Out of the country in July. Secondaries?

[turtles43]

I will be out of the country from July 3-July 19th without electricity or access to my email. My application was verified June 8th. Will this mess up my timeline of applying early if I am unable to submit or write secondaries during this time? When do secondaries typically arrive?

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[ed*26]

You should expect to receive secondaries during that time (and probably some before then). If you truly won't have access to electricity or email then you can't help that, and there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that the "2 week rule" of turning around secondaries may not apply. I'd suggest looking up the last years' prompts so you can still work on them during that time. You could then have them ready to go for when you return, or for the (however remote) possibility that you do run into some internet. If anything, you'll have some fresh and unique experiences to talk about! What you don't want is for secondaries you received July 3rd to be delayed into late August or September.

 

[turtles43]

You should expect to receive secondaries during that time (and probably some before then). If you truly won't have access to electricity or email then you can't help that, and there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that the "2 week rule" of turning around secondaries may not apply. I'd suggest looking up the last years' prompts so you can still work on them during that time. You could then have them ready to go for when you return, or for the (however remote) possibility that you do run into some internet. If anything, you'll have some fresh and unique experiences to talk about! What you don't want is for secondaries you received July 3rd to be delayed into late August or September.

I appreciate your response. So if I receive a secondary July 3rd, and I submit on say July 25th it won't be too damaging?

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I give it a 4/10 in terms of how bad a decision it is to leave civilization instead of working on your secondaries.

 

[turtles43]

I give it a 4/10 in terms of how bad a decision it is to leave civilization instead of working on your secondaries.

It isn't the best timing, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to save baby sea turtles in Costa Rica!

 

[Espressso]

I was curious about this as well. I may have to travel to the other side of the globe for two weeks in August and I was curious how this would play out. I'm crossing my fingers I don't have to though.

 

[turtles43]

I was curious about this as well. I may have to travel to the other side of the globe for two weeks in August and I was curious how this would play out. I'm crossing my fingers I don't have to though.

Where would you be going?

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

It isn't the best timing, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to save baby sea turtles in Costa Rica!

Upgrade to 7/10.

 

[Toutie]

Upgrade to 7/10.

Exactly. While helping baby turtles is certainly a noble endeavor...to be out of the country at a time when you should be concentrating all your efforts on getting into medical school is an unwise decision at best. In the end, it may not hurt you to get your secondaries in a bit late...but I really have to question your logic in this decision.

 

[turtles43]

Exactly. While helping baby turtles is certainly a noble endeavor...to be out of the country at a time when you should be concentrating all your efforts on getting into medical school is an unwise decision at best. In the end, it may not hurt you to get your secondaries in a bit late...but I really have to question your logic in this decision.

It is a research course through my university. I hardly think gaining lab experience, doing field research, and having an amazing life experience is an unwise decision.

 

[ed*26]

Submit by early August and you should be fine. There's no need to shut down your entire life to apply to medical school (sometimes people on sdn can't quite do that).

 

[turtles43]

Submit by early August and you should be fine. There's no need to shut down your entire life to apply to medical school (sometimes people on sdn can't quite do that).

It seems that way, doesn't it? I found out from my professor that I will only be without internet July 3-11 so i'm not as worried as I was previously. Thank you!

 

[y123]

It seems that way, doesn't it? I found out from my professor that I will only be without internet July 3-11 so i'm not as worried as I was previously. Thank you!

Roaming does not cost a lot. I cannot live without Internet so I always pay for that. Anyway one week without internet won't hurt you at all.

 

[iforget2]

Would it be possible to just type and save up your secondaries using prompts from previous years and submit them when you get back? Saving sea turtles sounds awesome btw!

 

[turtles43]

Would it be possible to just type and save up your secondaries using prompts from previous years and submit them when you get back? Saving sea turtles sounds awesome btw!

So I've collected all of the prompts from previous years for the schools I am applying to, and prioritized them based off of when they typically send out the prompts. I am going to try and have them all written or at least started before I leave. I think it will all work out!

But, thank you! I am very excited about this opportunity.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Download the secondary prompts from all your schools from the SDN school specific discussion 16-17 threads, write them while you're away, and submit them once you have internet access. You should be totally fine.

 

[turtles43]

Download the secondary prompts from all your schools from the SDN school specific discussion 16-17 threads, write them while you're away, and submit them once you have internet access. You should be totally fine.

Thank you!

