Are reapplicants at a disadvantage?

[YankeesfanZF5]

I plan to apply late to my state school (end of July & Early August) because I will be taking the MCAT in the summer and I hope to send the score right away to that school. I just want to apply and see if I can get into my best bet. I figured if I did not get on the first try that is fine and I can spend the year improving where it is needed (contact the school and ask). Then, reapply to a list of schools including the one I previously applied at. My reasoning being money is tight. The second time applying I would be able to apply to more schools. So does it truly hurt to be a reapplicant? If so, why?

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[Dr. Stalker]

Yes.
They rejected you once.
They will compare your second application to your first, and chances are you will not (no offense, no reapplicant really does) improve vastly enough in whatever area(s) you are lacking in.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

BTW, I'm a reapplicant lol

 

[ciestar]

Don't ever apply to med school with the expectation you might have to reapply. Apply with the best application as possible, as early as possible.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I plan to apply late to my state school (end of July & Early August) because I will be taking the MCAT in the summer and I hope to send the score right away to that school. I just want to apply and see if I can get into my best bet. I figured if I did not get on the first try that is fine and I can spend the year improving where it is needed (contact the school and ask). Then, reapply to a list of schools including the one I previously applied at. My reasoning being money is tight. The second time applying I would be able to apply to more schools. So does it truly hurt to be a reapplicant? If so, why?

It's a good think you posted your bad plan now, so you'll have time to change it.

 

[Lyoness]

Literally my plan lol but you should be fine, just apply to your state school only.


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[PreMedMissteps]

What did you do in your time off or what do you recommend? I am graduating this next year and plan to take the mcat the summer after graduation. This gives me at least two years until I can potentially start medical school and a year before I can apply. I am in no debt, have a decent gpa and science gpa (3.9 Ovr, 3.8 Sci), Bio major in honoribus (undergrad research thesis) with chem and psych minors, have shadowed a significant amount of doctors and plan to do more when finished, worked multiple college jobs in college, tutored, done a few research jobs, few club things, intramurals, etc. You guys know the premed drill 🙂 Any reccomendations to do in that time off? I need some more medical work, was thinking get an EMT or paramedic and be a CNA while taking those classes. I love science, history and was debating on doing either adding a chemistry major (only a few classes away) or history major (quite a few classes away) or just taking a year of interesting classes while working as a CNA or phlebotomist. I am a bit tired of science and Think I need some more diversity. I love school and can easily pay for another year but with my stats would it be better to take like humanities or a foreign language? Other potential options? Study abroad programs? Is keeping your mind in a school mindset important?

Why can't you take the MCAT in April or May?

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Why can't you take the MCAT in April or May?

An april or may test date may require a gap year is my guess.

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

Why can't you take the MCAT in April or May?

Will be focusing on graduating, finishing up senior year and trying to get all A's. I would like to commit a lot of time during the summer to study for the MCAT.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Will be focusing on graduating, finishing up senior year and trying to get all A's. I would like to commit a lot of time during the summer to study for the MCAT.

Focus on school and finish with a strong GPA. That will count for you. Reapplying is always a risk!

 

[YankeesfanZF5]

Focus on school and finish with a strong GPA. That will count for you. Reapplying is always a risk!

I don't understand why reapplying is a risk. Don't people get into med school on their 3rd and even more tries? Could you please explain to me the risks besides comparing to the old application?

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I don't understand why reapplying is a risk. Don't people get into med school on their 3rd and even more tries? Could you please explain to me the risks besides comparing to the old application?

It isn't "impossible," and I do agree with you that, perhaps, SDN embellishes this unnecessary super risk in a reapplication.

The risk is that you've already tried, they already said no, and you have to try again. If you went from a 500, got rejected, to a 520, no problem. But, its still an uphill battle! Why should this medical school that rejected you before, that has 100s if not 1000s of better first time applicants, give you a second chance? The fact that you have to face that is what makes being a reapplicant a bad idea.

 

[Goro]

I plan to apply late to my state school (end of July & Early August) because I will be taking the MCAT in the summer and I hope to send the score right away to that school. I just want to apply and see if I can get into my best bet. I figured if I did not get on the first try that is fine and I can spend the year improving where it is needed (contact the school and ask). Then, reapply to a list of schools including the one I previously applied at. My reasoning being money is tight. The second time applying I would be able to apply to more schools. So does it truly hurt to be a reapplicant? If so, why?

It's school dependent.
Keep in mind it's a seller's market. They can afford to ignore you the 2nd time around.
"Why didn't s/he get in the first time?" is always a consideration.
Many people simply don't improve on the second cycle, but apply anyway, out of foolishness.
State schools seem to be most forgiving of reapplicants .

Pay very careful attention : apply once, with the best possible app.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

It's school dependent.
Keep in mind it's a seller's market. They can afford to ignore you the 2nd time around.
"Why didn't s/he get in the first time?" is always a consideration.
Many people simply don't improve on the second cycle, but apply anyway, out of foolishness.
State schools seem to be most forgiving of reapplicants .

Pay very careful attention : apply once, with the best possible app.

If I were to get a tattoo, it would be that.
Or a heart. Not with mom in it, too cliche, but something else, like Taco Bell.

 

[Prometheus123]

It's school dependent.
Keep in mind it's a seller's market. They can afford to ignore you the 2nd time around.
"Why didn't s/he get in the first time?" is always a consideration.
Many people simply don't improve on the second cycle, but apply anyway, out of foolishness.
State schools seem to be most forgiving of reapplicants .

Pay very careful attention : apply once, with the best possible app.

Ay. Kind of wish I'd read this discussion several months ago. Ah well, what can we do but move forward. If I have to reapply, I will make sure to work hard to improve significantly for next cycle. I think I could break the 3.4 cGPA barrier in a year, which would put me in a different category. I'd have a 2/3 chance then, not a 50/50 chance.

Buena suerte to all the applicants and reapplicants who would make great doctors! For reapplicants, their persistence should count for something, no? I realize that "should" does not necessarily mean "is", but it really does show character. It's always easier to give up. Trying again even after failure and rejection is excellent evidence of resilience and capacity for improvement / desire to learn, IMHO. (Just sayin'.)

 

[coralista]

In general, it's a disadvantage in that being labeled a reapplicant comes with its own assumptions (many of which are not readily verifiable), but it will vary from school to school and how they view the changes/improvements you seem to have made since your previous application. Depending on the circumstance, I'd say that a reapp could fall under the "distance traveled to medicine" category.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I don't understand why reapplying is a risk. Don't people get into med school on their 3rd and even more tries?

I think this mindset is why you're thinking the way you do. Yes, you do hear of some 2nd and 3rd Try Success Stories, but they may be more the exception than the rule. Don't use them as some sort of excuse to consider that a possible path when you haven't yet ever been an applicant.

Unless your last semester will be grueling (and if it is, that's unfortunate), there should be time for you to study for the MCAT, beginning over Thanksgiving break, continuing over Winter Break and carrying thru spring semester on weekends and other free periods.

When is graduation? Early May? If so, then along with the Tgiving/winter prep, and weekly spring prep, you can full-day mcat-prep during the month of May and take either a late May exam or VERY early June (dont yet know the 2018 mcat dates). Then you'd have your results by end-June or very-early-July and submit then.

 

[LiFre]

What if you just applied to your state school the first time around? I have a buddy that could apply this cycle, but he doesn’t have any research experience. Our state school actually loves reaplicants, but I understand other schools do not. So would being rejected from just your state school the first application, hurt your chances with other schools the second application? It would definitely help his chances with our state school the second time.