Boston University Sch of Med Secondary Essay Prompts

The 2026-2027 prompts

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Collected from public applicant reports. Prompts occasionally change mid cycle, so confirm against your own secondary portal before you submit.

1. 01

   Do you hope to attend medical school immediately after earning your undergraduate degree? If no, describe how you've spent your time leading up to applying to medical school. This may include attending a post-baccalaureate program or other education, gap year activities such as employment or travel, or other relevant pursuits.

   300 words
2. 02

   Provide a timeline or narrative highlighting any notable aspects of your educational journey that you believe are especially relevant or significant to us better understanding who you are. Section not required but...this is an opportunity to describe any learning experience(s) that are not covered in other sections of your supplemental application or AMCAS application. For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own? Worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Do you have advanced training in art, music, or sports, etc.?

   300 wordsOptional
3. 03

   Why BU Chobanian & Avedisian SOM? Boston Medical Center is the largest safety net hospital in New England, serving primarily people who are publicly insured, people of color, immigrants, and low-income people in the Greater Boston Area. Why are you specifically interested in beginning your medical education in this environment, and how do you feel that your previous experiences will prepare you for this unique learning environment?

   300 words
4. 04

   Use this space to provide any additional information you feel will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine. Do not include information already provided in your AMCAS application or other sections of the supplemental application. Most students leave this blank.

   300 wordsOptional
5. 05

   Use this space to highlight aspects of your application that have changed since your last application.

   300 wordsOptional

How to write these well

• Turn secondaries around within 7 to 14 days of receiving them. Schools read speed as interest, and slow essays land in a bigger pile.
• Pre-write the universal question types (diversity, challenge, why us) once, then adapt per school. Adapting is rewriting the school specific half, not swapping the name.
• Name real programs. A why us answer that cites a specific clinic, track, or community partnership reads ten times stronger than praise for reputation or location.
• Stay under the limit without padding to reach it. Readers are working through thousands of these; a tight answer is a kindness they remember.
• Heads up: this school also requires CASPer, so build that into your timeline alongside the essays.

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