Reapp Advice: 1 or 2 gap years?

[dk100]

Hi everyone,

I’ve come to an unfortunate realization that I will have to reapply. I am currently on the waitlist for Stanford and Mount Sinai, but I have given up hope. I need your expertise and advice on what next steps I should take. For context, I am an asian male graduating from harvard.

Initially, my plan was to reapply this coming cycle. (Note: Upon reflecting, I think it was my GPA/MCAT that prevented me from getting the A. I don’t think my ECs and PS were my weaknesses. If you want to read my primary, please reach out). Thus, I’ve been studying to retake my MCAT next month (515 first time, goal: 520+). This means I am sacrificing all of my senior activities, time with friends, time with family and relatives during graduation, etc. Plus, I feel I do not have adequate time to improve my writing (PS, activity descriptions, etc.). BUT, I can and will do it if needed. My plan will probably be to submit to one school late May, wait for my MCAT score, and submit the rest. For my gap year, I will be working at a dermatology clinic.

My parents, who’ve always been against gapping, brought up a surprising question to me yesterday: Should I take another gap year? If I do this, I will have more time—thus, several things: 1) I will be able to enjoy my graduation and not have to grind while everything else goes on around me. 2) I will have more time to study for the MCAT, increasing my ability to confidently get a 520+. 3) Two publications will likely be published by next May (both will likely be submitted by the end of this month, so it will be written as submitted if I decide to reapply this coming cycle). One of which is a second author publication to a top neuro journal. 4) I will have a year of experience working as a medical assistant/surgical tech at the clinic. 5) Of course, I will continue with advocacy work related to my narrative.

The problem is the time. Is it worth taking 2 years? I feel as though I was so close this cycle—just unlucky. If I reapply this cycle with an improved MCAT and GPA, perhaps that will improve my application enough to get me an A somewhere. If I apply this cycle, my school list will be wider (30-40 schools), so that I increase my chances of getting in SOMEWHERE. However, I feel like if I wait another year, I will be much more competitive, possibly increasing my chances of getting into a top 20 school. Given that I had 3 IIs (stanford, icahn, dartmouth) this time, perhaps the PROS listed above for 2 gap years will be the thing I need.

TLDR; 1 gap year = riskier and probably will have to settle with a “worse” school. 2 gap years = safer and will probably get into a “better” school, but will have used another year of my life. Is this worth it?

What do you guys think about this? What would you do?

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[polymerization]

Pack your sunscreen.

In all seriousness, retaking a 91st percentile MCAT after receiving interviews at Ivies is clinically bonkers.

It sounds like you have every possible advantage available through this application process at your disposal. My guess is that you don't need a 520, more experiences or more publications...otherwise you wouldn't have received the interviews you did.

I'm just a student like you, but my guess is that your narrative was either not cohesive enough or not relevant enough given the priorities of the schools you applied to. Your school list was also probably not broad enough. These are all within your control.

The internal calculus you're doing (1 gap year = risky, 2 gap years = safe) is actually just an illusion. You can only be accepted or rejected to schools you apply to, so making decisions based on hypotheticals has limited efficacy. You applied this cycle because your math "checked out," and that didn't work...why make the same mistake twice?

You graduated from Harvard. You don't need to chase prestige anymore, you already have Ivy pedigree. Apply broadly enough to actually earn a seat somewhere and redirect your focus to Ivies for residency if that is your goal... but the acceptance rates are so dismal for medical school, I'm not sure "doing all the things" aimlessly for an indiscriminate amount of time for the explicit goal of breaking HMS's whopping 3.1% acceptance rate is necessarily wise...especially if, again, you really don't stand to benefit more than you already have.

It doesn't matter where you go at this point. You could go to the Caribbean and forevermore claim that you were a "Harvard-trained physician" and it would technically be true. Don't let ego narrow your focus to the most prestigious institutions for their own sake.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Previously

D

Thread 'Should I prep for a reapp?'

Mar 1, 2025

I am an applicant (currently senior, no gap) this cycle and I have three IIs: Stanford, Icahn, and Geisel.

I got WL from stanford, and didn’t get the A email from Icahn yesterday as a late Jan interviewee, so most likely CR. I interviewed 2/20 for Geisel and they said I’ll be hearing back late March. At this point, should I still be waiting? Or should I go ahead and book MCAT for retake this May? I got a 515, but coming from a t3 undergrad, I think my MCAT was my weak point. Of course, I will be doing clinical work for my gap year if need be.


Edit: Here is my school list and a mini...

• dk100

 

[dk100]

Pack your sunscreen.

In all seriousness, retaking a 91st percentile MCAT after receiving interviews at Ivies is clinically bonkers.

It sounds like you have every possible advantage available through this application process at your disposal. My guess is that you don't need a 520, more experiences or more publications...otherwise you wouldn't have received the interviews you did.

