Why You Need a BS MD Admissions Advisor

July 21, 2018July 24, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

I often receive phone calls from parents inquiring about our BS/MD admissions advisory services. They subsequently decide to send their child’s high school transcripts and resumes. On paper (two dimensionally), everything seems perfect: high grades and SAT scores, difficult courses, multiple awards, first place in music, art and/or dance competitions, amazing research projects, mini-medical school camps and shadowing doctors (and we a talking high school sophomores here).

What these parents fail to see is that they have encouraged their children to sound exactly the same (no matter how seemingly impressive) as every other BS/MD applicant. My team and I ask ourselves: “Are these parents reviewing the same websites, talking with the same people and following the same playbook?”

I often follow up and call these parents who did not retain our services and discover that all their children were not accepted to BS/MD programs and worse, were accepted to second and third-tier colleges. What’s amiss here? Is there a correlation here? Why is that?

Parents actually believe that high school guidance and college counselors and educational consultants who DO NOT specialize in BS/MD Admissions understand the nuances of BS/MD programs, visit BS/MD programs and are doctors who have been through the selective process of BS/MD programs or medical school admissions. Additionally, they seek free resources. I stand by the adage: “You get what you pay for.”

Many parents assume that they have the experience and knowledge to do BS/MD admissions on their own. As a professional admissions advisor, I believe that it’s important to talk with someone who has the experience and know what he/she are doing, especially when it’s about your child’s future! Studies show that mistakes are inevitable when people are convinced that they believe they know what they are doing when in fact they have no idea what they are doing.

Is hiring a BS/MD admissions advisor a worthwhile investment?

When your child has a GPA of 4.0 or higher, SAT I’s of 1550 or higher, SAT II’s of 800, and a 3 page resume, it’s logical to believe that he/she has everything necessary to be accepted into BS/MD programs. However, statistically and unfortunately, that is not the case and many students end up being rejected from every BS/MD program to which they apply and attend second-tier or third tier colleges. Therefore, to achieve the admissions goal, rather than play the odds, it is logical to engage an expert.

What I observe, is that parents play the odds and after all their children’s (and their) hard work, they bet incorrectly and LOSE BIG!

I guess the real question here is: Why would highly educated parents knowingly bet and gamble on their children’s educational future and life, to have their children REJECTED, by not hiring an expert?

Blog: College Admissions is a Competitive Sport – How to Win Your Personal Admissions Game!

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

Dr. 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. The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges, Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college: College Transfer Admissions Advisors. Summer Camps: BS/MD Application Boot Camp and Ivy League Application Boot Camp.

It’s Getting Tougher to Get into BS/MD Programs

April 20, 2018June 22, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Is it getting tougher to get into BS/MD programs? Absolutely!

I’ve read on several websites that have stated “no”, “it’s not significantly different from prior years”, or “it’s easier to get into these programs”. Rather than assuming this or just writing a book about BS/MD programs we actually visit these programs. After our extensive research, review and visits, we have concluded it’s getting harder!

Why? Here are a couple of reasons: (1) More students are applying as a result of the Common App and easier access to apply. (2) It’s getting tougher to get into medical school so more students are attempting to enter the medical field through the BS/MD route, a trickle down effect. (3) More students sound exactly alike, so it’s so much easier for applicants to be rejected in bulk!

Since more students are applying and the number of spots remains unchanged, the rejection rates are higher. They range from 92% to 98%. We are even hearing about “perfect” applicants being rejected. The typical “perfect” applicant: High GPA, at least 10 AP courses, high SATs, musical, artistic and/or athletic extracurricular activities, research/clinical internships, shadowing doctors, helping the poor or starting an not-for-profit organization to help the poor.

Why are so many “perfect” applicants being rejected? It’s because they sound perfectly the same (contrived) on paper! Their parents are under the impression that their children are superstars. The fact is that they are all simply baseline in the BS/MD application process. Their applications lack color, rhythm, Wow-Factor, and personalized configuration.

