How should I answer the greatest failure question?

[SpearmintGum]

I'm pre-writing secondaries and some schools have the "Describe your greatest failure/time when you were unsuccessful prompt". I am thinking of using failing to get into medical school and how it motivated me to become a better person and stronger applicant.

My concern comes at schools where I am a first time applicant (didn't apply there previously). Is it detrimental to bring up the fact that I'm a re-applicant where the school otherwise would have no official way of knowing? (Although I heard AMCAS ID's are distributed chronologically so ADCOMS have a pretty good idea if you're a re-app). Thoughts/suggestions?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[familyaerospace]

Do you have anything else you can use?

Is this honestly your biggest failure?

 

[SpearmintGum]

Do you have anything else you can use?

Is this honestly your biggest failure?

1. Honestly I could probably think of something else, but it wouldn't be my biggest failure.

2. Definitely. I'm fortunate to have been relatively successful (aside from getting in on my first application cycle!).

 

[familyaerospace]

As much as I completely value honesty and being 100% honest and truthful, I am not sure I'd go there with this unless it is the only thing you have.

I also envy you in part.

I've had businesses fail on me, gotten rejected from journals, lost court cases, had patients that died on me, not gotten funding, had major experiments go wrong, and have screwed up majorly in my life... plus been rejected from PhD programs on two rounds (one of them I was a finalist for and the program was shut down) and medical schools three rounds.

I'm not entirely sure which one I'd use for this question if I got it, they were all pretty major failures.

 

[persumas]

I've heard that this is an awkward topic to write about because it is not resolved yet. IMO, it would be easier to write about a failure that has a clean conclusion.

I also saw one of the adcom members on SDN say it puts your application readers/interviewers in an awkward place where if they don't accept you, they are contributing to your biggest failure...

 

[Plecopotamus]

I'm pre-writing secondaries and some schools have the "Describe your greatest failure/time when you were unsuccessful prompt". I am thinking of using failing to get into medical school and how it motivated me to become a better person and stronger applicant.

My concern comes at schools where I am a first time applicant (didn't apply there previously). Is it detrimental to bring up the fact that I'm a re-applicant where the school otherwise would have no official way of knowing? (Although I heard AMCAS ID's are distributed chronologically so ADCOMS have a pretty good idea if you're a re-app). Thoughts/suggestions?

I wouldn't, because ideally much of what you would include would be evident from the actions you have taken since your initial application (something most secondaries will ask about in a separate prompt). Did you give up? no. you're reapplying. We're you able to be self aware, self critical, & insightful about the root of the failure? How you attempted to strengthen your app answers that (for better or worse--if you write about how you've persistently retaken the mcat when your real weakness is ECs, you'll actually hurt yourself). How much growth could you have from an ongoing event when you don't yet know if you've responded appropriately? I'd recommend an event for which you have hindsight.

all schools know you're a reapplicant..There's no reason to draw attention to it, IMO. It has its own prompt if they are open to what you have to say.about it.

 

[Admissions to Medicine]

Listen, and I cannot stress this enough. They see your science courses, they will see your MCAT scores, they will read your Personal Statement, they will see your med related volunteering/shadowing/research--- that is more than enough. There is no need to further write about failing to get into med school. You are human, there has to be other aspects of your life that do not concern medicine. This will be both refreshing and welcomed by many readers of your application. - Admissions Advice Online

 

[cabinbuilder]

I'm pre-writing secondaries and some schools have the "Describe your greatest failure/time when you were unsuccessful prompt". I am thinking of using failing to get into medical school and how it motivated me to become a better person and stronger applicant.

My concern comes at schools where I am a first time applicant (didn't apply there previously). Is it detrimental to bring up the fact that I'm a re-applicant where the school otherwise would have no official way of knowing? (Although I heard AMCAS ID's are distributed chronologically so ADCOMS have a pretty good idea if you're a re-app). Thoughts/suggestions?

NO NO NO. If your biggest failure is not getting into medical school then you seriously have not lived or done anything in your life. That question is designed for you to show your strengths, to show that you "get" that nobody is perfect and that we all fail at something in our lives. The purpose is to showcase how you used that failure as a learning tool to better yourself and make a stronger, more put together, humbled, confident individual. Medicine is not perfect, it is full of failures, people blame you for the death of a family member, expect perfection, want you to "fix it", "make it all better". Medical schools want people who have faced defeat, risen above that, understand that perfection is not possible but it's how you manage to survive and keep going that matters.

 

[Comeonhavefun]

NO NO NO. If your biggest failure is not getting into medical school then you seriously have not lived or done anything in your life. That question is designed for you to show your strengths, to show that you "get" that nobody is perfect and that we all fail at something in our lives. The purpose is to showcase how you used that failure as a learning tool to better yourself and make a stronger, more put together, humbled, confident individual. Medicine is not perfect, it is full of failures, people blame you for the death of a family member, expect perfection, want you to "fix it", "make it all better". Medical schools want people who have faced defeat, risen above that, understand that perfection is not possible but it's how you manage to survive and keep going that matters.

