Should we be explicit in all our submitted materials?

[T3ckFr3s]

So I've been going over my submitted AMCAS and essays in case I need to reapply for next cycle. I have been fortunate to land 2 II this cycle, leading to WL at schools with a history of good waitlist movement. What I realized while going over my essays and updates is that I left some things up to the interpretation of the admissions committee. Following the "show, don't tell" advice, I went into great detail with my experiences in my activities/PS/updates but left out reflection (what I learned, what it says about me, etc.) whenever I felt it was fairly obvious. Did I just shoot myself in the foot?

I guess what I'm asking is if it's necessary to show reflection in everything you do, even the obvious experiences.

NOTE: I did show reflection on experiences that were meaningful to me, but moving forward I'm wondering if I should describe what I learn in every activity I do for update letters.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SN12357]

I don't know if you shot yourself in the foot, but yes, you need to be specific about what those reflections mean to you and why they contribute to your potential as a doctor. You can't assume these things are obvious, particularly not when your readers are doing high-volume screening of many similar applications.

To give an example from a similar milieu, I was screening cover letters and resumes for an open position. One of the cover letters went into great detail about the person's experiences but said nothing about why they wanted this job. Their resume was borderline (some relevant experience, but not exactly what we were looking for). If this person had articulated well why they wanted the job and would be a good fit, we probably would have brought them in for interviews. But absent that information, we went with other candidates.

It's impossible to say for sure if something like this happened with your essays but if you reapply it is definitely worth considering.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

I don't know if you shot yourself in the foot, but yes, you need to be specific about what those reflections mean to you and why they contribute to your potential as a doctor. You can't assume these things are obvious, particularly not when your readers are doing high-volume screening of many similar applications.

To give an example from a similar milieu, I was screening cover letters and resumes for an open position. One of the cover letters went into great detail about the person's experiences but said nothing about why they wanted this job. Their resume was borderline (some relevant experience, but not exactly what we were looking for). If this person had articulated well why they wanted the job and would be a good fit, we probably would have brought them in for interviews. But absent that information, we went with other candidates.

It's impossible to say for sure if something like this happened with your essays but if you reapply it is definitely worth considering.

That's a good example. Do you think I should be more reflective in my update letters?

For example: I've been very active in fundraising for Typhoon Haiyan relief and am assuming that when adcoms read this, they can assume I'm a decent human being with leadership and organizational skills (especially when I am specifically stating how much money I've raised, time I've commited, etc.) Should I be stating what conclusions they should be making of me explicitly?

 

[T3ckFr3s]

I don't know if you shot yourself in the foot, but yes, you need to be specific about what those reflections mean to you and why they contribute to your potential as a doctor. You can't assume these things are obvious, particularly not when your readers are doing high-volume screening of many similar applications.

To give an example from a similar milieu, I was screening cover letters and resumes for an open position. One of the cover letters went into great detail about the person's experiences but said nothing about why they wanted this job. Their resume was borderline (some relevant experience, but not exactly what we were looking for). If this person had articulated well why they wanted the job and would be a good fit, we probably would have brought them in for interviews. But absent that information, we went with other candidates.

It's impossible to say for sure if something like this happened with your essays but if you reapply it is definitely worth considering.

I just had an interesting thought. Hypothetically, what if that candidate's experiences were mostly relevant? Would you have offered an interview otherwise even though they didn't describe why they wanted the job?

This may explain my interviews at very service-oriented schools because I went into great detail of my service activities which were relevant to their mission.

I'm also just trying to figure out if my writing style is appropriate for applications. Because I was taught that the best persuasive arguments are those that don't need to be stated explicitly and should be clearly inferred by evidence provided by the writer.

 

[Dr. Dog]

There's a major difference between "this experience proves I'm compassionate and hardworking" vs. "this experience taught me the importance of compassion and hard work." Go the latter route and you'll be fine!

 

[SN12357]

I just had an interesting thought. Hypothetically, what if that candidate's experiences were mostly relevant? Would you have offered an interview otherwise even though they didn't describe why they wanted the job?

This may explain my interviews at very service-oriented schools because I went into great detail of my service activities which were relevant to their mission.

Yup. If the resume is a perfect match, then the cover letter's exact content is less relevant (unless it's a total mess, of course). It's when the resume is more ambiguous that we more closely scrutinize the cover letter.

The general rule on this type of writing is that you don't want to make the reader do any work. This can seem to run counter to 'show, don't tell' but really it's the next evolution of it. 'Show, don't tell' is used to kick people out of the beginner writer's habit of not using details and concrete examples. In the working world you usually need to adhere to 'show AND tell'.

 

[SN12357]

I'm also just trying to figure out if my writing style is appropriate for applications. Because I was taught that the best persuasive arguments are those that don't need to be stated explicitly and should be clearly inferred by evidence provided by the writer.

Ah...this is writing advice as taught by writers whose work is read by other writers. But writers are not your audience--busy adcom members are! You aren't building a philosophical argument, you're presenting yourself.

I'm sure your essays were good, but if you end up reapplying you can probably kick them up another step or two and really make the case for yourself as a future doctor.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

Thanks, I'm starting to understand! For my PS, it was a case of "tell then show."
Now for my updates, should I be showing and telling? Or is showing just enough because they're just updates haha

 

[SN12357]

Thanks, I'm starting to understand! For my PS, it was a case of "tell AND show."
Now for my updates, should I be showing and telling? Or is showing just enough because they're just updates haha

Depends, I think; I wouldn't have the update letter be more than a page but if you have the space you could both describe what you've done and also aim it as a letter of interest where you express your enthusiasm for the school and why you're a good fit in the context of your application and new activities. Good luck!

 

[T3ckFr3s]

Perfect, thank you so much.

 

[Espadaleader]

So I've been going over my submitted AMCAS and essays in case I need to reapply for next cycle. I have been fortunate to land 2 II this cycle, leading to WL at schools with a history of good waitlist movement. What I realized while going over my essays and updates is that I left some things up to the interpretation of the admissions committee. Following the "show, don't tell" advice, I went into great detail with my experiences in my activities/PS/updates but left out reflection (what I learned, what it says about me, etc.) whenever I felt it was fairly obvious. Did I just shoot myself in the foot?

I guess what I'm asking is if it's necessary to show reflection in everything you do, even the obvious experiences.

NOTE: I did show reflection on experiences that were meaningful to me, but moving forward I'm wondering if I should describe what I learn in every activity I do for update letters.

Nothing is obvious. Its your personal experience. For example, I had a research experience (Biochemistry Research Assistant). I gave one sentence on the research. They can look up the pubs. I spend the rest on how I was motivated to do basic science due to my experience growing up in underserved communities and how having basic science experience will make me a well rounded doctor.

The average applicant says: I worked on mGlu receptors using flow cytometry. We utilized western blots and ELISA to determine the amount of protein etc.

The strong applicant says: I was motivated to gain experience in a basic science lab with mGlu receptors due to my experience with IV drug users. I wanted to understand the basic science of mGlu receptors in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the basic, social, and behavioral mechanisms of drug addiction. I believe this experience will enhance my ability to serve etc.

You see? I wrote NOTHING about the science per se. I had publications listed in my AMCAS so they knew I had the science. What they want to see is what you bring to the table.

*just an example. Idk if mGlu receptors are related to drugs etc.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

These are all great tips that I wish I had read before haha, but hopefully these will help someone browsing through the pre-allo forums for the upcoming cycle.