new app, new essays for all schools?

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sotired

sotired
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hi, just curious, but if i have to reapply next year do i have to get my AMCAS verified all over again (i'm aware that the info rolls over, but does the essay & verification?). also, if i'm going to be reapplying to alot of the same schools (which i have a complete application at) - do i have to do everything all over again? essays, recs, etc? do recommendations have to be updated?

i'm sure it varies from school to school, but i'd just like to get a general idea of how much work its going to be (again)

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You need to resubmit everything. Generally schools also want updated Letters of Rec. I found that one out late and it was a huge pain in the ass. It would be a good idea to get a new/different letter of rec from whatever you have been or will be doing in the year off. So if you are starting to work in a lab get your PI to write a letter of rec. If you are doing a post-bac or SMP, get a professor from that program to write a letter.

Honestly if you were not accepted it would be a good idea to retool your PS and secondary essays. There must be something that can be improved upon besides your stats. Also include what you have done since the last time you applied.
 
thanks for your response. i'm fairly certain that two major things hurt me this cycle- my mcat (28Q - horrible fluke on verbal) and applying late (waited until aug mcat scores came in). my grades are strong, as are my LOR's and ecs. next cycle i'll hopefully have a higher score and possibly a first author and second author paper underneath my belt. i feel like a higher mcat and publications, as well as applying in june, will be a great improvement to my app.

that being said, i will still get a new letter of rec from another person at my current employer(NIH- probably an institute director). i already have six letters in my file- do these need to be updated or can i use these again?

the thought of rewriting all the secondary essays and PS which i spent a GREAT DEAL of time on this year makes my head spin, especially since my opinions about why i want to go to their specific school will not change. i'll do it if i have to, but i am not sure how much of a difference it will make..
 
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I think retaking MCAT is a good idea.

You don't have to re-write everything. You prolly have a good base but there is always improvement that can be made on the PS or secondaries. Make sure to include what you did for the last year or so.

I would contact each school and see if they require new letters. The school I go to now made me scramble to get new letters despite the fact I had them saved in interfolio from the year before. So I sent those old letters in and they said I should get updated letters. Then I had a mad dash to find all the professors and get them to re-write a letter. It was pretty miserable.
 
I think retaking MCAT is a good idea.

You don't have to re-write everything. You prolly have a good base but there is always improvement that can be made on the PS or secondaries. Make sure to include what you did for the last year or so.

I would contact each school and see if they require new letters. The school I go to now made me scramble to get new letters despite the fact I had them saved in interfolio from the year before. So I sent those old letters in and they said I should get updated letters. Then I had a mad dash to find all the professors and get them to re-write a letter. It was pretty miserable.

oh my god. are you serious? that's so ridiculous about having each professor update the letter-
 
I don't mean to split hairs or anything, but were those letters from your previous cycle technically outdated (maybe dated the year before so you didn't quite make the 2-year date limit some schools set)? Or were they within a calendar year of being written and you still had to have them redone? I have some written in May of last year for the 2007 cycle to meet the school's minimum letter requirements, and then some I have had written along the way that I updated the schools with (i.e. fall '06 science prof, volunteer coordinator, etc.). Is everything a waste now or could one maybe use the letters that were not required but submitted last year as the new required letters for 2008 cycle and then supplement throughout the year again? I know it probably goes by the school but I'm curious if anyone can comment because I know many of us are in similar situations with LORs.
 
what i did was rewrote my PS, asked for my LOR recommenders to send in an updated letter with new things that had happened in the past year and how my app has been improved.

yea you'll have to do the entire thing again from AMCAS to secondaries to all the fees. i think you have send in the same transcripts as well.
 
hi, just curious, but if i have to reapply next year do i have to get my AMCAS verified all over again (i'm aware that the info rolls over, but does the essay & verification?). also, if i'm going to be reapplying to alot of the same schools (which i have a complete application at) - do i have to do everything all over again? essays, recs, etc? do recommendations have to be updated?

i'm sure it varies from school to school, but i'd just like to get a general idea of how much work its going to be (again)

So you need to get new LORs again?
 
You might want to get one or two new letters for that same school. When I reapplied, I had 2 new letters but at the same token, most of the schools I applied to were new and more lower-tiered. It can be hard to get new LOR when you are a reapplicant (and didn't plan on being one). For me at least, getting a LOR involves a lot of strategizing, especially if you go to a public univ. Does that prof. write letters at all? Does he seem like a nice guy? What fake questions should I ask at his OH? At what time should I ask for that letter? Start planning to get those new letters NOW, don't wait around until you are no longer taking classes and have no more potential letter writers.
 
I will be:

-Editing my personal statement adding in some new thoughts and expanding on somethings.

-Using the same LORs but adding one more in (from an internship I did this year)

-For the most part, using completely new secondary essays.

-Also, updating AMCAS experiences.
 
i am torn between resubmitting my personal statement (which i thought was rather good, and a few people agree) or rewriting a different one. i'll be using the same lors, with one added. secondary essays aren't that big a deal so i'll rewrite them.
 
Sorry,

I searched for some information on this, but I'm still confused.

As far as re-applying and LORs.....

When I re-apply for the 2008 cycle, I will be two years out of undergrad (graduated spring 2006). I have two science prof LORs from 2006 that should make it timeline wise into my secondaries. However, I have not been taking classes since graduating, I have been working. If I'm applying to some of the same schools again for 2008, do I need to get new/updated science professor LORs from professors I haven't spoken to for a year and a half? Or can I just resubmit those same two letters and have the additional letter(s) reflect my more recent activities?
 
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