• Business School
    • Free MBA Admissions Consultation
    • MBA Admissions Services
    • School-Specific MBA Essay Tips
    • Executive MBA Essay Tips
    • MBA Admissions Calendar
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
    • EMBA: The Ultimate Guide for Applicants
  • Medical School
    • Free Med School Admissions Consultation
    • Med School Admissions Services
    • Med School Admissions 101
    • Secondary Essay Tips (by School)
    • Student Interviews
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
    • Selectivity Index
  • Law School
    • Free Law School Admissions Consultation
    • Law School Admissions Services
    • Law School Admissions 101
    • Selectivity Index
    • Free Guides
    • Podcast
    • Video Tips
  • Graduate School
    • Free Grad School Admissions Consultation
    • Grad School Admissions Services
    • Grad School Admissions 101
    • Free Guides
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
  • College
    • Free College Admissions Consultation
    • College Admissions Services
    • Free Guides
    • Supplemental Essay Tips
    • Video Tips
    • Podcast
Accepted

Speak with an Accepted admissions expert for FREE!

Blog HomePodcastContact Us

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

Alicia McNease Nimonkar

Alicia McNease Nimonkar worked for 5 years as the Student Advisor & Director at the UC Davis School of Medicine’s postbac program where she both evaluated applications and advised students applying successfully to med school and other health professional programs. She has served Accepted’s clients since 2012 with roughly a 90% success rate. She has a Master of Arts in Composition and Rhetoric as well as Literature.

Check out Alicia's blog posts below. Want Alicia to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch.

March 1, 2023

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The Best Medical School Letter of Recommendation Advice for 2023

The Best Medical School Letter of Recommendation Advice for 2023

The best letters of recommendation are offered by people who have seen you perform in some capacity – as student, student leader, employee, researcher, volunteer. The weakest letters are of the “character reference” variety or from influential individuals who barely know you. How long should a med school letter of recommendation be? On average, these… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / Med School Letters of Recommendation

February 27, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The CASPer Exam: A Situational Judgement Test

The CASPer Exam: A Situational Judgement Test

In 2010, McMaster University, the Canadian university that created the MMI (multiple mini interview) format, implemented a new test called CASPer (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics). This situational judgment test (SJT) assesses core competencies related to social intelligence and professionalism, including collaboration, problem solving, empathy, and ethics.  As of this date, nearly 600 programs… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / Albany Medical College, CASPER, Drexel Medical School, Hofstra Northwell Medical, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, New York Medical College, NYU Medical School, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, rutgers medical school, Texas A&M College of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, UT College of Medicine, UWSOM

January 31, 2023

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Writing Your PA School Personal Statement with Impact [Including a Bonus PA Personal Statement Example]

PA Guide Writing Your Personal Statement

Becoming a physician assistant (PA) has become a hot career goal, and it’s getting hotter all the time. Over the past several years, applications have more than tripled at some of the most competitive programs, and acceptance rates have dipped to as low as about 30% – lower than the acceptance rate at many medical… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Grad School Admissions, Medical School Admissions, Other Healthcare Admissions / allied health professions, Physician Assistant, The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Physician Assistant

December 11, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

3 Tips for Applying to Early Admissions Programs for Medical School

3 Tips for Applying to EAPs for Med School e1510142684500

If you are absolutely certain that you want to pursue a medical education, applying to early admissions programs (EAPs) can give you the freedom to pursue any major. The Icahn School of Medicine’s FlexMed Program accepts students in the second semester of their sophomore year from all majors—the more diverse, the better. Flexmed’s only requirements… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / early decision, Icahn SOM, optimize your med admissions profile, premed, when to apply to med school

September 7, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

How to Shadow a Doctor

How to Shadow a Doctor

When looking for activities to include on your AMCAS application, shadowing is a powerful way to demonstrate your interest in and realistic knowledge of the field of medicine. Shadowing as many different kinds of doctors as you can is helpful; the only way to know whether you will enjoy a career in a particular area… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / optimize your med admissions profile, premed, premed activities, premed clinical experience

August 31, 2022

Reading Time: 7 minutes

MMI Interview: Everything You Need to Know

MMI Interview everything You Need to Know

The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) has become a very common med school interview format – one that is meant to provide a fairer, more comprehensive assessment of applicants. It began to grow in popularity after 2004, when Canada’s McMaster University published a study illustrating the flaws in the traditional interview format, especially in the ways… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / Medical School Interview, Multiple Mini Interview

July 22, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Brown Alpert Medical School Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]

Brown Albert Secondary 2022 2023

Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University is the only medical school in the state of Rhode Island. For this reason, it offers unparalleled access to all types of clinical settings and hospitals. It has seven teaching hospitals near its medical school campus. Its mission is “The pursuit of health to benefit society.” First and… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / 2023 Med School Applications, Alpert Medical School

July 13, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]

UC Davis  Tips 2022 2023

According to the U.S. News and World Report, UCDSOM is ranked #8 for primary care and #51 for research. This medical school campus is unique in that they have seven student-run clinics: Paul Hom Asian Clinic, Clinica Tepati, Imani Clinic, Shifa Clinic, Joan Viteri Memorial Clinic, Bayanihan Clinic, and the Willow Clinic. Medical students can… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / 2023 Med School Applications, UC Davis School of Medicine

June 12, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Track Your Secondary Application Progress with a Spreadsheet

secondary application progress tracking

After you have submitted your primary application, the real fun begins! Depending on how many schools you are applying to and the number of school systems, it can be challenging to keep track of all of your secondary applications and deadlines. To help you get organized, I’m sharing a spreadsheet I’ve created for you so… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / secondary essays

June 3, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Applying to Medical School: Selecting Extracurricular Activities

