Application Advice

May 09 2019

Two surprising things that medical schools really care about

Medical schools care about alot of things. They have many expectations of those who apply to their programs. They want a high GPA, good MCAT, shadowing hours, volunteering, unique experiences that make you a good candidate, letters of recommendation. These are the things that most pre-meds know about. There are however many other things that medical schools value in a candidate which they don’t put onto their website. Knowing the things that medical schools value in their candidates is what can tip the odds into your favor when applying against other strong applicants. You can leverage this information to your advantage in your medical school applications and you should. During my first year of medical school I realized two things that I wish I knew before applying that could have made my application even more competitive! I want to share that with you all.

1. You have the ability to be self-sustaining and can cope with stress

This was made surprisingly important during our orientation of medical school and through out the year by faculty. During orientation we went over about the realities of physician burnout and how medicine can be stressful. We also went over various coping strategies and self-care methods to know for at least an hour! They also spent an incredible amount of time talking about all the services the school offers for students for their well-being. Then throughout the year we had several mandatory wellness sessions that included activities such as teaching us how to cook simple meals and talking about the importance of mental health. This includes taking proper measures to ensure you have health coverage, whether through insurance or savings (HSA Future Value Calculator). So it can go without saying that they really care that their students are healthy and happy! How can you use this to your advantage as a pre-med? Simple. Make sure that you emphasize in your application and during your interview numerous ways that you cope with stress in healthy/positive ways. This could be things like running, meditating, reading books, playing sports, etc. You want this to be authentic though, you should have more to say than I like to run. Maybe mention that you have ran a few marathons. This will be more memorable and impactful than just saying you like to run. As a side note, remember you always want to try and find ways to be unique and stick out in a good way to the admissions team! Besides showing that you have ways to cope with stress you also want to emphasize that you are self-sufficient and can take care of yourself. This can be done via certain activities such as cooking or if you lived abroad before. Ultimately just try to find authentic ways you can show the medical team that you have what it takes to handle the stress load of medical schools because that’s what they want to know.

2. You can help your classmates be successful

This goes along with the last point which is that medical schools want to know that their students can handle the stress load of medical school. The medical schools are investing alot of time and resources into turning you into a doctor! They want to make sure that everyone they accept will succeed and become a doctor. They don’t want students who will give up and quit out, that represents a loss of time and resources on their behalf and makes them look bad. You must remember this when applying! They want all of their future students to succeed. That is why they require such high GPAs, MCATs, volunteering, shadowing, letters of reccomendation, etc. It is because they want to be assured that their students can succeed. This is why having the ability to help your classmates succeed is something that medical schools want in an applicant. Often times the success of students lies not just in themselves but in having great classmates who will help eachother out. Showing to medical schools that you will be a student who is group-oriented and is a team player will make them feel you are a good addition to the class and can provide some benefit to the other students.Knowing this will help you fine-tune your application to making the medical schools want you! If you can not only show that you can handle medical school and succeed but also show that you can help support your classmates do it then that makes you really appealing in the eyes of the medical school! You can show this through activities such as being a tutor, being a peer mentor, serving a leadership position in some club at school, and even if you have done alot of team sports (soccer, basketball, etc.). These activities help provide the image of someone who is team oriented and knows how to work well with others.

Alright so keep these tips in mind when you are deciding on what extra-curricular activities to choose as a pre-med and what you want to emphasize on your application! Think like the medical school and know what their agenda is. If you know what they want then you will be able to turn yourself into a stronger applicant! Its the small things like this that add up and make you get that spot in your dream medical school!

Check out this video I made on the topic! Youtube video

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Jun 30 2018

Four tips for writing great secondary applications to medical schools

You have already finished all of your pre-med requirements and sent in your primary application. The only thing left between you and that ever so sweet interview at your dream medical school is the secondary application. You are so close to getting interviewed and potentially accepted! So how do you make the most out of your secondary application and not mess it up?

1. Keep your answers professional

Just because you are so close to getting invited to that interview does not mean that you can stop being professional. Some of the essay questions you may be asked in a secondary application could include questions that ask about your personal life or how you can contribute to their school. Don’t try to make any jokes, even if it is in good humor, or do anything that makes you seem like you are not taking your secondary application completely serious. Your best chance as an applicant comes when you present yourself as a professional and very serious about pursuing a career in medicine. Absolutely do not come across as if you are not taking the questions seriously.

