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Tune in to hear all you need to know about the Executive Assessment [Show Summary]Who is the Executive Assessment for? What is it? And how to prepare for it? Introduced by GMAC a few years ago, for the Executive MBA, the “EA” has gained credibility and acceptability for a variety of MBA programs. Brett Ethridge, test prep expert, weighs in and answers all these questions in this informative interview. Interview with Brett Ethridge, founder and president of Dominate Test Prep [Show Notes]Welcome to the 483rd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for listening. You've seen the stats that most people have a great return on their MBA investment. But what about you? Are you going to see that return? How much could it be? We've created a tool that will help you assess whether the MBA is likely to be a good investment for you individually. Just go to accepted.com/mbaroicalc, complete the brief questionnaire, and you’ll not only get an assessment but also the opportunity to calculate different scenarios. And it's all free. Try the MBA ROI Calculator!It gives me great pleasure to have back on Admissions Straight Talk, Brett Ethridge, founder and president of Dominate Test Prep. Brett earned his Bachelor's in Public Policy Studies from Duke in 2000 and then joined the Peace Corps for two years where he worked in Madagascar. He then earned a Master's in International Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration from the University of Denver. In 2010, he founded Dominate the GMAT, which became Dominate Test Prep. Today, Dominate Test Prep provides test preparation for the GMAT, the GRE, SAT, ACT, LSAT, and most importantly for today's conversation, GMAC's Executive Assessment. The Executive Assessment is accepted by many Executive MBA programs, an increasing number of part-time MBA programs, and even several highly ranked full-time MBA programs, including Columbia, Darden, Duke Fuqua, Georgetown, NYU Stern, UT McCombs, and Vanderbilt. Let's learn all about the Executive Assessment. Let's start with a basic question. What is the Executive Assessment? [2:42]It's a standardized test used as part of the admissions process for a wide range of primarily Executive MBA programs in the United States, but also overseas. It’s also being used by an increasing number of online MBA programs, part-time MBA programs, and full-time MBA programs. It's very similar in a lot of ways to the GMAT exam, which is the widely used entrance exam for business school, but different in distinct ways as well. In short, it's a standardized test that a lot of students are taking right now to get into various MBA programs.Why did GMAC develop the Executive Assessment if it already had the GMAT? [3:32]Because they were asked to (if the story is correct). I actually first learned about the Executive Assessment myself at a forum that the GMAC hosted at their headquarters in Ruston, Virginia back in 2018. I think the Executive Assessment had been around for maybe a year or so at that point. It's a fairly new exam at four or five years old. It was my first time really learning about the exam. At that point, only a couple dozen schools were even using it. The story they told us, so this is straight from the GMAC's mouth, is that the admissions directors at a lot of the top executive MBA programs came to them and said, "Look, we love the GMAT. We're currently asking applicants for our Executive MBA programs to take the GMAT. But it's a really steep hurdle in the application process for a demographic of applicants who are in their forties, sometimes fifties. These people have been out of school for decades and now you're asking them to do the advanced math that's on the GMAT and spend months and months and months preparing. Can you come up with something that's a slightly lower barrier to entry? Not in terms of being easier, necessarily. We want to make sure that the applicants have the quantitative chops and also verbal reasonin..

