Reapplicant Secondary Essay Structure Help
I’m struggling with how to best approach the reapplicant questions on secondaries and would love some clarity. These are the last changes im making before I submit these secondaries and i need help haha.
Main questions I have:
What I’ve changed since last cycle:
How I’m interpreting the prompts:
My concern: Some of these reflections (from my job, etc.) aren’t explicitly written in my PS or activities. Will schools think it’s inconsistent if I mention them here? Or is it fine since these questions are meant to highlight growth beyond the written primary?
Reapplicant Prompts Below
I’m struggling with how to best approach the reapplicant questions on secondaries and would love some clarity. These are the last changes im making before I submit these secondaries and i need help haha.
Main questions I have:
- For schools where I’m not a reapplicant, should I ever mention that I applied before?
- For schools that ask reapplicant questions, should my answers focus only on the direct, tangible changes in my application (new PS, new activities, etc.), or should I also discuss reflection and growth?
- Is it okay to mention personal/professional growth experiences that aren’t explicitly listed in my AMCAS primary/secondaries? Or does that seem like I’m “making things up” since they won’t see it elsewhere in the app?
What I’ve changed since last cycle:
- Completely new personal statement (more reflective, less descriptive).
- Revised activities: added new meaningful activity (CRC role), added publications and a poster, replaced weaker/bare-bones entries with stronger ones.
- Only “new” addition since last year: started doing independent research with a PI.
- Otherwise, I’ve continued in my CRC job, with new projects but same position.
How I’m interpreting the prompts:
- Direct / factual prompts (e.g., BU, UF): I plan to answer by listing changes directly (new PS, activities, research, etc.), with some reflection only to explain why I made those changes.
- Reflective prompts (e.g., FAU, Drexel): I think these want more discussion of growth and new perspectives (e.g., deeper understanding of longitudinal physician-patient relationships, research shaping care, etc.).
My concern: Some of these reflections (from my job, etc.) aren’t explicitly written in my PS or activities. Will schools think it’s inconsistent if I mention them here? Or is it fine since these questions are meant to highlight growth beyond the written primary?
Reapplicant Prompts Below
- BU: 5. [REAPPLICANTS ONLY] Use this space to highlight aspects of your application that have changed since your last application. (300 words)
- UF: 2.) If you are a reapplicant to UF COM, please briefly describe your approach to preparing for a new application and specific changes from your previous application.
- FAU: 7) If you are a reapplicant for medical school, please share examples of personal or professional experiences that you believe have strengthened your application, contributed to your growth, and have better prepared you for the rigors of medical school since your initial application. (1600 characters)
- Drexel: 3. If you have applied to medical school before, reflect on any meaningful experiences, growth, or updates that you feel have enhanced your application since the last time you applied. If this is your first application cycle, simply type “N/A” in the response area.