Applying to Medical School Selecting Extracurricular Activities

When considering your goal of attending medical school, you need to choose extracurricular activities that you will enjoy and that will also help you highlight the characteristics that med schools are seeking. 3 strategies for choosing the right extracurriculars Below we will provide you with strategies for finding and selecting activities that will set your… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / optimize your med admissions profile, premed activities

June 1, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

What NOT to Write in Your Medical School Secondary Application Essays

What not to write in your secondary essays

Since the number of secondary applications that you receive can be overwhelming, you may be tempted to take a few shortcuts. Some shortcuts are warranted while others are just too risky to consider using. To ensure that you are one of the “lucky” few who receive a medical school interview, avoid the following egregious errors:… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / med application essays, secondary essays

May 23, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Activity Descriptions for Med School: 4 Questions That Will Make Yours Awesome

Activity Descriptions for Med School

Having worked in admissions for over a decade, I have probably read thousands of activity descriptions for medical school and related healthcare fields by now. While this part of the application may not seem very important, it can actually be the component that makes or breaks your chance of acceptance. It can be quite damaging… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Grad School Admissions, Medical School Admissions / AACOMAS, AMCAS, premed activities, TMDSAS

May 18, 2022

Reading Time: 9 minutes

2022-23 AMCAS Work and Activities Section: What to Include (With Examples)

what to include amcas activities experiences section

The AMCAS Work and Activities Section is where you can share all of the awards, memberships, research, clinical experiences, paid employment, publications, leadership, extracurricular activities and volunteer work you received or participated in during college and after. To give you a better idea of what to include in this section of the application, I am… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / AMCAS, premed activities

May 6, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Applying to Medical School with a Low Science GPA

Apply med school low GPA

The process of applying to medical school is stressful. Applying with a low science GPA can make the process even more nerve-wracking. For over five years with the UC Davis School of Medicine Postbaccalaureate Program, I specialized in helping students with low numbers apply successfully to medical schools across the country. In my last year… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / GPA, med low stats, postbac, weakness

May 4, 2022

Reading Time: 5 minutes

How Your Academic Statistics Influence Your Medical School Choices

How your academic statistics influence your medical school choices

The most reliable source of information about allopathic medical schools is provided on the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) website, offered by the AAMC. The statistics in this database can be extremely valuable in helping you decide where to apply. Before you begin exploring the school data, it’s important for you to know that the… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / med low stats, researching med schools, where to apply to med school

May 2, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

When to Send Letters of Interest to Med Schools

When to Send Letters Apr 2022

If you have been placed on the waiting list, you can send in a letter to reiterate your interest in the school. Keep in mind, that this letter of interest is not going to make or break your application. Where you are placed on the waiting list plays a much larger role. If you’re #5… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / med waitlist

April 4, 2022

Reading Time: 4 minutes

10 Reasons Why You Should Consider Participating in a Special Masters Program (SMP)

10 Reasons Special Masters Program SMP

You’ve completed your undergraduate degree and are looking forward to attending medical school, but are looking for a way to set your application apart. If you have a strong undergrad science GPA, pursuing an SMP can be a fantastic way to do just that. There are currently more than 75 different science-based SMPs nationwide. There… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / Non-Traditional Med School Applicants, optimize your med admissions profile, premed research

April 1, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

4 Must Haves in a Med School Letter of Interest

4 Must Haves in a Med School Letter of Interest

If you’ve been placed on the medical school waitlist, then you should submit a letter of interest (or letter of intent) as soon as you are notified that you have been placed on the waitlist. Most medical schools require that students notify them of their decision by mid-April. Selection committees will be deliberating over who to… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / med waitlist

March 25, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Which Allopathic U.S. Medical Schools Prefer Committee Letters?

Allopathic Com Letters Mar 2022

Collecting letters of recommendation is a stressful part of the medical school application process. To make it easier for you to decide which letters to collect, I did the research! (You’re welcome.) There is an exciting development this year—there are no longer any medical schools that require a pre-health committee letter of recommendation from your… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / Albany Medical College, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Baylor, Boston University Medical School, California Northstate University College of Medicine, California University of Science and Medicine, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University, Columbia Medical School, Drexel Medical School, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Hofstra Northwell Medical, Icahn SOM, Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, Med School Letters of Recommendation, New York Medical College, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, rutgers medical school, SKMC, Tulane School of Medicine, UM Miller SOM, UMMS, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Weill Cornell

March 4, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

How to Write a Perfect Postbac Admissions Essay

how to write a perfect postbac admissions essay

One of the most important parts of the application to postbac programs is your personal statement. This piece of writing allows the admissions committee to get to know you – to hear your voice – and learn more about the obstacles you have overcome to pursue your educational goals. 3 attributes of a successful postbac… 

Read More

Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Grad School Admissions, Medical School Admissions / postbac

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 8
  • Next Page »

Get Accepted!

Sign up for a free consultation today!

Which program are you applying to?

Most Popular Blog Posts

1. 7 Simple Steps to Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

2. 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

3. How to Write About Your Research Interests

4. Tips for Answering the Yale University Supplemental Essays and Short Answer Questions [2022-2023]

5. When Will Medical Schools Give You an Answer?

6. Sample Essays from Admitted HBS Students

7. Tips for Answering the University of Pennsylvania Supplemental Essay Prompts [2022-2023]

8. Top STEM MBA Programs: A Comprehensive List and Overview of STEM-OPT Eligible B-Schools

Sample Essays

MBA Personal Statement Examples

Medical School Personal Statement Examples

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Law School Personal Statement Examples

College Application Essay Examples

 

This Site is Featured on GMATClub

Home Page Services and Prices MBA Med School Law School Grad School College

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog
Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553
© 2022 Accepted

BBB A+ RatingStamp of AIGAC Excellence

Copyright © 2023 · Education Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in