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Expert tips for MCAT success [Show Summary]Todd Bennett, co-founder of The Berkeley Review and expert MCAT instructor, shares his best tips for preparing for and taking the test. Todd Bennett, co-founder of The Berkeley Review and expert MCAT instructor [Show Notes]Welcome to the 480th episode of Admissions Straight Talk, thanks for joining me. Before I introduce our guest today, I'd like to invite you to take Accepted's Med School Admissions Quiz. Ask yourself, "Am I ready to apply to my dream medical schools? Am I competitive at my target programs?" Accepted's Med School Admissions Quiz can give you a quick reality check, just go to accepted.com/medquiz, complete the quiz, and you'll not only get an assessment but also actionable tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free.  hbspt.cta.load(58291, '6f21f36c-c988-4e9c-b947-0b9d4af1557f', {"region":"na1"}); Our guest today is Todd Bennett, whom I met many years ago. He was, at the time, the CEO of the Berkeley Review, and for the entire time, since I met him those many moons ago, he's been an expert MCAT instructor, both for the Berkeley Review and on his own. Is there anything new in terms of the MCAT and the MCAT prep world since we last spoke about a year ago? [1:55]Well, the biggest thing is that COVID restrictions have basically simmered away and it's no longer the same concern it was. The content hasn't seemed to change much, but the delivery and all the stress and weird times looks like it's just going to go back to the regular shot. So that's the biggest thing. There are still some basic protocols, but it's so much less stressful than it was during the pandemic.How do you recommend students prepare for the MCAT? [2:42]The biggest thing at the very start is to look at what you're studying. The only company that puts out realistic questions that have been on the MCAT, or are very similar, is the AAMC. It’s the company that is responsible for the test. Start with their materials. They have an MCAT guide that's the best thing on the market. All these people with “super secrets” are pretty much just people who've read that book from start to finish.They're pretty straightforward in what percentages of the questions they give, how they ask their questions, and what they're looking for. If you start there and really analyze and break that down, you will realize that you don't have to know the material at the same level you studied for college. It's not that it's harder or easier. It's different in that you have to apply it.I'll take physics, for instance. It’s one of the topics I taught for many years. In college, people memorize equations, learn to do problems, show their work, box their answer, and pray for partial credit. That's physics in a nutshell. On the MCAT, they're going to talk about some experiment they do in biochemistry with some machine that uses an electric field, and they'll want to know, "What's true of this electric field if we turn up the voltage", or, "What's true if we move the plates further apart or closer together?" Suddenly you have to take that physics, and apply it to a bio experiment. Getting used to that is the hardest thing I find people have to do. They spend so much time memorizing facts that they never take time to get used to what the questions and passages are like, and they get shocked when they start doing AAMC materials. It’s the number one reason why people postpone or have to repeat. My best advice is to start with the real deal, analyze it, learn what you can from it, and then start your study.How much time should an applicant budget for MCAT prep? [4:42]It starts with an honest look in the mirror and assessing what you know and what you don't know. How did you take your class? Did you take one of those notoriously easy online classes? Or did you take a more challenging class? Figure out what you know and how much you've covered. In general,

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Hear about possible changes to the law admissions process and how to get accepted [Show Summary]Mark Hill, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Duke Law, has worked in admissions for twenty years. In this episode, he shares his thoughts on how law schools will be affected by a potential recession and the possible elimination of a test requirement. Mark explores how applicants, especially those hoping to get accepted to Duke, should handle the shifting landscape. (Please note: Between the recording and publication of our interview, Mark Hill was promoted to Assistant Dean of Admissions at Duke Law. The recording has his old title; the show notes reflect his new title.)Interview with Mark Hill, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Duke Law [Show Notes]Thanks for joining me for the 481st episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Are you applying to law school this cycle? Are you planning ahead to apply to law school next year or later? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted's Law School Admissions Quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/law-quiz, complete the quiz, and you'll not only get an assessment but also tips on how to improve your qualifications and your chances of acceptance. And it's all free. I'm delighted to have an Admissions Straight Talk, Mark Hill, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Duke Law. Mark earned his bachelor's degree in Cultural Anthropology from Duke, and then later earned a master's in Higher Ed from Northwestern, where he also served as Assistant Director of Admissions. In 2002, joined Duke Law as an Admissions officer. Since 2013, he has served Duke Law as Senior Director/Assistant Dean of Admissions. Can you give us an overview of the more distinctive elements of the Duke Law School JD program? [2:21]The way that I think about it, there are two elements that characterize Duke. One is that we're among a handful of really top-tier national law schools with students who come from all over and have really great job prospects all across the country. Most of our grads don't stay in North Carolina. They're looking elsewhere. There's a handful of law schools like that. The other thing that makes us distinctive is that we have a relatively small class size. We're in a smaller city and so we’re a smaller school. We can really give individual attention to students. We help everybody who comes here craft their own course through the opportunities at Duke to get to where they want to end up.Because it's a smaller school and a smaller city, we really attract folks who are intending to be full-time law students. They're focused on engaging with one another and with their professors. I suppose it's not for everybody, but for people who want that kind of full-on focused experience, it can be really great. I've often mentioned a couple of distinctive dual degrees. We have two JD/LLM degrees that can be completed in the three years that it would take to do a JD so they don't add any additional time. You can get a really good concentration and an LLM focusing either on international and comparative law and all the spectrum of the things that means from public law to finance and corporate transactions. The other one focuses on law and entrepreneurship. Maybe you want to be a lawyer who works in the startup space or who works with venture capital. Maybe you have entrepreneurial ideas of your own. Maybe you just want to work for law firms that help provide legal services to those kinds of companies. The JD/LLM in law and entrepreneurship is a great thing there. Those are Duke-specific dual degrees. Of course, we have dual degrees with graduate programs like JD/MBA but I like to mention those as things that are particularly distinctive about Duke.This part of North Carolina has a lot of tech and startup activity because of Duke, UNC, and North Carolina State which are three major research universities in this area.

