Planning a Trip During the Onset of Secondaries?

[Kalyx]

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Hello everyone,

I would love to get your advice.


I would love to go on a 10-day trip out of the country over the summer, leaving July 20th. It is most likely that my application to medical school will be processed/verified by AMCAS around mid-July. Some friends of mine who just applied told me that they received their secondary applications about five days after their application was processed.

So my worry is that this trip will begin right as I receive the bulk of secondary applications. Since I want to stay on top of things, I would like to submit my secondary essays very quickly. I'm wondering if the timing is too risky here, or if I can work some things out.

While waiting for my application to be verified, I could consult SDN and find the essay prompts to the secondaries for the schools in which I'm most interested and complete those essays before embarking on my trip... that way I could submit my essays immediately upon receiving the secondary apps.

For the next 'batch' of schools, I could work on a few during the trip (I will have internet access every day and evening), then complete the apps for the schools I'm least interested in upon returning.

Does this sound like a sound plan?

Thanks for your feedback!

~Kalyx

 

[bravofleet4]

to be honest you just kind of have to be truthful to yourself about how long you take and how much of a perfectionist you are with short essays. I went on several trips during the summer when I applied and I think the stress I got was too much for me. i mean i did turn in my secondaries on time and there was no problem with that. however, i really didn't get internet access consistently and half the time i didn't even have access to my laptop. the entire time i couldn't think of what e-mails I was missing or how many secondaries I still had left to do.

sometimes when we approach difficult tasks we try to do the hard things first and save the easiest for last. the best advice i can give you is to browse all the secondaries first and immediately do the one's requiring only a secondary fee and just a paragraph or two for essay questions. schools will receive it all at different times, so if you can finish a secondary in less than 20 minutes, it makes sense to make those a priority. otherwise, you might not realize that in working on your dream school's secondary for the past week or two that requires an essay at least as long as your personal statement, you could've sent in lots of other secondaries if you diverted your attention for an hour or two.

 

[Infinitydrop]

I did the same thing last year, took a month trip in july when was getting verified, but i actually got a lot of secondaries even before i got verified. Secondaries are no joke, much much harder than the primary and much more work and an invaluable opportunity to express yourself on extra essays. It's really bad to rush secondariesjust to get them out. I would cancel the trip honestly and focus. I know you feel burnt out after college/mcats/primaries, but secondaries are just as important and trust me 5 months later, when you arn't getting interviews, you will be kicking youself if you rushed your secondaries.

 

[Catalystik]

I think your plan is workable, but you will be feeling so stressed and pressured by the need for perfection in completing all the requirements of the Secondaries, that you probably won't have much fun on the trip. Your brain will be doing something else the entire time. And your trip mates might not appreciate your lack of focus on them.

 

[Kalyx]

to be honest you just kind of have to be truthful to yourself about how long you take and how much of a perfectionist you are with short essays. I went on several trips during the summer when I applied and I think the stress I got was too much for me. i mean i did turn in my secondaries on time and there was no problem with that. however, i really didn't get internet access consistently and half the time i didn't even have access to my laptop. the entire time i couldn't think of what e-mails I was missing or how many secondaries I still had left to do.

sometimes when we approach difficult tasks we try to do the hard things first and save the easiest for last. the best advice i can give you is to browse all the secondaries first and immediately do the one's requiring only a secondary fee and just a paragraph or two for essay questions. schools will receive it all at different times, so if you can finish a secondary in less than 20 minutes, it makes sense to make those a priority. otherwise, you might not realize that in working on your dream school's secondary for the past week or two that requires an essay at least as long as your personal statement, you could've sent in lots of other secondaries if you diverted your attention for an hour or two.

Thanks for your reply! Ideally, I would have at least half of my secondary essays ready to go upon receiving them right when I left for the trip, then once settled down I could paste them in and send them on (the internet connection is secure, as I'd be staying with my partner's family).

I'm still just a little worried about the timing. Will I have so many secondaries that it will be hard to relax and enjoy the trip? Is it better to play it safe? I *really* want to go on this trip, on the one hand it poses a financial burden and possible risk to completing secondaries early.

~Kalyx

 

[kia ora]

ten days? go and have fun and don't worry about it! I went to the other side of the world for six weeks shortly after submitting my AMCAS last June. I submitted many of my secondaries while traveling. the internetz is everywhere

 

[Kalyx]

Ah, differing opinions...


Perhaps I should add that my partner is a fantastic editor of essays. If I went on the trip, I could spend a couple of evenings with her going over the essays and I've have her input.

If I stayed home, I'd have more time to invest in the essays, but would go without her feedback.


🙁


Gah! I have to make a decision soon as airfare is rising...


~Kalyx

 

[MedMe]

go on the trip!!! 10 days is nothing at all. also, if you're that concerned, you can always start working on some of the secondary prompts now (at least getting your ideas together and putting together a draft). most of the prompts are the same from year to year and are fairly similar across schools. do the common questions first.

 

[Ilovewater]

If it's just 10 days, I wouldn't even worry about it since you're planning to write the secondary essays beforehand. Plus, it'll still be early in the cycle when you come back. Submitting secondaries in August and September is still early.

 

[Pills Of Soap]

10 days is nothing. i think i sat around and did nothing for 10 days while i had secondaries

 

[metallica81788]

If your trip is only 10 days then it won't matter. I've been home doing nothing and let a secondary sit for 2 weeks and it didn't matter. Just make sure you step it up when you get back.

 

[ElegantWeapon]

I think if you use the prompts from this year's cycle and prewrite, you'll have enough done that you'll be fine