How influential are updates?

[buckoh24]

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As the cycle comes to an end, I am left trying to figure out what I could improve for the next cycle. I sent 2 updates to schools (some of them only got 1 because I was cut before I could send the second) and I was wondering if these were actually taken into consideration? I sent one to a school and got rejected 5 min later but they probably had made up their mind at that point. If I were to apply again this cycle without taking a cycle off, the things that would change on my app are those that were already listed in my update and Im unsure if that will be seen as an improvement or not. Has anybody had any positive outcomes from sending in an update? I know some schools say they encourage updates while others say they just accept them and it seems like the ones that say they merely accept updates dont really take them into consideration as much. Would putting my update info into my primary make my app stronger or will it be seen the same as my previous app?

 

[DelayedGratification]

The influence of updates really depend on what it is. In my opinion,
A better MCAT score, grades = influential.
Publications, awards = moderately influential
Significant healthcare experience, research = possibly influential

All else = doesn't really matter


The more i think about it, during the application season its difficult for anything to be very influential. Schools are already under a stack of applications, they have minimal time to update. It likely only matters post-II.

But in a new application cycle, these updates can be a big difference

 

[Jdp00921]

As the cycle comes to an end, I am left trying to figure out what I could improve for the next cycle. I sent 2 updates to schools (some of them only got 1 because I was cut before I could send the second) and I was wondering if these were actually taken into consideration? I sent one to a school and got rejected 5 min later but they probably had made up their mind at that point. If I were to apply again this cycle without taking a cycle off, the things that would change on my app are those that were already listed in my update and Im unsure if that will be seen as an improvement or not. Has anybody had any positive outcomes from sending in an update? I know some schools say they encourage updates while others say they just accept them and it seems like the ones that say they merely accept updates dont really take them into consideration as much. Would putting my update info into my primary make my app stronger or will it be seen the same as my previous app?

Most SDN advice about reapplication includes a year between cycles rather than applying again immediately. The gap gives you enough time to decide what you need to improve and then formulate and complete a plan of action. Reapplying too early can really hurt you; definitely don't rush into anything without seriously considering your short-comings.

With regard to updates, as mentioned above, I think updates likely make the most difference after interviewing. Some schools I applied to this cycle said that they do not want updates prior to an II from the get-go.

 

[buckoh24]

Most SDN advice about reapplication includes a year between cycles rather than applying again immediately. The gap gives you enough time to decide what you need to improve and then formulate and complete a plan of action. Reapplying too early can really hurt you; definitely don't rush into anything without seriously considering your short-comings.

With regard to updates, as mentioned above, I think updates likely make the most difference after interviewing. Some schools I applied to this cycle said that they do not want updates prior to an II from the get-go.

Yeah so my PI is an adcom and we are going to meet and see if what I did over the year made up for my shortcomings and see if reapplying this cycle would be advisable. All of my updates were Pre II and one top 10 adcom gave me advice and said my updates would have helped make my application much stronger....but I did send them the updates so thats why Im questioning if pre II updates are taken into consideration much. Im in a gap year so didnt have any grade/MCAT updates. Mostly just EC related updates which the adcom said my ECs were the weak point overall (such as having no research and some activities I started soon after submitting). I would only submit again if my shortcomings were things like working on my PS/essays, writing more eloquently about my activities, or submitting more quickly. If its something more longitudinal then I will take the cycle off.

 

[boogiecousins94]

I had 3II and two came from schools that I couldn't send an update until after I got the interview.

I sent 2-3 to every school that accepted them with 2 second author pubs, a first author international abstract, 2500 more hours of full time research, 100+hrs of volunteering, a few grades. It didn't influence my app to any of them and got rejected from all of them.

I would argue they are useful to schools that accept them post-II but before you actually interview so it's in your file. But before an II? I have no idea- I thought my updates were substantial but nothing came out of it which could just mean I would've been rejected anyway

 

[buckoh24]

I had 3II and two came from schools that I couldn't send an update until after I got the interview.

I sent 2-3 to every school that accepted them with 2 second author pubs, a first author international abstract, 2500 more hours of full time research, 100+hrs of volunteering, a few grades. It didn't influence my app to any of them and got rejected from all of them.

I would argue they are useful to schools that accept them post-II but before you actually interview so it's in your file. But before an II? I have no idea- I thought my updates were substantial but nothing came out of it which could just mean I would've been rejected anyway

Thats why Im trying to figure out if Pre II updates really do anything. I added like 1400 hours of research and 1 mid author international abstract (Im not presenting it at the conference tho) so far and I had 0 on my primary. 60 more shadowing hours with 30 in primary care (had 15 total and 0 primary care before). Over 100 hours of community/clinical volunteering. But since I sent them pre II, I feel like they didnt really do anything even tho I improved on a lot of areas I was lacking before. I even sent a LOR from my PI along with one of my updates and idk if that even did much pre II. Got 2 IIs and one school doesnt take updated pre or post II so Im feeling like all my gap year stuff didnt really make an impact on my app which is a bit frustrating.

 

[DelayedGratification]

Thats why Im trying to figure out if Pre II updates really do anything. I added like 1400 hours of research and 1 mid author international abstract (Im not presenting it at the conference tho) so far and I had 0 on my primary. 60 more shadowing hours with 30 in primary care (had 15 total and 0 primary care before). Over 100 hours of community/clinical volunteering. But since I sent them pre II, I feel like they didnt really do anything even tho I improved on a lot of areas I was lacking before. I even sent a LOR from my PI along with one of my updates and idk if that even did much pre II. Got 2 IIs and one school doesnt take updated pre or post II so Im feeling like all my gap year stuff didnt really make an impact on my app which is a bit frustrating.

The gap year stuff will aid when you reapply, its just the unfortunate nature of AMCAS since it doesn't allow updates post verification. The good thing is that it allows for future hours

 

[buckoh24]

The gap year stuff will aid when you reapply, its just the unfortunate nature of AMCAS since it doesn't allow updates post verification. The good thing is that it allows for future hours

Yeah my problem was that I started the activities after. So I got my job offer like 1 week after my primary was verified, started my community volunteering in sept. So I couldnt put them in the primary which I think would have helped a lot more if I had known earlier. I assumed that updates pre II would be treated like adding another activity/experience to AMCAS but that doesnt seem to be the case. Im way more confident about my app now and Im not opposed to another gap year but applying is expensive and Im likely to not have my debt from this cycle paid off before the next one even starts. And due to my parents financial status, I dont qualify for FAP who Im an independent (applying this cycle cost about 1/3 of my yearly gross income which hit me hard).