Our offices usually receive calls or emails from parents who want their children to attend BS/MD programs. After they describe their children’s’ resumes, predictably naming all their achievements, they “sound” like perfect candidates. After we explain to them our fees, many never follow through (which actually places our clients at an advantage). When we do follow up a year later, we discover that these perfect candidates are not only rejected from BS/MD programs, but also Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities. Our clients happily have the choice of whether to attend a BS/MD program or Ivy League and highly selective universities.

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

BS/MD Application Boot Camp 2018

April 12, 2018April 16, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Pinnacle Educational Center/Admissions Advisors Group (PECAAG) announces the launch of its 2018 BS/MD Application Boot Camp (BSMDABC). This is the 4th anniversary of BSMDABC. The 2-day comprehensive, intensive and informative application boot camps, held during the summer, are specifically for high school rising seniors (current juniors) who have decided to apply to BS/MD Programs. (see Dr. Lowe’s blog: Top Advantages of Being Accepted To BS/MD Programs)

The camp is also specifically for international students who are seeking admissions to BS/MD programs. It is more difficult for an international student to be admitted to BS/MD programs than a US resident. See Dr. Lowe’s blog: (BS/MD Programs That Accept International Students) Camp activities include: Application (including essay) brainstorming, review, editing during the camp, followed by an application consultation prior to submission of application. The fee is $8,500.

There are 120 BS/MD programs in the U.S. and each year thousands of applicants apply to limited slots. Many of these programs have only 15 to 40 slots with over 500 applicants. The camp is beneficial to students who need a last-minute boost of their BS/MD Applications and students who wish to avoid inevitable mistakes on their applications that will definitely cause rejections.

“An overwhelming number of applicants to these programs come from the same socio-economic demographic and sound exactly the same on paper (high GPAs, high SATs, musical, artistic and/or athletic extracurricular activities, research/clinical internships, shadowing doctors, helping the poor or starting an organization to help the poor). The problem is that they all sound exactly the same“, said Dr. Paul R. Lowe, Pinnacle’s CEO and president and the camp’s director. “Our camp adds pizzazz, flavor and harmony to our attendees’ applications and student profiles to spotlight their accomplishments so that they stand out.”

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

Ivy League Application Boot Camp 2018

March 20, 2018March 22, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Pinnacle Educational Center/Admissions Advisors Group (PECAAG) announces the launch of its 2018 Ivy League Application Boot Camp. The 2-day comprehensive, intensive and informative application boot camps, held during the summer, are specifically for high school rising seniors (current juniors) who have decided to apply to Ivy League colleges and universities. (see Dr. Lowe’s blog: Why Your Child Should Apply to Ivy League College or University?)

The camp is also for current college students who are interested in transferring and current high school seniors who were rejected the first time around and interested in reapplying to the Ivies. Camp activities include: Application (including essay) brainstorming, review, editing during the camp, followed by an application consultation prior to submission of application. The fee is $8,500.

The rejection rate for Ivy League schools is as high as 95%. On average 35,000 applicants apply to each school. That means that on average 25,000 to 33,000 students are REJECTED each year from each school. “Schools like Harvard Yale and Princeton could pick everyone with 4.0s, perfect SAT scores (and top violinist and pianist) and they could fill an entire class 10 times over,” said camp coordinator, Dr. Diana Alexandrova, the camp’s coordinator and Pinnacle’s International Student Advisory’s managing director. “Our camp is also beneficial to international students who attend U.S. boarding schools or schools in their respective countries who want a competitive edge in the Ivy League application process.”

“The numbers are staggering and speak to the value and worth of an Ivy League degree” said Dr. Paul R. Lowe, Pinnacle’s CEO and president and the camp’s director. “It is enjoyable to help students in this way. Our camp attendees benefit from our discovery of mistakes they could have made on their applications.”