2. Try to max out the character limit for your essay responses

Writing a lot in each of your essay questions shows that you spent time coming up with your response and that you put thought into it. In general, it will always look better if you have an essay that reaches the character limit than a response to the essay prompt that is only three sentences long. This does not mean to fill your answers with fluff to just make it longer. Instead, spend some extra time and think about personal examples that relate to the essay prompt. You can go into extra detail about how meaningful it was to you. Of course you do not have to max out the character limit for your responses, but just try to do your best to write as much quality content as you can. At the very least make sure you have at least a solid paragraph for each answer. You don’t want to be judged for writing too little, so make sure to avoid this easy mistake!

3. Make your answers personal

This is the difference between the average and mediocre essay response and the high-quality ones. The people who can relate each essay response with real experiences they have had always do the best. Do not give generic answers that sound like they could have been written by anyone. Your answers should be one that no one else could replicate because it comes from your personal experiences and reasons that have motivated you to pursue a career in medicine. Everyone has different experiences and reasons that have motivated them to pursue this path. Focus your essays on identifying these. The more genuine and personal you can make your responses the more you will stand out as an applicant who is serious. Don’t tell people why you would be a great physician. Show them why you would be by giving personal reasons and experiences.

4. Make your answers specific to that school whenever possible

This is a great way to set yourself apart from most of the other applicants. A lot of applicants will come up with a generic answer to common medical school essay prompts and then send that exact same answer to every school. The result is that every school gets some generic answer that looks like it was sent to 20 other schools! You need to take the time to write a different answer to every medical school! Even if they ask the exact same essay questions. If you can relate your answer to why that specific medical school would be a good fit for you then those schools will take you much more seriously as an applicant. Giving specific reasons why that medical school is the perfect match for you and how aspects of its curriculum serve your need as a medical student shows you have done your research and you are serious about their school.

I hope these tips helped! Remember, make sure you spend all the time you need to make your secondary applications count. You are so close to getting interviewed and accepted. Be professional in your responses, write as much as you can, and relate your answers to personal experiences and the medical school you are applying to. If you take the time to make a rock-solid application you will surely get those interview invitations!

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Jun 08 2018

Pre-Med 101: What are BS/MD programs?

We all understand the traditional route of getting into medical school. Complete four years of undergrad, do your pre-med required coursework, take the MCAT, do extracurriculars, apply for the medical schools you would like to attend, interview at those schools, and hopefully get accepted. But what if there was a faster and more guaranteed route into medical school? That’s what we will be talking about in this pre-med 101 article.

What is a BS/MD program?

A BS/MD program is exactly as it sounds. It is a combined BS (Bachelors of Science) and MD (Medical Doctor) program. A BS/MD program allows you guaranteed acceptance into a specific MD program after completion of your Bachelor’s degree. This guaranteed acceptance into that medical school does require that you meet certain requirements while in the BS/MD program. Often these programs have specific minimum GPA and MCAT score requirements that you must meet while in the program if you are to obtain acceptance into the medical school. So while it does make life easier to know that you have guaranteed acceptance into medical school upon completion of your Bachelor’s degree, it is still no walk in the park. The BS/MD program is good for high school students who know they want to become a doctor early on. If you are certain that medicine is the career you want to pursue then this could be a great option for you.

There are accelerated BS/MD programs that allow you to complete your Bachelor’s degree and get your MD faster than the traditional path. It normally takes 8 years to complete both a Bachelor’s and MD. However, there are some BS/MD programs that let you complete both programs in 7 years or even 6 years. In order to do this, you will have to take a more condensed and packed curriculum and will have to sacrifice more free time during those 6 or 7 years.

What about if you are already in college and still want to get guaranteed acceptance into medical school? Well you are in luck, because there are also programs which are known as early assurance programs (EAP). These are not the same thing as a BS/MD program but serve a similar function. An early assurance program is one where you are already working towards some degree at a university and you apply for early assurance of your acceptance into their medical school. An early assurance program is for university students who want the guarantee that they will get accepted into medical school upon graduation. For most early assurance programs, you will be able to apply when you are a sophomore in college. These programs are for highly qualified college students who know they want to pursue a career in medicine. Just as a reminder, high school students will be applying to a BS/MD program and college students will be applying to an early assurance program.

How do you get accepted into a BS/MD program?

Getting into a BS/MD program is not an easy feat. This is because most BS/MD programs are very competitive, with most only offering 20 to 30 spots per year. And there are many programs that offer less than 10 available spots annually. To get into a BS/MD program requires a very competitive college application. With most students who get admitted having a 4.0 GPA and SAT/ACT scores that are around the 95th percentile. The best way to get accepted into these programs is to not only have the grades and standardized test scores needed but also show your commitment to pursuing a medical career through extracurricular activities. Such as doing summer research programs, volunteer work, and even shadowing. The more well rounded your application is the better your chances of getting into the program. Take a look at the programs you are interested in to know the exact requirements for getting accepted.

