2018 Summer Checklist for Rising Seniors

June 28, 2018June 29, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Summer started a week ago. For rising seniors, this should not really be a summer break. There is lots to during the college admissions process.

Here is a concise list of my recommendations:

Work, volunteer, attend programs—your choice. What you do matters less than how your activities fit into the bigger picture of who you are.
Continue to explore colleges and to fine-tune your college list.
Review the admissions requirements for each college on your list.
If you are applying to BS/MD programs, you should be planning to visit your target schools for a second time.
Consider seeking interviews at colleges that offer them.
Fill out the Common Application and begin drafting your main Common App essay.
Review your Common App short answer essays.
Decide whom you will ask for letters of recommendation.
Review your social media profile to ensure that it is admission-ready.
Make a list of fall deadlines and refer back to it often.

If you are applying to Ivy League and highly selective colleges be aware that “It’s Getting Tougher To Get Into the Ivies” and you need to develop a “Personal WOW-Factor” so that you can stand out amongst the thousands of other qualified and admissible applicants.

Just note as you are preparing for the last rung of your college admissions journey: A recent study showed 26% of high-achieving students used a private college admissions consultant to assist them with their college admissions process. Additional research has indicated that many international students, who applied to Ivy League and top-tier colleges and who were accepted, hired admissions advisors.

“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.

Heads Up! The College Admissions Process is Shifting Focus

June 18, 2018June 22, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Recently, we’ve been receiving many calls from very anxious parents about milestone changes in college admissions policies. Several top colleges have acknowledged changes, including Carnegie Mellon and University of Chicago that will affect rising seniors (Class of 2023)

The University of Chicago dropped an admissions requirement for students to submit either the SAT or ACT test scores becoming SAT/ACT optional. James G. Nondorf, Dof admissions and vice president of enrollment and student advancement stated, “We want to remove any policy or program that we have that advantages one group over the other”.

Carnegie Mellon University eliminated so-called “demonstrated interest”. CMU prominently states, “The mission of Carnegie Mellon University includes the cultivation of a diverse community” It further states: “…Our undergraduate admission process is shifting to focus more on diversity and inclusion of all populations by reducing or eliminating advantages that have been inherent in certain aspects of the admission process. The goal is to provide a more equitable, level playing field where all segments of our applicant population have the same opportunity in the admission process. We’re eliminating demonstrated interest as a consideration in our admission paradigm. See Carnegie Mellon University’s Statement.

What does this mean for applicants?:

The college admissions landscape is changing.
Colleges admissions officers are considering diversity in admissions – they want a diverse incoming class
Top Colleges Enhance Efforts To Enroll Low-Income Students

What this really means is that top colleges are shifting more to a holistic admissions process, are becoming more inclusive and recognizing that each accepted student brings unique qualities to the university setting. The college admissions process is shifting more toward evaluating a student’s character (College Admissions: How will Character be Assessed) and what they can meaningfully contribute to university community. They are spending more time reviewing students under a microscope and appreciating the fact that some applicants are disadvantaged during the application process. As a result the admissions process to the Ivies and highly selective schools is becoming hrpercompetitive and and more non-formulaic!

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

Need a Successful College Admissions Advisor? Go with a Winner!

Go with the Winner Admissions Expert Dr Paul Lowe

June 4, 2018July 14, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Parents create spread sheets, talk with friends, read books, search websites, form groups to share tips and “sure-fire”methods, try to “chat” with admissions industry personnel, obtain letters of support from VIPs, take copious notes during college tours, and try to gather information from my workshops. For some parents, they discover, when it is too late, that what is really required to help their child with the hyper-competitive college admissions process is to work with an admissions expert with a successful track record.

U.S. parents are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of having a college admissions advisor. The data for that need is clear. For international families, securing expert advice is the standard. A recent study showed 26% of high-achieving students used a private college admissions consultant to assist them with their college admissions process. Additional research has indicated that many international students, who applied to Ivy League and top-tier colleges and who were accepted, hired admissions advisors. If you have joined the ranks of those parents who choose to utilize an admissions advisor to help your child with the college admissions process – Go with a winner!

