Welcome to Dr.Paul Lowe’s Admissions Expert Blog – 2019

My team and I have been visiting elite private schools, colleges, BS/MD programs, medical, law and graduate schools since late December and January.

Parents and students are constantly in the throes of the journey for:

• Private School Admissions:  The application deadline for the top and competitive day and boarding schools was January 15th.  Admission decisions will be available online by March 9th for boarding schools.
• College Admissions:  Early decision and action acceptances, rejection and deferred notices have been sent to students.  It’s time for high school seniors to think about what to do next regarding post-decision strategies.  Final decisions: March -April.  For high school juniors, you’ll be hearing from colleges in 12 months! For 2019, expect an increase in international student applying to Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities.
• Transfer Admissions:  Most applications are due in March.  Therefore, it’s time to complete applications and most importantly it’s time to complete those personal statements.  The transfer application this year has several changes!
• BS/MD Admissions:  Competition for coveted spots is heightened based on the increased number of applicants this year.  Expect an increase in the number of rejected applicants.
• Medical School Admissions: College juniors should begin to draft their personal statements, schedule to take their MCATs no later than May and obtain letters of recommendation.  Also, the new AAMC guidelines may affect the decision-making process considerably!
• Law School Admissions:  Senior year – If you’re still in college, have your college Registrar submit updated transcript that reflects your Fall semester grades and

  obtain confirmation letters/e-mails that your applications are complete from any remaining law schools.  The number of people applying to law school for the upcoming academic year shot up 8 percent—the only significant annual increase since 2010 as reported by The Law School Admission Council (LSAC).  Additionally, the fall 2019 JD Regular Admissions Deadlines for top ABA-Approved Law School will be due starting February 1.

• Graduate School Admissions:  Junior year – Start your search on graduate school programs. Once you have conducted your thorough searches for prospective institutions, make an alphabetical list of between 10 and 20 programs, regardless of what you presently know or have heard about them. Write them all down or put them on a spreadsheet. Graduate school enrollment continues to increase! Overall application volumes to graduate programs are steady and there is an expected increase from the Asia-Pacific, Canada and Europe regions.  

Each year, admissions policies and strategies change, so stay tuned for my upcoming, informative, helpful and thought-provoking admissions blogs!

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.