Secondary Writing Burnout

[AA|FCB|DOC]

Anybody else feeling this at the moment? I'm starting to get tired of my own writing. Feel like with the similar questions everything is getting super repetitive. How much proofreading are you all doing as opposed to the personal statement from the primary application. I spent way more time on that and can't really see myself spending as much time on each and every secondary application. Sorry to rant, just a bit exhausted and wanted to see how other people are all dealing with this.

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[Cinclus]

Yeah, I remember getting pretty burned out. I really hate writing, too, so that didn't help. It helped a lot to have someone else that I trusted proofread my secondaries (a smart, patient friend is a good choice). After you've gone over them several times, your proofreader buddy can help you decide if something needs changing or if it's good to go.

 

[ellesh]

You can do it! Have you tried asking close friends or family to read over some of your drafts? I found that visiting our school's free writing tutors also helped inspire me. Any second pair of eyes is good, in my opinion.

 

[Groovin]

Anybody else feeling this at the moment? I'm starting to get tired of my own writing. Feel like with the similar questions everything is getting super repetitive. How much proofreading are you all doing as opposed to the personal statement from the primary application. I spent way more time on that and can't really see myself spending as much time on each and every secondary application. Sorry to rant, just a bit exhausted and wanted to see how other people are all dealing with this.

A very awesome and intelligent family member read my secondary essays. It's definitely helpful to have someone's second opinion.

Also, it's super easy to get burned out - I did. Just keep getting them out. Good luck!

 

[eliteeli]

Yeah... I was totally burnt out, and didn't even have the last bunch proofread... definitely a mistake in hindsight as I know that is somewhat holding me back (I'm looking at you Cornell Rejection email! wrote a horrible essay there)

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Anybody else feeling this at the moment? I'm starting to get tired of my own writing. Feel like with the similar questions everything is getting super repetitive. How much proofreading are you all doing as opposed to the personal statement from the primary application. I spent way more time on that and can't really see myself spending as much time on each and every secondary application. Sorry to rant, just a bit exhausted and wanted to see how other people are all dealing with this.

At first I was like 😀
But a week later I was like 🙁

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

Thanks for the support all. So you guys had someone proofread every single essay for every school? There are just so many I feel like it's almost not feasible to do so. I just feel like I'm not feeling "safe" when I send them or complete them. Hope these secondaries don't end up costing me admissions 🙁

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

I had my PI review a lot of my essays, but only the "stock" essays that I knew I would be using for multiple schools with minor changes, as well as one or two large essays that I figured were particularly important. Even then, the understanding was that she would only be judging the essay as a whole ("don't talk about that", "this could use more explanation", etc.) not proofreading for grammar or wording. Under no circumstances would I recommend making someone review each and every one of your secondary essays, unless you hate that person.

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

I had my PI review a lot of my essays, but only the "stock" essays that I knew I would be using for multiple schools with minor changes, as well as one or two large essays that I figured were particularly important. Even then, the understanding was that she would only be judging the essay as a whole ("don't talk about that", "this could use more explanation", etc.) not proofreading for grammar or wording. Under no circumstances would I recommend making someone review each and every one of your secondary essays, unless you hate that person.

Hahaha yea exactly I was thinking the same thing. Any secondary editing threads on here might help, I know there was one for the primary application so I'm ganna check to see if I can find a secondary one.

 

[Groovin]

Thanks for the support all. So you guys had someone proofread every single essay for every school? There are just so many I feel like it's almost not feasible to do so. I just feel like I'm not feeling "safe" when I send them or complete them. Hope these secondaries don't end up costing me admissions 🙁

No, they didn't read all of them, just ones I felt really needed reviewing. Plus some were re-used for later schools.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Thanks for the support all. So you guys had someone proofread every single essay for every school? There are just so many I feel like it's almost not feasible to do so. I just feel like I'm not feeling "safe" when I send them or complete them. Hope these secondaries don't end up costing me admissions 🙁

Ideally you should have someone proofread your diversity+research+greatest challenge essays because parts of them will be used over and over at different schools, but don't have people proofread every "why this school" essay

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

anybody know if there is an equivalent thread like the PS edit one for secondary questions? I have been trying to find one. Just looking for someone to read over a couple of my secondary questions responses. Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[shawshank613]

Hey I'm in the same boat as you guys still trying to finish up secondaries. Feeling a little anxious since it's already mid-October, and I still have a few left.

Do you guys know people who were accepted after completing secondaries this late? Just trying to figure out if these last few are worth finishing.

 

[Adria0]

.

 

[Escape_Goat]

Just trying to figure out if these last few are worth finishing.

Your chances of acceptance are better if you finish them versus if you don't. I'd say prioritize the ones for schools you're most competitive for and would most like to attend. Work your way down from there.