A successful record in college admissions is not achieved by chance or luck. I treat the college admissions process as a competitive sport so that your child can win. As a successful college admissions advisor, I apply my special “coaching” skills to help my clients successfully achieve their college admissions goals – ACCEPTANCE LETTERS:

Leadership: The goal of great coaching is to guide, inspire and empower an athlete or team to achieve their full potential. A great coach, thus, should also be an exceptional leader. A leader has the ability to unify a group of players and make them committed to a single purpose.
Knowledge: A great coach should have in-depth knowledge of the sport they are coaching. This does not necessarily have to come from personal experience, but a coach needs to have an understanding of the fundamental skills to advanced tactics and strategies involved in an “admissions game”.
Motivation: As a coach, I convey passion to my “players”, to inspire them to get the most out of their performance. As a successful coach, I possess a positive attitude and enthusiasm for the admissions game and the “players” that in turn inspires them to excel.
Tough and firm: As a coach, I know when to be firm and tough. This means having the experience to identifying periods during the admissions process when students will under-perform and encouraging them to move forward in a positive manner. It means sticking to creating and communicating clear expectations, putting the student on an admissions plan and keeping them on task. It means being consistent and lots of follow up.
Flexibility/Adjustable: I adjust our admissions strategies to the personality and behavior of the individual student and the timeline of the admissions process. I am cognizant of the fact that students will make mistakes, sometimes repeatedly and adjust our strategies accordingly to achieve admissions success.
Understanding & Knowing: A key to successful admissions advising is being aware of the individual differences in your students. There are some coaching tactics that work better on different personality types so it is important to tailor communication and motivation based on specific players’ personalities. To achieve this, I pay special attention to a student’s emotions, strengths and weaknesses throughout the admissions process.
Effective communication skills: Needless to say, a great coach will possess exceptional communication skills. An effective coach is able to set defined goals, express these goals and ideas clearly to students, give direct feedback, reinforce key messages and acknowledge success. Listening is also a part of effective communication, so as an admissions advisor I have to be a compassionate listener who welcomes student and parent, comments questions and feedback.

The personal college admissions game is not a game of chance. It is a competition that you can win with the right advice. Seek out the right admissions advisor. It is the best way to help your child WIN in this real-life competition.

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

College Admissions is a Competitive Sport- – How To Win Your Personal Admissions Game!

June 1, 2018June 5, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Many parents, students, guidance counselors, and even my fellow educational consulting colleagues are under the belief that college admissions is an exercise in determining the “right fit” and that gaining acceptance into the Ivies and highly selective colleges is just a game of chance and luck. I disagree!

In participating in competitions these days, many students (K-12) are taught that everyone wins. With regard to the college admissions process, it is acceptable and recommended that students believe they will eventually like whichever college where they end up. That’s called SETTLING!

This statement may appear callous and insensitive. But it is a statement that addresses the harsh reality of the competitiveness of college admissions. The sooner one addresses this reality, the easier the college admissions process will seem. Indeed, this reality would seem less harsh if students were to stop treating the college admissions process as a structured maze to be followed to a definitive end or as a predetermined algorithm.

I approach college admissions as a non-formulaic, competitive sport. It’s about WINNING the ultimate trophy – acceptance into your top choice college. After all, students are not taking all those APs, attempting to get perfect SAT scores, requesting seemingly perfect letters of recommendation, and getting A’s to lose! By definition, you don’t play a competitive sport to lose!

Highly selective schools certainly have their choice of the cream-of-the-crop students as a result of all the applications they receive. Therefore, the real part of the competition is to understand and recognize how you can stand out and win, especially in applications to the Ivies.

Because college admissions is a competitive sport, we proceed accordingly with our advisory services and prepare our clients as competitive athletes – to win! We know that successful athletes must cultivate the positive qualities that are necessary to achieve victory-to win.