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Find out what's new to the U. of Colorado SOM curriculum [Show Summary]The University of Colorado School of Medicine has introduced a new curriculum that includes clinical training starting in year two and a longitudinal approach to patient care. Dr. Jeffrey SooHoo, the Assistant Dean for Admissions explains everything applicants will want to know about these changes and gives the inside scoop on how to get accepted.Interview with Dr. Jeffrey SooHoo, Assistant Dean for Admissions, U. of Colorado SOM [Show Notes]Welcome to the 478th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Do you know how to get accepted to medical school? Accepted's Dr. Suzi Schweikert does and she shares her knowledge and insight in Accepted's free guide, Med School Admissions: What You Need to Know to Get Accepted. Download your free copy!Also, thank you and a shoutout to Nareg Keshisian who left a five-star review for Admissions Straight Talk on Apple Podcasts. He wrote:"Linda does a great job answering many of the questions that are on students' minds. These podcasts give greater insight into what schools are looking for in applicants that would be otherwise difficult to find elsewhere. I would highly recommend them to other applicants who are looking for more information about the admissions process for particular schools."Thank you again, Nareg. Your feedback is deeply appreciated. Giving insight to applicants into what schools are looking for is exactly the goal of Admissions Straight Talk. Your words are high praise.The next step in achieving Admissions Straight Talk’s goal is introducing today's guest, Dr. Jeffrey SooHoo. After attending Boston College as an undergrad, Dr. SooHoo earned his MD at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in 2009. He did his residency at the University of Colorado in Ophthalmology and a fellowship in glaucoma, also at the University of Colorado. He has been Assistant Dean for Admissions at the University of Colorado School of Medicine since 2020. The University of Colorado School of Medicine introduced a new curriculum almost exactly a year ago. Can you walk us through it, focusing on its more distinctive elements? [2:14]Absolutely. Our new curriculum is called the Trek Curriculum and all the different elements are named after elements of a hike in Colorado. It was named by our students. You start out in the Plains and progress to the Foothills followed by the Alpine and finally the Summit.There's a number of things that I'll point out as being unique features of the curriculum. I think the biggest change is the move of the core clinical year from the third year of training to the second year of training. That decreases our core preclinical time from two years in the classroom to just one. A question I get often is, "Dean SooHoo, do you now expect me to learn two years of material in one year?" And the answer to that is no. We thought really critically about the elements of our preclinical curriculum and what needed to be in there to prepare you to be a clinical student. I think there was a lot of in those first two years that, while interesting and maybe relevant to medicine in some way, didn't necessarily need to be learned during the time before you went out into the clinical space.Students are eager to get into the clinical space. We also think it's better for learning for them to have clinical experiences earlier because it allows them to think more about the science behind the medicine. It also gives them a human framework in which to place that knowledge. Then they ask better questions because they say, "Oh, well, I saw Mr. Jones and he has this condition. Let me try and understand the pathophysiology of his disease, or let me understand how his medications work." They have a clinical framework in which to put that knowledge. I think that's one of the biggest changes.The other change is that in that clinical year,

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Imagine a world where there’s no LSAT [Show Summary]

With talk of testing becoming an optional step when applying to law school, LSAT expert Steve Schwartz, discusses how test optionality would change admissions. What would it mean for applicants? Should applicants still plan to take the test?

Interview with Steve Schwartz, Founder and CEO of LSAT Unplugged [Show Notes]

Welcome to the 477th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Before we meet our guest, I'd like to highlight the featured resource for today's show. It is Accepted’s Law School Admissions Quiz. Are you ready to apply to your dream law school? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted's Law School Admissions Quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/law-quiz, complete the quiz, and you'll not only get an assessment of your chances but actionable tips on how to improve your qualifications. Plus, it's all free. 

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Our guest today is Steve Schwartz of the LSAT Blog and the LSAT Unplugged podcast and YouTube channel, which we're going to link to from the show notes at accepted.com/477. Steve graduated from Columbia University in 2008. In high school and college, he tutored students in a variety of subjects and also helped prep test takers for standardized tests, including the LSAT. However, he really began to focus on the LSAT when he was applying to law school. He founded the LSAT Blog in 2008 and never looked back. Today, 14 years later, he has helped thousands master the LSAT, get into law school, and sometimes secure scholarships worth tens of thousands of dollars. 