Ditto On a scale of 1-10 med school would have been a 2 on the failure list if I failed to get in at the time. Honestly, I think getting fired from a job is more of a failure. A failed relationship is a much better answer. I am also unsure how you grow from failing to get into Med School there are plenty of community college students who failed to get into a 4 year college. Pretty sure that won't be their biggest failure. Even Bill Gates kids or a famous celebrity probably have a better answer to that question.

Also at under 25 it is much more social question (relationships, growing up, having trouble when young with something, and so on) than a factual one (responsibility for a death, failed business, failed occupation, and so on)

 

[familyaerospace]

Ditto On a scale of 1-10 med school would have been a 2 on the failure list if I failed to get in at the time. Honestly, I think getting fired from a job is more of a failure. A failed relationship is a much better answer. I am also unsure how you grow from failing to get into Med School there are plenty of community college students who failed to get into a 4 year college. Pretty sure that won't be their biggest failure. Even Bill Gates kids or a famous celebrity probably have a better answer to that question.

Also at under 25 it is much more social question (relationships, growing up, having trouble when young with something, and so on) than a factual one (responsibility for a death, failed business, failed occupation, and so on)

I had all of that much younger than 25!

First business failed in college, first death responsibility was G-d I don't even know (prior to high school), failed occupation was college, failed major experiment also college.

 

[familyaerospace]

NO NO NO. If your biggest failure is not getting into medical school then you seriously have not lived or done anything in your life.

Thank you, I didn't want to say that directly but that is exactly what I was thinking.

 

[galapagosbeetle]

I did something similar to what OP is thinking for one of my applications this last cycle, and looking back on it, it was not a smart move at all. I thought it would be a unique way of addressing the prompt. Hindsight is 20/20, and now I feel like the admissions probably felt I didn't face any obstacles. As I recall, I didn't get an interview from that school. Thankfully, that was the only school I sent that particular response to, so I still had a fairly good response to similar "greatest weakness" prompts. I know it took me a long time to reflect on my experiences to find really great anecdotes for my essay prompts, but I think that with some careful consideration, you might find that you've experienced a lot more setbacks and obstacles than you think that you can write a really good response about.

 

[SpearmintGum]

Thank you everyone! I'm glad for all of the feedback because it helped change my perspective and reflect on many of my life experiences where I have failed (Particularly @Comeonhavefun, Thanks for mentioning how for someone young this is more about social experiences).

I'm thinking of writing about a failed relationship - Where I became complacent and ultimately stopped putting in effort because I was "busy" in my life, so I ended up irreparably hurting someone dear to me. It helped me become less selfish and decentralize my world view and to think about the needs of others before my own. I learned to stop making excuses about how being busy/having responsibility is justification to cut corners because everyone else is fighting their own battles and instead of buckling, they rise to the occasion and overcome obstacles. I think that this lesson has parallels to becoming a physician (Both in professional and personal contexts).

 

[familyaerospace]

The relationship should be ok.

 

[QofQuimica]

Thank you everyone! I'm glad for all of the feedback because it helped change my perspective and reflect on many of my life experiences where I have failed (Particularly @Comeonhavefun, Thanks for mentioning how for someone young this is more about social experiences).

I'm thinking of writing about a failed relationship - Where I became complacent and ultimately stopped putting in effort because I was "busy" in my life, so I ended up irreparably hurting someone dear to me. It helped me become less selfish and decentralize my world view and to think about the needs of others before my own. I learned to stop making excuses about how being busy/having responsibility is justification to cut corners because everyone else is fighting their own battles and instead of buckling, they rise to the occasion and overcome obstacles. I think that this lesson has parallels to becoming a physician (Both in professional and personal contexts).

Much better than your original plan.

 

[Armydentist2018]

Yes, definitely pick something that illustrates your personal development and willingness to improve. The relationship idea is great. I used my first public speaking attempt (which was an epic disaster) as my example, and then I went on to explain how this failure solidified my resolve to succeed.

 

[markymark71990]

Getting a DUI?

 

[cabinbuilder]

Getting a DUI?

Um, NO. That would not be viewed in a positive light.

 

[Stagg737]

Getting a DUI?

Um, NO. That would not be viewed in a positive light.

What about a failed career as an underwear model? That can be pretty devastating to your self-image.

 

[JackyLin]

Are personal injuries still a commonly appropriate topic (of course with addressing how to cope/overcome it, and it was something significant that affected most aspects of my life, not a papercut), or would something in the social aspect be a more welcoming/refreshing topic?