is it too early to send an update letter?

[alexagator]

[for those schools that accept pre-interview contact/updates]
I was complete at most of my schools in late July/very early August.
So far, 1 rejection and the rest absolute silence.
I have started a new health-related organization that I did not put down on my app, as back then it was something I had tentative plans for but now that I have a lot more free time, I've been able to actually make this happen. Would this warrant an update letter? or is it too early at this stage?

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[NotASerialKiller]

It's more about what the update is than when you send it for schools that accept them. Can you give a few more details about this organization? If it's some huge initiative that you started then it could be worth it, if it's something that has a name and exists but hasn't really done anything yet then maybe not.

 

[Goro]

Do you really think that an Admission Dean will run out of his office and scream out to @gonnif: "We have to inivte this kid!!!. He just started a new health-related organization!!!"


??????

[for those schools that accept pre-interview contact/updates]
I was complete at most of my schools in late July/very early August.
So far, 1 rejection and the rest absolute silence.
I have started a new health-related organization that I did not put down on my app, as back then it was something I had tentative plans for but now that I have a lot more free time, I've been able to actually make this happen. Would this warrant an update letter? or is it too early at this stage?

 

[Lancer]

Very few items are worth an update letter: most can wait for interview.

Some items that would be worthy are:

Paper accepted for publication
Invitation to present at conference
Winning a worthy award
Successful completion of some major project or event (eg summer research at NIH)

Not to hijack this thread, but didn't want to make another one of these threads, would having an abstract accepted for a poster presentation at a conference merit an update letter to schools this early?

@Goro ?

 

[Goro]

might be OK. Proof of research productivity is always good, unless it's a student symposium at your own UG school.

Not to hijack this thread, but didn't want to make another one of these threads, would having an abstract accepted for a poster presentation at a conference merit an update letter to schools this early?

@Goro ?

 

[alexagator]

Do you really think that an Admission Dean will run out of his office and scream out to @gonnif: "We have to inivte this kid!!!. He just started a new health-related organization!!!"


??????

lol obviously not... that's not what I'm aiming for. more so that they'll see I'm being productive during this year and may be more likely to extend an interview invite

 

[Goro]

Words are easy, doing is hard.

Send the update when you actually accomplish something.

lol obviously not... that's not what I'm aiming for. more so that they'll see I'm being productive during this year and may be more likely to extend an interview invite

 

[Affiche]

Words are easy, doing is hard.

Send the update when you actually accomplish something.

I don't think this holds true for every school. Central Florida, for example, allows up to three updates throughout the cycle. Georgetown expects an update each month post-interview. It doesn't seem like every school only expects updates for things like publications or conferences.

 

[Goro]

True, but as my post was getting at, what the Op is up to isn't exactly screaming II material.

gonnif's list, absolutely.

I don't think this holds true for every school. Central Florida, for example, allows up to three updates throughout the cycle. Georgetown expects an update each month post-interview. It doesn't seem like every school only expects updates for things like publications or conferences.

 

[Affiche]

True, but as my post was getting at, what the Op is up to isn't exactly screaming II material.

gonnif's list, absolutely.

What about the schools that generally encourage update letters? What would be appropriate to include? I'm asking because this applies to me haha but my research is cohort-based so I won't be published any time soon.

 

[Goro]

The OP Pm'd me and it might be Ok after a few months of getting his project up and running.

But the idea of "I'm starting ___ (shadowing, volunteering etc)" doesn't do anything for me.

What about the schools that generally encourage update letters? What would be appropriate to include? I'm asking because this applies to me haha but my research is cohort-based so I won't be published any time soon.

 

[Affiche]

The OP Pm'd me and it might be Ok after a few months of getting his project up and running.

But the idea of "I'm starting ___ (shadowing, volunteering etc)" doesn't do anything for me.

That's not what I'm asking. What is appropriate to update a school on, assuming they expect an update, if you aren't being published or attending conferences? What else is helpful to update schools on?

