How are those secondaries going for everyone?

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blackkrim said:
That would be helpful! On this topic, how many of you guys are recycling essays pretty frequently?
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Many of my essays share the same themes, but I can't say I reuse any of them verbatim. Try to customize as much as you can to answer the question well.
 
Yeah don't try to force it. I'm trying to start a spreadsheet for myself with topics that I've already answered that can be recycled.

Often it's harder to recycle to fit an essay than it is to just redo it.
 
blackkrim said:
That would be helpful! On this topic, how many of you guys are recycling essays pretty frequently?
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Me. After the first 4-5 secondaries were written up, I've mostly just mixed and matched bits and pieces from each essay to answer all the subsequent ones. I value quick 1-2 day turnaround more than heavy essay revision and stress.
 
ridethecliche said:
Yeah don't try to force it. I'm trying to start a spreadsheet for myself with topics that I've already answered that can be recycled.

Often it's harder to recycle to fit an essay than it is to just redo it.
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A spreadsheet is a great idea.

I've found myself recycling ideas because so many prompts are similar. I haven't just copied and pasted any, but often tell the same story or use the same thoughts between multiple essays.
 
14 out of 28 done (4 didn't have essays though) 🙁
 
gyngyn said:
I see this a lot.
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Yeah, it's hard sometimes because I feel like it is the exact same question, but since one or two words are changed in the question, it makes the essay not fit exactly. In the beginning of my secondaries I was trying to force them, but now I have been just rewriting. I seem to be writing better essays now because I am drawing off my previous essays and adding more as well.
 
SynapticDoctah said:
Yeah, it's hard sometimes because I feel like it is the exact same question, but since one or two words are changed in the question, it makes the essay not fit exactly. In the beginning of my secondaries I was trying to force them, but now I have been just rewriting. I seem to be writing better essays now because I am drawing off my previous essays and adding more as well.
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Sounds like a plan.
 
A few lessons I've picked up so far:

1) Pre-writing the secondaries is a Godsend piece of advice. I wish I adhered.
2) Applying to medical school is a numbers game but many of these schools are looking for specific experiences/backgrounds from their students.
3) Many prompts from schools can be similar but not entirely interchangeable. It's not easy to write about similar experience several times while trying to tie it all together and answer a certain question within the scope of 350 words or 2000 characters. Plus, one neither wants to be too short and not properly address the prompt nor be too repetitive and simply lose/bore the reader.
 
Taco Time said:
A few lessons I've picked up so far:

1) Pre-writing the secondaries is a Godsend piece of advice. I wish I adhered.
2) Applying to medical school is a numbers game but many of these schools are looking for specific experiences/backgrounds from their students.
3) Many prompts from schools can be similar but not entirely interchangeable. It's not easy to write about similar experience several times while trying to tie it all together and answer a certain question within the scope of 350 words or 2000 characters. Plus, one neither wants to be too short and not properly address the prompt nor be too repetitive and simply lose/bore the reader.
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I'm on FAP and I have enough vacation days that I can do a decent job of secondaries. I should be verified in the next two weeks or so and want to have all my secondaries in by mid-late august when my committee letter gets uploaded.

I'm applying to 40 schools precisely for reason #2 you gave. I know this is impossible for some people, but I don't have to pay for secondaries and I didn't know I would qualify for FAP so I saved up money to apply. I spent some of that on primaries instead. Now I play the numbers game. I applied to a good number of my dream schools and if I get done in time, I might even add more to the list if I'm feeling like a glutton for punishment.

Writing papers is so much more fun than talking about myself though, that I'll probably give up lol.
 
ridethecliche said:
I'm on FAP and I have enough vacation days that I can do a decent job of secondaries. I should be verified in the next two weeks or so and want to have all my secondaries in by mid-late august when my committee letter gets uploaded.

I'm applying to 40 schools precisely for reason #2 you gave. I know this is impossible for some people, but I don't have to pay for secondaries and I didn't know I would qualify for FAP so I saved up money to apply. I spent some of that on primaries instead. Now I play the numbers game. I applied to a good number of my dream schools and if I get done in time, I might even add more to the list if I'm feeling like a glutton for punishment.

Writing papers is so much more fun than talking about myself though, that I'll probably give up lol.
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I wish you well as 40 schools is quite an undertaking. I too received FAP and considered applying to a ton of schools, but I held back. Either way, you'll do yourself a huge favor by pre-writing most of them. If you're a great applicant you'll receive your II and be able to plan accordingly--perhaps even have the luxury of not interviewing at some schools while feeling comfortable with your other II.

It is odd writing about yourself but as long as you're properly answering whatever the said prompt is, you're doing fine. Good luck this upcoming cycle!
 
13/20 done so I am behinddddd! I am trying to produce high quality secondaries since I am applying to a lotta schools whose missions I am trying to match. I can be faster, but it takes inspiration man. Also getting my stuff proofread b4 submission takes additional time since english ain't my 1st language -_- Goal is to finish the remaining 7 by the end of the week. BTW, recycling has not been working for me. I have rewritten 99% of the stuff. Rewording takes much longer and doesn't flow as well for me.
 
