Re-Applying -- What Can I Reuse?

[gojisan1987]

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I'm retaking the MCAT later this month, hoping to get into this cycle (class of 2023). However, my practice MCATs have been low. The school I'm most interested in has been in contact with me and I told them to wait on my new MCAT. However, while I do think I will improve, I'm not expecting a 500+.

If I don't get in this time, it will be because of the MCAT. I have a strong application otherwise. Obviously if I don't get in, I will retake the MCAT another time. Here's my question - if I have to reapply next cycle, what do I get to "keep" from my old application?

1.) Letters of Rec - I had 5 letters of recommendation. Will these stay in the AACOM system or do I have to go back to those letter writers when I reapply?

2.) Personal Statement - I have a really strong personal statement. Should I rewrite it entirely? Or just update it to include what I've learned after reapplying?

 

[Magus5454]

Always rewrite your personal statement.

And you may not want to hear this but dont retake the MCAT until you are sure you can break 500.

 

[animalluver101]

Personally, I think it's a good idea to wait a year before reapplying. That way, you can work on improving your MCAT score since you said that would be the deciding factor for schools (and that test is expensive and draining, so why would you want to take it three times, you know?). However, if you go for it anyway, you definitely need to rewrite your personal statement and show some growth over the next year.

 

[gojisan1987]

Would I need new rec letters or are my previous letters still in the system if I re-apply?

 

[animalluver101]

I'm not sure about AACOMAS specifically, but I know that AMCAS does not save letter of recs so I had to reach out to letter writers again. I chose to go with completely different letter writers the second time to make everything more up-to-date.

 

[Dr. Basketball]

AACOMAS does not save LORs. Be sure to use a service like Interfolio so you have them and can send them out when you please. I also had the experience having to contact my letter writers when reapplying, it was an absolute nightmare.

Personally, I kept the same letters and also got additional ones from a physician I shadowed recently and the organization I was volunteering for at the time.

Good luck with the MCAT! I feel your pain, that test is not fun at all.

 

[Magus5454]

AACOMAS does not save LORs. Be sure to use a service like Interfolio so you have them and can send them out when you please. I also had the experience having to contact my letter writers when reapplying, it was an absolute nightmare.

Personally, I kept the same letters and also got additional ones from a physician I shadowed recently and the organization I was volunteering for at the time.

Good luck with the MCAT! I feel your pain, that test is not fun at all.

Be aware if you do use interfolio that some schools have a limit on age of letters

 

[Mr. Babe]

If your LOR are 3 years old, that is too old. You will have to put them all back in your application though. Don't worry about finding new people for LOR......you need to have good letters from the right people rather than ones that are more recent.

I don't know why people are telling you to rewrite your personal statement.......mine was gold and I changed maybe a couple sentences the second time I applied. If you like yours, you might update a few things, but don't rewrite the whole thing.

Don't know your MCAT scores......I got a 499 first time and then a 494 the second and was accepted to 2 schools.

 

[Magus5454]

OP had a 491, I think

 

[Mr. Babe]

OP had a 491, I think

491 is pre low.....I think the only school you could apply to with that is WVSOM, but that's a huge stretch.

 

[PapaGuava]

491 is pre low.....I think the only school you could apply to with that is WVSOM, but that's a huge stretch.

Yeah a few schools have a minimum of 491 which I always found interesting.

 

[Mr. Babe]

Yeah a few schools have a minimum of 491 which I always found interesting.

I don't think that schools should look at students with MCATs lower than like a 494 because there is clearly something wrong with test taking there. I got a low MCAT score (499), and I understand the importance of being a good test taker in medical school. But I'm in the top 25% of my class right now......that being said, it says nothing about how I can perform on another standardized exam when boards come around.

 

[OrgoWizard]

Wait an additional year to nail that MCAT.

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