Re-using personal statement /LOR/etc

[HowIMetYourPet]

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Hey all! I tried searching but could only find info on the MD boards (some of those kids are crazy!!! jk, jk)

I applied last cycle with 3 rejections and 1 waitlist....I'm going ahead and starting to re-apply, on the assumption I won't get off the waitlist (while still keeping my fingers crossed)

My question is....is it okay to use the same personal statement? What about the LORs? Can I tell my people they can submit the same letters? Would it look bad?

I've done one file review so far and hope to do another...the first file review said that I recieved the highest number of pts for my LORs, and that my PS was also scored well (didn't give more detail than that)....so....can I re-use them? I of course will make edits to the PS, but do you think it would be wise, or should I just re-write it? I've started to write a new one (without looking at my original again) and I'm finding it looks very similar to the original...just less polished.....so what do you guys think?

Thanks!

oh-I should add, this cycle I'm only applying to two of the 4 schools I did last time, my IS (Ohio) and the school at which I'm waitlisted (UoI)....I'm adding a whole bunch of other schools as well 😉

 

[WillowLeaf]

I would at least update the PS to include how you've improved your application since the rejections/waitlist. (Good luck - I hope you get off the waitlist! 🙂 )

 

[woofmeowmoo]

Hi! I actually applied twice and got accepted to my IS school (Illinois) this year!

On my first try, admissions have told me that my personal statement was pretty good, all I had to do was to keep it updated. So I used same (updated) personal statement for my second try. For eLors, I asked two of the same people from first try to write me one. (I had 4 eLors). I did not ask them specifically to use the same letter though. (I am not sure if they used the exact letter or not since I can't see the letters..)

Good luck!

 

[Minnerbelle]

See what the other schools say about your PS too, and if they all say that your PS was the highlight of your application, then maybe you don't have to change much. But if they don't give you glowing reviews, it may be worth working on. Maybe not from scratch, but make it as strong as it could possibly be.

As for your LORs, what do you think was said in them? If you know your LOR writers well, and you KNOW they wrote glowing letters then I wouldn't necessarily change them. If you don't then I mean, some things with your application prob needs to change in order to change the outcome next year, and this is something you can control (unlike the gpa in many cases) so it may be a good place to start. How did your writers respond to your rejection? If they were like "oh that's too bad, yeah... vet school can be hard to get in. better luck next year" I would change. If they were outraged that someone as awesome as you are didnt get in and just couldn't wrap their minds around how stupid the adcoms were for not taking you, I would keep.

 

[SheepGirl18]

It took me three rounds, before I got in, but I'm an OS everywhere. My first PM was okay. It told the information it needed to, but it wasn't something you would remember after reading a bunch of others. I rewrote my PM for my second round. That one was pretty sweet. I am still impressed with myself for writing it. I also had a great editor look it over with me. It was one that really stuck in your head. I got three interviews and waitlist at two schools. I loved my PM so much, I reused it for my third round. I reapplied to all the same school and added one. I got into both the schools I got waitlisted before. I know that my PM left an impression, to at least one of the schools I got into. So my two cents is, if you have a really good PM and it unforgettable, why not reuse it. Otherwise, I would take a good look at it and asked yourself if it is going to set you apart from everyone else. You have to stand out somewhere and your PM is the perfect place to do that.
As for LOR, I used two LOR all three times, but I know they gave me a great review every time. I think they even used the same one every time. One was the large animal vet that I road with all throughout undergrad and one was my advisor I did a research project with. I used someone different each year for the last one, because I shadowed with a lot of different vets. For this past year I got a LOR from a small animal vet, because I was told I needed more small animal experience. This is also how I chose to show that I improved on my application. I think having diversity in your LORs is a good thing.
Well, that what I think, but everyone is different and you have to decide for yourself what you think will get you in.

 

[LetItSnow]

[...]

Hey @SheepGirl18 (or anyone in the UK system, maybe?) ... how is it that you are c/o 2019? Starting this fall would mean being c/o 2018, right? Did you defer a year already, or is it a 5-year deal over there, or ... ? I must be just missing something super obvious....