I'm just a student like you, but my guess is that your narrative was either not cohesive enough or not relevant enough given the priorities of the schools you applied to. Your school list was also probably not broad enough. These are all within your control.

The internal calculus you're doing (1 gap year = risky, 2 gap years = safe) is actually just an illusion. You can only be accepted or rejected to schools you apply to, so making decisions based on hypotheticals has limited efficacy. You applied this cycle because your math "checked out," and that didn't work...why make the same mistake twice?

You graduated from Harvard. You don't need to chase prestige anymore, you already have Ivy pedigree. Apply broadly enough to actually earn a seat somewhere and redirect your focus to Ivies for residency if that is your goal... but the acceptance rates are so dismal for medical school, I'm not sure "doing all the things" aimlessly for an indiscriminate amount of time for the explicit goal of breaking HMS's whopping 3.1% acceptance rate is necessarily wise...especially if, again, you really don't stand to benefit more than you already have.

It doesn't matter where you go at this point. You could go to the Caribbean and forevermore claim that you were a "Harvard-trained physician" and it would technically be true. Don't let ego narrow your focus to the most prestigious institutions for their own sake.

That makes sense, thank you! Sorry if I sounded delusional

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hi everyone,

I’ve come to an unfortunate realization that I will have to reapply. I am currently on the waitlist for Stanford and Mount Sinai, but I have given up hope. I need your expertise and advice on what next steps I should take. For context, I am an asian male graduating from harvard.

Initially, my plan was to reapply this coming cycle. (Note: Upon reflecting, I think it was my GPA/MCAT that prevented me from getting the A. I don’t think my ECs and PS were my weaknesses. If you want to read my primary, please reach out). Thus, I’ve been studying to retake my MCAT next month (515 first time, goal: 520+). This means I am sacrificing all of my senior activities, time with friends, time with family and relatives during graduation, etc. Plus, I feel I do not have adequate time to improve my writing (PS, activity descriptions, etc.). BUT, I can and will do it if needed. My plan will probably be to submit to one school late May, wait for my MCAT score, and submit the rest. For my gap year, I will be working at a dermatology clinic.

My parents, who’ve always been against gapping, brought up a surprising question to me yesterday: Should I take another gap year? If I do this, I will have more time—thus, several things: 1) I will be able to enjoy my graduation and not have to grind while everything else goes on around me. 2) I will have more time to study for the MCAT, increasing my ability to confidently get a 520+. 3) Two publications will likely be published by next May (both will likely be submitted by the end of this month, so it will be written as submitted if I decide to reapply this coming cycle). One of which is a second author publication to a top neuro journal. 4) I will have a year of experience working as a medical assistant/surgical tech at the clinic. 5) Of course, I will continue with advocacy work related to my narrative.

The problem is the time. Is it worth taking 2 years? I feel as though I was so close this cycle—just unlucky. If I reapply this cycle with an improved MCAT and GPA, perhaps that will improve my application enough to get me an A somewhere. If I apply this cycle, my school list will be wider (30-40 schools), so that I increase my chances of getting in SOMEWHERE. However, I feel like if I wait another year, I will be much more competitive, possibly increasing my chances of getting into a top 20 school. Given that I had 3 IIs (stanford, icahn, dartmouth) this time, perhaps the PROS listed above for 2 gap years will be the thing I need.

TLDR; 1 gap year = riskier and probably will have to settle with a “worse” school. 2 gap years = safer and will probably get into a “better” school, but will have used another year of my life. Is this worth it?

What do you guys think about this? What would you do?

I'd like to present a different perspective than @polymerization who presents a very good argument for taking one gap year. but I don't see it as the slam-dunk presented in his/her post.

As I see it and as you've laid out, you have a choice to make. The choice is whether to apply with your current GPA and MCAT, which so far have not earned you the acceptances, although you did get IIs, and widen your net. Or to take two years improve your credentials, especially your MCAT and your research experience as well as your clinical experience, and improve your chances of getting into a top tier medical school.

The main argument for one gap year only is that you start your career faster, and let's face it, you'll still be an MD. You will still have your Harvard undergrad diploma and aura. And you will start earning a living one year sooner.

The main argument for two gap years is that you may attend a more prestigious medical school that could possibly lead to more or "better" opportunities in the future, but you'll start your career later and there is an opportunity cost. The advantages are probably more relevant if you are interested in a career that combines clinical practice with research or academia.

If you are not so enamored by the top tier schools, then I agree just aim for one gap year. However, if you have substantive reasons to want a more prestigious or research-oriented medical school, then taking two gap years, which will also allow you to really focus on raising your MCAT and get that publication, makes sense.

If you are willing to widen your net and plan on only 1 gap year, I'm not sure it makes sense for you to retake the MCAT now, unless you are confident you can improve it and change something in your studying that will increase the likelihood of a 520+ score.