Many of us will be applying to schools this upcoming school year. Of course, some have just completed this cycle and are preparing to go to whatever school they picked, and others are long out of school, but it seems like this time of year is just crazy.
I am going to be reapplying to medical school this year. Yes, reapplying. I applied initially 2 years ago, in June 2007 (I still remember the date I submitted my primary application, but not because of the application). I got rejected from every school I applied to. It sucked, and was a huge contrast from when I applied to college, where I got into every single school I applied to. But, I'm back and ready to give it another goal. And since I have experience in this field, both in the undergraduate and graduate level, I thought I'd offer everyone else some advice.
1) Apply early.
You don't want to wait until the application deadline to submit your application. That will put you at a great disadvantage. Just think about how many people submitted before you; their applications are going to be looked at first. And if you're applying to a school that's at all competitive (read: only accepts a certain number in each class), then applying early is to your advantage. But, along with that comes....
2) Have all your materials together.
Ideally, you should have all your letters of recommendation and test scores ready to go by the end of this past school year... so around now. If you don't, you should probably get on that. You don't want to be requesting materials when the schools request them from you, with the exception of transcripts.
Afraid you'll lose something? This is where I put my plug in for an amazing service I discovered a little over 2 years ago... Interfolio. It's an online database that allows you store all sorts of different documents, and will then pass the documents you select on to your schools. This is a very good option if you choose to...
3) Get Confidential Letters of Recommendation.
No, it's not required, in most cases. Colleges, at the undergraduate level, probably don't care one way or the other. But some graduate programs, such as medical schools, expect you to have confidential letters of recommendation. What does that mean? It means that you waive your right to see what's in the letter. Now, it may be that your letter writer is cool (as some of mine have been) and they'll send the letter to you as well as to wherever you ask, so you know what they have to say about you. Why is a confidential letter good? Because it's more powerful; instructors won't have to worry about you seeing the letter, so, in theory, they'll be more honest. This leads into....
4) Make sure you know your letter writers.
A form letter isn't going to do you much good. You want a strong letter, from someone who knows you. Ideally, they should know you both in and outside the classroom, but this isn't always possible. Don't be afraid to get to know your instructors, especially in college, because they'll be valuable recommendations later, even if you don't go on to graduate school.
5) Love what you do.
This isn't really aimed at the people currently applying, or getting ready to apply, but to those who are perhaps still exploring their options, or still have another year or two before they apply. I am on a forum filled to the brim with premeds, all of whom think that you need to volunteer in a hospital, do extensive shadowing, and become an EMT in order to get into medical school. The fact is, you don't. You can volunteer as a Big (Brother/Sister), work as an MA in a physician's office, and be the president of the scrapbooking club at your school... The point isn't what you do, exactly (you should have volunteering, as it shows altruism, and you should have experience in whatever field you want to go into), but how much you love doing it. If you volunteer in a hospital and hate it, what are you going to have to say about it when it comes time to interview? Not much. So, find things you love to do, and do them.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and best of luck to everyone participating in this application cycle.
good info. I hadn't thought of some of these things
I am sure it is a major challenge to go through this process again, but I am glad that you are doing it! Let us know how it goes, and I wish you the best :). This post was helpful to me even though I am not applying to schools. I am looking for a new job, or jobs, and have come across a lot of things like this.
I was getting discouraged because one job I was really into, the lead nurse at the community college health center that I used to go to, hadn't responded. It took me a lot of time to write up a good cover letter, and gather information. I had to appeal the education requirement to use my work experience as equivalent. I realized through this process how important it is to have this information at my fingertips. Interfolio sounds great, Suzie Orman also suggests something similar, Infovault, I think, where one can store personal account information and passwords in case of emergency.
Anyway, I received an email from the college about the job I applied to, and they said that because of budget issues there has been a hiring freeze and they would keep me posted if things change. I was really glad to get any response at all, and it has boosted my confidence. So, I will keep applying, and now I have everything I could possibly need to apply for practically any job, since this application was so grueling.
"O, I'm sorry you took that, -I meant that for the Devil, and you have stepped in and taken the blow. Don't get between me and the Devil, brother, and the you won't get hurt." --Billy Hibbard