Linda: Today, we're discussing a possible LSAT-optional world. Can you give us context for something that a few years ago neither of us would've imagined possible? [2:25]

Steve: It is quite a surprise. The general trend has been for more and more of higher education to go test-optional. We've seen this in a number of undergraduate institutions, but at the graduate level, they seem to rely quite a bit more on standardized tests. Overall, I think some of this comes from the fact that there's a lot of grade inflation in colleges and universities. If everyone has a high GPA, then how are schools going to distinguish between different applicants? I think that's part of the reason for the change.

Linda: I certainly agree with you. I think that the focus on the test score increased because the GPA was a less valuable signal.

Steve: That's why they say that they might need exams like the LSAT for admissions purposes, but at the same time, there are concerns around the equity involved in members of different groups having different test scores and concerns over access. These two issues - on the one hand, grade inflation and on the other hand, issues of access - are seemingly at odds with each other. That poses a problem and a debate that all of higher ed is trying to untangle.

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Linda: We’ve also seen really different trends. The undergrad world has really embraced test-optionality. A few weeks ago, MIT, which embraced test-optionality as a whole, suddenly announced the undergraduate school will be requiring a test once again because they felt it actually enhanced access and equity. Obviously, nobody in undergraduate or graduate levels wants to admit people who aren't going to succeed. 

At this point in time, what do you think LSAC is going to do? What actually is the issue? Is it schools making a choice? Is it LSAC imposing a policy? [5:05]

Steve: That's a fantastic question. Just to backpedal a little bit, you mentioned COVID and how schools were going test-optional. Because of the American Bar Association's requirement that law schools use a valid and reliable admission test like the LSAT, law schools could not do that in March 2020 when the pandemic hit North America.

Are you interested in Georgetown University's School of Medicine? In this blog post, we give our advice on tackling the school's secondary essays and interview Dr. Ellen Dugan, MD, Senior Associate Dean for Admissions.

Georgetown University School of Medicine 2022 - 2023 secondary application essay questions

Given the Jesuit influence at Georgetown and its adoption of the Cura Personalis philosophy, I recommend covering your clinical, research and community service experience for Georgetown’s secondary application essay. The school places special emphasis on training physicians to treat medically underserved communities. Highlight your personal connections, volunteer work and leadership roles in medically underserved communities.

Georgetown Medical School short essay question #1

The Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians, with cultural humility, who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. With our Jesuit values of Cura Personalis, People for Others, and Community in Diversity, we are steadfast in our commitment to racial justice and to addressing the health inequities exacerbated by the recent pandemic. Please describe how your values, life experiences, and your identity will contribute to these GUSOM priorities. (1,000 characters)

This prompt for Georgetown replaces one that broadly asked to hear that you are compassionate and holistic. How do you embrace the Jesuit values as specified in the prompt (research them) and at the same time advocate for equity and justice for all? (You do not need to profess being Jesuit if that is not your truth, but all applicants would wisely explain their identification with these values and how they came to be instilled in your character.) How does doing so correspond with being humble?  How does being humble and righteous for equity define a physician’s character? How did the pandemic reveal stark inequity and racial bias? Explain this. What can others expect from you regarding how you uphold these values as ideals and actions?

Georgetown Medical School short essay question #2

Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the AMCAS Application? (1,000 characters)

This would be the best place to cover any academic difficulties that you have overcome, whether you’ve retaken courses, created an increasing trend in your GPA or retaken the MCAT for a higher score. Focusing on those areas of the application that you have successfully improved can provide compelling evidence of your academic potential and how you will perform in medical school. If this approach is not relevant to your application, you can use this section to update the committee on new publications, activities or awards that may not be on the AMCAS application. Discuss what you have been doing since you started the application process.

Georgetown Medical School long essay question

Why have you chosen to apply to the Georgetown U...

Discover the unique Temple Katz SOM program [Show Summary]

The Temple Katz School of Medicine distinguishes itself with two campuses, a Narrative Medicine Program, and deep ties to the local community. In this interview, Jacob Ufberg, Associate Dean of Admissions, shares everything applicants need to know to get accepted to Temple Katz. 

Interview with Temple Katz School of Medicine Admissions Dean, Dr. Jacob W. Ufberg [Show Notes]

Welcome to the 476th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. 

