help, reapplicant needing an opinion

[nolalover]

hello everyone, i applied last cycle really really late (complete dec-jan) to 8 schools. despite that i still managed to get one interview at my state school, which is my top choice anyway, in april but by then the class was full, got an ok spot on the waitlist that barely moved and ultimately was not accepted.

anyway, now it is getting pretty late in the cycle again and i have still not submitted my primary. i guess i am freaking out a little because over the past year i have not done anything to improve my app. i was forced to move back with my parents after hurricane katrina last year (the reason my app was so late) and am just now getting back on my feet.

i am trying to get back into clinical research but i really do not have any good or new things to add to my application because i have just been doing office temp work. i am just planning on reapplying to my state school (my 1st choice) which still have my recs from last year but i am worried that even though they seemed to like my app last year, that this year because it is pretty much exactly the same that it will hurt me. plus because it keeps getting later and later in the cycle i might be screwed anyway.

so what does everyone think? how bad is it to reapply with essentially the same extracurriculars and personal statement?

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[DO Doc]

hello everyone, i applied last cycle really really late (complete dec-jan) to 8 schools. despite that i still managed to get one interview at my state school, which is my top choice anyway, in april but by then the class was full, got an ok spot on the waitlist that barely moved and ultimately was not accepted.

anyway, now it is getting pretty late in the cycle again and i have still not submitted my primary. i guess i am freaking out a little because over the past year i have not done anything to improve my app. i was forced to move back with my parents after hurricane katrina last year (the reason my app was so late) and am just now getting back on my feet.

i am trying to get back into clinical research but i really do not have any good or new things to add to my application because i have just been doing office temp work. i am just planning on reapplying to my state school (my 1st choice) which still have my recs from last year but i am worried that even though they seemed to like my app last year, that this year because it is pretty much exactly the same that it will hurt me. plus because it keeps getting later and later in the cycle i might be screwed anyway.

so what does everyone think? how bad is it to reapply with essentially the same extracurriculars and personal statement?

I think that I would try to get something in there to show the school that you improved as an applicant. That's the one MAJOR aspect that the schools look for. So do some volunteering, shadow a physican, do a post-bacc program, take some grad classes, just do something. Show the schools that you're a good applicant.

Reapplying with the same application is pointless in my honest opinion. If they didn't accept you the first time around, why would they again? In your case, it might be alittle different since you applied late. However, my biggest worry would be you're pretty late this cycle as well.

If i were you, I would do something this year, and then reapply next year EARLY! remember AACOMAS and AMCAS both open up late may early june!

 

[sunshine04]

It wouldn't hurt to change your personal statement at least. Not everyone will read it, but if your life has been in an upheaval for the past year, that's worth explaining.

There's nothing you can do now? Shadowing, taking a class, volunteer work, etc.??? Even if you've just started, you can still put that on your app.

I agree that it's pointless to apply without changing your app in any way.

 

[DoctorFunk]

I was in a similar situation. I spent the summer on my state school's waitlist and was only one spot away from making it into the class--I found out I wouldn't make it the day orientation started for the incoming class. Anyways, I hadn't done anything to improve my application other than graduate undergrad during that time, and would have been submitting my AMCAS in September if I had reapplied right away. I made the difficult decision that waiting a year or two wouldn't kill my chances and started working full-time in a research lab, taking grad level courses with my university's free tuition program for employees, and volunteering and shadowing whenever I could. When I finally reapplied a year later, I had acceptances before the end of October to my three top schools. If I had reapplied right away, I'm convinced I wouldn't have gotten any acceptances and probably would have given up thinking it would never happen.

My advice: take the next year and improve areas of your application that seem weak to you. In the long run the year wait will not make a difference, and displaying your dedication and maturity in the situation to admissions committees is a huge bonus to your app.

 

[nolalover]

thanks everyone for your responses! i guess now i am leaning more to waiting until next year it's a hard decision though. i am sort of a nontraditional applicant as it is.

i already have my masters so i really can't take grad school courses at this point. i am also older (26) so it would mean starting school at 28 but i try to tell myself in the long run the two years won't make a difference. i am wondering though about recommendations.

DoctorFunk, when you reapplied after waiting another year did you use the same recs or did you get completely new ones? did you still go through your premed committee? i guess at this point that's one of my larger concerns. i think my premed committee might keep the recs on file for a few years hopefully so maybe they would send it out for next years cycle. thanks for your response, your story gives me some hope