Minimizing damage for next year's cycle

[Audisudden]

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I am in the process of applying to medical school and submitted my primaries to 20+ schools. Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, I did not submit many of my secondaries. If I do so now, I would just be barely making their deadlines. At this point, I realize that I will be a reapplicant next year, but I’m wondering how bad I’ll look to schools to be reapplicant that didn’t submit a secondary. Should I submit my secondaries this cycle or should I just withdraw and apply next year? I realize that it is in late in the cycle and I don’t expect any acceptances, I just want to minimize any damage for next year’s cycle.

 

[Go4Doc]

From what I understand, as soon as you sent your primary application to a school, you became an official applicant in there eyes. Therefore, regardless of whether or not you have complete a secondary this year, when you apply next year you'll show up as a reapplicant.

Therefore, the best damage control you can probably do right now is to avoid wrecking your bank accoubt by sending in secondaries this late in the cycle. Unless you have some superstar stats and remarkable ECs, your odds of acceptance at this point are slim to none. I'd also recommend trying to apply to at least a few different programs next year so that you're not a reapplicant at every school you apply to.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Don't worry. Schools won't reject you for being a re-applicant without asking why you are a re-applicant, which no doubt most of them will (either through secondary and/or interview). Once you tell them, they'll most likely be fine with it.

Being a re-applicant in general doesn't necessarily hurt.

 

[Go4Doc]

Don't worry. Schools won't reject you for being a re-applicant without asking why you are a re-applicant, which no doubt most of them will (either through secondary and/or interview). Once you tell them, they'll most likely be fine with it.

Being a re-applicant in general doesn't necessarily hurt.

That too. Sorry I didn't clarify that. As long as you're an applicant in their stat range, they won't reject you outright without investigation. Just have a reasonable and succinct answer ready when they ask. May even be able to turn it into an answer for some of their secondaries. (E.g. "What isn't on your application that you would like us to know")

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Some secondaries also directly call out re-applicants to explain the situation