Admissions Straight Talk

In this episode of Admission Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews Dr. Christy Bozic, the Executive Director of Duke University's Masters of Engineering Management (MEM) program. They discuss the unique aspects of the MEM program, including its focus on blending technical engineering skills with business acumen, the differences between online and in-person formats, and the importance of professionalism in engineering management. Dr. Bozic shares insights into the admissions process, the challenges faced by online students, and the incorporation of AI into the curriculum. The conversation also touches on the new co-op program and future directions for the MEM program.TakeawaysDuke's MEM program is one of the oldest and largest in the field.The program aims to equip engineers with business skills.Online and in-person programs share core courses but differ in delivery.Residency requirements enhance networking and community building for online students.Time management is a key challenge for online students.Professionalism is emphasized through five core principles.The admissions process is the same for both online and in-person programs.Video introductions help applicants showcase their personality.AI is integrated into the curriculum to prepare students for future challenges.The new co-op program offers practical experience opportunities for students.Relevant Resources:Dukes' Masters of Engineering Management (MEM)Applying to Graduate Engineering Programs: What You Need to KnowHow to Get Accepted to Graduate Engineering ProgramsHow to Write Your Master's in Engineering Statement of PurposeAdmissions Straight Talk Ranks in Feedspot Higher Ed Podcast RankingRelated Admissions Straight Talk Episodes:Duke's Master of Engineering ManagementStanford's MCiM Combines Technology, Healthcare, and BusinessBerkeley Haas' Master of Financial Engineering ProgramWhat's New at Cornell's Masters in Engineering ManagementAll You Need To Know When Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, the Assistant Professor and Director of Admissions at the Emory University Physician Assistant Program, Allan Platt,  offers an insightful look into the Emory University's Physician Assistant Program. He breaks down the program's distinctive curriculum, including its unique approach to anatomy, and shares valuable advice for prospective students. Allan dives into Emory's PA program admissions process, emphasizing the importance of clinical experience, community service, and thoughtful personal narratives. He also explains the blinded Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format and highlights common mistakes applicants should avoid.Relevant LinksEmory Physicia Assistant ProgramThe Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Physician AssistantCASPA: Everything You Need to Know about the Experiences Section How to Get Accepted to Physician Assistant (PA) Programs Related  Admissions Straight Talk EpisodesHow To Get Accepted To Duke's Physician Assistant Program How to Get into Physician Assistant Programs How To Get Accepted To the University of Iowa's PA ProgramAn Inside Look at Yale's Online PA ProgramHow Did This Successful PA Applicant Get Accepted?Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Dr. Beth Piraino, Associate Dean of Admissions at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM), explores the school's innovative Three Rivers Curriculum, emphasizing small-group learning, early clinical exposure, and the integration of "Streams" (special interest areas) and Threads" (core competencies like leadership and clinical reasoning). Dr. Piraino also discusses the role of secondary essays in evaluating applicants and explores why teamwork, resilience, and cultural awareness are important in the admissions process. She goes on to  highlight a common mistake applicants make in the application process.Relevant Links:University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Are You Ready to Apply Med School QuizRelated Shows:Inside Geisinger Med School Admissions with Dr. Michelle SchmudeAccepted: Your Guide to CU School of Medicine Get Accepted to Washington University School of MedicineDeep Dive into Duke Medical: An Interview with Dr. Linton YeeGet Accepted to Loyola Stritch Medical SchoolFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Linda Abraham interviews Dr. LeeAnna Muzquiz, Associate Dean for Admissions at the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM). Dr. Muzquiz, a graduate of UWSOM and a family physician with ties to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, discusses the unique five-state WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) curriculum, which allows students to complete their foundational training in their home states.The School of Medicine emphasizes training for rural and underserved communities, offering special programs like TRUST (Targeted Rural and Underserved Scholar Track) and CUSP (Community Urban Scholars Program) aimed at fostering future physicians committed to these populations. Dr. Muzquiz highlights the comprehensive and transparent admissions process at UWSOM, including the importance of personal storytelling in applications and interviews. Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Welcome to the 600th episode of Admissions Straight Talk! In this milestone episode, host Linda Abraham sits down with Dr. Michelle Schmude, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Professor of Medical Education at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, to explore the innovative and comprehensive Total Health Curriculum.Dr. Schmude shares how this evidence-based program prepares medical students for the complexities of 21st-century healthcare through early clinical experiences, team-based learning, and a focus on systems-based and humanistic medicine.Listeners will also learn about exciting updates at Geisinger, including the evolution to Geisinger College of Health Sciences and its impact on healthcare education, as well as details on the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program, which allows students to graduate debt-free in exchange for service in underserved areas.Relevant Links:Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Med School Admissions: What you Need to Know to Get AcceptedEvaluating a Situational Judgment Test for Use in Medical School Admissions: Two Years of AAMC PREview Exam Administration DataRelated Shows:Accepted: Your Guide to CU School of Medicine An Interview With the Temple Katz School of Medicine Admissions Dean NYMC: How to Get InHow to Write Essays That Will Get You Into Medical SchoolFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Linda Abraham interviews Dr. Jeffrey SooHoo, Assistant Dean for Admissions at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. They discuss the unique aspects of the Colorado medical curriculum, including the new Trek curriculum, the importance of longitudinal integrated clerkships, and the various tracks available for students. Dr. SooHoo also shares insights into the secondary application process, the role of the CASPER test, and the criteria for interview invitations. The conversation highlights common mistakes applicants make, the importance of research experience, and the support systems in place for medical students. Dr. SooHoo emphasizes the competitive nature of medical school admissions and the holistic review process used to evaluate applicants.Takeaways:The Colorado School of Medicine has a unique Trek curriculum launched in 2021.Longitudinal integrated clerkships allow for deeper relationships with preceptors and patients.Students can choose from various tracks, including rural medicine and global health.The secondary application focuses on value alignment with the school's pillars: leadership, curiosity, and commitment.CASPER is used to assess non-cognitive competencies in applicants.The admissions process is highly competitive, with many qualified applicants not receiving offers.Interviews are conducted virtually and include both group and individual assessments.Research experience is beneficial but not mandatory for applicants.Common mistakes include not understanding the competitiveness of admissions and failing to tell a cohesive story in applications.Support systems like Compass Guides help students navigate their medical education.Relevant Links:University of Colorado School of MedicineAccepted's Med School Calculator QuizRelated Shows:Washington University School of MedicineDeep Dive Into Duke Medical: An Interview with Associate Dean Linton YeeDuke's Physician Assistant ProgramGetting Into Med School Isn't Easy…But This Applicant Did It! Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode, Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Yale School of Management, shares an overview of the Yale School of Management. The program offers a distinctive two-year, full-time MBA program emphasizing an interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum to prepare students for leadership in business and society. Bruce discusses how aspiring applicants can prepare for and approach the extensive application process, which includes a GMAT/GRE test score, written essays, a resume, a video component, a behavioral assessment, and an interview. Links mentioned in this episode:Yale SOM MBA AdmissionsYale SOM Application GuideYale SOM Essay TipsMBA ROI CalculatorRelated Admissions Straight Talk EpisodesHow to Create Successful MBA Applications How to Get Accepted to UCLA Anderson How To Get Into UVA Darden's MBA ProgramHow to Get Accepted to Cornell Johnson MBA Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

The NYU Stern Masters of Business Analytics and AI (MSBAAI) program is a one-year specialized degree program that trains students to make data-driven decisions. Dr. Anindya Ghose, Heinz Riehl Chair Professor of Technology and Marketing at New York University's Leonard Stern School of Business and Director of the Masters of Business Analytics and AI Program at Stern discusses everything applicants need to know. He shares the core aim of the program which is to impart cross-functional skills that can be applied across industries. Additionally, Dr. Ghose highlights the career path for graduates of the program.Show Links:Masters of Business Analytics and AI Program  Applying to Graduate Engineering Programs: What You Need to KnowApplication Advice from Accepted Data Science ClientsSeeking a Graduate Degree in Artificial Intelligence? Related Admissions Straight Talk Episodes:ROI and NYU's Part-time MBAStern at NYU Abu Dhabi: A Full-Time MBA in the Middle East Stanford's MCiM Combines Technology, Healthcare, and Business Berkeley Haas' Master of Financial Engineering Program CMU Tepper's MS in Business Analytics: All You Need to Know What's New at NYU Stern's Online Masters of Science in Quantitative Management Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean of MIT Sloan School of