Are re-applicants at a disadvantage?

[evansh]

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Say an applicant perfectly competitive for mid-tier schools applies only top-20, and thus doesn't get in. If he/she regroups and applies more appropriately and broadly a second cycle, does the simple fact that they're a re-applicant hurt them at all, or will they be just as competitive at the same mid-tiers.

Not that this is me; I'm just curious.

 

[GrapesofRath]

There are never any absolutes but yes in some cases this is to your disadvantage.

Medical school ADCOMs are risk adverse and what you are saying can be perceived as a candidate with risks to some. You can bet an ADCOM who sees a 3.8/34 re applicant will ask to themselves why that person wasn't accepted last cycle and their possible explanations they have in their head can be things that might not help your app even if you didn't apply there before.

 

[Nietzschelover]

Hitchhiking on this thread.

Say that I apply to ONLY school X this year. I get rejected. In the next cycle, I apply to school Y. Will school Y know that I applied to school X in the last cycle?

Regardless, school Y will know you are a re-applicant, period. So the possible concern raised by GoR would still apply.

 

[evansh]

Hitchhiking on this thread.

Say that I apply to ONLY school X this year. I get rejected. In the next cycle, I apply to school Y. Will school Y know that I applied to school X in the last cycle?

They'll know you applied last cycle, but not where. As I understand schools never get to know where else you've applied, other than at their school. Correct me if wrong

There are never any absolutes but yes in some cases this is to your disadvantage.

Medical school ADCOMs are risk adverse and what you are saying can be perceived as a candidate with risks to some. You can bet an ADCOM who sees a 3.8/34 re applicant will ask to themselves why that person wasn't accepted last cycle and their possible explanations they have in their head can be things that might not help your app even if you didn't apply there before.

Hmm, makes sense. What about the same schools? They should have some concept of why you weren't competitive there originally, and if you've fixed those issues I'd have to hope you'd no longer be at a disadvantage. The hypothetical is if I applied to schools A, B and C, got shut out, beefed up my weakest area over a gap year, and then reapplied to A, B and C. Would I have been better off just not applying the first year?

 

[ac62994]

This shouldn't even happen. Definitely a disadvantage due to the student's obvious poor decision-making skills.

Apply smartly, apply broadly, and apply the first time with your best application. Apply to all the Top 20 if you want, just make sure you also apply to 20 additional schools.

 

[excited_alumni]

I'm not sure if this is too big a disadvantage...I did the same last year and received only one interview, partly due to not turning in my first secondaries till middle of august I think. I did all of mine this year within a week of receiving them and so far I am at 1 rejection and 2 II