Question for DO ReApplicants!

[michow87]

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So unfortunately, I did not get any acceptances this cycle. I did get wait-listed at two good DO schools, however I'm not going to hold my breath and am instead focusing on reapplying.

So here are my questions for those reapplicants:

1. Do I need to write a new personal statement with my new application?

2. For my AACOMAS activities (extrecurricular as well as work), can I just reuse my old descriptions and then use new descriptions for my new endeavors?

And that's it. Thank you so much for your time. With any luck I'll be accepted off the wait list.

 

[CpGisland]

I think you should do a new personal statement (Describe how you have grown).

I think that you can use the same AACOMAS activites with the old descriptions.

 

[AgDoc84]

I had to be in your shoes a couple of years ago. I took a year between to set my priorities straight. This cycle I did not change my AACOMAS personal statement ( maybe one sentence), and yea I simply added the new things I had done. Best wishes! You WILL be a doctor if you really want to be.

 

[doublefrick]

I had to be in your shoes a couple of years ago. I took a year between to set my priorities straight. This cycle I did not change my AACOMAS personal statement ( maybe one sentence), and yea I simply added the new things I had done. Best wishes! You WILL be a doctor if you really want to be.

Wait, you didn't rewrite your statement and still got in????

 

[AgDoc84]

Wait, you didn't rewrite your statement and still got in????

Yes. I rewrote for secondaries.

 

[RIdoc11]

i was a re-applicant... probably changed 2-3 sentences in personal statement and updated my EC's... good luck!

 

[Iliketoytles]

So unfortunately, I did not get any acceptances this cycle. I did get wait-listed at two good DO schools, however I'm not going to hold my breath and am instead focusing on reapplying.

So here are my questions for those reapplicants:

1. Do I need to write a new personal statement with my new application?

2. For my AACOMAS activities (extrecurricular as well as work), can I just reuse my old descriptions and then use new descriptions for my new endeavors?

And that's it. Thank you so much for your time. With any luck I'll be accepted off the wait list.

Sorry to hear that! Glad you're refocusing and prepping for the new app cycle. 🙂 Hopefully the waitlist works out for you.

For #2, yes you can use the same descriptions... since there's really only 1 way to describe what you did/responsibilities were. Haha.

For #1, I always read that schools keep your previous application, so things like PS and secondaries should always be rewritten if reapplying. That said, 2 people have already claimed they barely changed their PS and still got in... so it's your call.

 

[AntsMarching44]

So unfortunately, I did not get any acceptances this cycle. I did get wait-listed at two good DO schools, however I'm not going to hold my breath and am instead focusing on reapplying.

So here are my questions for those reapplicants:

1. Do I need to write a new personal statement with my new application?

2. For my AACOMAS activities (extrecurricular as well as work), can I just reuse my old descriptions and then use new descriptions for my new endeavors?

And that's it. Thank you so much for your time. With any luck I'll be accepted off the wait list.

I went thru the exact same thing last cycle. I used everything over again except for a couple of very slight changes to my personal statement. I talked with the director of recruitment at one of the schools that gave me an interview and he told me very few schools would compare the two. That being said, if I had it to do over again I would've made more of an effort to re-write my PS just in case I applied to the school with the only adcom that compares applications.

 

[michow87]

Thank you all for your responses.

I have been working on a new personal statement utilizing an entirely different approach to "why medicine?". Because of the different responses, I'm thinking that maybe I should give one of the schools a call and ask them myself. It couldn't hurt.

And it is definitely a relief to know that my activities don't need to be redone. That would have been a complete pain in the rear.

 

[physcigirl27]

I'm really confused now too. I'm a reapplicant this upcoming cycle and I'm having a really hard time with the new approach to "why medicine". I think my previous PS was really honest about why I wanted to go that route. Of course, I think I rushed it a bit and could've perfected it much more but so confused now based on what everyone's saying. For the past week, I've been (unsuccessfully) attempting to re-write it entirely and I have crap to show for it. :S
Maybe I should email the schools as well and find out...

