Bad to Be a Reapplicant?

[TurkDorian]

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Hey guys, I was reading this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...cation-before-or-after-mcat-released.1071997/

and noticed that some posters said that it was bad to be a reapplicant.

I was wondering if this is true and if so, why?

 

[WillburCobb]

It largely depends on the school. At some it hurts, some it doesn't matter, and a few it can be benificial so long as you show a continued dedication to medicine between cycles.

 

[LaceyMD]

Definitely depends on the school, and how you handle the reapplication situation. If you're reapplying, a school is going to want to see a different application than what you originally submitted (i.e., you'll need a new personal statement, added experience blocks, LORs, etc). At some schools, you can apply as many times as you want, while others won't consider more than two or three applications (UCLA comes to mind). Some schools will offer individual counseling to rejected applicants, but then they'll want to see that you took their advice and did something with it.

This is why if you're submitting before MCAT scores are released, the recommendation is to submit for verification with only one school selected, one you'd be okay with not attending - that way, if your scores are not what you expected and you decide to bail on this cycle, you're not reapplying to schools you really want to go to (meaning you might be able to get away with just tweaking your PS, LORs, etc, without having to completely redo the application). At least, that's my understanding of the "one school" recommendation.

 

[mvenus929]

Apply with your best foot forward. It sucks to be a reapplicant, because you have to prove that you're better than you were last time you applied, and prove you have what it takes to be a medical student when you weren't on a previous cycle. It's also very expensive to apply, and even if it's just a drop in the bucket for your overall medical education, it's still money that could be better spent somewhere else.

 

[Goro]

It's only bad if you haven't improved your deficits since the last app cycle. "Reapplicant = bad" is another one of those pre-med myths.

Hey guys, I was reading this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...cation-before-or-after-mcat-released.1071997/

and noticed that some posters said that it was bad to be a reapplicant.

I was wondering if this is true and if so, why?

 

[Beargryllz]

It's bad because you have to pay all the application fees again. It's good because it shows commitment.

 

[BeancheBlanco]

Pretend you are an AdCom. How would you look at it? For me, if a person is reapplying with pretty much the same application, I would give it a slight disadvantage to a person applying for the first time with the same credentials. Shows poor judgement, maybe not owing up to his/her weaknesses, not understanding how the application process works. On the other hand, if a person addressed his biggest weaknesses and re-applied, I would look at him as equal to a first-time applicant with the same credentials. I stress that the changes should be significant though. If you are lacking in community service and you add a small part-time community service experience and reapply, it might look insincere and insignificant. If a school sees you are a re-applicant, then they know that you not only missed the cut at their school, but also every other school that you applied to. Therefore, a significant change must occur for them to feel more secure about accepting you.

 

[LizzyM]

Pretend you are an AdCom. How would you look at it? For me, if a person is reapplying with pretty much the same application, I would give it a slight disadvantage to a person applying for the first time with the same credentials. Shows poor judgement, maybe not owing up to his/her weaknesses, not understanding how the application process works. On the other hand, if a person addressed his biggest weaknesses and re-applied, I would look at him as equal to a first-time applicant with the same credentials. I stress that the changes should be significant though. If you are lacking in community service and you add a small part-time community service experience and reapply, it might look insincere and insignificant. If a school sees you are a re-applicant, then they know that you not only missed the cut at their school, but also every other school that you applied to. Therefore, a significant change must occur for them to feel more secure about accepting you.

qft

 

[GoPelicans]

IMO, coming from someone who had a pretty good app but just applied very late cycle 1, a lot of top 20's discriminate against reapps, most everybody else is OK with it.

 

[BeancheBlanco]

IMO, coming from someone who had a pretty good app but just applied very late cycle 1, a lot of top 20's discriminate against reapps, most everybody else is OK with it.

well, if you think about it logically, it'd be pretty difficult for someone to go from a completely unsuccessful cycle to being accepted to a top 20 school. That would take some extraordinary time and effort beyond what the vast majority of reapplicants do.

 

[mhammy]

When you reapply to a school can they see your application from last year? As in...can they compare my two applications in every way including PS and secondary essays? I'm asking because I was fairly late to the cycle last year and I think that was my downfall. If it looks bad to reapply with the same personal statement I will change it, but I think it's still a good PS.

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

Just work hard in your gap years to make yourself a stronger applicant and it's fine (maybe not for top schools, I'm not sure). I was a third time applicant this year and got in at the three schools that interviewed me. Killed all of my interviews because my new experiences were so strong. I got asked the "So why should we let you in as a reapplicant" type of question at one school and it was a great jumping off pointto talk about my additional gap years. It turned into a 30 min conversation about my new experiences and impressed the interviewer for sure.

Change your PS. You should want to change it because ::hopefully:: you have new experiences to add.

 

[mvenus929]

When you reapply to a school can they see your application from last year? As in...can they compare my two applications in every way including PS and secondary essays? I'm asking because I was fairly late to the cycle last year and I think that was my downfall. If it looks bad to reapply with the same personal statement I will change it, but I think it's still a good PS.

Yes, they have your old application on file. How much they compare the two will vary school to school.

Being a late applicant can be the reason for rejection, but you should also make sure you improve somewhere else too, because while you may have gotten an acceptance had you applied earlier in the cycle, there was still something about your application that wasn't enough to tip them in the direction of acceptance.