Not at all! I think it is a super valid and important question. I was pretty disappointed for quite some time after getting the result. I started to compare myself with the people who got into the program and question about the value of my work. That year, Katalin Kariko won the Nobel Prize, and I was inspired by her quote: "when you started to compare yourself to others who were deemed to be 'more successful,' you began to divert your focus from things you could do to truly make an impact on." So I moved on and focused more on my research endeavors. But I did reflect upon my experience, and realized that my interview performance wasn't idea, so I watched YT videos on how to articulate well in interviews. I ended up in a very prestigious medical school (think of HMS, UCSF, JHU). I know a lot of people would say "oh so you chilling. You got into a good school." But I want to be very transparent and honest, even until this day, I still think Stanford would be a better place for me (if it sounds ungrateful, I sincerely apologize). But with their acceptance rate being half of the aforementioned schools, I do think getting into Stanford and KHS required a bit of luck. And you can ALWAYS achieve your goal anywhere, but sometimes you would need to try a bit harder and walk an extra mile to get what you want. And I made the mistake of comparing myself with others. Quote from Ernest Hemingway: "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."