 

[angldrps]

if you don't mind sharing, what factors do you think contributed to you not gaining any acceptances this cycle? I am only asking this because I have similar stats as you. Wish you all the best of luck with the waitlist or the next cycle!

 

[michow87]

I'm really confused now too. I'm a reapplicant this upcoming cycle and I'm having a really hard time with the new approach to "why medicine". I think my previous PS was really honest about why I wanted to go that route. Of course, I think I rushed it a bit and could've perfected it much more but so confused now based on what everyone's saying. For the past week, I've been (unsuccessfully) attempting to re-write it entirely and I have crap to show for it. :S
Maybe I should email the schools as well and find out...

What I was planning on doing was take a completely new approach to the personal statement. My original personal statement had my exact reasons for wanting to do medicine, which included some traumatizing memories from my childhood. Since I don't know any other way to explain my true reason for medicine, I decided to take on a more comical approach to the question. I'm not going to say what it is, but I will say that I'm pretty sure that it is unique and it is definitely an attention grabber.

if you don't mind sharing, what factors do you think contributed to you not gaining any acceptances this cycle? I am only asking this because I have similar stats as you. Wish you all the best of luck with the waitlist or the next cycle!

I think I got so few interviews because I applied really late (Secondaries sent out in Late October) and my low GPA (3.1 cGPA/sGPA & a 32Q). I know that my low GPA affected me because one of the schools I was wait listed at specifically told me that my low GPA has them concerned about my ability to handle the rigors of medical school. I thought that my MCAT would have shown them that my work ethic has improved since undergrad, but I guess that wasn't enough. I also got extremely nervous during the interviews and definitely choked a bit more than I had hoped 😛 If I had to do things differently, I would have done a lot more interview prep!

 

[angldrps]

I think I got so few interviews because I applied really late (Secondaries sent out in Late October) and my low GPA (3.1 cGPA/sGPA & a 32Q). I know that my low GPA affected me because one of the schools I was wait listed at specifically told me that my low GPA has them concerned about my ability to handle the rigors of medical school. I thought that my MCAT would have shown them that my work ethic has improved since undergrad, but I guess that wasn't enough. I also got extremely nervous during the interviews and definitely choked a bit more than I had hoped 😛 If I had to do things differently, I would have done a lot more interview prep![/QUOTE]

When was your primary sent to the schools?

 

[dntke1518]

So unfortunately, I did not get any acceptances this cycle. I did get wait-listed at two good DO schools, however I'm not going to hold my breath and am instead focusing on reapplying.

So here are my questions for those reapplicants:

1. Do I need to write a new personal statement with my new application?

2. For my AACOMAS activities (extrecurricular as well as work), can I just reuse my old descriptions and then use new descriptions for my new endeavors?

And that's it. Thank you so much for your time. With any luck I'll be accepted off the wait list.

I was also one that didn't rewrite my PS that much, maybe a few sentences... You can transfer everything from your previous AACOMAS app over so I just tweaked a few things.

 

[michow87]

When was your primary sent to the schools?

DO schools received my primary in early September.

 

[Planets]

I think you should do a new personal statement (Describe how you have grown).

I think that you can use the same AACOMAS activites with the old descriptions.

I agree - but if you have any improvements anywhere, or can put a positive spin on any of it, then do it!

 

[cabinbuilder]

DO schools received my primary in early September.

Need to have everything in on June 1st.

 

[GimpGenius]

Need to have everything in on June 1st.

Not entirely accurate... but I think the idea is "the sooner the better." Doubly so if you're re-applying.

On the upside, sending updates to your waitlist schools is going to be a good way to keep up on your EC hours, grades, etc.; it'll make the AACOMAS update process that much faster.

Also got your PM. Will get back with you this weekend.

 

[Goro]

You must re-write your statement, and more. If you only got two interviews, do you magically think next year will be different?

You need to show the AdComs how you've improved from almost-acceptable to acceptable.

Do NOT be lazy!

So unfortunately, I did not get any acceptances this cycle. I did get wait-listed at two good DO schools, however I'm not going to hold my breath and am instead focusing on reapplying.

