College Application Decisions/Outcomes

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December 14, 2020December 21, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s that important time of the year for high school seniors as many students are beginning to receive their application decisions. Let’s describe each.

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ACCEPTED/ADMITTED: You’re in! You did it! You have been offered a spot in the incoming freshman class of one or more of the schools on your list. If it’s one of your top-choice schools and you have been accepted EA or RD it’s great! In terms of ED, the admissions process is technically over! “Technically”, because although you are accepted, schools can rescind your acceptance based on numerous reasons. Don’t forget the Common Application Affirmation Statement. According to the Common Application: “These affirmations are intended to make sure the applicant certifies the authenticity of the application, agrees to provide updated information to the college, and will commit only to one college once accepted”.

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DEFERRED: This means that the college is not prepared to either accept or deny you at this juncture, so they defer making a decision on your candidacy until they can consider you in the larger pool of regular decision applicants. Since you are the larger pool, you will need to continue to attempt to standout and distinguish yourself from other applicants who were deferred and regular decision applicants. Our firm provides “Post-Application Submission Deferred Strategies”.

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WAITLISTED: Being placed on the waitlist at a school means that you are not currently being offered a spot in their incoming class, but that you might be if enough spots open up as admitted students select other schools. How likely this is to occur (and it does happen) and in what volume, varies from school to school and even year to year. Our firm provides “Post-Application Submission Off-Waitlist Strategies”.

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DENIED/REJECTED: Unfortunately, this outcome requires no explanation. However, what you may choose to do is to transfer to schools that initially denied you a spot after the freshman year of the school you eventually end up. We provide transfer services through: College Transfer Admissions Advisors. We have successfully helped students transfer to schools that had initially denied them admissions.

“Being different and understanding differences allow me to help our clients stand out and be accepted!” – Dr. Paul Lowe

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

“Parents hire us because they choose to pay an admissions expert who will help them avoid making mistakes.” – 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. For colleges and universities that recommend or require videos: College Admissions Video Productions.

Fauci Effect on BS/MD Applications

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December 13, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

As college and university enrollment overall has dropped this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic, research and reports have demonstrated that there is a record number of applicants to medical schools.

The number of applicants to medical schools has increased by 18% this year over last year, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); and this is driven by the example of medical workers and public health figures such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Fauci_Effect_increases_BS_MD_Applications_Dr_Paul Lowe_Admissions_Advisor_Independent_Educational_Consultant — Increase in BS/MD Applications translates to **HYPERCOMPETITION** –
It’s going to **HARDER** to get in!

Our research and knowledge of the BS/MD programs has seen an increase in interest in BS/MD programs. More parents are encouraging their children to become doctors because of the uncertainty in the future of non-healthcare careers and the fact that there is a shortage of U.S. doctors. AAMC reports that United States will be short 54,000 to 139,000 physicians by 2033, the AAMC estimates and that more than two out of every five doctors now practicing will reach retirement age over the next 10 years.

In our practice, we are seeing more parents calling us seeking BS/MD admissions help. In fact, we are seeing a trend in high school students switching to BS/MD program admissions from traditional college admissions who are currently juniors. More international high school students and H-4 visas students are also requesting BS/MD assistance.

What does this mean for BS/MD programs? More high school students will be applying and there will be even more HYPERCOMPETITION!

Our BS/MD Admissions practice is specialized: Dr. Lowe and his team only work with parents who understand that the BS/MD admissions process is competitive, who desire help from an admissions expert and who see the value and investment in paying for expert advice through a detailed and ongoing comprehensive admissions advisory service for their child’s dream of becoming a doctor. He also specializes in helping international students in the BS/MD process. BS/MD Admissions Advisors – 2020 Acceptances. Parents who chose to use our services want to call their son or daughter – “Doctor” when they are seniors in high school.

BS_MD_Admissions_Indian_female_student_Dr_Paul_Lowe_Independent_Educational_Consultant_Advisor — **After all that hard work, don’t you want want your child to be a BS/MD student**?

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.

**Dr. Paul Lowe at The Alpert Medical School of Brown University**

Early Action and Early Decision Dates for 2020-2021 College Applicants

December 10, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s the 2020-2021 Early Decision and Early Action season! We are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants have already submitted their applications! Some applicants are having their alumni interviews and some have submitted their college videos! Competition to Ivy League and highly selective college remain high as these schools maintain their global educational brand. Therefore, expect many applicants with high SAT/ACT scores, high grades and seemly perfect applications, personal statements and the perfect story to be rejected or deferred to the regular decision pool!

