Should I Change My Secondaries As A Reapplicant?

Reapplying to Medical School: Secondaries, Interviews and School Selection

In this terminal part of your assessment, we volition look at all the other means y'all communicated with the admissions committee. With the multi-staged admissions process, and an increasingly longer awarding season, applicants have multiple opportunities to make an impact – or be weeded out. Therefore, it's important to evaluate whether or not your interactions helped you over each hurdle.

Secondary applications

Your secondary essays have multiple purposes. For the admissions committee, your answers will help them see across your introduction in your primary and mankind out the epitome of who yous are. For you, the questions that each schoolhouse chooses to ask will indicate what the programme values most. As you review your previous answers, you demand to decide how well the information yous provided demonstrates your fit with the values and offerings at that detail program.

Did my secondary essays offering a new or deeper look at my activities, or did they regurgitate my personal argument? Viewed alongside my initial application, practice they create a consistent simply broader profile? Is there a significant divergence from what was presented earlier? If then, did I explicate it?
Did I enquiry each schoolhouse to meet what made it unique? Did I bring this data into my answers, even when it was non specifically asked, past integrating their particular strengths and offerings with my skill set and interests?
Did I answer the specific question that was asked? If I recycled secondary essays from another programme, did I tailor information technology to fit the new program? And did I make sure to use the right school name? (This seems obvious, but you'd be surprised by how many essays miss the point!)
Did I return the secondaries in a timely manner (inside 2 weeks of receipt)?
Were my secondaries free of typos and grammatical errors?

If y'all tin can answer "aye" to these questions, your secondary essays are probably non the source of your rejection. Simply if you lot aren't confident of your answers – and if you were not invited to interview – it may bespeak that your secondary essays need more punch.

Additionally, every bit y'all reevaluate your secondary applications, retrieve carefully about how yous want to comprise your newer activities. Some programs come right out and ask how reapplicants take strengthened their candidacy. Fifty-fifty those that don't volition notwithstanding want to see why evidence of comeback – and a reason to reconsider their previous decision. It's not a simple affair of showing an up trend in your GPA or a amend MCAT score. Rejection is an adversity and overcoming it requires a great degree of reflection, resilience and personal growth. Hopefully, the steps that yous've taken throughout this assessment have helped you lot identify and address your weaknesses.

Sharing what yous've learned along the style will assist the admissions committee see your continued commitment to becoming a doctor. For instance, if your focus was on improving your GPA, how did your approach to study change? Did you do good from having a clearer idea of your goal or from establishing a more than productive routine? What did this teach you about yourself? Self-awareness is an important part of showing admissions committees the "New, Improved You lot."

One last notation about secondaries. As mentioned in the concluding installment, timing is a disquisitional function of a successful awarding strategy. The generally accepted rule is that the turnaround for secondaries should be ii weeks. To keep upwardly with this grueling schedule, offset early and pre-write as many secondaries as you lot can. Fifty-fifty if the questions change (which they rarely practise), your writing is unlikely to exist wasted. And repurposing essays from your previous application and from other schools' secondaries is perfectly acceptable. Only take the fourth dimension to rework them.

Be sure you're addressing the specific question asked, tailor your answer with specifics of the relevant program, and make sure you lot proofread carefully so you don't submit with the incorrect school'southward name. (It has happened.)

Interviews

If you were invited to interview but didn't receive whatsoever acceptances, information technology'southward a pretty good bespeak that your interview skills demand a polish. Let'south jump into our next batch of questions (and remember – yous want to be able to answer "yep" to each of these the next time effectually):

Did I do enough, alone and with others? Was I comfortable talking well-nigh myself? Was I prepared for most of the questions asked, and had I prepared anecdotes in accelerate to back up my claims? Were there any questions that stumped me?
Was I exceptionally nervous at the interview or did I feel at ease? Was in that location anything in particular that triggered my nervousness? Was I aware of whatsoever personal quirks – changes in tone, hand gestures, etc. – that were exacerbated by my nervous state? Did my condolement level increment in subsequent interviews?
Before the interview, did I extensively enquiry the medical school? Could I speak credibly nearly each ane and know what fabricated each one unique? Was I able to explain why I wanted to nourish each program? Did I show my fit?
If I had a Multiple Mini-Interview, was I prepared for the format? Were at that place any scenarios that threw me?

Information technology's so frustrating to get by the interview hurdle and still not proceeds acceptance. The good news is that it can now aid you focus your reapplication efforts. Preparation and lots of exercise will help you feel comfortable telling your stories in a conversational, engaging, and unrehearsed fashion. The good news is that you tin can kickoff practicing anytime – in fact, the earlier, the better. The more accepted you are to sharing your stories, the more comfy yous'll exist in the interview.