 

[PugsAndHugs]

That's not what I'm asking. What is appropriate to update a school on, assuming they expect an update, if you aren't being published or attending conferences? What else is helpful to update schools on?

Very few items are worth an update letter: most can wait for interview.

Some items that would be worthy are:

Paper accepted for publication
Invitation to present at conference
Winning a worthy award
Successful completion of some major project or event (eg summer research at NIH)

 

[Affiche]

Double post.

 

[Affiche]

That doesn't answer my question either lol. There are schools that expect updates from their applicants (specifically Georgetown). I'm asking what I can include beyond gonnif's list that would be helpful. If they expect me to update them (they do) then I'm not going to blow that off because I haven't met one of the three things gonnif finds important. His list holds true for most schools, but not all, and it's these exceptions that I'm asking for advice on.

 

[Goro]

Having filled a major hole in your CV, like shadowing docs for > 50 hrs, performing > 100 hrs of some volunteer function, or, the best, a semester's worth of good grades. Maybe a promotion at a job?? Or having a charity/foundation that you've establish meet some significant fund-raising goal.

That's all that I can think of.

That's not what I'm asking. What is appropriate to update a school on, assuming they expect an update, if you aren't being published or attending conferences? What else is helpful to update schools on?

 

[Affiche]

Having filled a major hole in your CV, like shadowing docs for > 50 hrs, performing > 100 hrs of some volunteer function, or, the best, a semester's worth of good grades. Maybe a promotion at a job?? Or having a charity/foundation that you've establish meet some significant fund-raising goal.

That's all that I can think of.

Thanks!!! Didn't think my dinky promotion was worth noting lol

 

[Lawpy]

Very few items are worth an update letter: most can wait for interview.

Some items that would be worthy are:

Paper accepted for publication
Invitation to present at conference
Winning a worthy award
Successful completion of some major project or event (eg summer research at NIH)

Do you really think that an Admission Dean will run out of his office and scream out to @gonnif: "We have to inivte this kid!!!. He just started a new health-related organization!!!"


??????

I don't think this holds true for every school. Central Florida, for example, allows up to three updates throughout the cycle. Georgetown expects an update each month post-interview. It doesn't seem like every school only expects updates for things like publications or conferences.

Not surprisingly, Goro/gonnif suggestions are in concordance with the update policy of most schools, so Georgetown (a low-yield school with thousands of apps) requiring a monthly update is a rare oddball. Of course, the idea is to provide something meaningful and worthwhile in the update since no one wants to read filler or things that didn't change much.

 

[caffeinemia]

Having filled a major hole in your CV, like shadowing docs for > 50 hrs, performing > 100 hrs of some volunteer function, or, the best, a semester's worth of good grades. Maybe a promotion at a job?? Or having a charity/foundation that you've establish meet some significant fund-raising goal.

That's all that I can think of.

As a future surgeon, I've taken it upon myself to update all adcoms of my daily bowel habits. Yes, I'm passing both flatus and stool this am. Obstruction resolved.

 

[Affiche]

Not surprisingly, Goro/gonnif suggestions resonate with the update policy of most schools, so Georgetown (a low-yield school with thousands of apps) requiring a monthly update is a rare oddball. Of course, the idea is to provide something meaningful and worthwhile in the update since no one wants to read filler or things that didn't change much.

I said exactly this already lol.

 

[Easonred57]

I said exactly this already lol.

For my UCF update letter, I put a new publication, a new poster presentation, and 50 more hours of clinical volunteering. Just to give an example. But I would also include any job promotions or increased responsbility (though not necessarily by themselves, can be a nice supplement to other things)

 

[Lawpy]

As a future surgeon, I've taken it upon myself to update all adcoms of my daily bowel habits. Yes, I'm passing both flatus and stool this am. Obstruction resolved.

Well at least that show your not completely full of ****

 

[caffeinemia]

Well at least that show your not completely full of ****

I was, but the ng tube removed all that feculent material