The medical school application process is complex. Think of it like a structure that you're building with many elements and floors. Like any building, it requires a strong foundation. Accepted’s free four-part video course, which takes less than half an hour to complete, lays out the foundation of an outstanding medical school application. Watch it today at medschoolessentials.com.

Our special guest today is Dr. Jacob Ufberg, Associate Dean for Admissions at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program. He completed his bachelor's degree at the University of Pennsylvania, then he earned his MD at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and did his residency in Emergency Medicine at The Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He returned to Temple University's Katz School of Medicine after completing his residency and has since become Associate Dean of Admissions, Interim Assistant Dean of Career Advising, a Professor of Emergency Medicine, and an Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director. I'd say he's a little bit busy. 

Can you give us an overview of Temple Katz's approach to medical education, focusing on its more distinctive aspects? [1:58]

At Temple, we teach our clinical medicine and basic science interwoven together with our clinical faculty and basic science faculty integrated together into our pre-clerkship curriculum over the first year and three quarters. That can provide some clinical perspective for the basic science that the students are learning. We do a good deal of small group and case-based learning, and we have a strong focus on integrating the learning of safety, quality, social and structural determinants of health, disparities in health, and medical ethics. We have a wonderful simulation center here. We use simulation and standardized patients quite a bit in the pre-clerkship years for clinical correlation. We have a curriculum that allows for a lot of early and frequent clinical experience. We have two campuses, one here in North Philadelphia and one in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania at the St. Luke's University Health System. They both provide really wonderful clinical learning opportunities for the students. One of the great things is that the students have an opportunity to cross over from one campus to the other for some of their clinical learning opportunities over the years.

Is there a different focus between the two different campuses? [3:37]

I wouldn't say that there's a different focus. We are very well-aligned in how we teach, what we teach,

How can an international student pay for grad school in the U.S. or Canadian graduate education? [Show Summary]

MPOWER Financing has changed the graduate education financing industry by offering international students loans with no collateral or co-signer requirement. Sasha Ramani, the Associate Director of Corporate Strategy explains how they do this responsibly and shares his own journey through graduate school, which led him to this role. 

Interview with Sasha Ramani, Associate Director of Corporate Strategy, MPOWER Financing [Show Notes]

Welcome to the 476th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Are any of you, whether in the United States or outside of the United States, aiming for the MBA Trinity of Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton? Well, you're in luck. Next week I'm going to present What It Takes to Get Accepted to Harvard, Stanford and Wharton on Thursday, June 23rd. The webinar is free, but you do need to register to reserve your spot at accepted.com/hsw. 

I'd like to welcome to Admissions Straight Talk Sasha Ramani. Sasha grew up in Canada and graduated with distinction from the University of Waterloo where he quadruple majored in Actuarial Science, Statistics, Operations Research, and Business Administration, while also being active on campus. After graduating, he worked for Mars & Co and Deloitte as a Strategy Consultant before moving on to the Harvard Kennedy School, where he completed his MPP in Business and Government. Since 2017, he has worked with MPOWER Financing, a fast-growing FinTech company, providing millions to promising international and DACA students without collateral or co-signers. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your background? [2:05]

Sure, absolutely. I'm from a city called Mississauga. It's a suburb of Toronto in Canada. That's where I was born and raised. I spent my entire childhood there until the end of college. Then I moved to New York City and worked as a management consultant for two different consultancies, Mars & Co and Deloitte Consulting. I specialized in investment management. That’s the traditional consulting work of helping firms grow and expand, advising on mergers and acquisitions, cost-cutting, or other ways they can expand their product or geographic services.

After that, I moved on to the Harvard Kennedy School where I got a Master's in Public Policy. That's when I came across MPOWER almost by accident. I came across the firm at a startup career fair, not even looking for jobs, but just looking for interesting startups and getting a flavor for what people were doing.

It just sort of crossed my mind that if for me, as a Canadian in the U.S., which makes me the least international of all students, to get a bank account, a credit card, or other bread and butter financial product was kind of like pulling teeth – imagine what it's like for a student from India, China, Mexico, Brazil, or any of the other 200 plus countries thatMPOWER serves. So I did my graduate school internship with MPOWER in 2017. I loved the experience. When I completed my master's in 2018,

An inside look at the NYMC MD program and how to get accepted [Show Summary]

New York Medical College’s MD program offers students robust clinical experiences and ongoing academic and career mentoring. Dr. Karen Murray, Associate Dean of Admissions, gives an inside scoop on how students can get accepted to this competitive program.

