stupid personal statement

[Chrisobean]

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hey guys

with 2 rejections out of 15 so far.. im preparing for applying a third time! woohoo for me!

i was just wondering if anyone who re-wrote their PS mentioned how the rejection of not getting in has been motivational and talked about the whole process as a learning experience...

it just seems that focusing on something negative is not the best way to go... just wondering if anyone had an experience with this, if it can be made into anything positive...

thanks!

 

[redstar18]

chrisobean,

i rewrote my personal statement for this cycle and included a paragraph about how reapplying has confirmed my committment to medicine (or something to that effect). so, i did spin it positively. definitely rewrite your ps *if* you have to reapply again to show how you have improved as a candidate since this cycle. there's still plenty of time left for this year, so don't give up yet! good luck 🙂

 

[mison]

Hey Chrisobean I'm sorry to hear that you got another rejection, but hey 13 more schools to go right? Although this cycle is far from over I think its smart to have a plan for the worst. I wrote about the past year's application experiences in the secondary app essays. I did not change my PS in the AMCAS because I thought it was good. When I interviewed at UT this cycle my interviewer sort of made fun of it and told me that he disagreed with most of it. Great way to start the most important interview of your life eh? This guy really drilled me with tough questions and pounced on me when he sensed my answers were weak. However, he turned out to be a pretty cool guy after talking to him for like an hour and a half, and I got in so all thats H2O under the bridge. Anyway back to the point, I wrote about how the grad classes I was taking reaffirmed my confidence in wanting to become a doctor and/or scientist. I think its a good thing to talk about. When someone can take adverse circumstances and gain something positive it speaks to their maturity level, not mention the obviously intense desire to become a physician. 👍

 

[Aaron Earles]

Chrisobean,

Look at the positive side. There are still 13 schools who ARE considering you. This is a very good thing. If you have not been rejected to the others, that means that you still have a great chance. It is still very early in the game. I know for AACOMAS, not all of the applications deadlines have expired.

Once the schools get an idea of the remaining applicants, I bet that you will hear something and will get accepted. It is good to have a plan in case you are not accepted, but I still believe that you have an excellent chance this time around. Good luck to you my friend. Feel free to PM me with questions or just to chat.

Later,

Aaron

 

[Amy B]

Hi,

Everyone is correct, you only have 2 so far, so don't throw in the towel just yet. Have you had any interviews?

If this is your second time applying, I am wonderig if you have talked to any of the schools that rejected last time and/or this time? Have you found out what they thought was your area of weakness? If so did you work on that weakness?

If you don't get in this time, talk to the schools and find out why they rejected you. They are willing to talk to an applicant about his or her rejection. Then work on that area if at all possible and then you could perhaps includ in your essay how you worked on that area since the last time you applied. But don't sound like you are whinning or apologizing for not being good enough to get in the last 2 times.

Good luck. I hope you hear great things from one of your other schools.

 

[Chrisobean]

thanks everyone

i know its a tiny bit pre-mature to throw in that towel... so im trying to keep my spirits up. but waiting until may to find out i am not going anywhere next year is a bad idea, im just trying to get the jump on things just in case...
no interviews yet, but i keep calling schools and im under "review". last year i only applied to 4 schools, it was a big mistake, and i shouldnt have even bothered. but this year i scored better on the mcat so i gave it a shot. theres only 1 school i really want to go to, and it was one i applied to already (this year being twice). i have sent them a letter of interest/intent (whatever its called) hoping they see how dedicated i am and how badly i want this. i have yet to hear anything from them. so if i get some more bad news, i'll be sure to call and ask WHY WHY WHY!

thanks again, sometimes this board drives me insane, but other times it gives me back my sanity 🙂

 

[turtlepower]

Chris,

I am basically in the same situation that you are. I have 8 schools left to hear from and have not received an interview yet. When I call, which I do every few weeks, I am told that I am "under review," or that "no decision has been made." I have started studying for the MCAT again because I am assuming that I will likely be reapplying next year. I have also called several schools that rejected me to get feedback so I can be a better applicant next time. One school was very nice and immediately arranged a phone appointment with the dean for next week but the other has been more difficult to pin down. I think that it is my MCAT, but best to be sure, right?

Anyway, I just wanted you to know that you are not the only one in this situation. It always helps when you know you are not alone. I talked with an old frenid from high school this week who was rejected the first time he applied and is now graduating from med school and interviewing for very competitive residencies. See, it can be done! Talking to him was very inspiring...

 

[medschoolorbust]

If you do have to apply again (which I hope you do not), consider more than 15 schools. Even some top applicants apply to 20+ or even 30+ schools. I know that it's expensive, but better than having to reapply a fourth time. But I agree with everyone...improve upon the weaknesses in your application and make your strengths even stronger. Best of luck.

 

[southerncomfort]

I keep seeing lots of people applying to 15, 20, 30+ schools--how the heck do you afford the application fees?!? That could easily run into a couple thousand by the time you have secondary fees, interview expenses, plus the AMCAS cut!
Is anyone else thinking <10 schools? Or is that unrealistic these days?

 

[Robz]

I appled to 25 schools in total. I took out extra loans from my financial aid for school to afford the applications/secondaries/and the biggest cost of them all the interview travel costs. I am totally glad I did it too. I figure this is a once in a life time to spend the money so you know EXACTLY where you want to go and where you want to spend 100-200 thousand dollars.