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Should I Take a Gap Year Before Medical School?

Predictably, the rate at which aspiring medical school students are taking a gap year is rising. According to the AAMC’s 2024 student questionnaire, 74.3% of M1s took at least one gap year between their undergraduate education and starting medical school. That rate was 60% in 2017. Clearly, the takeaway from this data is that the …

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Five Tips for Applying for Graduate Fellowships and Scholarships

Although obtaining scholarships and fellowships for graduate school is more complicated than finding scholarships for an undergraduate degree, there are definitely opportunities out there – though more will be expected from your application. This makes sense, given that you are being trained to be an expert in your field, which will undoubtedly be reflected in …

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Writing Your PA School Personal Statement with Impact (includes PA personal statement example)

There are approximately 300 accredited PA (physician assistant) schools in the United States. In 2024, 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.  To stand out in this crowded applicant pool, you need to ensure …

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Inside Pitt Med School: Innovations in Medical Education [Episode 602]

Show Summary: In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Dr. Beth Piraino, Associate Dean of Admissions at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM), explores the school’s innovative Three Rivers Curriculum, emphasizing small-group learning, early clinical exposure, and the integration of “Streams” (special interest areas) and Threads” (core competencies like leadership and clinical reasoning). …

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Harvard Medical School Secondary Application Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025]

Harvard Medical School (HMS)  as “self-motivated, visionary in their ambition, and compassionate in their approach to the art of healing.” And the school highlights the importance of diversity in its mission statement, as both a critical component of campus culture and a factor in promoting excellence in medicine. As you approach your secondary application, aligning …

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Retaking Classes For Med School: What Every Premed Needs to Know

If you have retaken classes in the past – or expect to need to retake a class in the future – this post will help you understand this element of your profile, in general, for the AMCAS application, and for the AACOMAS application, as needed. 1. All grades earned are calculated into the cumulative GPA. …

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How an MBA Admissions Committee Views Your Work Experience

As you are applying to MBA programs, you need to think about your work experience and how it fits into your overall story. Work experience is important because of what it reveals about you with respect to your character, maturity level, and abilities. Even if your GPA and GMAT/GRE scores are spectacular, your work experience …

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PharmD Prerequisites

For PharmD applicants, thoughtfully crafting a prerequisite course plan is the first step in cultivating a competitive pre-health portfolio. This holistic portfolio – which should include not only academic work but also clinical experiences, shadowing, volunteerism, leadership, and other extracurricular activities – will ultimately yield a stellar application.   There are currently 142 accredited schools of …

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Nine MBA Waitlist Mistakes to Avoid

If you find yourself on a business school’s waitlist, the first thing to remember is this: Being waitlisted is not the same as being rejected. It means that you’ve shown the adcom that you qualify for the program, and that’s something to celebrate! However, it also means that you have not yet been accepted, so …

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How to Help Your Child Apply Successfully to Graduate School

Applying to graduate school can be a stressful process. As an applicant’s parent, you naturally want to help them, but how can you do so? Maybe you never went to graduate school, or it has been decades since you applied. The process is not the same as it was years ago. Furthermore, your child is …

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