is best... It lets you take time to focus (with the revolving cycle, there just isn't time) on what you need. Also, it lets you get away from this stupid thing and not think about only it all the time.

...but then again, what do I know? It took me 4 tries after all.

 

[MNgrrl]

I was in your exact same situation last year. First of all, DON'T GIVE UP HOPE YET! There really is still a lot of time, and you never know crazy things could happen with the waitlist. In my situation, I started working on my AMCAS application again in May, and submitted it in mid June. The nice thing about doing it again (if there is such thing as 'nice') is that AMCAS leaves everything you had from last year so you don't have to do it again (except the essay/additions/revisions to your ECs). I also talked to schools I was rejected from and asked them how to improve my application. For me, the overwhelming response was to take the MCAT again. It could be something just as straight forward for you, or as other posters have suggested, you may need to wait before reapplying if your GPA is super low, or you have dismal ECs.

Anyhow, I didn't end up getting in off my 1 waitlist, and was infinitely grateful that I already had my AMCAS verified by the time I found out. So, I think June is probably a good time to submit even if you think there is a chance you might still get in. You can always withdraw your applications if you do get in. It's better than waiting and submitting late (though I took the Aug MCAT, and it wasn't really a problem). I do have an acceptance this year, but I know how you must feel!

 

[Kimmer]

Hey,
I didn't get in last year after much struggle. I was ready to give up - but had an ace in the hole. They would HAVE to let me in off of the waitlist if I spent the summer volunteering in a children's clinic in Africa, right? Wrong. I sent a LOI and included my big plan. It didn't get the job done. Also at the last minute the US embassy in Kenya was closed due to some terrorist threat. I was gonna go anyway - I was ready to martyr myself since I didn't get in to med school. But my family tied me to a chair so I missed my flight. The upshot is I was totally unprepared to reapply and got started really late. I didn't dramatically improve my application and I think my PS sucked. But somehow I got in this year. Proof positive that 90% of this process is luck and the other 10% is charisma.
One thing I did do and would recommend to any and all who got lots of interviews that went nowhere - get an interview coach. Most campuses have them associated with career services. Mine really helped.

 

[Fumoffu]

If you take a year off to improve your app...won't that mean it'll be 2 years before you can matriculate?

If you reapply right away...you'll only be 1 year off.

 

[picklebee]

Hey guys:

Thanks for all your advice. Just to let you know, I took the August MCAT last year (though I did submit the rest of my stuff by the end of June), and I think that did affect me in this application process. I knew a few people with lower stats than me who got more interviews early on. So, my plan is to 1) continue waiting .... and waiting .... and waiting (no more Europe trip for me), 2) start getting my stuff together for AMCAS in mid May, and 3) find a new job not in the NIH. Maybe abroad? We'll see.

For all my fellow non-acceptance holders (at the moment), hang in there!