 

[JLeBling]

Ya I feel you. These secondaries are awful. I already addressed all these concerns in my personal statement. I feel like they expect me to pull stuff out of my ass.

What's is your most significant accomplishment outside of school?
Read my personal statement. I hate repeating myself.

What makes you unique?
Uh... my DNA and fingerprint?

What challenges have you faced and how has it changed you?
This secondary application. It's killing my soul.

What made you apply to _______ school of medicine?
Your low GPA cut-off.


If only...

 

[TotalDomination]

Anybody else feeling this at the moment? I'm starting to get tired of my own writing. Feel like with the similar questions everything is getting super repetitive. How much proofreading are you all doing as opposed to the personal statement from the primary application. I spent way more time on that and can't really see myself spending as much time on each and every secondary application. Sorry to rant, just a bit exhausted and wanted to see how other people are all dealing with this.

my thoughts exactly. i spent way too much time on my first few secondaries (months). Now i'm doing a few a week but still feeling really burnt out and soooo repetitive. thinking i applied to too many schools.

for the big ones, I'm having one person read it over quickly and give me suggestions. For the personal statement, i had a lot of ppl read them multiple times. For the little schools (or schools that I'm not super enthusiastic about), i'm just rereading a few times and submitting. I am a firm believer in not copy pasting old essays so it's taking me a long time too as i'm writing completely new essays for each school. Some ideas are overlapping of course, but overall this is my rate limiting step.

 

[TotalDomination]

Ya I feel you. These secondaries are awful. I already addressed all these concerns in my personal statement. I feel like they expect me to pull stuff out of my ass.

What's is your most significant accomplishment outside of school?
Read my personal statement. I hate repeating myself.

What makes you unique?
Uh... my DNA and fingerprint?

What challenges have you faced and how has it changed you?
This secondary application. It's killing my soul.

What made you apply to _______ school of medicine?
Your low GPA cut-off.


If only...

lol glad other ppl feel this way too. i word for word said your entire post to someone at work last week.

 

[DrOneDay7]

I feel you on the burnout. I pre-wrote most of my essays a while back, but I'm having trouble getting myself to hit the submit button at some schools due to feeling uncertain about some of my essays.

Idk about you all, but I feel like I took a complete shot in the dark writing these.

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

I feel you on the burnout. I pre-wrote most of my essays a while back, but I'm having trouble getting myself to hit the submit button at some schools due to feeling uncertain about some of my essays.

Idk about you all, but I feel like I took a complete shot in the dark writing these.

Ya I feel you. These secondaries are awful. I already addressed all these concerns in my personal statement. I feel like they expect me to pull stuff out of my ass.

What's is your most significant accomplishment outside of school?
Read my personal statement. I hate repeating myself.

What makes you unique?
Uh... my DNA and fingerprint?

What challenges have you faced and how has it changed you?
This secondary application. It's killing my soul.

What made you apply to _______ school of medicine?
Your low GPA cut-off.


If only...

haha I'm definitely feelin you guys on these ones

 

[deleted407021]

What does pre writing secondaries entail? How do you know where to start and what prompt you will get?

 

[rain4venus]

Out of curiosity, how many secondaries are y'all filling out before this burnout is setting in? It seems like doing just 10-15 would be pretty tiring, but lots of people on here suggest applying to 25-30 (sometimes more for people with low numbers) schools.

 

[PreMedMaverick]

What does pre writing secondaries entail? How do you know where to start and what prompt you will get?

Those who were on their game post the secondary prompts for us slackers on the secondary application thread in SDN when the secondaries become available in June. We write the essays while we are waiting 8 weeks to get verified because we waited until September to submit our AMCAS. 🙁

 

[PreMedMaverick]

I just compiled all of my secondaries into one word document. 15,000 words strong for 11 schools (some essays can be copied and pasted). I think I hit burnout around 10,000 words.

 

[milski]

I just compiled all of my secondaries into one word document. 15,000 words strong for 11 schools (some essays can be copied and pasted). I think I hit burnout around 10,000 words.

I split them in separate documents, since the single document that I was using was growing to depressing sizes. I agree with everyone else that writing 'a short statement why am I interested in school X' (500 words) is soul crushing.

On the bright side, my sister is proof reading all of them. Based on how much she edits, I suck immensely. 😀

 

[Etyan]

I applaud your sister. Hope you at least made her gooey brownies.

I split them in separate documents, since the single document that I was using was growing to depressing sizes. I agree with everyone else that writing 'a short statement why am I interested in school X' (500 words) is soul crushing.

On the bright side, my sister is proof reading all of them. Based on how much she edits, I suck immensely. 😀

 

[milski]

I applaud your sister. Hope you at least made her gooey brownies.

Me too, most of the prompts lead directly to strong cringe-inducing writing. I promised to return the favor with her PhD dissertation. 😱