Reapplicant applying right after an unsuccessful cycle?

[deleted1012097]

I am currently waitlisted at 3 schools after interviewing at 4 places and I would like to apply during the upcoming application cycle in case I do not get in anywhere since I really do not want to take more gap years.

The application will open very soon in May 2020 since I am a Texas resident and I will be using TMDSAS. Other than maybe couple new research publications and a potential new job in a hospital setting that I probably won’t start until summer, my application and essays will be same.

Do reapplicants ever have this problem? How do you deal with this situation? Are there any successful stories of reapplicants applying back to back?

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[GreenDuck12]

Many medical schools encourage applicants who do not gain admission to take time to address the issues in their application so as to not lead to another unsuccessful cycle. My school flat out told us on interview day to wait a year or two before reapplying and the thread. The school thread is filled with folks who have applied 3+ times and were only interviewed during the first cycle. It also depends on what the issues are. If an unsuccessful application was caused by an unrealistic school list it may not be necessary to have a gap year. In your case, you had interviews so this likely is not the problem. Do you have the option to contact schools for feedback? If you can, contact the schools you were waitlisted at and see what you can do to improve. Based on what they say, it will be easier to gauge whether a gap year is necessary.

 

[KnightDoc]

Many medical schools encourage applicants who do not gain admission to take time to address the issues in their application so as to not lead to another unsuccessful cycle. My school flat out told us on interview day to wait a year or two before reapplying and the thread. The school thread is filled with folks who have applied 3+ times and were only interviewed during the first cycle. It also depends on what the issues are. If an unsuccessful application was caused by an unrealistic school list it may not be necessary to have a gap year. In your case, you had interviews so this likely is not the problem. Do you have the option to contact schools for feedback?

This ^^^^^^.

According to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." The issue isn't really the extra year (although your desire to avoid it is understandable), but is addressing whatever held you back last cycle. Maybe you need help with interviewing? Whatever it is, you need to identify and address it. If you don't, the odds are very high you'll have the same result over and over again, since you'll just be doing the same thing over and over again!

In your situation, with the WLs, there is obviously still a chance you'll receive an A. And, even if you don't, if you just apply with no changes there is a chance you'll receive WLs next year and convert one or more of them into an A. But your objective on a reapp should be to get one or more As outrisght rather than hoping for better luck in the WL lottery. Unfortunately, most schools won't provide meaningful feedback, if at all, until the cycle is over, especially if you are still on their WL, so it's difficult to see how you will receive it before 5/1. Good luck!!!

 

[deleted1041468]

I am currently waitlisted at 3 schools after interviewing at 4 places and I would like to apply during the upcoming application cycle in case I do not get in anywhere since I really do not want to take more gap years.

The application will open very soon in May 2020 since I am a Texas resident and I will be using TMDSAS. Other than maybe couple new research publications and a potential new job in a hospital setting that I probably won’t start until summer, my application and essays will be same.

Do reapplicants ever have this problem? How do you deal with this situation? Are there any successful stories of reapplicants applying back to back?

Get a new job. Do something outside your comfort zone. Get a degree that stand alone if you don’t get into medical school. For example I took a two year gap. I went from undergrad not getting in my fourth year and went to grad school. Did a year of grad school in person with research and switched the last year of just classes online and became a teacher at a high school and a part time college instructor. Not saying you have to do all that but I ended up getting a masters in nutrition which allowed me to be a registered dietician and became a lot more well rounded. I easily got interviews after that. Now I am going to residency. Be creative try to do something that other pre med students aren’t doing. In my opinion that looks better. Best of luck.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Yes, you can be accepted after applying back-to-back. A lot of times, students aren't accepted their first cycle because of their school list- maybe they apply to schools out of their reach, or to too few schools. The fact that you got 4 interviews makes me think that you're probably a decent applicant, so the first thing I would do is look at my school list and expand it.

If it wasn't your school list, then reapplying becomes trickier. You'll need to address what the problems with your application were, and see if what you did during your application year would have helped that at all. For me, I applied as a rising senior unsuccessfully due to a low GPA. However, during my senior year, I did very well and raised my GPA. I also did a 1 year post-bac right after undergrad, and applied again that same year. I ended up with an acceptance, and will be attending medical school in the Fall (as long as this pandemic ends before then).

