I know this may seem harsh, but I truly do want the best for my friend. We have known each other since freshman year and lived with each other for 2 years. We are both post grad, she wants to go to med school. In undergrad, she had incredible grades, impressive research, amazing EC's, and 2 doctor parents. She applied to over 20 med schools the first cycle and got a TON of interviews back but was promptly rejected after the interviews. The same thing happened this year after she took a gap year and did research/got clinical experience. I'm not really sure how to say this kindly, but I think it is because of her personality. I know people with way less impressive resumes but are very charismatic and have had better luck than her.
She comes off as boring sometimes because she has a monotone voice and is very blunt, but she is very very kind, super intelligent, and very witty in reality. For example, she went through sorority recruitment 2x when we were freshmen (I was in one of these sororities and tried my best to put a good word in for her), but some of the girls in my sorority said talking to her was extremely difficult as she seemed bland and had "no personality." For summer internships, she again would get interviews and would consistently get rejected after the interviews. One time, we went over to a mutual friend's house for a homemade dinner they made, and when they asked my friend if she liked it/wanted more, she said "No, I don't like it," and there are more instances of this sort of thing. She does come off very blunt sometimes, which makes her seem rude, but she truly is a kind soul and means the best; she is just very shy at first.
She now is taking another gap year and reapplying next cycle, but I want to tell her to work on her interviewing skills/how she comes across in these interviews because she could absolutely get into some schools if she came across as more charismatic.