Interview with Dr. Karen Murray, Associate Dean of Admissions for the SOM at NYMC [Show Notes]

Welcome to the 474th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Calculating your GPA for med school can be difficult, especially if you are applying via AMCAS, AACOMAS and/or TMDSAS. However, Accepted has a free tool that can really help you. Using our brand new and free GPA calculator, just enter your classes and credits to calculate your GPA. If you are a couple of years away from applying, you can download the GPA calculator spreadsheet and assess the impact of your grades as you earn them. Or you can calculate the impact of different anticipated grades and see what your GPA will be if you ace that course, or if you take a hit. Just download the spreadsheet template at accepted.com/medgpa, and you can use and update it as needed. Plus it’s free.

Try the Premed GPA Calculator

Our guest today is Dr. Karen Murray, Associate Dean of Admissions for the School of Medicine at New York Medical College. Dr. Murray graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor's in Biology and Biological Sciences. She immediately started medical school at NYMC and graduated in 1991. She then did her residency in OB/GYN also at NYMC and has been an attending physician and Associate Professor at NYMC since 2003. She became the Associate Dean for Admissions for the School of Medicine at NYMC in 2018. 

Can you give us an overview of NYMC's approach to medical education focusing on its more distinctive elements? [2:23]

New York Medical College has recently undergone a revamping of its curriculum. This was geared toward the changes that are happening with the USMLE. Unlike the traditional medical school where you had two years of full, straight lecture courses followed by two years of clinical, we are actually starting our clinicals early. 

They start out during the first year with the fundamentals, which go from August to March. Then, starting in March of your first year, you start your systems. Your systems-based learning goes from April of your first year and continues through to February of your second year. Usually somewhere between the end of February and March, you take the Step 1, and immediately after that, you start your clinicals. Your clinicals start in April of your second year and run through into your fourth year and graduation. We've put a little bit more clinical in there and start the clinical a little earlier.

A lot of students go to medical school because they really want to put that white coat on and get out and start seeing patients. You do see some of that in your first year durin...

How to Write a Statement of Purpose That Gets You Accepted [Show Summary]

Vanessa Febo is a PhD candidate in English Literature at UCLA and a writing instructor who has guided students to acceptance at top programs at Harvard, Stanford, and USC. In this episode, she shares her expert tips on mastering the writing required for a successful statement of purpose. 

Interview with Vanessa Febo, a PhD candidate in English Literature at UCLA and Accepted Admissions Consultant [Show Notes]

Welcome to the 473rd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. The challenge at the heart of admissions is showing that you both fit in at your target schools and stand out in the applicant pool. Accepted’s free download, Fitting In & Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of Admissions will show you how to do both. Master this paradox, and you are well on your way to acceptance. You can download this free guide at accepted.com/fiso.

Our guest today, Vanessa Febo, is a PhD candidate in English Literature at UCLA. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor's in English, and then worked in business for several years. While pursuing her PhD at UCLA, she has taught writing to undergraduate students and assisted graduate students in getting major grants and scholarships, including the Fulbright, Stanford Knight-Hennessy, and the Ford Foundation Fellowship. She has also guided students to acceptance at top programs at Harvard, Stanford, USC, and others, while an Accepted consultant. 

How did you get involved in coaching applicants in the writing required for admissions as well as grant and scholarship applications? [2:08]

I was an English major, and I knew that I wanted to pursue a PhD. I wasn't sure what that entailed at the time. I don't think anyone necessarily does when they’re going into a PhD program, but I discovered a lot of it was teaching. I really loved teaching and a big part of teaching and the English curriculum is obviously working with students on their writing, which we’re not necessarily fully trained in. So I got additional certification in writing pedagogy as well. Then I managed to get a job at the Scholarship Resource Center at UCLA, which is a very unique center because it's one of the only of its kind in the country. It's really surprising to me that more universities, especially private ones that have so much money, don’t have centers like this. We're one of the very few that actually help students work on applications for scholarships. Through that, I have the opportunity to work with students on what we might call national merit or nationally recognized international scholarships as well because that is operated through that office. I got to work with Dr. Rebecca Blustein, who spearheads this at UCLA. I've been involved on selection committees for scholarships through this office for in-house scholarships and for things like Phi Beta Kappa, the National Honor Society. I was recently on their selection committee for that, but it just finished. I've also worked with students with both interviewing and essay writing for all sorts of scholarships,