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[rdyotz]

You did not add any volunteering? Over a while year, you only had a couple pubs and a new job? Were you in school? Just trying to figure out what was going on happening during the year, not judging.

Typically, reapplying the next cycle is a poor choice. That said, this cycle may have fewer applicants due to COVID. You need to make sure you can answer the questions on how you improved your app since your last app.

 

[Talldoctor96]

I am currently waitlisted at 3 schools after interviewing at 4 places and I would like to apply during the upcoming application cycle in case I do not get in anywhere since I really do not want to take more gap years.

The application will open very soon in May 2020 since I am a Texas resident and I will be using TMDSAS. Other than maybe couple new research publications and a potential new job in a hospital setting that I probably won’t start until summer, my application and essays will be same.

Do reapplicants ever have this problem? How do you deal with this situation? Are there any successful stories of reapplicants applying back to back?

DO not submit the same essays. If you want to re-apply now you have some serious work to do. Re-write everything: now that doesn't mean you have to scrap every idea you have ever had but you really need to rethink your current reflections. DIG DEEPER and reflect more not only on how your experiences affected you-- but how it affected your patients and others. Rewrite your personal statements and activities. REwrite your most meaningful. Ask your letter writers to update the date/ ask for new letters if you had new PI this year. APPLY EARLY. APPLY EARLY. APPLY EARLY.

 

[MedHopeful09]

I applied back to back and got in by just applying the second AMCAS opened and adding two very strong LORs. I did this because I had a strong idea of how my application shaped up. My unique ECs were clearly representative of who I was as a person and I put in respectable hours in each activity. My GPA and MCAT score wasn't going to change all that much, so the only change I could make was when I applied and my secondary responses and my letter writers. I worked with them for a significant amount of time, so they knew me very well, but this happened after I already submitted the first time around.

Only after you take a solid look at your entire application and feel like there is nothing more you can improve upon can you decide when reapplying would be right for you.

 

[deleted994889]

I usually advise against back to back applications. In your case, it might be worth it since you had 4 interviews. To me, the immediate red flag is your interviewing skills assuming those WLs don't convert (there's still plenty of time for them too though). Then start looking at the rest of your app. Revamping your school list might be hard since you're from TX. It might help a lot if you tell us more about your current app (GPA,MCAT, ECs). That said, it would still be a good idea to take another gap year, even if interviewing was your only issue, just to make sure your 2nd app is that much stronger. Be patient and don't rush (also a good quality for a doc). Waiting another year will be better than risking another failed cycle. You do not want to be a 3rd time applicant.

 

[GetAdmittedMD]

DO not submit the same essays. If you want to re-apply now you have some serious work to do. Re-write everything: now that doesn't mean you have to scrap every idea you have ever had but you really need to rethink your current reflections. DIG DEEPER and reflect more not only on how your experiences affected you-- but how it affected your patients and others. Rewrite your personal statements and activities. REwrite your most meaningful. Ask your letter writers to update the date/ ask for new letters if you had new PI this year. APPLY EARLY. APPLY EARLY. APPLY EARLY.

I totally agree with @Talldoctor96 above. Do not submit the same personal statement. When I reviewed applications on the admissions committee and I saw a re-applicant, I read their previous application first, tried to determine what was wrong with it and then read their current application. This allowed me to see what was different. If their personal statement was the same, it immediately put a damper on their current application and then I started looking for other parts of the application that they did not change/improve.

 

[_Cloud9]

I truly feel that you and many applicants can apply again in the immediate next cycle.

If they had like 0 clinical hours, poor GPA, poor MCAT, then yes - those things need to be addressed and taken care of over time.

You got 4 interview invites; so you need to work on your interview skills. Also depends - how many interviews did you get out of how many schools total? depends depends depends on everything....no black and white answer for everyone.

Yes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results - which is why you won't do the same thing again. You CANNOT submit the same personal statement + essays.