Here are some early decision and early action notification dates for Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities:

Barnard College: December 14
Boston College: December 3 (ED I)
Boston University: December 15
Brown University: Mid-December
Cal Tech: Mid-December
Carnegie Mellon University: December 12
Columbia University: December 15
Cornell University: December 17
Dartmouth College: Mid-December
Duke University: Mid-December
Georgetown University: December 15
Hamilton College: December 15
Harvard University: Mid-December
Johns Hopkins University: December 11
MIT: Mid-December
New York University: December 15
Northwestern University: December 15
Princeton University: April 1 2021
Stanford University: December 11
Swarthmore College: Mid-December
Tufts University: Mid-December
University of Chicago: Mid-December
University of Michigan: January 2021 TBD
University of Notre Dame: December 16
University of Pennsylvania: Mid-December
Villanova University: December 15
Yale University: December 16

“Being different and understanding differences allow me to help our clients stand out and be accepted!” – Dr. Paul Lowe

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

“Parents hire us because they choose to pay an admissions expert who will help them avoid making mistakes.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

College Admissions: What Do Admissions Officers Look For?

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December 6, 2020December 6, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Parents always ask me: What do admissions officers look for?

We tend to think that college admissions officer/committees focus primarily on the tangible factors that are measurable and quantifiable: grades, standardized test scores, (SAT and ACT) and subject tests (AP and IB) and extracurricular activities: “saving the world”, tutoring and volunteering to help the underprivileged.

The reality is that their emotions, feelings (and biases) and value judgement play a significant role in admissions decision.

Based on my professional experience and continually visiting colleges, and discussions with directors of admissions, there are other factors (and their interrelationships) which we have identified and understand that are just as important to help our clients gain admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities and direct BS/MD programs:

College application presentation
Personal Statement
Supplemental essays
Collective interrelationship of all essays
WOW Factor
Attitude
Likability
Etiquette
Character
Grit/Challenge
Confidence
Charisma
Sense of self
Sense of others
Sense of surroundings
Interactions
Engagement
Unsaid
Conversational Intelligence
Cadence
Transparency
Civic Engagement
Cultural Intelligence
Cultural Agility
Emotional Intelligence
Originality
Uniqueness
Diversity/Inclusion
Family background
Comparative Student Profile Analysis

Year after year, I hear the horror stories from parents whose kids got in nowhere because they thought the college admissions race was just about grades, SAT scores, their perceived ‘unique’ applications, generic essays and perfect connections.”

Ivy League and highly selective colleges use a holistic approach and review process and a committee review approach process when evaluating applicants for admission. That means admission to these colleges is not based on a simple formula of grades and test scores and what may parents may believe. Instead, admissions officers/committees (with diverse backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and perceptions) consider a variety of factors: the student’s academic record, extracurricular interests, intellectual achievements and personal background and what I call “PERSONAL VIBE” to decide who will be rejected or accepted.

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“Being different and understanding differences allow me to help our clients stand out and be accepted!” – Dr. Paul Lowe

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

“Parents hire us because they chose to pay an admissions expert who will help them avoid making mistakes.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“We provide our clients access to our specialized knowledge!” – Dr. Paul Lowe

2020 Best BS/MD Program: Brown PLME

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October 26, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

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“Your BS/MD Admissions Game Plan” is a blog series created by Dr. Paul Lowe that discusses BS/MD Admissions. With such a competitive environment and the immeasurable value and benefits of BS/MD programs, the need for an admissions game plan is ESSENTIAL.

At BS/ MD Admissions, we discern that many students and parents are clueless about what to do, when to do it, where to do it, who to contact, and why do it. They fail to discover what they are doing that’s wrong, or they discover what they’ve been doing is wrong when it’s too late!

BROWN UNIVERSITY’S PROGRAM IN LIBERAL MEDICAL EDUCATION (PLME)

Before continuing into this blog, we must mention two disclaimers: (1) Dr. Paul Lowe is a Brown graduate and was an Area Chair of the Brown Alumni Schools Committee which interviewed applicants to Brown University and the PLME, and Dr. Nadine Cartwright-Lowe is a graduate of Brown PLME (2) Year after year, we have clients who are not only accepted to Brown undergraduate, but also Brown PLME. Therefore, we know Brown!

The most prestigious BS/MD programs are Northwestern HPME and Brown PLME. However, because Northwestern’s Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME) will not be taking applications for 2020. Brown indisputably is the 2020 BEST BS/MD program.

Brown’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) is the only Ivy League – BS/MD program. On the undergraduate side, through its Open Curriculum, it allows students the academic freedom to enroll in the courses that interest them rather than a “premed curriculum” PLME also does not require its students to take the MCAT and the only academic requirement is that a minimum 3.0 GPA be maintained in biology courses. PLME is also one of the few BS/MD programs that accepts international students.

