Combining two updates

[cck42]

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Hey everyone! Happy Monday

I'm lucky in that during this past week I got two great but unrelated pieces of news. I want to combine them at some schools where they only allow two updates, because I'm hoping to have a publication before interview/admissions season is over. I was a late submitter (late Aug/early Sept) with only one II and no other replies from schools, so I feel like these updates could have a big impact.

Would it be okay if I combined them, even though they have nothing to do with each other? Does anyone have thoughts on or experience with this?

 

[SeaHusky]

Hey everyone! Happy Monday

I'm lucky in that during this past week I got two great but unrelated pieces of news. I want to combine them at some schools where they only allow two updates, because I'm hoping to have a publication before interview/admissions season is over. I was a late submitter (late Aug/early Sept) with only one II and no other replies from schools, so I feel like these updates could have a big impact.

Would it be okay if I combined them, even though they have nothing to do with each other? Does anyone have thoughts on or experience with this?

Absolutely okay. A stronger update letter including two significant updates is much better than two separate, weaker update letters. However, the efficacy of pre-II updates is hotly debated (I myself submitted a publication update pre-II a month ago), and it's questionable whether such updates really make a significant impact on a school's decision to send you an II. Might be worth holding off for any potential WLs!

 

[bluepeony]

Hey everyone! Happy Monday

I'm lucky in that during this past week I got two great but unrelated pieces of news. I want to combine them at some schools where they only allow two updates, because I'm hoping to have a publication before interview/admissions season is over. I was a late submitter (late Aug/early Sept) with only one II and no other replies from schools, so I feel like these updates could have a big impact.

Would it be okay if I combined them, even though they have nothing to do with each other? Does anyone have thoughts on or experience with this?

Yes, you can combine unrelated info into the update. Make sure they are significant enough to send as update tho.

 

[cck42]

the efficacy of pre-II updates is hotly debated

That's good to know, thank you! My plan is to check school-by-school (both websites and forums) to see whether they're accepted and matter pre-II. Even if they don't matter, as long as they're not a negative I'll probably submit just because I'm writing them and doing the work anyways.

 

[cck42]

Yes, you can combine unrelated info into the update.

Thanks!

Make sure they are significant enough to send as update tho.

Updates are a pretty important (and large) scholarship/fellowship which I definitely wanted to update on. The second one is an abstract accepted for poster presentation at a major international conference, which I would leave off (hold out for a pub) if combined updates wasn't great, but it looks like the thing to do is send in both.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Combined updates are better than individual updates! I think what you have are both pretty significant and worth sending in.

Congratulations!

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Goro]

Hey everyone! Happy Monday

I'm lucky in that during this past week I got two great but unrelated pieces of news. I want to combine them at some schools where they only allow two updates, because I'm hoping to have a publication before interview/admissions season is over. I was a late submitter (late Aug/early Sept) with only one II and no other replies from schools, so I feel like these updates could have a big impact.

Would it be okay if I combined them, even though they have nothing to do with each other? Does anyone have thoughts on or experience with this?

A single communication with two bits of news (I have a semester of all As and a new publication) is a single update.