question about reapplicants

[jiggahova]

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So i heard being a reapplicant slightly decreases your chances. Im not sure if i will get accepted this cycle so I have to start thinking about next year. There are a few schools that I initiated on amcas but never turned in the secondaries. Will I still be a reapplicant for those schools next year even though my application was never complete?

 

[calimed214]

So i heard being a reapplicant slightly decreases your chances. Im not sure if i will get accepted this cycle so I have to start thinking about next year. There are a few schools that I initiated on amcas but never turned in the secondaries. Will I still be a reapplicant for those schools next year even though my application was never complete?

Pretty sure the answer is yes. I didn't submit a secondary for Temple last year, and when I called to check on my status, the lady that looked up my file said "Oh you're a reapplicant..... you submitted your primary last cycle right?" As far as if it decreases your chances though, I'd say not necessarily. So far, I've gotten 2 interviews this year at schools that I applied to last cycle that rejected me outright. But if you improve on your application (ie: get more ECs), you should be fine.

 

[shiftingmirage]

As for reapps having lower chances, one huge advantage is that reapps know how the app game works. They know they need to get their stuff in early. When I applied, I though 'early' was October as most deadlines are Jan 1/dec 31. Oops. Early is July. They have learned that some schools take so few OSS it is not worth applying. They have learned some schools take a lot of OSS and they should add the school to their list. They have (hopefully) spent the extra year or two addressing weaknesses in their app. A reapp can be very successful assuming their numbers are competitive, and that they learned from their mistakes from the last app cycle.

 

[LizzyM]

I agree with shiftingmirage that errors that may have derailed an applicant the first time around can be corrected (such as applying early, better targeting applications, more clinical experience) but I suspect (I've not seen the data) that reapplicants as a group are less likely than first time applicants to be admitted somewhere. There are often "fatal flaws" that preclude admission the first time and often those are not remediated enough to justify admission the second time around. This can include really poor grades and scores, odd behavior or affect during the interview, toxic letters of recommendation, and poor motivation for medicine.

I think that AMCAS keeps track of where you've submitted an AMCAS and when. A space on the first page of the AMCAS application that I see has a field labeled Reapplicant: and it will populate with year(s). I think that AMCAS does that automatically but I don't know for sure.

 

[mvenus929]

You can be successful as a reapplicant IF you address the problems with your application. For me, I didn't have enough clinical experience the first time around, and I was a little too selective of my schools (I chose them based on location, rather than how good of a fit they'd be with me).

This time around, I have a whole lot more clinical experience under my belt, and I was more broad in where I applied (I applied to the same number of schools, but I applied to schools I was more likely to get into). I've gotten two acceptances this cycle so far, and I've received a total of 4 interview invites of the 9 schools I applied to. I'm hoping for an acceptance at my state school, and I probably won't attend any more interviews.

 

[casillas]

I agree with shiftingmirage that errors that may have derailed an applicant the first time around can be corrected (such as applying early, better targeting applications, more clinical experience) but I suspect (I've not seen the data) that reapplicants as a group are less likely than first time applicants to be admitted somewhere. There are often "fatal flaws" that preclude admission the first time and often those are not remediated enough to justify admission the second time around. This can include really poor grades and scores, odd behavior or affect during the interview, toxic letters of recommendation, and poor motivation for medicine.

I think that AMCAS keeps track of where you've submitted an AMCAS and when. A space on the first page of the AMCAS application that I see has a field labeled Reapplicant: and it will populate with year(s). I think that AMCAS does that automatically but I don't know for sure.

Lizzy what constitutes "odd behaviour" during interview?

 

[LizzyM]

Lizzy what constitutes "odd behaviour" during interview?

Putting your feet on the interviewer's desk, asking to see what the interviewer is writing, (yes, these have really happened), extremely poor vocabulary and casual speech patterns, really bad posture and disinterest in the interview. Giving off a weird vibe (can't describe it specifically but when you want to back out of the room to get from someone who is creepy/scary).

It isn't "odd" but once or twice per year we hear of something that happened during the tour, in the waiting room, or at lunch. It usually has to be pretty bad for someone to make a point of reporting it and it does get added to the applicant's file: treating any campus employees with disrespect including being overly familiar (even if you remember them from last year, they may not remember you so don't joke around like you are old pals or give them grief for not recalling your name) as well as being abrasive or treating the employees as servants (one actually expected a staff member to take his coat and hang it up for him, when that didn't happen he dropped it on the floor of the closet 😱 ).

 

[gman33]

Just being a reapplicant doesn't make you any less likely to get accepted. The issue is that people who were rejected usually haven't done enough to improve their application.

Check out the FAQs in the reapplicant forum if you want some more info.

 

[PinkIvy08]

I agree with shiftingmirage that errors that may have derailed an applicant the first time around can be corrected (such as applying early, better targeting applications, more clinical experience) but I suspect (I've not seen the data) that reapplicants as a group are less likely than first time applicants to be admitted somewhere. There are often "fatal flaws" that preclude admission the first time and often those are not remediated enough to justify admission the second time around. This can include really poor grades and scores, odd behavior or affect during the interview, toxic letters of recommendation, and poor motivation for medicine.

I think that AMCAS keeps track of where you've submitted an AMCAS and when. A space on the first page of the AMCAS application that I see has a field labeled Reapplicant: and it will populate with year(s). I think that AMCAS does that automatically but I don't know for sure.

Dang. I did NOT know this! I feel like I'm walking around with a big scarlet letter pinned to my app :/

Ah well. I'm a re-applicant that had a horrible go around last app cycle and am doing just fine right now. Lessons learned: apply early (I applied "late" last yr), apply broadly (mostly applied to local, tri-state area schools last yr. smh), continue or boost ECs, thoroughly fill out AMCAS, and pray 🙂 Statistically speaking, perhaps you have a lower chance of getting in as a re-app, but all the re-apps I talk to have an acceptance or two right now.

 

[SirSpicious]

PinkIvy08,
I don't think you should view is as a "scarlet letter" per se. In fact, i think you should view it as a badge of honor, because it shows you have determination and passion for this field. Be proud of your accomplishments. Only you know how hard you've worked, and you don't owe anything to anyone. Congrats on your acceptances. There will be more to come, I'm sure.

 

[7starmantis]

PinkIvy08,
I don't think you should view is as a "scarlet letter" per se. In fact, i think you should view it as a badge of honor, because it shows you have determination and passion for this field. Be proud of your accomplishments. Only you know how hard you've worked, and you don't owe anything to anyone. Congrats on your acceptances. There will be more to come, I'm sure.

I am a reapplicant as well and I always thought of it as a bit of an advantage for these very reasons. If you address your weaknesses honestly and improve your app I think it could work in your favor. You show you are determined, passionate about medicine, and willing to work hard to reach your goals. I didn't even retake the MCAT and turned it into two acceptances this year. I also agree with the learning curve idea. I look back at how naive I was on the whole process and its embarrassing.