Is it asinine to write essays for schools for the next few years so by the time I apply, I have experience with what they entail

[Destalchemy]

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Just rough drafts and just for my state schools.

All the prompts are public and the secondaries are posted on the school specific threads every year. Would there be a benefit to picking them apart to a) get a general feel for what will be asked when the time comes and what holes in my life experience need to be addressed if I get stumped on a question and can't answer adequately b) see how the questions change year after year and how that relates to schools stats, mission, etc

I have a feeling this is a dumb, neurotic idea but at the same time I feel like it could have a tangible benefit ie would give me perspective from a multi year time frame on what schools look for beyond stats and the checked boxes.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

Not dumb, but neurotic and a waste of your time.

 

[xkcd6330]

Just rough drafts and just for my state schools.

All the prompts are public and the secondaries are posted on the school specific threads every year. Would there be a benefit to picking them apart to a) get a general feel for what will be asked when the time comes and what holes in my life experience need to be addressed if I get stumped on a question and can't answer adequately b) see how the questions change year after year and how that relates to schools stats, mission, etc

I have a feeling this is a dumb, neurotic idea but at the same time I feel like it could have a tangible benefit ie would give me perspective from a multi year time frame on what schools look for beyond stats and the checked boxes.

A way better use of your time would be to start keeping a journal (or just a running note on your phone) of meaningful experiences and anecdotes (both clinical and non). This’ll help a ton when writing your essays, since the most powerful ones are based around stories, and it can be overwhelming to just sit down and brainstorm them years later.

 

[deleted1001426]

I mean you do you but to answer your question yes, repeatedly prewriting secondary essays is asinine. You’re better off doing literally anything else but If you really want to do something to help with apps, use that time to go gain experiences that you can write about come time to apply

 

[Goro]

Just rough drafts and just for my state schools.

All the prompts are public and the secondaries are posted on the school specific threads every year. Would there be a benefit to picking them apart to a) get a general feel for what will be asked when the time comes and what holes in my life experience need to be addressed if I get stumped on a question and can't answer adequately b) see how the questions change year after year and how that relates to schools stats, mission, etc

I have a feeling this is a dumb, neurotic idea but at the same time I feel like it could have a tangible benefit ie would give me perspective from a multi year time frame on what schools look for beyond stats and the checked boxes.

Asinine if you don't have the GPA and mCAT score to be competitive for med school.

Focus on doing well right now.

 

[Moko]

Prompts are not going to change significantly year by year. Looking through just a few schools' prompts will give you a good idea of what most schools are looking for. At this time, you are unlikely to have the full breadth of experiences needed to write any meaningful essays. So rather than pre-pre-pre-writing essays, your time can be better spent doing literally almost anything else. Just my thoughts

 

[Destalchemy]

Prompts are not going to change significantly year by year. Looking through just a few schools' prompts will give you a good idea of what most schools are looking for. At this time, you are unlikely to have the full breadth of experiences needed to write any meaningful essays. So rather than pre-pre-pre-writing essays, your time can be better spent doing literally almost anything else. Just my thoughts

I'm 26 so I have more experiences than the average applicant for sure, but I definitely have absorbed the fact that my time can be spent doing literally anything else. I'll merely read the questions, which will take a very small chunk of time, and move on to actual important obligations.

Thanks for the answers everyone. I dont understand why some people have tried to steer me away from SDN because I've honestly found it to be my most valuable resource. Happy holidays.

 

[deleted1001426]

I dont understand why some people have tried to steer me away from SDN because I've honestly found it to be my most valuable resource. Happy holidays.

because come app time this site will induce a level of neuroticism that you never thought possible lol

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

because come app time this site will induce a level of neuroticism that you never thought possible lol

SDN gave me several pretty solid panic attacks both as a med school applicant and a residency applicant. It provokes a lot of anxiety when you see what happens to other people that you perceive to be “better than you”.

But it also has some valuable resources...so at best it’s a mixed bag. I guess I’m still here lol

 

[Rachapkis]

More importantly than the prompts changing over time, YOU will change over time. Record your thoughts and feelings surrounding significant experiences relevant to medical school, keep your resume/CV updated, maintain relationships with profs who you may want recommendations from, and draft the essays when it is time for you to apply.

 

[vomitcom]

Yes

 

[bGMx]

In the time that I began drafting up my first essays to the time that I submitted by final one, my own perception and writing of myself changed. Its not a waste of time, but it will be no closer to your final product than if you were to start writing a couple months prior to submission. You will probably have more refined zingers though 😀

 

[kritten]

I think keeping note of important things that come up in your life that you might want to bring up in your apps will be helpful regardless of if you actually fully write the essay

 

[deleted480308]

Study for mcat and get As in classes

 

[rdyotz]

Just rough drafts and just for my state schools.

All the prompts are public and the secondaries are posted on the school specific threads every year. Would there be a benefit to picking them apart to a) get a general feel for what will be asked when the time comes and what holes in my life experience need to be addressed if I get stumped on a question and can't answer adequately b) see how the questions change year after year and how that relates to schools stats, mission, etc

I have a feeling this is a dumb, neurotic idea but at the same time I feel like it could have a tangible benefit ie would give me perspective from a multi year time frame on what schools look for beyond stats and the checked boxes.

Like others have said, there are better uses of your time. That being said, doing something that requires significant amount of writing and professionalism definitely helps. Looking back at the first secondaries, the essays were horrible and significantly improved by the last one submitted, despite a similar amount of time and revisions. Writing stuff now that requires meticulous detail is good (writing a journal gives ideas to use on secondaries, but lack the revisions that are helpful in making you a better writer)

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Prompts are not going to change significantly year by year. Looking through just a few schools' prompts will give you a good idea of what most schools are looking for. At this time, you are unlikely to have the full breadth of experiences needed to write any meaningful essays. So rather than pre-pre-pre-writing essays, your time can be better spent doing literally almost anything else. Just my thoughts

Disagree. Almost all the schools I applied to completely changed their prompts the year I applied from the previous year. I prewrote all my secondaries and then had to rewrite almost all of them.

But yes I agree it is a waste of time.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I'm 26 so I have more experiences than the average applicant for sure, but I definitely have absorbed the fact that my time can be spent doing literally anything else. I'll merely read the questions, which will take a very small chunk of time, and move on to actual important obligations.

Thanks for the answers everyone. I dont understand why some people have tried to steer me away from SDN because I've honestly found it to be my most valuable resource. Happy holidays.

It’s useful if you are open to advice that you may not have wanted to hear. A lot of people come here just to get confirmation for what they already have decided, and when they don’t get it they just blame SDN for being toxic.

 

[Cornfed101]

If you start prewriting after you submit your primary app you should be fine. That’s what I did and I never felt overwhelmed.

Thanks for the answers everyone. I dont understand why some people have tried to steer me away from SDN because I've honestly found it to be my most valuable resource. Happy holidays.

SDN is mostly very helpful. Take everything with a grain of salt though. Online forums bring out the worst in people, stats aren’t everything, and DO isn’t as bad as some vocal DO med students make it out to be.

Caribbean schools are garbage though. That’s true.

 

[DNAJB6]

My focus would be on grades and test scores... Without those nothing else will matter.