What schools have BS/MD programs?

Accelerated BS/MD programs: (Seven years)

Normal BS/MD program: (Eight years)

BS/MD programs provide a great opportunity to high school students that know they want to pursue a career in medicine and become a Physician. One of the main benefits is knowing that you will get accepted into medical school as long as you meet the program’s requirement’s during college. Another benefit of the BS/MD program is that you will not have to deal with the medical school application process like traditional pre-med students do. If you are a high school student with the grades and a strong desire to pursue a career in medicine, I would recommend applying for a few BS/MD programs. And if you are a college sophomore or freshman with good grades, I would suggest looking into an early assurance program.

I hope this helps! Tell us what you think by leaving a comment down below! For more pre-med tips and advice, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, twitter, and pinterest!

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May 13 2018

7 Tips for applicants with a low MCAT score

7 Tips for Applicants with Low MCAT Scores

Getting into medical school or college with a low MCAT score is no mean feat and something which is far from easy. However, before you give up and turn your back on your dreams of a top-notch education and successful career, there are some tips and pieces of advice we’d encourage you to bear in mind.

Because while being an applicant to med school with a low MCAT score puts you at something of a disadvantage, it doesn’t make getting into college impossible. In fact, there are many ways you can seriously boost your chances of success, and demonstrate to the admissions officers overseeing your application that you’re actually a highly suitable candidate.

It’s going to take some seriously hard work, a lot of effort, and even more dedication… but you know as well as we do that it will all be worth it in the end when that acceptance letter comes through your door. Take our advice, take the steps necessary, and keep yourself focused on the ultimate goal. Who knows where your efforts will take you?

Tip 1: Strive to do Better

This may seem like stating the obvious, but there’s an important point to be made here. Your less-than-perfect MCAT score has shown that you aren’t as yet the ideal candidate for your course, but admissions officers love students who can show dedication, and demonstrate that they’re on an upward curve of success. No matter what point of your premed journey you’re currently at, there’s still time to show that you’re improving all the time, and striving for academic success that can help you shine.

Tip 2: Submit Early

There’s a lot to be said for getting your application in as early as possible, and yes, it does actually make a difference. It demonstrates decisiveness, resolve, and a willingness to get ahead, and can actually put your low MCAT scores in a more positive light.

Late applications are – of course – still accepted by many colleges, but by submitting late you’re even further decreasing your chances of an acceptance, not least at colleges with rolling admissions.

Tip 3: Be Strategic

If you’re planning on going to med school, then doing deep research should really be second nature to you. If your MCAT score didn’t turn out the way you wanted, it’s time to get out there and start looking for the colleges at which this might not make a whole load of differences.

There are plenty of med schools which really put a huge emphasis on test results and percentages. However, there is also a decent amount which doesn’t and prefers to take a more holistic approach. Take the time to research MCAT and GPA averages, and include schools on your list which you fall into the ranges of, alongside the schools which you’re reaching to get into. This doesn’t mean you can’t dream big… it just means that everyone can benefit from an effective and realistic plan B.

Tip 4: Make sure your personal statement is perfect

Personal statements for medical school are among the most important texts you may ever have to write in your life. They require plenty of time and effort and need to be absolutely spot on if they’re going to result in that all-important application letter (especially if you can’t rely on a star-standard MCAT score to carry you through).

If you simply don’t have the time or resources to write a winning admission paper, it might be time to call in the experts to help you with. With their help and expert guidance, the applications officers at your dream school will be so dazzled by your personal statement, they’ll surely be willing to overlook a less-than-perfect MCAT score, and give you the chance you’ve been hoping for.

Tip 5: Consider retaking the MCAT

Everyone knows the MCAT is tough. It’s expensive, it’s time-consuming, and it’s no fun for anyone involved. However, if your score really isn’t going to do you any favors when it comes to getting into med school (and you can speak to your professors about the attainability of your ambitions), then you might just have to bite the bullet and retake the exam.

The medical profession requires plenty of humility. If you messed up the first MCAT, you’re going to have to take a long, hard look at yourself, and consider what it is you did wrong, and what you’ll have to do differently. It may be that your entire approach was off the mark, or it may be that you fell down on just one or two points. Be humble, be realistic, and be objective – it will do you a whole load of favors when it comes to your retake.

