How can I stand out as a medical school candidate with my application and my interview?

I'm applying this summer – so I've already completed any extracurricular projects that would be put on the application.

How can I make myself stand out among the other candidates during the application process?

Is it appropriate to email the school to introduce yourself as a candidate?

You can try e-mailing, but I would expect you'll get a response that informs you about the application process. But what the heck..go for it.

My best advice for 'standing out' is to write a knock out essay. Keep in mind, these essays are like a "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" to admission committees in that everybody is displaying strengths, activities and ernest desires. If you have good grades and a good MCAT score, don't waste the space saying that–it's obvious. If you have a weakness, don't make that the focus, but do explain it. A lot of applicants tanked courses in their freshman year and the people on admission committees know it and as long as you picked your self up, no harm, no foul.

NEVER use slang terms in an essay. This isn't a text message. Use proper grammar, check your syntax and spelling and get it proof-read for readability.

Something that I have done (I used to write technical papers) is to review the document through they eyes of somebody who opposes you. Take a hard critique of your writing looking for a reason to reject you and you'll write a better essay.

Good luck!