Management, provides a thorough examination into the MIT Sloan School of Management's full-time MBA program, which is mission-driven, focused on identifying and solving the world's biggest and most complex problems. The program offers flexibility with a one-semester core and three semesters of electives, allowing students to pursue seven different certificates or concentrations. Dawna discusses the comprehensive application process, which includes a cover letter, one-page resume, 60-second video, and a behavioral video interview. She shares her tips on how to successfully approach the application. Dawna also highlights the early admission program for current college students and graduate students.Links mentioned in the show:MIT Sloan AdmissionsMIT Sloan MBA EarlyMIT Sloan Application TipsRelated Admissions Straight Talk Episodes How to Get Accepted to UCLA Anderson  Prepare for the GRE and GMAT Focus  How To Get Into UVA Darden's MBA Program How to Get Accepted to Cornell Johnson MBA  How to Respond to the New Harvard MBA Essay QuestionsFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode, Dr. Valerie Ratts, the Associate Dean for Admissions at The Washington University School of Medicine, offers an overview of the unique program. She describes the "Gateway Curriculum" which provides early clinical exposure and flexibility for students to explore different areas of medicine, including research, innovation, advocacy, and education. Dr. Ratts overviews Wash U's holistic approach to admissions and the multi-step interview process. Listeners will also learn about the school's robust student success program, with faculty coaches to provide personalized guidance and support throughout medical school. Relevant Links:WashU Medical SchoolMed QuizRelated Admission Straight Talk EpisodesGetting Into Med School Isn't Easy…But This Applicant Did It! Get Accepted to Loyola Stritch Medical School Submit Successful Secondaries for Medical School Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Linda Abraham shares a strategic framework for a successful MBA application, with tips that can benefit applicants to any program. She discusses how to choose the right schools to apply to, demonstrate your knowledge of the programs you are applying to, effectively present yourself throughout the application, and review the application materials before submission.Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Dr. Linton Yee, Associate Dean for Admissions at Duke University School of Medicine joins us to discuss how applicants can earn a spot in this highly competitive program. Dr. Yee walks listeners through the unique curriculum which focuses on integrating basic science and clinical experiences from the first year. In addition to strong academic performance, Duke looks for clinical and research experiences, as well as a vision for the future in medicine. Dr. Yee gives an inside look at what applicants can expect from the MMI interviews.Relevant Links:Duke Med SchoolMed QuizRelated Admissions Straight Talk Episodes:Getting Into Med School Isn't Easy…But This Applicant Did It! Get Accepted to Loyola Stritch Medical School Submit Successful Secondaries for Medical School Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Alex Lawrence, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at UCLA Anderson School of Management, describes the program's offerings. Students are offered a customizable curriculum with a wide range of elective courses and specializations. The program also includes a capstone project and focuses on developing leadership skills. The summer quarter provides students with foundational elements and an opportunity to get acclimated to the program. The program also offers a business creation program for students with an entrepreneurial mindset and an applied management research project for students to work on real business challenges. Alex discusses the flexible testing policy and shares who should take the test. Alex also highlights the program's values and how applicants can demonstrate them in resumes, letters of recommendation, and interviews. Relevant Links:Anderson Full-time MBA How an MBA from Anderson Helped this Career SwitcherB-School for Good: Pursuing Social Impact Through UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBAUCLA Anderson School of Management MBA Program Now STEM-Certified | AcceptedRelevant Admissions Straight Talk Episodes:How To Get into UVA Darden's MBA Program How to Get Accepted to Cornell Johnson MBA How to Respond to the New Harvard MBA Essay QuestionsAce the New Michigan Ross MBA Essay Questions How to get Accepted at Michigan RossFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Dr. April Stouder, Associate Program Director and Director of Admissions at the Duke Physician Assistant Program, discusses what it takes to gain a spot in the competitive program. She discusses Duke PA program's emphasis on community service, particularly in underserved communities and healthcare roles. April highlights the value of non-clinical volunteering, especially in healthcare or with underserved populations. She explains the admissions process, including the CASPA application and the GPA and GRE requirements. April walks us through the interview process, which is designed to assess both cognitive and non-cognitive attributes like maturity and resilience. Relevant Links:Duke PA ProgramThe Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Physician AssistantCASPA: Everything You Need to Know about the Experiences Section That PA Girl with Can't-Miss Advice for Aspiring Physician AssistantsRelated Admissions Straight Talk Episodes:How to Get into Physician Assistant Programs How To Get Accepted To the University of Iowa's PA Program An Inside Look at Yale's Online PA Program How Did This Successful PA Applicant Get Accepted?Andrea Benedict: Life as a Physician Assistant Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

