title!

i had no interviews in the 24-25 cycle but had a successful 25-26 cycle. i chose to reapply in the following cycle because i made a few glaring mistakes, and i'd like to give some advice to other people who might be in the same situation i was in just a year ago.

- "Should I take a gap year or reapply immediately?"

this is the most important thing i have to say: it depends on the reason you didn't get in this cycle. you can have someone look over your app or evaluate it yourself: did you apply late? did you apply to schools not aligned with your values (ex: having a community-service centered app but you applied to research-heavy schools)? maybe it's your hours or your writing skills. sometimes it's just bad luck, honestly, so look at it objectively and don't beat yourself up about it too much. depending on what you feel the answer is, take an extra year or reapply immediately.

my situation:

i'm a low stat applicant and applied late and only to in-state MD programs despite having great clinical and community service hours, unique ECs, and a direct and tangible impact on my community.

i decided to reapply immediately (i got rejected by january from all schools, which is a huge plus bc i had feb-may to work on putting together my reapp) and started working a research job to fill that gap on my resume. schools always ask what you did differently/how you improved as a reapplicant from your last cycle, and you NEED to have something to say to that. for this cycle, i talked about my research to improve my application and was also able to talk about failure in my interviews. i applied DO + MD and applied to way more programs and came out with multiple acceptances.

- "If I'm reapplying immediately, when should I start preparing my reapp?"

NOW! SUBMIT ASAP!

-"Should I retake the MCAT?"

depends on your score and the schools you want to go to! also remember, you run the risk of scoring the same/lower -- so it depends on your capabilities and how high you're aiming for schools. i had no interest in attending a T20, i don't really care about school name, and the only real gripe i had with DO schools was spending extra time on OMM + having to take two sets of exams. i chose to put my effort into revamping my app rather than studying for the mcat again -- you may feel differently.

Similar advice for a master's program -- if GPA is your issue, you might feel the need to do one. i've heard some people say postbacc is a waste of time; i personally think it depends on your particular app. other reapplicants: feel free to offer your opinions!

- "How should I change my personal statement?"

i've been reading a lot of personal statements these days, and the conclusion i have come to is that we all pretty much say the same things. empathy, making a difference, disparities... we all look the same on paper. this means that in addition to answering why you want to become a physician, you should also be thinking about what unique perspective YOU bring to medicine. who are you outside of medicine, and why does the medical field benefit from having you as a physician?

you don't need to mention being a reapplicant in your personal statement, btw. schools will ask in the secondaries anyway.

- "What schools should I apply to?"

take a long, hard look at your application and ask yourself these questions: am i a high, low, or medium stat applicant? what stands out on my app? what is the type of school that i wouldn't fit in at?

for me, i had a hugely community-service + reducing health disparities centered application, and clinical hours in the exact medical specialty pertaining to those unique disparities, so i applied to schools that emphasized community service. this may seem simple, but don't throw your money away for a school that doesn't place value on your experiences.

my personal opinion is that "safety schools" don't exist for most applicants, so apply to as many "baseline" schools as you're able, even if YOU feel like you're out of their league.

in summary: have something new to show for yourself, evaluate your previous application objectively, apply accordingly. apply as early as you possibly can; apply to as many programs as you can. take advice you see online (including mine) with a grain of salt.

this process sucks and makes you doubt your self-worth, but it's a good opportunity to show growth and perseverance. take lots of breaks, rely on your friends and family for support, and don't forget to thank the people who helped you along the way.

whether its two cycles or seven, i'm excited to one day be practicing medicine side by side with y'all :) you're going to be amazing! good luck!