PLME students may choose any one of the nearly 100 departmental and interdepartmental concentration programs offered at the University. PLME students complete a four-year undergraduate program by receiving a A.B. or Sc.B. degree. Students can then proceed directly to Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School.

What makes Brown University PLME the top and most prestigious BS/MD program?

Ivy League
Open Curriculum
No MCAT requirement
Accepts international students

At BS/MD Admissions Advisors, we know Brown! Unlike other educational consultants, we constantly visit Brown and understand the nuances and changes in its admission policies. Our BS/MD admissions experts: Dr. Paul Lowe is a Brown graduate and active alumni and Dr. Nadine Cartwright-Lowe is a Brown PLME graduate, an active alumni and a licensed internist.

HOW DOES DR. LOWE KNOW BROWN AND THE BROWN EXPERIENCE?

LET US SHOW YOU!

**Dr. Paul Lowe at Brown University’s Van Wickle Gates**

**Dr. Paul Lowe with Dr. Katherine Sharkey MD PhD, associate professor of Medicine and Psychiatry & Human Behavior at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University**, **at the Women In Medicine conference** **at Alpert.**

**Dr. Paul Lowe in front of his freshman dormitory, Littlefield Hall, Brown University**

**Dr. Paul Lowe at his Brown Reunion with Bruno**

Professor Barrett Hazeltine and Dr. Lowe at a Brown University Commencement. As a freshman at Brown, Dr. Lowe enrolled in Prof. Hazeltine’s famous Engine 9 and Engineering 90 course (Entrepreneurship).

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College Application Essay HELP with Dr Paul Lowe

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September 24, 2020September 26, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s crunch time for BS/MD as well as Ivy League applications. As we help students brainstorm ideas, revise and edit the MOST IMPORTANT APPLICATIONS/ESSAYS of their lives, we are discovering consistent points in their essays that will cause instant rejections. Dr. Paul Lowe would like to share these points.

Essays were verbose.
Essays were not personal.
Essays were boring.
Essay did not answer the question.
Essays were superficial.
Essays were pretentious.
Essays contained grammatical errors and grammatical inaccuracies
Essays were disconnected from the application.
Essays sounded similar to online essay samples.
Essays sounded similar to samples in books.
Essay did not have the student’s voice.
Essays were simply cut and paste from another answer.
Essay was not well written.
Essays were formulaic.
Essays lacked harmony.

Noticed that we used the past tense!

The consensus that we have heard among most admissions officers at Ivy League as well as BS/MD programs is that an essay can both help and hurt you and essays are an opportunity to expand the admissions officer’s sense of who you are.

Here are some comments that Dr. Lowe has heard from admissions officers regarding application essays:

“I don’t like to see an essay that you can almost see was written by parents.”
“If an essay is notable for its weakness, then both readers are likely to comment on its shortcomings and factor that into their recommendations to the committee.”
“A badly written essay can certainly tip the scale the wrong way even when the parts of a student’s application is otherwise strong.”
“We turn down many students with great grades and test scores who have poor essays.”
“If I read an essay that has the same theme that I have read from a website or a book, the student is instantly rejected.”

After years of hard work and preparation, why make mistakes on application essays that could cause INSTANT REJECTION!

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

“We provide our clients access to our specialized knowledge!” – Dr. Paul Lowe

U.S. News World Report Best College Ranking: Top 20 in 2021

September 15, 2020September 18, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

The 2021 U.S. New World Report Best College Ranking is out! I often hear that it doesn’t matter where a student attends college as long as it’s a “good fit”. Really!!! Why are rankings used? Why are they so important? Because we are a consumer-based society where a college’s reputation, prestige and brand does matter!

WHERE YOU ATTEND COLLEGE MATTERS!

Here is the list of the top 20 college/universities:

1. Princeton University

2. Harvard University (Dr. Lowe Visits Harvard) |(Harvard University Produces Wealthy Alumni)

3. Columbia University

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5. Yale University

6. Stanford University

7. University of Chicago

8. University of Pennsylvania

9. California Institute of Technology

10. Johns Hopkins University

11. Northwestern University

12. Duke University

13. Dartmouth College

14. Brown University

15. Vanderbilt University

16. Rice University

17. Washington university in St. Louis

18. Cornell University

19. University of Notre Dame

20. University of California – Los Angeles

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

“We provide our clients access to our specialized knowledge!” – Dr. Paul Lowe

U.S. BS/MD vs. India MBBS

September 5, 2020September 18, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

U.S. BS/MD vs. India MBBS

Several of the parents who have called me for BS/MD programs who are of Indian (Asian) heritage, because of the competitive nature of BS/MD program medical school admissions, have been asking me about comparing U.S. BS/MD vs India MBBS degree and is there an advantage to a U.S. BS/MD.