Tip 6: Ask for help

If you were able to get into med school all by yourself, without anybody helping, guiding, or advising you, well, you’d already been there with no problems whatsoever. The fact of the matter is that somewhere along the line, you’ve made a mistake or taken the wrong approach, and as such, you’re going to need some guidance and help to achieve your dreams. Speak to your professors and see if they can arrange some one-to-one sessions for you with a tutor or mentor, and accept their advice with open arms. Also, many schools hold open days, conferences, events and panels – this can be enormously useful, so make the effort and go along to boost your knowledge and skills.

Tip 7: Don’t expect the world to owe you anything

There are plenty of medical students who don’t get into the college they want the first time around – and that’s ok. Take the time to consider what it is you need to do and be pragmatic in your approach. Have a low GPA? It can take a year or two to pick that back up, so considering something like a postback might be a great option for you. Lacking clinical experience? It’s up to you to sort out those sorts of gaps in your skillset, so get on it and find an opening. Have to retake your MCAT? Don’t leave your revision and cramming until the last minute, and expect to breeze through it. All of these things take time, patience, and hard work… and nobody is responsible for your success other than yourself.

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Apr 22 2018

Here is what matters to medical schools according to AMCAS

Applying to medical school is hard! There are many important components to one’s medical school application that must be considered. When applying to medical school you are evaluated based on your GPA, MCAT, letters of recommendation, shadowing experience, volunteering, extracurricular activities, and personal statement. This can make it hard to know what really matters when it comes to getting into medical school. Luckily, the AAMC has released a document that shows some important statistics about those who got accepted. Let’s see what we can learn from it!

Applicants and Enrollees:

A total of 49,990 applied and 29,840 that were accepted. This means that only 42% of students who applied for medical school got accepted.
Of the students who applied: 49% were White, 21% were Asian, 8.9% were Multiracial, 7.1% were African American, 6.5% were Hispanic, 3.6% identified as Unknown Race, 1.8% identified as Other, 1.3% were Non-U.S Citizen, 0.2% were American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% were Native Hawaiin or Pacific Islander.

Average GPA:

The average GPA of applicants was 3.57.
The average GPA of enrollees was 3.71.

This is a pretty decent indicator that GPA is not as major a factor as most pre-meds think. While you definitely do not need a 4.00 GPA to get into medical school, you should still have a decent to high GPA. This gives a good idea of the GPA we want to be around (3.71).

Language and Age:

30.2% of enrollees speak another language other than English
The range of ages for enrollees was 19 to 49 years old.

This indicates that being bilingual could be beneficial to your chances of getting accepted into medical school. Being bilingual could show your ability to communicate well with others and understand different cultures.

The age range shows that it doesn’t matter how old you are when it comes to getting accepted into medical school. So don’t fret if you are an older applicant! I was about 3 years older than the normal applicant age when I got accepted! What really matters is if you can show the medical schools that you are serious about medicine and have the ability to handle the rigors of medical school.

Average MCAT score:

The average MCAT score of applicants was 502.9
The average MCAT score of enrollees was 508.9

This is good news to alot of pre-meds! This goes to show that the MCAT also doesn’t need to be as high as you would expect. You definitely don’t have to have a 515 or higher to get into medical school! And since the average MCAT score for those accepted was about 509 that means there were plenty of people who were accepted that got a few points lower than that.

Enrollee profile:

12.8 million community service hours provided by enrollees
85.1% of enrollees had research/lab experience
80.9% of enrollees had shadowing/clinical observation

This tells us what medical schools really value in their applicants. Volunteering, doing research, and having clinical exposure are incredibly important to getting accepted into medical school. Volunteering shows medical schools that you are willing to sacrifice your time for others and that you want to help the community. Research is important to medical schools because they have research programs they want you to partake in at their school usually. Clinical exposure (especially shadowing) is super important for medical schools, this one is probably the most important for most medical schools. They want to see that you know what medicine is really like and that you will be okay with a career in medicine. Make sure you have a good amount of volunteer hours (about 100 hours logged is decent), experience doing research, and a variety of clinical observation and shadowing before applying. It really matters.

Summary:

One of the main takeaways from these statistics is that there is a lot that goes into a medical school application. While GPA and MCAT are still very important, they are not everything. Having volunteering hours, research experience and shadowing experience are just as important. Try and make sure that your GPA and MCAT are at least within the range of what enrollees are and focus on really standing out in your research and clinical exposure. Remember, even if your GPA or MCAT score is not as high as you would like, you can still get in by having exceptional clinical experience. Go ahead and analyze the statistics from the AMCAS yourself and see what else you can learn from it!

Click here to view the document from the AAMC.

You can also download the document here.

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