So here are my questions for those reapplicants:

1. Do I need to write a new personal statement with my new application?

2. For my AACOMAS activities (extrecurricular as well as work), can I just reuse my old descriptions and then use new descriptions for my new endeavors?

And that's it. Thank you so much for your time. With any luck I'll be accepted off the wait list.

 

[411309]

im 100% sure the only reason you did not get at least one acceptance is because you applied late. Way late, lol

 

[angldrps]

thanks for answering my questions. Sending good vibes your way! i have my fingers crossed for you.

 

[michow87]

For anyone that was following this thread, I gave a couple of the DO schools a call and asked them if rewriting my personal statement entirely was necessary. It turns out that every school said the exact same thing. They all said that it wasn't necessary to rewrite the personal statement entirely since it's unlikely that my reasons for pursuing medicine have changed that much within a year. However, they did say that I should change it a bit and include some information concerning more recent experiences that are medicine related. Hope that helps anyone out that had the same questions as me.

And as for applying early, I will definitely be doing that this time around. One of the issues was that after I sent my Primary out, I got an email about 3 weeks later telling me that AACOMAS hadn't received my MCAT score yet. This was a minor detail that i overlooked and it cost me an extra 3 weeks before the DO schools received my primary. Definitely a pain in the butt, but a lesson learned 😛

 

[physcigirl27]

For anyone that was following this thread, I gave a couple of the DO schools a call and asked them if rewriting my personal statement entirely was necessary. It turns out that every school said the exact same thing. They all said that it wasn't necessary to rewrite the personal statement entirely since it's unlikely that my reasons for pursuing medicine have changed that much within a year. However, they did say that I should change it a bit and include some information concerning more recent experiences that are medicine related. Hope that helps anyone out that had the same questions as me.

And as for applying early, I will definitely be doing that this time around. One of the issues was that after I sent my Primary out, I got an email about 3 weeks later telling me that AACOMAS hadn't received my MCAT score yet. This was a minor detail that i overlooked and it cost me an extra 3 weeks before the DO schools received my primary. Definitely a pain in the butt, but a lesson learned 😛

thanks for the update! 🙂 gluck!

 

[Postictal Raiden]

For anyone that was following this thread, I gave a couple of the DO schools a call and asked them if rewriting my personal statement entirely was necessary. It turns out that every school said the exact same thing. They all said that it wasn't necessary to rewrite the personal statement entirely since it's unlikely that my reasons for pursuing medicine have changed that much within a year. However, they did say that I should change it a bit and include some information concerning more recent experiences that are medicine related. Hope that helps anyone out that had the same questions as me.

And as for applying early, I will definitely be doing that this time around. One of the issues was that after I sent my Primary out, I got an email about 3 weeks later telling me that AACOMAS hadn't received my MCAT score yet. This was a minor detail that i overlooked and it cost me an extra 3 weeks before the DO schools received my primary. Definitely a pain in the butt, but a lesson learned 😛

thank you for the informative update.

If you don't mind, could you tell us how many secondaries you submitted. Yes, you applied late and your GPA is below average, but I think your MCAT should compensate.

 

[SpecterGT260]

So unfortunately, I did not get any acceptances this cycle. I did get wait-listed at two good DO schools, however I'm not going to hold my breath and am instead focusing on reapplying.

So here are my questions for those reapplicants:

1. Do I need to write a new personal statement with my new application?

2. For my AACOMAS activities (extrecurricular as well as work), can I just reuse my old descriptions and then use new descriptions for my new endeavors?

And that's it. Thank you so much for your time. With any luck I'll be accepted off the wait list.

depends on the school but a new personal statement is always a good idea. They rejected you this year, they do not want the "same" applicant to come across their desk next year. Simply reapplying isnt a strong move - they want improvements.

When I reapplied I used my same descriptions for ECs, but also had new ECs to use as well.

 

[michow87]

thank you for the informative update.

If you don't mind, could you tell us how many secondaries you submitted. Yes, you applied late and your GPA is below average, but I think your MCAT should compensate.

I applied to about 7 DO schools and completed all the secondaries. I was done with the secondaries by early November. Definitely took too long.