You need to start again from scratch and rework that personal statement, restrategize. This doesn't mean just including new experiences but really reflecting on how you ave grown and improved yourself, and be able to tell your story and answer "why medicine" in a compelling way. Have a more targeted school list, put together a strong personal statement, have good essays, apply early.

 

[Talldoctor96]

I truly feel that you and many applicants can apply again in the immediate next cycle.

If they had like 0 clinical hours, poor GPA, poor MCAT, then yes - those things need to be addressed and taken care of over time.

You got 4 interview invites; so you need to work on your interview skills. Also depends - how many interviews did you get out of how many schools total?

Yes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results - which is why you won't do the same thing again. You CANNOT submit the same personal statement + essays.

You need to start again from scratch and rework that personal statement, restrategize. This doesn't mean just including new experiences but really reflecting on how you ave grown and improved yourself, and be able to tell your story and answer "why medicine" in a compelling way. Have a more targeted school list, put together a strong personal statement, have good essays, apply early.

Perfectly stated.

 

[thegrind33]

I was a back to back texas reapp this cycle and got in this cycle. Got a lot of IIs the first cycle but they were all WL. Met with all the schools and was told my interviewing skills were good but that I did not fit their class profile. I rewrote all my essays and got completely new LORs and it worked out this cycle. In your case I would do a back to back cycle as I did.

 

[KnightDoc]

I was a back to back texas reapp this cycle and got in this cycle. Got a lot of IIs the first cycle but they were all WL. Met with all the schools and was told my interviewing skills were good but that I did not fit their class profile. I rewrote all my essays and got completely new LORs and it worked out this cycle. In your case I would do a back to back cycle as I did.

What's a "class profile" and how do you not fit it? I thought the whole point was select a class of diverse individuals!!!

 

[thegrind33]

What's a "class profile" and how do you not fit it? I thought the whole point was select a class of diverse individuals!!!

I really had no idea what these schools meant either, however I wouldn't really say I am "diverse" in the admissions sense. I just said "ok sounds good" in the meetings I had with them and received interviews from all of them and a couple As this cycle.

 

[KnightDoc]

I really had no idea what these schools meant either, however I wouldn't really say I am "diverse" in the admissions sense. I just said "ok sounds good" in the meetings I had with them and received interviews from all of them and a couple As this cycle.

Understood. By diverse, I didn't mean that we all have to be URMs or anything. I just meant that we are all supposed to bring something unique to the table, and, together, we constitute a diverse class, as opposed to fitting some preconceived profile.

 

[jambro]

I feel you, I was in your position. Last year I applied to quite a few schools and only got an interview at one where I was waitlisted. I applied immediately the next cycle and was really nervous that my application wasn't all that different - I had planned on turning my great MCAT into one that was unbelievable (didn't happen, stayed great), and only improved my application (in my opinion) marginally. I called every school I applied to and nearly all of them said there was no problem at all and it's just competitive and that I should try again.

Applied again and got 6 interviews, only one of which was at a school I didn't apply to the first year. Have 2 A's, didn't go on one of the interviews, and 3 WL's where only one is potentially likely to turn into an A. I did rewrite everything (although a lot of it was very similar) but I really do think there is far more chance involved than many would like to believe, and just because you got waitlisted doesn't mean you're a bad interviewer.

 

[thegrind33]

I feel you, I was in your position. Last year I applied to quite a few schools and only got an interview at one where I was waitlisted. I applied immediately the next cycle and was really nervous that my application wasn't all that different - I had planned on turning my great MCAT into one that was unbelievable (didn't happen, stayed great), and only improved my application (in my opinion) marginally. I called every school I applied to and nearly all of them said there was no problem at all and it's just competitive and that I should try again.

Applied again and got 6 interviews, only one of which was at a school I didn't apply to the first year. Have 2 A's, didn't go on one of the interviews, and 3 WL's where only one is potentially likely to turn into an A. I did rewrite everything (although a lot of it was very similar) but I really do think there is far more chance involved than many would like to believe, and just because you got waitlisted doesn't mean you're a bad interviewer.

