admissions

Is Summer MCAT Prep Right for Me?

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MCAT history

Preparing for the MCAT during the summer months is a choice that many pre-medical students make – and for good reason. Summer prep provides several advantages over simultaneously juggling coursework with MCAT review during the school year. However, students should also understand that summer prep can be more difficult in certain situations. Below are four questions to consider when debating whether or not to prepare for the MCAT over the summer:
1. Are you able to effectively multitask and prioritize?
One significant difference between preparing for the MCAT during the school year versus preparing for the MCAT during the summer is that summer prep often allows you to focus solely on MCAT review. Studying for the MCAT during the academic year – while also taking courses and participating in various extracurricular activities – requires well developed time management and prioritization skills.
If you currently struggle to manage multiple commitments during the school year (as is common for many pre-medical students who are stretched quite thin), then you may benefit from preparing for the MCAT during the summer months. Free of distractions, you will be better able to truly focus on this crucial exam.

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Picking the Right Medical School Program

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medical school rankings

There’s a popular phrase, “If you’ve seen one medical school… you’ve seen one medical school.” Every school is completely different, so it’s a good idea to thoroughly research what programs would be best for you before you start the application process.
What are you looking for?

Source: The Official Guide to Medical School Admissions, AAMC 2015
Source: The Official Guide to Medical School Admissions, AAMC 2015

When you’re deciding which medical schools to apply to, consider some of the same factors you weighed when applying to college: Are you looking for a public or private university? Do you want to attend school in your home state or out-of-state? You may also narrow your choices by considering the specialties offered or even which clubs and organizations are available to med students.

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What to know before applying to medical school with AMCAS

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The 2016 American Medical Colleges Application System (AMCAS) application season opens on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. Here are some things to know before starting your application.
1. See if you are eligible for the Fee Assistance Program now.
The AAMC’s Fee Assistance Program assists those who would otherwise be unable to afford to apply to medical school with the AMCAS application. If you are approved for fee assistance, your AMCAS fees for up to 15 medical school designations will be waived. However, in order to take advantage of this benefit, you must apply and be approved for fee assistance before you submit your AMCAS application. Fee Assistance approval can take three weeks, so start this process now.

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Q & A: Pharmacy Admissions Insider

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Applying to professional school can be one of the most daunting challenges of a student’s career. The pharmacy admissions process is no exception, and students may find it overwhelming at times. The Student Doctor Network recently sat down with Jeff, a member of a pharmacy school admissions committee, who shared his perspective on the process and some advice for students.

SDN: What advice would you give an undergraduate student just starting to explore the field of pharmacy? How can they tell whether pharmacy is right for them?

Jeff: The two things that someone who is interested in pharmacy should do are to make sure that they have a good understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a pharmacist in a variety of settings, and that the degree they are seeking is aligned with their career objectives. Many individuals are drawn to pharmacy school based upon nothing more than their perception of what a pharmacist does, with the perception based upon their visits to community pharmacies as customers or the television commercials produced by the national drugstore chains to promote their pharmacists. As you would suspect, their perception of what a community pharmacist does on a daily basis is usually wrong. Others make it to their admissions interview day and tell their interviewers that they want to work as a hospital pharmacist so they can work with patients to discover the cure for breast cancer or diabetes; a noble goal to be sure, but one better suited for a doctoral degree in pharmacology or medicinal chemistry.

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Refuse To Take No For An Answer: How I Got Into Dental School After 6 Tries

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reapply to dental school

By Travis Barr, DDS

This article is reprinted with permission from the American Student Dental Association. It originally appeared in December 2014 issue of ASDA News.
ASDA_250
For me, the road to dentistry has been more like a grueling endurance race. The ride consisted of three DAT tests, 19 drafts of personal essays and six application cycles in a row—not to mention three-and-a-half years of chair-side experience as a dental assistant, umpteen semesters of graduate courses and some intensive on-the-job training in the roles of husband and father.
I was not what you’d call an ideal candidate. I started college on a football scholarship as a defensive end in Peru, Nebraska, and I was more concerned with making weight, winning games and having a good time than I was with books and grades. Even after I transferred to the University of Northern Colorado, it wasn’t until my junior year that I started thinking seriously about my future and my academic performance. By the time I graduated the following year, I was proud of how far I’d come. I’d turned my performance around, raising my GPA from 2.0 to 3.2 and earning a biochemistry degree while holding down a full-time job and a tutoring position on campus. I had met the girl of my dreams, and I had set my sights on what seemed to be a perfect career for me: dentistry.

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Mistakes to Avoid During Your Medical School Admissions Interview

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Earning a medical school admissions interview is a significant accomplishment. Many programs adhere to rigorous academic, extracurricular, and research requirements when selecting candidates for in-person meetings. Though you should view this as an opportunity to communicate to admissions interviewers why you are a perfect candidate for the school’s incoming class, be aware that a poor showing can harm applicants. Below are several blunders to avoid during your medical school interview:
1. Failing to articulate your career plans

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