Wondering if Dental School is for you? [Show Summary] Dr. Barry Rothman shares everything students should know about the dental school application process drawing on his knowledge as an Accepted Admissions Consultant and former Health Professions Advisor and Director of SFSU’s Pre-Health Profession Certificate Program. Interview with Barry Rothman, Dental School admissions expert [Show Notes]…
How To Get Accepted To the University of Iowa’s PA Program [Episode 462]
What is the U. of Iowa’s PA program all about [Show Summary] The role of Physician Assistant was introduced less than 60 years ago and the University of Iowa’s Physician Assistant Program has been at the forefront since day one. Tony Brenneman, the Program Director shares what the program offers and how applicants can gain…
Writing Your PA School Personal Statement With Impact [Bonus PA personal statement example included]
Becoming a physician assistant (PA) has become a hot career goal, and it’s getting hotter all the time. In the past several years applications have more than tripled at some of the most competitive programs, and acceptance rates have dipped as low as about 30 percent–lower than the acceptance rate for many medical schools. To…
3 Reasons Why Writing About Overcoming Obstacles Strengthens Your Application Essays
Why do obstacles matter to the adcoms? Applicants love to write about their accomplishments, whether in personal statements for graduate school or in b-school essays that ask for greatest achievements, challenges, and the like. And when they do, they are not shy about coming up with tangible accomplishments: driving innovations that led to revenue boosts…
Would You Like to Improve Your Language Skills? [Episode 446]
Are less-than-stellar language skills preventing you from reaching your professional or academic or personal goals? [Show summary] Christina Ball, Fulbright scholar and founder of Speak! Language Center and B-Speak! brings her love of cultures and languages to this episode. She describes the approach her programs take to making language learning enjoyable and effective for those…
How to Quantify Accomplishments on Your Resume
How can you demonstrate impact in your resume or CV? Answer: Use numbers. Showing that you have made an impact is essential for a successful resume. We’ve created a checklist with 38 experiences that can be quantified so that you can wow an admissions reader or potential employer. Some examples: Number of people whom you…
Temple University’s Postbac Programs: A Plethora of Possibilities [Episode 435]
Learn how to increase your chances of acceptance to medical school or another health professions school. [Show summary] Caleb Marsh, Admissions Director of Temple University’s CST many postbac programs explores the robust opportunities available to students preparing for medical educations and careers. How can Temple University’s postbac programs help you reach your career goals, and…
Would You Like to Get Rid of Your Accent in English? [Episode 433]
Is your accent in English holding you back professionally? [Show summary] Esther Bruhl is a speech pathologist and founder of Speak More Clearly, an accent reduction training program for non-native English speakers. In this episode she explains how accents are formed and how new ones can be learned. Increase your marketability or productivity, by reducing…
How to Eliminate Test Anxiety [Episode 427]
Ace any standardized admissions test, with top-tier academic coaching and effective tools to manage anxiety [Show summary] Bara Sapir has been providing test prep for over 20 years and is a pioneer in mindful test taking, implementing a holistic approach to the test prep process. She shares her best tips along with her comprehensive approach…
How to Respond to a Rejection [Episode 422]
How to Respond to a Rejection [Show summary] Admissions guru Linda Abraham highlights four reasons that could cause a rejection and offers concrete, practical suggestions for moving forward. How to Respond to a Rejection [Show notes] Some of you are unfortunately facing a fistful of dings at the moment. Some of you haven’t heard definitively….
Upskilling: 4 Steps to Choose your Next Learning Opportunity
In today’s ever changing professional world, the nature of each job, the skills it entails, and the tools it utilizes are changing more rapidly than ever. Thus, we are being forced to embrace “ongoing learning,” or “lifelong learning” (continuously learning beyond traditional schooling). The answer to this is “upskilling,” which is the act of developing…
All About Duke’s Top-Ranked PA Program [Episode 416]
What is Duke’s physician assistant program looking for in applicants? [Show summary] April Stouder, Associate Program Director and Chair of the Admissions Committee for Duke’s PA program, explores what’s unique about this top-ranked program and what applicants can do to be competitive. A focus on primary care makes Duke’s PA program unique [Show notes] Are…
An Inside Look at USC’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry [Episode 414]
Do you fit with USC’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry?[Show summary] Dr. Anita Tourah, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, offers an inside look at the dental student experience and admissions process. How an emphasis on research, education and patient care makes USC’s Herman Ostrow School…
Life as a Dental Student at UCLA [Episode 412]
Ellisa’s non-traditional path to dentistry [Show summary] Ellisa Soberon, a dental student at UCLA with a nontraditional path to dentistry, shares her insights on the dental school admissions process and life at UCLA. What makes UCLA School of Dentistry unique… and the perfect fit for this dental student! [Show notes] So, you want to go…
Encore: Application Trends to Watch in 2021, and a Look Back at 2020 [Episode 411]
Thanks for joining me for the 411th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. I am taking a week off for family time this week. As a result I decided to air an encore of our most popular podcast so far in 2021. It actually is a solo podcast that I did for our 400th episode back…
Application Trends to Watch in 2021, and a Look Back at 2020 [Episode 400]
Can the lessons of 2020 help us forge a better 2021? [Show summary] For Admissions Straight Talk’s 400th episode, Linda Abraham reflects on a turbulent year and identifies the most important trends in higher ed admissions to watch in 2021. Applying to graduate school: A journey of self-improvement [Show notes] We’ve reached Episode 400! I…
Writing a Compelling Personal Statement [Episode 368]
How can you write a stand-out personal statement? [Show summery] Dr. Mary Mahoney, Associate Professor of English at Elmira College and Accepted consultant, draws from her expertise in the medical humanities to deliver advice for writing a compelling personal statement. Listen to the show! A professor of English and Accepted admissions consultant shares top writing…
Andrea Benedict: Life as a Physician Assistant [Episode 234]
Our guest today is Andrea Benedict, Physician Assistant, creator of the YouTube channel, Life as a PA, and founder of MEDTakeovers. This very busy professional earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Delaware in neuroscience, and went straight to the Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania’s Physician Assistant program. She has wide ranging experience as…