This week, Linda Abraham welcomes Dean Shane Cooper, Senior Associate Dean for Admissions, Financial Aid and Student Services at Cornell School of Law. Dean Cooper shares insights into the admissions process at Cornell Law School, emphasizing the mutual goal of finding the right fit between the school and the applicant. We discuss the benefits of small class sizes, close faculty interaction, and strong international programs. Despite its Ithaca location, the school offers abundant opportunities for experiential learning. Dean Cooper explains that Cornell accepts LSAT, GRE, or GMAT scores without preference, with financial aid linked to the strength of these scores. He highlights the importance of diverse experiences and well-rounded characters in applicants, and we explore how interviews, re-applicant growth, and the Why Cornell essay play significant roles in the admissions process. Dean Cooper underscores Cornell Law's commitment to opening doors for students and making a positive impact on the legal community.Mentioned in today's episode:Cornell Law School JD ProgramAre You Ready for Law School?, Accepted's Free Law School Admissions Quiz Related Admissions Straight Talk episodes:How to Get Into George Washington School of Law How to Get into Washington University in St. Louis School of LawHow to Get into USC Gould School of LawJD-Next: A Great Option for Law School ApplicantsHow to Get into the University of Chicago Law SchoolFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

This week, we hear from Marla Schechter, a US immigration lawyer with 20+ years of experience. Marla shares her expertise on various topics related to obtaining a visa for studying in the United States. She covers the process of obtaining an F-1 visa, the advantages of studying in a STEM-certified program, the H-1B visa for working in the US, and the Green Card process. She also highlights common mistakes made by student applicants and the potential challenges of obtaining a visa for individuals with criminal records.Relevant Links:Schechter Immigration LawFitting in and Standing OutRelevant Admission Straight Talk Episodes:Applying to U.S. Business Schools from Europe, Asia, the Middle EastFormer Wharton/Lauder Admissions DirectorAll You Need to Know About the New, Shorter GRE Get Accepted to PhD Programs in the Humanities How to Apply Successfully to STEM PhD Programs Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Bara Sapir joins Admissions Straight Talk to discuss the benefits and challenges of the GRE and GMAT exams. She delves into the structure and length of the exams and also discusses the challenges unique to each one. Bara shares her expert tips on how to overcome these challenges, including being an active participant in test preparation and developing test-taking strategies. Bara and Linda have a discussion on the value of these exams and the importance of reframing the test-taking experience.Relevant Links:Free Consultation with AcceptedCity Test PrepMindFlow Speed ReadingGet Ready for the New GRE MBA WavesRelevant Admission Straight Talk Episodes:All You Need to Know About the New, Shorter GREWhat You Need to Know to Ace the GMAT JD-Next: A Great Option for Law School Applicants Oxford Lecturer Joins AcceptedFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Dawna Clarke, Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions at UVA Darden, returns to Admissions Straight Talk to discuss various aspects of the Darden MBA program, including experiential learning opportunities, global study opportunities, the use of AI in the program, the application process, and common mistakes made by applicants. Dawna emphasizes the importance of authenticity in the application and provides examples of successful essays. She also discusses the interview process and suggests that applicants ask thoughtful and probing questions to demonstrate their research and interest in the program.Relevant Links: UVA Darden MBADiscover Darden Blog Accepted Darden Essay Tips MBA Admissions Quiz – Are you ready?Relevant shows:Do You Have the Spike for Toronto Rotman MBA? How to get Accepted at Michigan RossSo You Want to Do an MBA Outside the U.S. Former Wharton/Lauder Admissions DirectorFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode, Eddie Asbie, Executive Director of Admissions and Scholarship at Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management, shares an overview of the admissions process. He provides insights into the application process at Cornell Johnson, including the testing and test waiver policy, the interview process, and advice for re-applicants. He offers details on the new essay questions for the upcoming application cycle and shares his thoughts on using AI for essays.Relevant Links:Cornell Johnson Full-time MBAMBA Admissions QuizRelevant shows:Do You Have the Spike for Toronto Rotman MBA?So You Want to Do an MBA Outside the U.S.How to get Accepted at Michigan RossFormer Wharton/Lauder Admissions Director How to Get into HEC Paris MBA?Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode, Linda Abraham invites Accepted consultants Esmeralda Cardenal and Kelly Wilson to discuss the updates to the Harvard Business School application and provide insights into how applicants can approach the essays. They emphasize that HBS is still looking for leaders who have made an impact and can grow in any environment. While the criteria may be similar to before, the way applicants communicate their experiences has changed. The panelists advise applicants to focus on the entire application, not just the essays, and to demonstrate growth, leadership, and curiosity throughout. They also discuss the potential impact of the new essay requirements and the importance of authenticity in the application process.Relevant Links: Sign up for a Free consultation with an Accepted expert.Esmeralda Cardenal, Consultant profileNatalie Grinblatt Epstein, Consultant profileMichelle Stockman, Consultant profileKelly Wilson, Consultant profileRelated Admissions Straight Talk shows: Do You Have the Spike for Toronto Rotman?MIT Sloan: For Rising Executives Considering an MBAHow to get into Berkeley HaasWhat's New at Penn's The Wharton School. And How to Get InFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode, Linda Abraham interviews Dean Sophia Sim of George Washington School of Law. They discuss various aspects of the law school admissions process, including what makes a standout personal statement, the importance of a balanced program, the acceptance of alternative standardized tests, the use of AI tools in the application process, and the introduction of interviews at GW Law. Relevant Links:George Washington University Law School AdmissionsAre You Ready for Law School? (Accepted's free Law School Admissions Quiz)Free Consultation with an Accepted ExpertRelated Shows:How to Get into Washington University in St. Louis School of Law How to Get into USC Gould School of LawJD-Next: A Great Option for Law School ApplicantsHow to Get into the University of Chicago Law SchoolNavigating the Law School Admissions ProcessFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Andrea McHale, the Director of the Michigan Ross Full-time MBA and Global MBA Admissions, returns to Admissions Straight Talk to discuss the newly released essay prompts for the Michigan Ross MBA program. Andrea shares an overview of each of the four questions and gives an inside look at exactly what the admissions committee hopes to learn from applicants. Andrea emphasizes the importance of impact and motivation in the application process. She also discusses the potential use of AI in the admissions process. Relevant Links:Free Consultation with an Accepted MBA ExpertMichigan Ross MBAMichigan Ross MBA Essay Tips and DeadlineMBA ROI Calculator38 Ways to Use the Power of Numbers in Your Admissions ResumeRelevant shows:Ross MBA Admissions: All You Need to Know for AcceptanceFormer Wharton/Lauder Admissions Director Joins Accepted Advice for Applicants: Moving from 2023 to 2024ROI and NYU's Part-time MBA How to Get Into WhartonFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Linda Abraham interviews Yael Bruk, a recent graduate from Binghamton University who was accepted to multiple medical schools. Yael shares her advice for pre-med students, including the importance of taking notes during clinical experiences and writing down meaningful stories to include in applications. She also discusses her own journey straight from college to medical school, including her exploration of different career paths within the healthcare field and her decision to major in biology and philosophy. Yael emphasizes the importance of staying organized during the application process. She also offers tips for preparing for medical school interviews, such as reviewing common interview questions and taking a moment to think before answering difficult questions. Free Application Resources

Kelly Wilson, an Accepted consultant and former admissions director takes a deep dive into master's degrees in graduate management education. Kelly provides insights into the differences between various master's degrees, such as master's in management, master's in finance, and master's in business analytics. She highlights the importance of understanding the specific program and school you are applying to, considering factors such as career outcomes, STEM certification for international students, curriculum, and timing of the program. Kelly also advises applicants to avoid common mistakes, such as a mismatch of skills and a lack of clarity in goals. She suggests seeking experiential learning opportunities and talking to current students and alumni to gain insights into different career paths.Relevant Links:Consultant Profile: Kelly Wilson Fitting in and Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of AdmissionsRelevant Show Transcripts and Links: Duke's Master of Engineering Management, podcast Episode 564Michigan Ross' Master in Management (MM): All You Need to Know, podcast Episode 560 Stanford's MCiM Combines Technology, Healthcare, and Business, podcast Episode 548 Berkeley Haas' Master of Financial Engineering Program, podcast Episode 540 All You Need to Know About the New, Shorter GRE, podcast Episode 531 Stanford MBA Discusses Coffee Chats, podcast Episode 437Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Mohammad Salhia, Managing Director of Recruitment, Admissions, and Business Development at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, discusses the distinctive features of the Rotman MBA