Persistence: Endure until the end. Persistence is simply the quality of always continuing to move forward and to continue regardless of perceived or real setbacks and challenges. We cultivate our clients’ positive aspirations by encouraging persistent determination.
Have a positive mindset: Being positive is an integral and intrinsic aspect of having the right winning mindset. We constantly help our clients maintain a positive mindset to win!
Self-Confidence: Really successful athletes are secure in their ability to play their best game. We believe that qualified students should project themselves as successful athletes with inner confidence through their body language in a positive manner, a sort of positive posture. We encourage our clients convey energy, enthusiasm and a positive attitude in communicating their achievements to key admissions officers and admissions committees.
Humility: Ego (parental and student) is one of the largest reasons why qualified applicants are rejected. I recall and Ivy League officer stating that when reading many students’ applications: “these students think they are all that”. If you practice humility, you will become an internally motivated person. You will seek to achieve and improve yourself not for external validation, but to satisfy your own desire to keep growing as an athlete and a person.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Practice deliberately with a purpose. Ultra-successful athletes reach their success by practicing with a deliberate purpose. They understand that in order to perform a skill at the highest level, they must practice it until they master it. Successful athletes waste no time getting right into their routine and practice with mindfulness. They don’t zone out or go through the motions. Instead, successful athletes focus on the mechanics, feel, vibe and repetition of developing new skills in order to become an elite athlete. We encourage and motivate our clients to constantly practice with a purpose.
Rhythm: Rhythm is defined as the expression of timing, and its practicality in sports is vast. Linear speed requires a well-timed sequence of (rhythmic) contralateral action. Any delays or errors in this timing can drastically limit velocity of movement. Rhythm plays a significant role in an athlete’s ability to successfully change direction fluidly and in time with extraneous factors such as teammates, opponents and apparatus (i.e. ball etc.). Rhythm is a singular characteristic within the broader scope of coordination. As a jazz harmonicist and banjoist (and physicist) who applies African Drumming, Blues, R&B, Calypso, Reggae, Funk, Hip Hop, Go-Go Swing, I naturally apply the use of rhythm to the competitive college admissions and application process. It helps our clients adapt in an improvisational, non-linear and harmonic way to the nuances and changes in their college admissions journey and ultimately gets them accepted into their top choice colleges.

As a successful college admissions advisor, I apply my special “athletic coaching” skills and “rhythmic” musical strategies to help my clients successfully achieve their college admissions goals: ACCEPTANCE LETTERS. Our strategic vision allows us to create, design and develop a compelling, authentic and distinctive personal brand for each of our clients. This vision elevates and differentiates our clients in the competitive admissions environment so that they become WINNERS and are accepted into their top-choice schools.

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

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.

Top U.S. Engineering Universities

April 9, 2018September 6, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Over the last 2 months, my A-Team and I visited colleges with top engineering (undergraduate) programs. We were not disappointed! The quality of research in these colleges are excellent. Beyond research opportunities for students, the schools had extensive research funding and facilities and attracted professors that are at the top of their field. They also have curricula that included co-op/internships, externships and interdisciplinary programs.

These top schools have impressive job placement statistics. The schools reported job placement rates of students upon graduation (which means students have jobs before they graduate), within six months of graduation or within one year of graduation. The acceptance rate of undergraduates who applied to top Masters and PhD in engineering is significantly higher than the national average and is between 85% and 92%.

Here is a list of top U.S. Engineering Universities:

Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Purdue University
Rensselaer Polytechnic University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Stanford University
University of California Berkeley
University of Michigan

“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 camp: Ivy League Application Boot Camp.

It’s Getting Tougher To Transfer To Top Colleges!

April 3, 2018April 3, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s the aftermath of the 2018 college admission season. We are now aware of the Ivy League and highly selective college rejection rates. The Ivy League colleges had a record number of applications and rejection percentages. The rejection rates ranged from Cornell’s 89.7% to Harvard’s 95.4%.

Because so many “perfect” students were rejected, this will cause a trickle-down effect to second-tier and third tier schools. In my firm, we are discovering that many families who are devastated by their children’s rejections are calling us regarding transfer. Here is what students and their parents NEED to know:

Transferring to the Ivies and elite colleges will be more difficult this year. We have discovered, through our current research, that many students who were accepted are already committing to attend these schools. Parents and students are aware of the value of an Ivy League degree.
There are fewer spots available for transfer students. Therefore, it’s even more competitive to transfer!
Transfer applications are not viewed in the same way as regular applications to freshman classes.
You may replicate the same mistakes that were on your Common Application.
Students are on their own during the transfer process: No college counseling support will be available from their current guidance counselors or private high school college advisors and there is no transfer help from the school which they will be attending in the fall. Why would a school that accepted a student assist the student to transfer?
The college transfer admissions process starts now!

As many concerned parents call us, stunned by the rejection decisions received by their children, we strongly advise parents that they need an experienced educational advisor to review their children’s Common Application because: something wasn’t right. Now is the time to plan summer activities and create a “revised” game plan and positive momentum for their upcoming college freshman year to transfer. See blog: College Transfer Admissions Tips.