BS MD Programs That Accept International Students

March 13, 2018August 10, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s pretty difficult for U.S. high school students to be admitted to BS/MD programs (or medical school-from-high school programs). It’s even more competitive and extremely difficult for international students from non-U.S.-based high schools or U.S. based-top boarding schools to be accepted to these programs.

Based on my professional experience as a BS/MD admissions advisor, visiting and touring colleges and talking with admissions officers and administrators, here is a current list of BS/MD programs that will consider reviewing applications of international students:

Boston University Seven-Year Liberal Arts/Medical Education Program
Brown University Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)
Case Western Reserve University Pre-Professional Scholars Program in Medicine
New Jersey Institute of Technology/American University of Antigua
New Jersey Institute of Technology/St. George’s University School of Medicine
Northwestern University Honor Program In Medical Education (HPME)
Pennsylvania State University Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program
Rice/Baylor Medical Scholars Program (MSP)
University of Connecticut Special Program in Medicine
University Rochester – Rochester Early Medical Scholars (REMS)
Washington University in St. Louis University Scholars Program in Medicine

Working with international high school students who desire to matriculate to BS/MD programs is a very involved, comprehensive and long-term process. My team and I must clearly understand student goals, continuously help students with their applications and develop successful admissions strategies.

Of course, after this long and arduous admissions process one of the major benefits that I observe with our international BS/MD clients is that in their senior year in high school they (and their parents) are happy to know that they can be called “Dr”. They also know that the next step in their medical career is matching to a U.S. medical residency program!

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group network. He and his team of admissions advisors, through the admissions affiliate, BS/MD Admissions Advisors, help high school students get accepted to BS/MD programs. Many of Dr. Lowe’s BS/MD Admissions client are international students want to attend medical school from high school and then entire U.S. medical residency sub-specialties.

Do Admissions Officers Consider Diversity In College Admissions?

January 26, 2018January 27, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Diversity in college admissions: Colleges are looking for cultural, intellectual and meta-cognitive diversity in their classes as well as students who can relate to diverse populations. Colleges accept classes not just great students. They are seeking students who understand and appreciate other races cultures and ethnicities. With regard to diversity, admissions committees ask the following questions: Can the applicant co-exist in our diverse community of different students who are global thinkers? Does the applicant profile demonstrate a lack of a diversity experience? Has the applicant meaningfully interacted with people outside of their socio-economic, cultural and ethnic norms? It has been my observation that college admissions officers and deans of admissions behave like forensic investigators; they analyze and assess how, why and when dots are connected.

Colleges want talented, intellectually engaged students who will be meaningful contributing members of a diverse incoming class and future alumni who will be their global ambassadors. They do not seek students who are “unique just like everyone else” in their respective communities. In my experience, applicants who are accepted are those who can standout and lucidly articulate their achievements, goals and personalities and project themselves in a positive light to a committee of six to ten diverse people!

In my firm, which consists of a culturally, ethnically and racially diverse team, we truly appreciate and understand this emphasis, and we innately embrace the meaning and value of standing out and apply it to the competitive admissions process. Our “Diversity Competitive Advantage” translates to successful admissions results for our clients!

It’s 2018 – Admissions Year

January 5, 2018January 13, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Welcome to Dr.Paul Lowe’s Admissions Expert Blog – 2018

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 is January 15th.
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!
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.
BS/MD Admissions: Competition for coveted spots is heightened based on the increased number of applicants last year which was reflected by 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 letter of recommendations.
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/emails that your applications are complete from any remaining law schools.
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.

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

Dr. Paul 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. He also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools.