GOK<3 said:
13/20 done so I am behinddddd! I am trying to produce high quality secondaries since I am applying to a lotta schools whose missions I am trying to match. I can be faster, but it takes inspiration man. Also getting my stuff proofread b4 submission takes additional time since english ain't my 1st language -_- Goal is to finish the remaining 7 by the end of the week. BTW, recycling has not been working for me. I have rewritten 99% of the stuff. Rewording takes much longer and doesn't flow as well for me.
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Don't feel behind, you're in a better position than people who haven't started lol. Also, different strokes for different folks. I hate writing a new essay when I can easily reuse material I've already written. Most of the prompts are the exact same in terms of what they're essentially asking. Just had to cut out or add words (mainly cut out) if the word/character limit was different than the previous secondary's.
 
Ace Khalifa said:
Don't feel behind, you're in a better position than people who haven't started lol. Also, different strokes for different folks. I hate writing a new essay when I can easily reuse material I've already written. Most of the prompts are the exact same in terms of what they're essentially asking. Just had to cut out or add words (mainly cut out) if the word/character limit was different than the previous secondary's.
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trust me I want to reuse my stuff!! But, only the diversity essays have been sorta useful. Rest of the questions for me have been different -_-
For instance take these prompts: "If not medicine what else would you choose? vs 2) If not science what else?
Can't write the same essay for both, unless you picked something non-science to begin with.. So had to write 2 different essays. I have started hoping schools don't ask for more that 750-1000 characters LMAO!
 
GOK<3 said:
trust me I want to reuse my stuff!! But, only the diversity essays have been sorta useful. Rest of the questions for me have been different -_-
For instance take these prompts: "If not medicine what else would you choose? vs 2) If not science what else?
Can't write the same essay for both, unless you picked something non-science to begin with.. So had to write 2 different essays. I have started hoping schools don't ask for more that 750-1000 characters LMAO!
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i've found that there are alotta "what challenges you've faced" essays that can be adapted/reused
 
hoihaie said:
i've found that there are alotta "what challenges you've faced" essays that can be adapted/reused
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Yeah, I have def seen that in a few of my essays that I have yet to write. Maybe I'm over analyzing it. I hope these people read all our secondaries, coz I sure am putting a lotta work into them LOL!
 
Taco Time said:
I wish you well as 40 schools is quite an undertaking. I too received FAP and considered applying to a ton of schools, but I held back. Either way, you'll do yourself a huge favor by pre-writing most of them. If you're a great applicant you'll receive your II and be able to plan accordingly--perhaps even have the luxury of not interviewing at some schools while feeling comfortable with your other II.

It is odd writing about yourself but as long as you're properly answering whatever the said prompt is, you're doing fine. Good luck this upcoming cycle!
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Thanks, you too!

I'm an okay applicant. GPA is slightly higher than 3.5 and I got a 34 (12/11/11) first test was a 30 (11/9/10). I've got a lot of work experience in clinical research and have some pubs in the work. It's all a crapshoot anyway, so lets see what happens.
 
gyngyn said:
Now that most of us have better software we are keeping up with applications as they come in. We've already screened a couple of thousand.
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Oh no!!!! I'm still in the writing process and the hoping-to-hear process. If you've already read them but haven't gotten any interview invitations, I suppose I'm already at the end-of-the-line process.
 
21 Submitted
7 Waiting for submission/to be written
6 Waiting for secondary
 
22 Submitted. Just waiting for two schools in Philly..... 😉
 
ridethecliche said:
Thanks, you too!

I'm an okay applicant. GPA is slightly higher than 3.5 and I got a 34 (12/11/11) first test was a 30 (11/9/10). I've got a lot of work experience in clinical research and have some pubs in the work. It's all a crapshoot anyway, so lets see what happens.
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Applying broadly should be good enough then. As long as you don't have any red flags, you should get in this cycle--congrats!
 
hello fellow sufferers. just realized something that might help y'all. when writing secondaries with character limits, don't forget to delete all spaces after sentences that end paragraphs. not sure if all programs count those, but that's definitely saved me space and helped me get under those pesky character limits. happy writing!
 
I have submitted all 27 that I've received. Still waiting on UCLA, Drexel, and Vandy (though I probably won't get one from Vandy). I pre-wrote everything. I think there were like 5 essays I had to write after getting the secondaries, since the prompts had changed. But I'm SO glad that I pre-wrote -- I have turned everything around in 24 hours, and I don't have to worry about quality too much at this point because I spent such a long time carefully editing my essays when I initially wrote them two months ago. But I definitely find myself reusing, especially for the diversity and challenge essays. I haven't come across any where the wording is so different that my essays don't fit. Another that I've reused a few times is the "what do you expect your career to be in XX number of years". Other than that, though, most of my essays have been unique. I have pulled paragraphs or sentences or fragments from other essays though.

Hopefully it all works out 🙂
 
I have a dilemma about secondary questions that touch on what inspired me to pursue medicine (also applies to why I want to be a doctor).

A recent thread from @DermViser stirred memories from a horrifying event I witnessed some time ago. I'll keep things vague to respect the victim and his/her family, so please don't ask me for the details. Be satisfied that they're worse than you think.

