When crafting application essays – whether for graduate school, business school, or any other competitive program – applicants often focus on highlighting their accomplishments. And it’s easy to understand why. Most candidates are eager to share their significant achievements, such as leading a groundbreaking project, making a meaningful impact through research, or spearheading a successful…
Extracurricular Activities Can Help You Get Accepted to Graduate Therapy Programs
Involvements outside of the classroom can be an important component of your graduate school application. Can you draw a connection between your extracurricular activities and the field you are entering? Has your participation in a particular activity influenced your decision to pursue your chosen career? For example, someone applying to graduate school in clinical social…
How To Get Accepted To Duke’s Physician Assistant Program [Episode 591]
Show Summary Dr. April Stouder, Associate Program Director and Director of Admissions at the Duke Physician Assistant Program, discusses what it takes to gain a spot in the competitive program. She discusses Duke PA program’s emphasis on community service, particularly in underserved communities and healthcare roles. April highlights the value of non-clinical volunteering, especially in…
How to Get a U.S. Student Visa – Even When There Are Complications [Episode 589]
Show Summary This week, we hear from Marla Schechter, a US immigration lawyer with 20+ years of experience. Marla shares her expertise on various topics related to obtaining a visa for studying in the United States. She covers the process of obtaining an F-1 visa, the advantages of studying in a STEM-certified program, the H-1B…
CASPA: Everything You Need to Know about the Experiences Section
CASPA, the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants, is the primary application service for graduate physician assistant (PA) programs. The CASPA application has four primary categories within it: Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information, and Program Materials. There are lots of documents you will need to gather, prepare, and write to complete the application, but…
Vet School Personal Statement Examples to Guide You
You’ve done the work you needed to to prepare yourself for vet school. The academic work. The volunteer work. The clinical work. And now you must answer the VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application Service) essay prompt “Why do you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine?” You have just 3,000 characters with which to…
Highlighting Your Leadership Experience in Your Application
Mike knew that an intern on his team was struggling with speaking up on client projects, so he mentored the individual throughout the summer and encouraged them to take on a key role on a final presentation. Amy worked part-time throughout college but still found ways to volunteer as a Big Sister, all while earning…
How to Write a Compelling Postbac Admissions Essay
One of the most important parts of your application to postbac programs will be your personal statement. This piece of writing allows the admissions committee to get to know you and understand your path to medicine. Three attributes of a compelling postbac personal statement Three important elements can make your postbac personal statement resonate with your reader:…
VMCAS Is Open! What’s New on the 2024-2025 Application?
The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) opened on January 23! The final VMCAS application deadline is September 16, which is a mere 237 days away! With advanced planning, knowledge of the new and changed aspects of the VMCAS, and a competitive, holistic application, you will be ready! VMCAS Timeline The following suggested timeline highlights…
Writing Your PA School Personal Statement with Impact [Including a PA Personal Statement Example]
There are approximately 300 accredited PA (physician assistant) schools in the United States. In the most recent application cycle, these schools received more than 27,000 applications. The matriculation rate for PA schools hovers near 30%, which is lower than the approximate 40% matriculation rate for medical schools. Is becoming a PA a competitive process? Yes!…
Advice for Applicants: Moving from 2023 to 2024 [Episode 557]
Show Summary In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Linda Abraham looks back at her predictions for the 2023/2024 application cycle and offers advice for current and future applicants. She reflects on her previous predictions, such as the increase in test options and waivers and the continued use of rankings in admissions. She also…
Stanford’s MCiM Combines Technology, Healthcare, and Business [Episode 548]
Show Summary In this podcast episode, Linda Abraham interviews Dr. Kevin Schulman, the director of Stanford’s Master of Science and Clinical Informatics Management Program. They discuss the opportunities available at the intersection of medicine, business, and technology, and the problems that you can solve by combining these interests in your career. The program at Stanford…
PharmD Prerequisites
A thoughtfully crafted prerequisite course plan for applicants on the PharmD path is the first step in cultivating a competitive pre-health portfolio. This holistic portfolio, complete with not only academic work but also clinical experiences, shadowing, volunteerism, leadership, and other extracurricular opportunities, will ultimately yield a stellar PharmCAS application. First, let us provide a bit…
Twenty-Five Scholarships for Latino and Hispanic Students
The decision about whether to attend an undergraduate or graduate program is based on many personal factors, but one of the most important considerations is funding. Scholarships are one way to access programs without racking up massive debt. For minority groups underrepresented in higher education, including Latino and Hispanic candidates, the problem of debt and…
How the Team Approach to Admissions Consulting at Accepted Benefits You
If you are a current Accepted client, you’re likely familiar with our firm’s practice of conducting peer reviews as part of our service. Peer review is a crucial step in our process, one in which Accepted consultants seek input from their colleagues in the firm, asking them to help evaluate and enhance our clients’ essays…
Are Scholarship Databases a Good Way to Find Scholarships?
Scholarship databases are an attractive idea for most applicants – after all, who wouldn’t appreciate an easy way to find scholarships when searching can be so difficult and time-consuming? However, search databases, such as Unigo or Cappex, are only as effective as the person doing the searching. These databases work best when you have a…
Tuft’s MS in Biomedical Sciences: Your Pathway to Med School? [Episode 535]
Do you need a program to show medical or dental schools that you can handle the demands of their program because your undergraduate record just doesn’t quite do it? Well, pull up a chair. Our guest today is the Associate Director of the Tufts Masters in Biomedical Sciences program, which has an 80% plus admit…
Tufts University School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Tips [2023-2024]
The Tufts University School of Medicine describes its fundamental mission as promoting human health, with an emphasis on leadership and clinical care. It is looking for students with a strong background in the fundamentals of science who want to apply that work in a clinical setting. The school’s curriculum emphasizes early patient contact along with full…
Reapplying to PA School: Tips on Polishing and Refining Your NEW Application
An unsuccessful application cycle can feel disappointing. However, the decision to persist, continue working toward your chosen career goal, and apply in a subsequent application cycle is nothing short of the definition of resilience! In this blog, I’ll share some tips and suggestions for physician assistant (PA) reapplicants regarding how to update, improve, and enhance…
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education and What the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision on Affirmative Action Means for Admissions
Most higher education institutions promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as core values attached to their institutional mission, because doing so is crucial for ensuring a welcoming and inclusive campus environment for all students, faculty, and staff. Best practice recommends that DEI senior officers answer directly to a university or college’s president, thereby ensuring that…
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