Other communications

As an admissions cycle drags on, applicants have many other chances to communicate with medical schools. These may include telephone calls to authoritative offices, updates of new activities, additional transcripts and letters of recommendation, and letters of interest and intent. In looking at your past interactions, it's of import to ask yourself:

If allowed, did I maintain a regular communication with each medical school throughout the season, keeping them informed well-nigh new developments and confirming my continued involvement in their program?
Did each advice provide new data rather than regurgitating prior data? Before writing, did I anticipate my weaknesses and prove my personal and professional growth in these areas?
Was I polite and professional at all times? When speaking with role staff, was I always respectful and courteous?

Remember that y'all are being evaluated in every interaction, whether information technology is with the Dean of the medical school or the forepart desk-bound receptionist. It's natural to want to vent your frustrations about the admissions process, merely do it with your friends, not with anyone at the medical schoolhouse itself. Make sure that each of your communications is positive and productive, and gives the admissions committee new reasons to accept you.

School option

Ane remaining issue tin can significantly bear on your application success: the schools that you've called to use to. It should go without saying that you need to make sure you lot meet each program'south admission requirements. Simply there are other issues to examine, such as:

How many medical schools did I select? Was there a spread of schools, including programs both above and below where I believe I'm competitive?
Was my state medical school(s) included on my listing? Was my list heavy on medical schools in other states that accept fewer out-of-state applicants?
Above all, did I consider my fit at each program? Did I do my enquiry and can I place what is special or unique most each one?

The average allopathic med school bidder submits applications to xv programs. Some submit fewer applications – if, for instance, they will only consider a particular geographic area – while some submit 30+. Highly competitive applicants tin target fewer schools, merely if your profile is less competitive, the number of schools should be higher.

How do you know where you lot're competitive? Your basic stats are a good indication. Being shut to a program's hateful indicates that you are a stiff contender for that program – in other words, if a schoolhouse's mean GPA is iii.5, a 3.iii GPA with a stiff MCAT score could exist competitive. I as well similar to review the MSAR closely to make certain that my clients are at or above the lowest numbers the plan accustomed. While it's fine to deviate with a few "reach" schools, these should not dominate your choices.

Besides look at the percentage of applications accepted. Saint Louis University accepts close to ten% of its applicants; George Washington Academy accepts around 2%. If all your chosen schools accept a low credence rate, your profile volition have to be much better than average.

Beyond your chosen programme's requirements, it's of import to look at their admission preferences. Did you cull a lot of public medical schools in other states? Many land schools accept only a handful of out-of-state applicants; some, such every bit the Academy of Washington, accept agreements to consider certain states' applicants. (And if your land's medical schools aren't on your list, this is a serious omission.)

Click here to bank check out the In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rate Chart >>

Finally, take a good, hard look at your listing of schools. Exercise you know something well-nigh each of them? Are these places you'd really similar to attend? Will they get you where you lot want to go, whether that exist in medical research or clinical service? If you've completed the secondaries for each school and still tin't answer "aye" to these questions, that is a trouble – 1 you can rectify when you reapply.

Last thoughts

By now, y'all should have a pretty skillful idea of whatever missteps in your application. Unfortunately, addressing them is rarely a fast procedure. Often it takes years. Many people, fearing the time is ticking away, get impatient and reapply earlier they're gear up. Ix out of 10 times, this backfires.

Instead, accept time to reassess your application, address any deficiencies in your record, and reapply when you are at your strongest. This will accept time, but now that you have a practiced thought of where yous went wrong, y'all'll be able to focus your energies, enhance your profile, and ultimately submit a successful awarding.

"Reapplying to Medical Schools: Secondaries, Interviews and School Choice" is the 6th and final post in our serial: Medical School Reapplicant Advice: half dozen Tips for Success.

If you desire to better your chances fifty-fifty more, accept advantage of Accepted's awarding review service to get a tailored assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.

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"I sincerely capeesh your support! I'g and then excited about Western Michigan, and still trying to soak in the news!"

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by Cydney Foote, Accepted Admissions Consultant

A former fellowship admissions committee member and administrator at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Cydney Foote has successfully advised healthcare applicants, including those applying to medical schoolhouse, dental school, nursing and PA programs, veterinary school, public health and hospital administration programs, post-baccalaureate medical programs, residencies and fellowships. Since 2001, she has brought her marketing and writing expertise to help science-focused students communicate their strengths.Want Cyd to help you become Accepted? Click here to go far bear on!

Related Resource:

v Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Med School Secondary Essays, a free guide
An Accepted Student'southward Communication for Reapplying to Medical School, a podcast episode
Secondary Strategy: Why Do You lot Want To Go Here?