This event didn't directly influence my decision to pursue medicine (I suppose if you're Dr. Mengele you'd think otherwise), but it did make me understand the value of human life in terms most people never will. That, in it's own way, greatly contributed to my decision to become a physician. In short, I believe in the spirit of the profession and the dignity it affords the suffering.

I've never discussed this with anyone not pertaining to the event. Yes, it shaped my outlook on life. Yes, it is partly the reason why I'm applying to medical school. Nevertheless, I'm not sure whether it's right to share this evil with anyone else, especially since I don't even know how to begin. I think it gives context to a lot of my motivation, which is why I'm posting this question.

In short, this incredible evil makes me want to do incredible good. I just don't know if sharing it is the right thing to do.
 
kthxbai said:
I have a dilemma about secondary questions that touch on what inspired me to pursue medicine (also applies to why I want to be a doctor).

A recent thread from @DermViser stirred memories from a horrifying event I witnessed some time ago. I'll keep things vague to respect the victim and his/her family, so please don't ask me for the details. Be satisfied that they're worse than you think.

This event didn't directly influence my decision to pursue medicine (I suppose if you're Dr. Mengele you'd think otherwise), but it did make me understand the value of human life in terms most people never will. That, in it's own way, greatly contributed to my decision to become a physician. In short, I believe in the spirit of the profession and the dignity it affords the suffering.

I've never discussed this with anyone not pertaining to the event. Yes, it shaped my outlook on life. Yes, it is partly the reason why I'm applying to medical school. Nevertheless, I'm not sure whether it's right to share this evil with anyone else, especially since I don't even know how to begin. I think it gives context to a lot of my motivation, which is why I'm posting this question.

In short, this incredible evil makes me want to do incredible good. I just don't know if sharing it is the right thing to do.
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Um, which thread?
 
kthxbai said:
I was a witness to a sadistic murder, which means I can't discuss details anyway (and won't - the family doesn't need it in the unlikely event they'll see it here). I just wanted to touch on the motivation it gave me to ultimately pursue medicine.

Just FYI, while I was able to handle what I saw without any psychological trauma (no meds, no PTSD, etc), it was still rough for a long while. This is why it's hard to discuss it even in vague terms.
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I wouldn't use it. Way too risky as to what could be extrapolated about you.
 
kthxbai said:
I was a witness to a sadistic murder, which means I can't discuss details anyway (and won't - the family doesn't need it in the unlikely event they'll see it here). I just wanted to touch on the motivation it gave me to ultimately pursue medicine.

Just FYI, while I was able to handle what I saw without any psychological trauma (no meds, no PTSD, etc), it was still rough for a long while. This is why it's hard to discuss it even in vague terms.
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This is entirely your call. If you put into your application, be prepared to talk about it dispassionately.
 
kthxbai said:
I was a witness to a sadistic murder, which means I can't discuss details anyway (and won't - the family doesn't need it in the unlikely event they'll see it here). I just wanted to touch on the motivation it gave me to ultimately pursue medicine.

Just FYI, while I was able to handle what I saw without any psychological trauma (no meds, no PTSD, etc), it was still rough for a long while. This is why it's hard to discuss it even in vague terms.
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i guess could you take a news article clipping with you to any interview for proof of your presence there. That must have been a really rough time tho, I hope all is well
 
DermViser said:
I wouldn't use it. Way too risky as to what could be extrapolated about you.
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I was the material witness who put these bastards away for life, if you're wondering about what I'd done.

It also have me the motivation to actively do good - for my sanity and the victim's memory
 
kthxbai said:
I was the material witness who put these bastards away for life, if you're wondering about what I'd done.

It also have me the motivation to actively do good - for my sanity and the victim's memory
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It's not what you did that is the issue. It's that a heinous crime (murder) spurred you to pursue medicine. There are enough weirdos in medicine as it is. Medical schools will hedge their bets.
 
kthxbai said:
That's exactly what I said it didn't do. That, right there, would have been sick.

I simply realized the sanctity of human life in terms others don't normally do. Very hard to get this point if you weren't in my shoes.
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I'm not saying that. This is how committees will interpret it, right or wrong.
 
troy_whole_brain_crying.gif
 
I have no money left, yay. Have submitted 14/28. Will be submitting another 8 today and then hopefully 6 tomorrow
 
NTheo91 said:
I feel like everyone is applying to 20+ schools. Isn't ~15 schools average?
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I think 15-20 is "normal", I'm applying to more because I'm from California and my (average) MCAT score is expiring after this year, and I really don't want to have to retake and face the new MCAT
 
NTheo91 said:
I feel like everyone is applying to 20+ schools. Isn't ~15 schools average?
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I've noticed people on SDN tend to apply to more (including me), and that could be for a number of reasons. I am guessing most "normal" people apply to 10-15 though.
 
I applied to the 18 that were free due to waivers (15MD & 3DO). Then I started getting nervous because my mcat is a bit low, so I started adding a couple more schools every time I got a paycheck. At this point, I think I'm done. All that's left are top tier schools that I have no chance at and schools that are in a location I couldn't live with.
 
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