 

[DVMDream]

Hey @SheepGirl18 (or anyone in the UK system, maybe?) ... how is it that you are c/o 2019? Starting this fall would mean being c/o 2018, right? Did you defer a year already, or is it a 5-year deal over there, or ... ? I must be just missing something super obvious....

5 year deal. Unless you are on one of the 4 year programs. Glasgow does not have a 4 year program.

Technically, I am considered to have just finished 3rd year, even though it was only my second year of school.

 

[LetItSnow]

5 year deal. Unless you are on one of the 4 year programs. Glasgow does not have a 4 year program.

Technically, I am considered to have just finished 3rd year, even though it was only my second year of school.

Ok, nifty. Is that because you don't need an undergrad degree to start ... or some other reason (like, it's just a year longer than our 4-year programs?)?

 

[DVMDream]

Ok, nifty. Is that because you don't need an undergrad degree to start ... or some other reason (like, it's just a year longer than our 4-year programs?)?

They enter vet school straight from high school here. So, even though I am relatively young, I still feel old as crap going to school here.

 

[LetItSnow]

They enter vet school straight from high school here. So, even though I am relatively young, I still feel old as crap going to school here.

We need to adopt that approach over here. The downside is I think that's a little young for it. The upside of getting through more cheaply and with a longer time to practice would, by my guess, far outweigh the downside. Sigh.

 

[DVMDream]

We need to adopt that approach over here. The downside is I think that's a little young for it. The upside of getting through more cheaply and with a longer time to practice would, by my guess, far outweigh the downside. Sigh.

No, no, no, no and... NO!

We do not need 18 year olds who have spent maybe 10 hours in a vet clinic ever in their whole lives going into vet school in the US. No, no, no, no, no a thousand times no.

 

[LetItSnow]

lol

 

[SheepGirl18]

Hey @SheepGirl18 (or anyone in the UK system, maybe?) ... how is it that you are c/o 2019? Starting this fall would mean being c/o 2018, right? Did you defer a year already, or is it a 5-year deal over there, or ... ? I must be just missing something super obvious....

I'm starting Glasgow's 5 year program this fall! And I totally agree, we don't need 18 year old vet students in the US!

 

[LetItSnow]

I'm starting Glasgow's 5 year program this fall! And I totally agree, we don't need 18 year old vet students in the US!

Yes, but it would chop (potentially) three years of school cost + interest for a lot of our veterinarians over here. That would be a major step in helping cut down the average student debt (in addition to getting their salaries ramping up three years earlier in life).

But I have to admit ... I'm with you on the 18 year old thing.

 

[DVMDream]

Yes, but it would chop (potentially) three years of school cost + interest for a lot of our veterinarians over here. That would be a major step in helping cut down the average student debt (in addition to getting their salaries ramping up three years earlier in life).

But I have to admit ... I'm with you on the 18 year old thing.

I wouldn't be against maybe 20 year olds going into vet school. Getting two years of the college thing/first time away from parents out of your system while taking the pre-reqs. That would still save time and money. But I also strongly believe in having decent (more than maybe a week or two) experience before going to vet school. Vet med is not what people expect it to be and many of the UK students just haven't seen what it is really like, many of them have never even held a job before (not talking job in vet med, I mean any job). They just don't have really any real world experience, or any experience of being an adult away from their parents. Granted there are some exceptions and I have met some amazing people here.

 

[pp9]

I was told not to necessarily overhaul my PS, but definitely change it up a bit. I got rave reviews by 2/5 schools, so I am not going to drastically change anything. If anything, update it like already suggested and use your additional year's worth of wiseness to sound even better than before!

As for letters, I'm unsure. I am going to reuse the same evaluators, because these people are my contacts. However, one of my letters was red-flagged for being not harmful, but "unhelpful." So hopefully it won't happen again. It's harder to know which letters were great and which were meh...the schools don't like to get themselves in hot water and tell you who did you a disservice. I lucked out and got a good file review.