7 Huge Mistakes Parents Make in BS/MD Admissions

September 15, 2017September 18, 2017 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

“Going it alone” in this vast arena of BS/MD admissions can result in mistakes, as applicants are easily blindsided by obstacles and pitfalls that they don’t even know exist. When parents call our office to provide initial information, as I listen to their children’s BS/MD program profile I can almost predict (using trends, predictive analysis and real-time insider perspective of the BS/MD programs) that their child will be REJECTED based on the sameness of their profile. Yet when I explain to parents that their children sound exactly like other applicants they are in total disbelief. I have concluded that the children are merely following the advice of their parents and the parents are making costly mistakes. Try to avoid these common errors:

Parental Hubris: Many parents assume that their skill sets, professional title or socio-economic status and connections can help their children get accepted in the coveted BS/MD spots. This is a huge mistake! Their professional skills sets are helpful in finance, medicine, business, technology or research, but when it comes to BS/MD admissions they should leave it to experts who are involved and understand the ever-changing BS/MD admissions process. The inability to admit that they don’t know what they don’t know could result in REJECTION!
Group Think: Many parents read the same websites, same books, and talk with the same people in their respective communities, personal and professional circles. Most or all of the members of the in-group share an illusion of invulnerability that provides for them some degree of reassurance despite obvious dangers and leads them to become overly-optimistic. Thinking in a group discourages creativity and non-conformity, resulting in everyone appearing the same on paper. It causes them to fail to respond to obvious and clear admissions mine fields. As a group, faulty (and sometime irrational decisions and admissions strategies) are reinforced. The result: increased probability as a group of REJECTION.
Not understanding or accepting demographics: Many of my clients are of Asian descent (Chinese, Indian, Korean, Filipino and Japanese). This population, as a group, has been responsible for an increase in applicants by 30% to BS/MD program. Many parents may not be aware of the increased numbers. Colleges and their BS/MD programs desire classes that are diverse and demographically reflective of the general population. No matter which admissions method is used (team approach, character assessment or holistic approach), schools will not accept more of one demographic just because of an increase in the number of applications. The competition becomes hyper-competitive within a particular demographic.
Procrastination: The BS/MD admissions journey begins in high school freshman year, not during the fall of a student’s senior year. (See: BSMD Programs – Getting In!) From time to time parents will call us regarding a high school senior in September or October of their senior year requesting help for BS/MD programs. It may be difficult to undue mistakes that will result in rejection, although not impossible. But generally, these parents assume that they have done everything right and are calling to see if they can obtain free advice. Unfortunately, as they discuss their child’s achievements I can almost predict their student profile. By procrastinating, they have inadvertently increased the probability of REJECTION.
Misunderstanding Investment vs. Cost: What’s your child’s future worth? According to the US Department of Agriculture, the cost of raising a child for a middle-income family born in 2001-2003 through the age of 18, not including college costs is $224,000 to $227,000 for middle income families and $327,000 to $330,000 for higher incomes. This does not include private school tuition, summer athletic or music camps, or specialized college summer camps. When a parent calls us to ask “the price” of our BS/MD admissions advisory services for the purpose of negotiating for the cheapest rate, we can already predict the probability of REJECTION. Consider the worthy investment in your child’s future.
Seeking Advice from the Wrong Advisor: (a) Guidance counselors – public school guidance counselors only spend 26% of their time on college admissions and the average counselor-to-student ratio is 1:250. Guidance counselors don’t have the expertise in BS/MD program admissions. (b) Advisors who are journalist or writers who never attended medical school nor understand the highly selective process – no expertise in BS/MD program admissions. (c) Advisors who advise part-time – self explanatory. There is a major difference between useful knowledge and information. Parents should hire an advisor who is a full-time admissions advisor who actually visits colleges, BS/MD programs and medical schools, understands BS/MD programs of the various schools, and has insightful knowledge of each program. “If you don’t know where you’re going you’ll end up somewhere else” – Yogi Berra
Parents want the best for their children. They read as much as possible, network with others in schools and educational programs, provide extensive extracurricular educational opportunities for their children, research on the web about BS/MD programs…..but somehow when they are just along the last stretch to the finish line they make egregious, irrevocable and calculated mistakes that cause their children to be rejected. Don’t make these mistakes!