 

[neekzg]

So I've collected all of the prompts from previous years for the schools I am applying to, and prioritized them based off of when they typically send out the prompts. I am going to try and have them all written or at least started before I leave. I think it will all work out!

But, thank you! I am very excited about this opportunity.

It looks like you're prepared to troubleshoot around your excursion. Although I'm not a huge advocate of pre-writing, you're kind of leaving in the midst of a flurry of secondaries. I would work on them before you leave as much as you can so you can enjoy your trip a bit more. For the ones you expect to receive a bit earlier, I would try to have those basically done before or during your trip. If you submit those as soon as you get internet access, you'll still be at a good pace.

 

[Gurby]

It isn't the best timing, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to save baby sea turtles in Costa Rica!

What about those poor, downtrodden seagulls who depend on baby turtles as a food source? What about them huh? #seagulllivesmatter

 

[turtles43]

It looks like you're prepared to troubleshoot around your excursion. Although I'm not a huge advocate of pre-writing, you're kind of leaving in the midst of a flurry of secondaries. I would work on them before you leave as much as you can so you can enjoy your trip a bit more. For the ones you expect to receive a bit earlier, I would try to have those basically done before or during your trip. If you submit those as soon as you get internet access, you'll still be at a good pace.

Out of curiousity, why don't you advocate pre-writing?

 

[OMG I'm going to be an MD]

Out of curiousity, why don't you advocate pre-writing?

This question wasn't directed at me, but I firmly advocate you pre-write your secondaries and give them to everyone you want to proof read it before you leave. This way, all you have to do is copy and paste/ fill in any other info requested on the secondary application(s). I was worried last year that doing so would be a wasted effort since prompts could change, but I think most school re-use theirs. All the schools I applied to used to have been using the same prompt for the last 5 years for sure.
BTW, I wouldn't call your decision unwise, on the contrary, I think it's very lovely of you to save baby turtles. However, applying to medical school is weird, if you don't do some kind of shutting down your life, you may just have to repeat the process again. Hopefully you get II to all the schools you applied to, you'll need to take at least two consecutive days off for each school. Chose your future commitment wisely. Good luck!

 

[neekzg]

Out of curiousity, why don't you advocate pre-writing?

to each his own but I wanted a mental break from med school-related stuff after submitting my primary.

 

[turtles43]

This question wasn't directed at me, but I firmly advocate you pre-write your secondaries and give them to everyone you want to proof read it before you leave. This way, all you have to do is copy and paste/ fill in any other info requested on the secondary application(s). I was worried last year that doing so would be a wasted effort since prompts could change, but I think most school re-use theirs. All the schools I applied to used to have been using the same prompt for the last 5 years for sure.
BTW, I wouldn't call your decision unwise, on the contrary, I think it's very lovely of you to save baby turtles. However, applying to medical school is weird, if you don't do some kind of shutting down your life, you may just have to repeat the process again. Hopefully you get II to all the schools you applied to, you'll need to take at least two consecutive days off for each school. Chose your future commitment wisely. Good luck!

I appreciate your response! I have been working hard to pre-write my secondaries. I have certainly shut down many aspects of my life for medical school (mcat, primary applications, etc.) This trip was a last minute opportunity that I couldn't turn down. Thank you for a kind response!

 

[turtles43]

to each his own but I wanted a mental break from med school-related stuff after submitting my primary.

I have definitely taken a break since I submitted my primary on June 7th. I have just started my secondaries yesterday actually, and it has been a much-needed break!

 

[Spector1]

probably just prewrite your secondaries like crazy

 

[OMG I'm going to be an MD]

I appreciate your response! I have been working hard to pre-write my secondaries. I have certainly shut down many aspects of my life for medical school (mcat, primary applications, etc.) This trip was a last minute opportunity that I couldn't turn down. Thank you for a kind response!

hear that ma! I gave a kind response. Guess who's going to go ahead and have Popsicle and donuts for breakfast

 

[Espressso]

Where would you be going?

I would be traveling to Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and possibly London and Austria too. My father is going and I'd like to join, ideally. But, I kinda fall in line with @neekzg 's logic in that I sort of want a break since submitting my primary before writing all the secondaries. If I travel with my dad, I would definitely have to start writing them now.

 

[turtles43]

I would be traveling to Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and possibly London and Austria too. My father is going and I'd like to join, ideally. But, I kinda fall in line with @neekzg 's logic in that I sort of want a break since submitting my primary before writing all the secondaries. If I travel with my dad, I would definitely have to start writing them now.

That sounds incredible! I could never pass that up!