The Pre-Med Comparison Trap

You know that feeling when you scroll through Reddit or SDN and suddenly every other pre-med seems to have a 520 MCAT, 10 publications, and a Nobel Prize?

Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but come on. Who’s revealing all their weaknesses on an online forum? And honestly, who actually sees themselves clearly enough to know their true strengths and weaknesses in the eyes of an admissions committee?

Here’s the truth: those posts aren’t real life. They’re highlight reels. And comparing yourself to them only makes you lose sight of what actually matters in this process.

We get it. You want to know where you stand. You want to feel like you’re doing enough. But comparison is a distraction dressed up as research.

We’ve worked with students who had incredible stats and still doubted themselves. We’ve also seen students with imperfect GPAs build thoughtful, memorable applications that opened real doors. What sets them apart isn’t the numbers. It’s perspective.

If you find yourself in the comparison spiral, try this instead:

• Write down your top three goals for this semester. Focus on progress, not perfection.
  
  
• Delete your Reddit account (or at least take a break). Out of sight, out of stress.
  
  
• Talk to an honest advisor who can help you see where you stand, what your shot is, and what will actually help.
  
  

Final thought: what’s the actual utility of obsessing over Reddit? The more you fixate, the less functional you become. If you find community or support there and leave feeling good, great. Do more of that. But if you walk away anxious, deflated, or discouraged, it might be time to step back.

Your energy is better spent building your story than comparing it to someone else’s.