First let’s define the degrees: Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a professional (post graduate) degree given in some countries like the USA, Canada etc. Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) is the degree given in the United Kingdom, Ireland and other commonwealth countries like India and is considered equivalent to the MD. MBBS is an undergraduate course which is pursued by candidates who wish to make their career in the field of medicine. Whereas, MD is a postgraduate course that can be pursued by candidates who have completed their MBBS.

For the Commonwealth countries, MBBS is an undergraduate course of study which is pursued by candidates who wish to make their career in the field of medicine. Whereas, MD is a postgraduate course that can be pursued by candidates who have completed their MBBS.

The US follows a different curriculum for obtaining a medical degree and license to practice Medicine. Unlike India, high school students apply to direct BS/MD programs (6, 7 or 8 years) earn an M.D. upon completion of the program. Over the course of the program, the students have a Pre-Medical courses and earn a Bachelor’s degree (up to four years of Undergraduate program), MD program (Four years) and USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1, 2 & 3). A Residency Program is required to complete the Licensing Exam. After completing all, a student is conferred with a license to practice medicine in the US.

What’s the biggest advantage of BS/MD? In most cases, you are guaranteed acceptance into the medical program and in some cases (6- or 7-year programs) you become a doctor at 24 or 25 years old. This is potentially very important to students who are clear about their educational goals. Another advantage is that it relieves stress on the student in having to take the MCATs and going through the rigorous medical school admissions process with the uncertainty that they will be accepted to medical school.

In the US, a student after completion of MBBS cannot practice directly since the basic level of study to practice is postgraduate medicine in the US. USMLE has clearly defined the medical courses after MBBS to be completed in the US.

What’s the main advantage of a U.S. BS/MD program?

High school student can now figuratively be called Doctor by their parents!
Time savings: some BS/MD programs are 6 or 7 years,
In many cases, no need for additional entrance exams like the MCATs.
For international students (for some BS/MD program), it’s a direct path to working as a licensed medical doctor in the U.S.

Coronavirus Effect on Back to College

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August 28, 2020August 29, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

As students return to campus this fall there has been increased reporting of COVID-19 outbreaks on campus. Whatever the reasons, the reality is that outbreaks are occurring.

A recent study published in the JAMA Network Open, a monthly open access medical journal published by the American Medical Association stated: “In the midst of the deadliest pandemic since 1918, the question of how to reopen colleges safely after months of lockdown is of great concern. First and foremost, the strategy cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. Rather, the best-prepared colleges will use a multifaceted approach that leverages a range of public health strategies best suited to each institution’s resources, location, and culture. Containing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requires testing; behavioral interventions to reduce the reproductive number (R_t), such as social distancing, masking, and contact tracing; and limiting the influx of new infections from outside campus.”

A Cornell University study, The Small-World Network of College Classes: Implications for Epidemic Spread on a University Campus revealed “how quickly COVID-19 could spread through ‘small-world’ campus networks if no precautions were taken. Course enrollment networks do not capture the many ways that students are connected outside of the classroom through advisors, friends, parties, athletics and other extra-curricular activities, or living situations.”

Here is a partial list of colleges/universities where significant coronavirus cases have surfaced after classes have recently resumed:

University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa Campus
Central Michigan University – Mt. Pleasant Campus
Ohio State University
University of Iowa
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Texas at Austin
Texas Christian University
Baylor University
University of Michigan

As a result of the increases, many concerned students and their parents are contacting us to inquire about transferring to colleges. They have safety concerns where there has been documented outbreaks or where student on-campus and off-campus behavior ignores safety measures like mask-wearing and social distancing. Some are seeking an opportunity to transfer to ivy league and highly selective college and universities (even though they may have online classes) because of their prestigious brands.

Students applying during the 2020-2021 application season and their parents are also considering the consequences of COVID-19, previously accepted students have deferred admission or students may be taking a gap year prior to applying, thus increasing the applicant pool.

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

“Parents hire us because they choose to pay an admissions expert who will help them avoid making mistakes.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Your BS/MD Admissions Game Plan: Northwestern HPME Program Closed for 2020

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August 21, 2020August 29, 2020 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Northwestern’s Honors Program in Medical Education also known as HPME has announced that it will not be taking applications in 2020! HPME is a 7-year combined medical program that admits students simultaneously into both Northwestern University in Evanston and the Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Northwestern’s HPME is one of the top direct BS/MD programs. The program has no MCAT requirement, accepts international students and allows students to explore their passions beyond their coursework. The University has community partnerships and programs (in leadership, research, public health, global health and clinical volunteering, etc.) to support student goals.

Since HPME will not be accepting applications in 2020, the competition to gain admissions into BS/MD programs will now increase because there will be fewer programs.