As a premed student, you have probably come across qualified applicants who failed to get into a medical school they first, second, and possibly third time they applied. Who knows, you may even be a reapplicant yourself. There are several things that determine whether you get in or not, and your MCAT results are one of them. A strong GPA and meaningful recommendations letters are among them as well. 

If you are a premed student trying to do everything right to get into medical school, preparing yourself is highly critical. Study hard, manage your time wisely, and take the necessary tests that will prepare you for your exam. The MCAT test prep is especially important if you want to be ready for your qualifying exam. If you are a rejected applicant, or when the time comes, and you apply to a medical school, here are some of the tips that will help you get accepted. 

Be Realistic About Where You Apply

One of the most significant mistakes most people make is applying to a few medical schools. Your family and fellow premed students may tell you how good you are and that you should aim high. While there is nothing wrong with this advice, you simply need to be realistic. To begin with, the competition is very high, and only a few are accepted. Unless you have impeccable test scores, application letters, recommendations letters, and experiences, you need to cast your net to a wide range of medical schools. Do not make the mistake of overestimating your competitiveness and only apply to the top-ranked schools. Consider schools that are not super selective. 

You Need Some Clinical Experience

Given that you are trying to get into a medical school, it is important that you are able to demonstrate how your experience fits with the career you have chosen. As much as research is essential, clinical exposure is more so. You may have a great list of accomplishments, but you need to demonstrate some clinical exposure, such as volunteering in a clinic or participating in the premedical program. Unless you have spent some actual time in the clinical arena, convincing the committee to pick you will not be easy. 

Submit a Persuasive Application

Including persuasive materials in your application can help you greatly. Whether you are applying to the most prestigious school or not, your personal statements and descriptions need to convince the committee that you are a worthy applicant. This is more important during the initial application when they decide whether to extend an interview invitation. The decision will be based on the materials you send.

Do Not Submit Your Application Late

Even when you are a great application, submitting the application late could ruin your chances of getting accepted. Every year, the AMCAS sets a date to send in applications, and you need to submit yours as close to that date as possible. The committee will only review the application once they receive all the materials. Sending it early means that the committee will review it early and you’ll be a smaller pool of applicants. 

Once you reach the interview stage, the interview will be a major determinant of whether you are successful or not. You need to have emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills if you want to ace the interview. Nervous applicants who are not comfortable expressing themselves always under-perform during these interviews. 

It may be easier for you if you practice talking about yourself in an interview setting well before then. Try to explain the experiences and motivations that have influenced your decisions so far. Do not forget that every school will consider you as an individual and you can do all the tips above to improve your chances.