Session 28

Ryan and Rich again shed light on your questions directly from the forums over at OldPreMeds.org.

This week they particularly talk about the importance of writing your extracurriculars and meaningful statements well. It can't just be a job description but it should show how you are as a person.

OldPreMeds Question of the Week:

A question coming from a reapplicant asking about redoing the extracurriculars. Do they need to rewrite their extracurriculars and the most meaningful essays they're selecting for their three big extracurriculars?

Here are the insights from Ryan & Rich:

Things to consider:

• How extensive have you been?
• Has anything been changed and updated?

You may get by without extensively rewriting your extracurriculars and meaningful statements for the most of the secondary applications. So it's not bad to continue with what you've had.

But if you've reapplied to schools before with the same information and it hasn't worked then consider what you're being effective.

Have someone who does not know you well critically analyze your writing prior to getting into another application cycle as this somehow mimics the members of the admissions committee that don't know you at all.

Student really spend time on the personal statement and the first two secondaries. But people overlook the extracurriculars, which need to be well-written. They should be:

• Concise
• Coherent
• Compelling
• Short paragraphs

Your extracurricular statement must show you as a person.

• Characteristics
• Intelligence
• Motivation
• Commitment
• Attention to detail

Major takeaway from this episode:

Be sincere about your motivation and your story. Start with your core or why and move from there.

Links and Other Resources:

www.mededmedia.com

www.medschoolinterviewbook.com