Books on MD Applications.. waste of money or a necessity?

[OncDoc19]

Just wondering if it is worth bying/using a book about the application/interview process,and if so which book is the best?
Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[eekonomics]

Absolutely buy the MSAR - it's a steal and indispensable. I don't know about anything else.

 

[OncDoc19]

I have the MSAR but I guess what I was wondering about was those books giving advice on personal statements/secondary essays and interviewing.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

The only thing SDN doesn't have is examples of personal statements. You might get a book on that, otherwise everything you need to know can be found here and in the MSAR.

Save your money.

 

[Wanna_B_Scutty]

Someone recently posted that subscribing to US News & World Report lets you see the total number of acceptances offered, and not just the number of matriculants like MSAR does.

If that's true, and especially if it differentiates the number of in-state vs. out-of-state acceptances offered, a subscription to USNWR might be a decent idea.

 

[acrunchyfrog]

SDN has their own book coming out soon. Might be worth a shot, and if you pre order it looks like there's a discount. (I ordered mine already, both out of sheer curiosity, boredom, and love for this place)

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

I have the MSAR but I guess what I was wondering about was those books giving advice on personal statements/secondary essays and interviewing.

For personal statements/secondary essays, your premed advising committee most likely offers workshops and also the advisors themselves are much better than those books. Do not get those books for interviews. These materials will end up making you look like a "cookie cutter" premed.

Your best bet for interview prep is to read a book or two on health care and bioethics topics, read sdn interview feedback database, stay on top of current events, and know your application, ECs, and any publications/research inside out. Most interviews just gauge what type of person you are, and those interview books suck the personality right out of you.

 

[Khanal007]

MSAR, then maybe a book on interview skills and personal statements and that's it. I bought those books, read through the personal statement one a bit, never got to the interview skills, and the MSAR is a good resource. But seriously, everthing else you need is on SDN.

 

[foofish]

I have the MSAR but I guess what I was wondering about was those books giving advice on personal statements/secondary essays and interviewing.

IMO, they're not really worth it. If you're completely stuck on your personal statement, maybe thumbing through a book would be enough.

For interviews, I found the best prep to be SDN's (free) interview database....you can get an idea of the actual questions asked at the school you're interviewing at (as well as a general idea of how the day is structured). At least twice I definitely got the same interviewer that those in the database had, and was asked the same (distinctive) questions. My undergrad's premed office actually recommended the database, too, so it's not just an attempt to plug SDN.

 

[Psyche Estrelle]

Just wondering if it is worth bying/using a book about the application/interview process,and if so which book is the best?
Thanks!

Not a waste of money but not a necessity either. Just good reading material. You don't even have to buy them, just sit on a couch and Barnes and Noble and read them in the bookstore.