High School Juniors: if you are interested in applying to BS/MD programs—it’s time to reevaluate your BS/MD Plans! With such a competitive environment and the immeasurable value and benefits of BS/MD programs, the need for an effective admissions game plan is CRUCIAL.
Many aspects of the BS/MD admissions environment have changed. At BS/MD Admissions Advisors, Dr. Paul Lowe and his team of advisors discover that many students and parents are clueless about what to do, when to do it, where to do it, who to contact, and why. If you are a high school junior or your son or daughter is a high school junior and you are thinking about applying to direct BS/MD programs, it’s time to reassess your plans.
Most students (even with the help of their parents) read books, look at videos or visit college forum-type websites which they believe may provide personalized answers for them.
Many parents who call us (and whose children are performing the above and have the below profile) then believe that their child is a shoo-in for BS/MD programs and just need “some” advice.
Here is the typical BS/MD applicant-student profile of students when parents contact us:
- GPA: 4.85 (weighted)
- ACT: 35
- SAT: 1580
- APs: usually 10 -14 classes
- Honors/Awards: several
- Teacher/Counselor Recommendations: Excellent
- Resume: 3-4 pages
- Volunteer: Several organizations
- Shadowed Doctors: 3-4
- Extracurricular Activities: Several
- Published a paper: 1-2
- Laboratory Research: Participated and/or possibly published
With all of the above you would believe that this student will definitely be accepted – WRONG! This represents the most common and well-known factors for admissions. However, there are many more things to consider.
Here’s a small list of factors by admissions expert, Dr. Paul Lowe that you should consider if you are a junior seriously thinking about applying to BS/MD programs.
- Student CHARACTER – Each institution considers a student’s positive attributes in the light of the goals of the particular institution. BS/MD programs thoroughly evaluate character attributes of a student as a factor for admissions. Among the most important character attributes are honesty, integrity, empathy, curiosity, creativity, teamwork, adaptability, resilience, community, generosity, self-control, adaptability and optimism. Lip-service or just stating that one possesses these attributes will not help.
- COLLEGE-SPECIFIC SUPPLEMENTALS – You must complement and synergize your supplementals with your personal statement. All the school-specific essays are important, even the 50 word-count answers! Students have been rejected because of mistakenly using one word or a sentence in 50 word-count essays!
- WOW FACTOR – What’s your WOW Factor? How and when can you use it to WOW admissions? You want the admissions committee to say “WOW! We want this applicant on our campus.”
- ETIQUETTE –Are you mindful of how you present yourself and how people perceive you? Etiquette matters! We provide personalized etiquette strategies for our clients.
- MANNERS – When you say something (or write something) what counts is not what you mean but how you are heard and perceived. Are you mindful of your manners? Manners matter! Do you know when or if you sound rude, pretentious, impolite, disrespectful, unrefined or uncultured?
- WHO ARE YOU? – What are your values? What do you stand for? Can you define you? Why are you different?
- INTERVIEWS – You may be perfect on paper (grades, SATs recommendations, volunteering to save the world, 1000 hours of shadowing), however, one incorrect word or statement in an interview results in a rejection – That’s right, just one!
- The KNOW-HOW. Our proprietary-knowledge, unmatched experience, admissions success and years of close working relationships with admissions professionals ensures that you do it right!
If you know how to plan, develop and implement (1-7) and how they are used in BS/MD admissions – that’s wonderful!!! But if you don’t, there is an increased probability that you (and your child) will make irrevocable mistakes that will cause instant rejections to all schools. Would you want this to happen after your years of planning as a parent and your child’s hard work?
Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder/managing director and lead admissions advisor 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 gain admissions to BS/MD programs:| BS/MD Admissions Guru | BS/MD Admissions Advisors.
Dr. Paul Lowe - Admissions Expert 