Reapplying or Waiting? Advice Needed — 3rd Gap Year, Not Sure If I Should Apply Now

[sippingmocha]

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Hi everyone,

I’d love some honest input as I’m trying to decide whether to reapply this cycle (2025-2026) or hold off and reapply next year (2026-2027). I’m currently in my 3rd gap year since graduating college in 2022, and I’ve been torn between pushing forward or giving myself time to reset and strengthen my application.

I applied last cycle (2024) as an international applicant and I have one WL — my only interview. Since then, I’ve become a U.S. permanent resident, which I know significantly improves my chances at many schools, especially public ones that previously screened me out. My MCAT is a 513 from 2022, which is still accepted at around 45 schools this cycle — but will expire for most after this year.

I’ve narrowed down my realistic school list to about 19 programs based on geography, mission fit, and MCAT range. Seven of those would be reapplications. I’m worried that’s not “enough” schools to give myself a real shot, especially as a reapplicant.

Here’s the dilemma:

• I do not have an updated personal statement yet.
• Unlike last cycle, my undergraduate institution is no longer providing a committee letter since it has been more than two years since I graduated. I would need to reach out to my college professors individually, and I’m not sure if they remember me at this point — and I am afraid it will be too last minute. That said, I do have strong letter writers from my clinical and research experiences post-grad.
• Everyone around me believes I should still apply this cycle and that I "have nothing to lose".

But I’m emotionally drained from the last cycle, and I don’t want to submit an application that doesn’t reflect my best work — especially when I could take a few months to study, retake the MCAT, ask for letters well in advance, and apply fresh next year for 2027 entry, with significantly more school options available.

Background info:

MCAT: 513 - (2022)
PREview: 8 - (2024)
GPA: 3.84 (science), 3.82 (cumulative)

Non-clinical volunteering: 2100
Clinical volunteering: 64
Research: 3200 (paid), 240 (unpaid-undergrad)
Clinical paid (medical assistant): 1540 (It was 300 hours on my last year's application)
Shadowing: 110

Has anyone else dealt with something like this in a later gap year?
Is it worth submitting this cycle with a limited but targeted school list?
Or is it better to sit this one out, regroup, and go all-in next year with a (hopefully) stronger MCAT and a fresh start?

Thanks so much for any insight — I really appreciate it.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You need a plan for your letters. If you don't have a committee letter, you'll need to see if that office will still manage your letters or you have to go on your own and reask everyone (we have a PrivateFolio discount for SDN members).

Have you talked with schools about your application? Is it just because you were not a US permanent resident? What suggestions do you have from them?

 

[sippingmocha]

You need a plan for your letters. If you don't have a committee letter, you'll need to see if that office will still manage your letters or you have to go on your own and reask everyone (we have a PrivateFolio discount for SDN members).

Have you talked with schools about your application? Is it just because you were not a US permanent resident? What suggestions do you have from them?

Thanks so much for your reply!
As for my last cycle: all of my rejections were pre-interview, except for one school where I was waitlisted. A few schools specified after I submitted my secondaries that they don't consider international students without permanent residency, which likely contributed to my limited interview chances. I wasn’t able to get detailed feedback from most schools, but I’m planning to reach out to the one that waitlisted me after I receive a final decision from them.
Would it be worth contacting reapp schools now, or is that something best done after submitting the primary?
As for LOR: Would it be acceptable to submit a letter set made up entirely of professional (non-academic) letters in my case since I've been out for school more than 3+ years? I know many schools recommend one or two professor letters, but does the 3+ year gap + strong post-grad letters justify it?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

As for my last cycle: all of my rejections were pre-interview, except for one school where I was waitlisted. A few schools specified after I submitted my secondaries that they don't consider international students without permanent residency, which likely contributed to my limited interview chances. I wasn’t able to get detailed feedback from most schools, but I’m planning to reach out to the one that waitlisted me after I receive a final decision from them.
Would it be worth contacting reapp schools now, or is that something best done after submitting the primary?

It might be good to check with those schools (before is okay) how they would view your application given the change in your residency/citizenship status. If a school doesn't consider your application from the start (automatically rejected), they might not have read/screened your application, including what you submitted for secondary materials. Now, as an admissions professional, I'd encourage you to apply.

As for LOR: Would it be acceptable to submit a letter set made up entirely of professional (non-academic) letters in my case since I've been out for school more than 3+ years? I know many schools recommend one or two professor letters, but does the 3+ year gap + strong post-grad letters justify it?

It should be fine. However, to the point above, update all of your references to make sure they didn't mention your citizenship pending status in a past letter (if you mentioned it to them). That's one thing to check on.