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Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group network. He and his team of admissions advisors, through the admissions affiliate, BS/MD Admissions Advisors, help high school students get accepted to BS/MD programs.

BS/MD Programs: Getting In!

August 31, 2017September 15, 2017 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

As an admissions advisor, I have been successfully helping high school students get accepted to BS/MD programs for over 20 years. Year after year, nervous parents call or e-mail us wanting to know what’s needed for their children to be accepted. The parents have planned ahead since as far back as middle school (and sometimes even elementary school), reading books, visiting websites, and even e-mailing multiple consultants (including yours truly) to see if they can obtain an ounce of free advice to help their children.

Getting in is not just about:

Having a high GPA.
Loading up on many AP classes.
Getting high SAT or ACT scores.
Taking advice from your high school or college counselor.
Reading “How To” books or guides on BS MD programs.
Shadowing doctors.
Starting a philanthropic club or foundation.

There is much more involved in this competitive process.

Firstly, schools want to know, through your essay and recommendations, that you truly desire to be a doctor. After all, these are very competitive programs and coveted spots. From my discussions with admissions officers at several of these programs, they can decipher within the first paragraph of the “Why doctor?” essay who does not belong in their program – REJECTION!

Secondly, they certainly will not accept students who sound just like everyone else. They accept students who stand out and who are unique. That’s easier said than done when the students and their parents are reading the same material and making the same assumptions to “game” the admissions process. If parents are all reading the same material, Goggling the same sites, relying on the same resources, they will certainly all sound the same. When they call our office, parents ( and their children’s profile sound exactly the same. As “contrarian admissions specialist”, through hours of talking with my client, I discover and identify some unusual characteristic that will set my client apart from that sameness and get them accepted into BS/MD programs.

Thirdly, BS/MD program admissions officers read between the lines. After all, they are experts in selectivity! And in many instances, they may use the team-based approach in reviewing applications. Ninety-five percent of the applicants are academically qualified. So the real questions become: Who is the applicant? What makes them different? What’s the applicant’s character? How do they think? How will they contribute to our college and our program? When my team and I work with our clients, we spend hours reviewing their character and answering the above questions so that they are accepted!

So if your child has great SAT/ACT scores, high GPA, lot’s of AP classes, plays violin, piano, flute; was a member of the local and regional youth orchestra, member of the school marching band or jazz band, received science awards, has an art portfolio, plays tennis, lacrosse, soccer, badminton and was on the swim team, volunteers to help the poor, has an EMT certification, shadowed doctor, authored a paper and started a non-profit, they sound just like every other applicant who is applying to BS/MD programs.

What I do is help our BS/MD program clients find and express their unique qualities in a positive light to insure that they stand out and get ACCEPTED!

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Top Advantages of Being Accepted to BS/MD Programs

July 19, 2017September 17, 2017 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

High school students who are interested in a medical career should consider combined BS/MD programs. Many of these medical school-from-high school pathways reduce the overall number of years students will spend studying to become a medical doctor.

If you are certain that your child wants to be a physician, why wait? You may want your child to consider the accelerated BS/MD option that guarantees acceptance into medical school after college.

Many of these specialized programs don’t even require the MCATs so students don’t have to worry about studying or registering for MCAT prep courses. Because students in these programs already know that they are admitted to medical school, they can pursue a major of interest rather than a “traditional” premed major although they will have to take basic premed courses: organic chemistry, biology physics and other courses. There is also the financial aspect. It cost thousands of dollars to apply to medical school: MCAT prep courses, visiting medical schools, unpaid internships and application fees. In addition depending on the program if it’s a 7-year med program, you could save as much as $100,000.

Of course, one of the great advantages that I observe with our BS/MD admissions clients is that in their senior year in high school they know that they can be called “Dr.”

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Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director and lead admissions expert at Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group‘s BS/MD Admissions Advisors.