It’s important that parents understand that transfer (especially to the Ivies) is even more competitive and involves even more diplomacy than traditional college admissions!

This year, all of our college transfer clients were accepted to their top choice colleges including Harvard, Yale and Columbia and Cornell and UPenn. We are very proud of our success and extremely happy for these students and their parents!

“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. 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.

It’s Getting Tougher To Get Into the Ivies

March 30, 2018April 22, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

On Wednesday, March 28th, the Ivies notified high school seniors of their admissions decisions. Thousands of students were disappointed.

Here is a list of the acceptance rates, number of students admitted, total number of applicants and rejection rates:

Brown: 7.2%; admitted 2,566 of 35,438 Rejection: 92.8%
Columbia: 5.5%; admitted 2,214 of 40,203 Rejection: 94.5%
Cornell: 10.3%; admitted 5,288 out of 51,328 Rejection: 89.7%
Dartmouth: 8.7%; admitted 1,925 of 22,033 Rejection: 91.3%
Harvard: 4.6%; admitted 1,962 of 42,749 Rejection: 95.4%
Penn: 8.4%; admitted 3,731 of 44,491 Rejection: 91.6%
Princeton: 5.5%; admitted 1,941 of 35,370 Rejection: 94.5%
Yale: 6.3%; admitted 2,229 of 35,306 Rejection: 93.7%

Many of the applicants “looked” perfect on paper. Princeton reported that more than 14,200 of the 35,370 applicants had a 4.0 grade point average. Brown reported that 96% of its admitted students are in the top 10% of their high school classes, while at Dartmouth that rate hit 97%.

So why were so many qualified and paper perfect applicants rejected? They sounded unique just like all the other applicants who were rejected – High SAT’s, high GPA, top class rank, outstanding volunteer, skilled musician and/or athlete, leader in extracirricular activities, “amazing” letters of recommendations, perceived “unique” application essays and the “perfect” connections.

In my firm, I emphasize your “Personal WOW-Factor“, your character and being different (based on your personal characteristics, accomplishments and achievements). I spend countless hours with my team analyzing how to spotlight my client. This arduous process works because, this year, 98% of our clients who applied to the Ivies were accepted. My associates and I must be doing something right!

“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 camp: Ivy League Application Boot Camp.

Disappointed That You’ve Been Rejected From Your Top Choice Colleges? Find Out What Your Next Step Should Be!

March 28, 2018April 16, 2018 ~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Based on my over 20 years experience as a college admissions advisor and admissions strategist, I thought I would share some advice with students who have been receiving disappointing decision results.

Admissions committees give careful, individual attention to each applicant. They review each applicant with a magnifying glass and compare each applicant to other qualified applicants. They accept applicants who will inspire those around them during their college years and beyond.

My firm’s strategies involve widening the lens through which our applicant-clients are viewed, recognizing and valuing the different dimensions that shape each student. We understand, in real-time, how an admissions committee at a particular college may view each dimension separately and collectively in comparison to other students during the selection process by visiting schools and talking with admissions officers. As an alternative to settling for a rejection decision (which most students do) to a student’s first choice school, I posit this possible solution:

The student may consider reapplying as a transfer student. It is not too early for a high school senior to consider this. I call it our Admissions Second Chance Program. I review and investigate what went wrong, because, in all cases of rejection decisions, something wasn’t right! Usually I find innumerable mistakes or homogeneity on the Common Application and/or school-specific supplemental essays. Many times I have discovered that no matter how “amazing” the student sounds on paper (top grades, high GPA and SATs, volunteerism, extracurricular activities, recommendations, ESE (Expensive Summer Experiences), to me, they were unconvincing to the admissions committee at a specific school for many reasons. In these cases, we make recommendations to improve the student’s profile and properly connect the dots within their application and beyond. In unique cases, we have been retained by clients who were initially rejected and after our review and intervention the student’s application was reconsidered and ultimately accepted for admission.

By visiting the Ivies and highly selective schools, understanding the dynamic changes and nuances in individual colleges, and knowing what to do to make a student stand out amongst other applicants, my team and I gain an insightful perspective of each school and develop strategies to help our clients get accepted.

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