essay question on how i differ from other applicants

[justapremed]

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in a secondary application, what are the adcoms kind of looking for when they ask "what do you think might distinguish you from other applicants to an admissions committee?"

at this point i had already poured everything out in the personal statement, i've already talked about my research experiences, volunteer experiences, other clinical experiences, other ECs, etc.

i feel like most of what i have is what other people have, too, in terms of numbers and ECs, so i'm lost as to what to say. i feel like something like, i play an instrument obviously won't cut it since well, a lot of premeds play instruments too... and i don't recall any dramatic events that has happened in my life that has affected me either...

help?

 

[Cataract]

in a secondary application, what are the adcoms kind of looking for when they ask "what do you think might distinguish you from other applicants to an admissions committee?"

at this point i had already poured everything out in the personal statement, i've already talked about my research experiences, volunteer experiences, other clinical experiences, other ECs, etc.

i feel like most of what i have is what other people have, too, in terms of numbers and ECs, so i'm lost as to what to say. i feel like something like, i play an instrument obviously won't cut it since well, a lot of premeds play instruments too... and i don't recall any dramatic events that has happened in my life that has affected me either...

help?

Think about what sort of diversity you offer. Any cultural diversity? Were you raised in multicultural neighborhood? Any particular hardships? Interesting research background or clinical exposure? You could always say "strong leadership background" and explain that one somehow. Plenty of ways to approach it, just make sure you at least sound genuine.

 

[flaahless]

Do you have any unique life experiences and/or any perspectives on health care? Have you taken any interesting humanities classes? For instance, I took a class called Ethnic Experience in the US, and I wrote about that in a lot of my secondaries.

 

[RSAgator]

very few people have something that is, to the true definition of the word, unique. Many people have things that not "everyone" else has (but many may have), and some of those things are rarer than others. Each individual experience may not make a person unique, but the sum of those experiences may. Personality traits that make you unique? Talk about what you think is special about you, I should hope you can think of something 😉

 

[ChubbyChaser]

are you well endowed???

 

[Drogba]

are you well endowed???

Quoting to prevent revision.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Quoting to prevent revision.

If i get banned or probation I am blaming it on you, hahaha!!

 

[xiaoyi666]

how well endowed to = unique?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

how well endowed to = unique?

>2 standard deviations above the mean.

Or if you have enough room to tattoo a ruler on it. Or atleast I think that would be "endowed" enough???

 

[Piyush]

OP, try to find something that is special about you? Maybe you excel at an hobby? In one app I wrote how I like to go hiking and camping in the winters, and how that has taught me to be persistent, courageous, and taught me about risk/resource/options management. And then I spinned it around and said that I can bring some of these qualities to the school in additions to the fact that the school is near some great mountains and I would love to be part of a hiking/camping/outdoors club.


A friend of mines, who had more luck than me this year, wrote very simply that he is quite successful at trading stocks and all that stuff. And how he was able to generate a respectable income while at school without having to commit to a nine-to-five job. And that is a skill and attribute that many pre-meds will not bring to med schools. So, he was unique is his ability to generate income as well as be knowledgeable about finance/accounting/etc.

 

[justapremed]

this, for me, actually, is one of the 10+ essay questions we have to answer before we can get a prehealth committee interview/letter of rec. so by this question, which is #11, i feel like i've already talked about everything else in the first 10 short essays 🙁 i've already dwelled down on how learning a musical instrument taught me perseverence, listening skills, teamwork, etc. same deal for research. same for volunteering or shadowing experiences. i've already mentioned elsewhere my international experiences and independent study courses... i've also talked about what personality traits or qualities would contribute to being a good physician, blah blah blah. i don't think i've left anything out! worse yet, the next question asks me to mention anything *else* that i haven't menionted yet that might add to the admissions process. blahhhh

 

[dd128]

Like someone else said, unless you've won the nobel prize, or something equally awesome, you're not likely to find something totally unique. They're just looking for something to distinguish you from the traditional 12credit/hour per semester, average gpa, average mcat, average ec applicant. Did you work through undergrad for example? take care of sick family members? have an interesting volunteering experience? These things will be seen in other applicants, more than likely, but not as often as some other things.