Exactly, you could get assigned to an app reviewer who loves your app and on the flip side get assigned to one who hates it even though its the same app. You could also get an interviewer who writes you a good review, one that has a very high standing in the committee, etc., or you could get an interviewer who is far too critical of your app and performance, or do well in an interview with a person who has an opinion that carries little weight.

 

[Talldoctor96]

Exactly, you could get assigned to an app reviewer who loves your app and on the flip side get assigned to one who hates it even though its the same app. You could also get an interviewer who writes you a good review, one that has a very high standing in the committee, etc., or you could get an interviewer who is far too critical of your app and performance, or do well in an interview with a person who has an opinion that carries little weight.

Okay but like -- they have rubrics that are standardized. I don't think its fair to characterize it as chance.

 

[hopeful65]

Exactly, you could get assigned to an app reviewer who loves your app and on the flip side get assigned to one who hates it even though its the same app. You could also get an interviewer who writes you a good review, one that has a very high standing in the committee, etc., or you could get an interviewer who is far too critical of your app and performance, or do well in an interview with a person who has an opinion that carries little weight.

I agree with this 100%. The process in general is a crapshoot and it often depends who reviews the app and who you have for the interview.

I applied my senior year with strong stats (520+, 3.8+) and typical experiences (research, volunteering, working, etc). I thought I had a decent app and received 3 interviews in August, but ended up with 3 WL's (including my state school). I was disappointed but after much soul searching decided to re-apply again the next cycle. I did NOT change my application or re-write any essays. For my gap year I started a scribing job in June just before submitting my re-app. This year I was fortunate to receive 7 interviews, including two at top 20 schools. I have 5 acceptances and 2 WL. I think the biggest difference for me was 1) who was reviewing by app/interviewer and 2) my scribing experiences gave me greater confidence in the interviews when discussing healthcare issues. I realize that my success may not be typical but wanted to let others know that it is possible to be successful in back-to-back cycles.

 

[MyOdyssey]

I really had no idea what these schools meant either, however I wouldn't really say I am "diverse" in the admissions sense. I just said "ok sounds good" in the meetings I had with them and received interviews from all of them and a couple As this cycle.

What was your approach to changing your "class profile" in the medical school admissions sense?

 

[thegrind33]

What was your approach to changing your "class profile" in the medical school admissions sense?

I expressed a lot more willingness I guess you could say in going into a primary care field in my essays. I still kind of hinted that I wanted to explore other fields but looking at my first cycle's essays it had kind of a dismissive tone towards primary care fields.

 

[Eagle529]

N=1 I’m a reapplicant from last cycle.

Didn’t change anything regarding EC’s, rewrote my PS and secondaries, lost my committee letter because I missed the deadline (¯\_(ツ)_/¯), got into the school I would’ve gotten the committee letter from.

This process and the way adcoms think are a shltshow. Devil’s advocate here - shoot ya mufuqqin’ shot

I agree with this guy. Reapplicant from last cycle. 3 schools that denied me last cycle accepted me this cycle. No change in EC's just changed letters of rec.

 

[KaioKaizen]

I agree with this guy. Reapplicant from last cycle. 3 schools that denied me last cycle accepted me this cycle. No change in EC's just changed letters of rec.

Ayy what a dub
Congrats homie

 

[wysdoc]

What's a "class profile" and how do you not fit it? I thought the whole point was select a class of diverse individuals!!!

In Texas there are several schools whose profile (actually mission statement) seeks someone who wants to live and work in cities or rural areas like Lubbock, El Paso, and Rio Grande Valley. If you write essays about urban practice and research, they are not going to put you high on their list and maybe not even waste their interview spot on you.
Other schools may seek students with thousands of hours of community service. A school may select its class according to its own wants and needs.

 

[wysdoc]

Lets clarify this a bit
1) Each school wants to select a class that will successfully fill their mission
2) Each school has a mission statement. That is where they formally note their goal of what they are looking for, usually in terms of what and where they want graduates to serve.
3) Each school has a class profile. That is a summary description of the matriculants which will include usually includes demographic/ educational info and may detail info on how the class selected fulfills the mission.

Agree with the wise @gonnif, what I was really describing was seeking students who fulfill their mission.