program. Mohammad highlights the various MBA program options at Rotman, including full-time, morning/evening, and executive MBA programs. He emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the full-time MBA program, which includes academic study, elective courses, and a four-month internship. He also discusses the unique features of the program, such as the Self-Development Lab and the Leadership Development Lab, which focus on fostering communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Additionally, he shares his tips for how to determine and present a “spike factor.”Relevant Links:Toronto Rotman MBA programAccepted's Mapping your MBA ApplicationRelevant shows:Former Wharton/Lauder Admissions Director Joins Accepted: Welcome Kara Keenan Sweeney, podcast Episode 570How to Get Into HEC Paris MBA with  Sara Vanos, podcast Episode 565Advice for Applicants: Moving from 2023 to 2024, podcast Episode 557How to Get into the UC Berkeley Haas MBA Program?, podcast Episode 557

Show Summary In this episode, Linda Abraham interviews Darrell Nabers, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment at Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. They discuss the distinctive elements of the Loyola Stritch approach to medical education, the importance of faith and compassion in the application process, the impact of AI on medical education, and the timing of the medical school application process. Darrell emphasizes the importance of being ready and not comparing oneself to others in the application process. He also advises applicants to seek advice from reliable sources and to focus on their own journey rather than succumbing to the fear of missing out. Show Notes Welcome to the 580th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your 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 tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free.  Our guest today, Darrell Nabers is a return guest. He's the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment at Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. Darrell earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Whittier College and Golden Gate University, respectively. He then held various admissions positions from 2000 to 2005 before joining the University of Chicago's admissions staff. There, he served in different roles until 2015. He joined Loyola College Stritch in 2015 as Director of Admissions and became Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment in February 2019. Darrell, welcome back to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:12] Good to see you again, Linda. Thank you for having me back. To start, can you give everybody an overview of the distinctive elements to the Loyola Stritch approach to medical education? [2:27] Well, we're one of four Jesuit medical schools in the country so I think that by virtue of that, there tends to be an understanding within the collective consideration of our institution about the path to medicine being similar to that of one who discerns their vocation very comprehensively. So within the scope of that discernment, we apply a lot of the same principles that might be applied in any kind of Jesuit environment, which is to obviously think of others first in supporting efforts that are more social justice oriented, being a global thinker, to be proactive and engaged when you sense or see a problem, that you don't resist the urge to do something about it, that you are putting into motion perhaps an understanding of the situation, and then utilizing your resources to understand what needs to be done, and then pursuing a path to mitigate that which you see as an injustice or an inadequacy or an inefficiency. And I believe that within the scope of that also is the added element of compassion for others, not just that you're supporting the goals of others, that you're helping others, but that you have a passion to do that and a passion to build equality among populations where that may not be the case. So if you apply that Jesuit ideal within the realm of education, which is where I'm pursuing my doctorate. I'm about a year away, but the thing that helped me affirm the sort of Jesuit pedagogy is taking classes myself, not in the medical school, but adjacent in another program because then I could understand the pedagogical link. I could understand reflection as a means to solve problems, I can then understand why principally we focus our efforts on underserved populations, because of the opportunity that exists to help a great number who are underserved, but also the potential to mitigate further consequences as a result of their being ignored. These are all essential elements of the Jesuit culture. 

Show Summary Katherine Scannell, Vice Dean for Institutional Success at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, discusses the distinctive elements of WashU's JD program. She highlights the individualized focus on students' career goals and the broad areas of expertise that students can specialize in. Dean Scannell emphasizes the importance of early career services and guidance for students before they start law school. She also talks about WashU's response to the growth of AI in the legal world. Listeners will learn about the interview process at WashU and hear Dean Scanell's advice. Dean Scannell shares her thoughts on the importance of networking and building relationships with lawyers and professionals in the field and offers her tips on how to do this thoughtfully.  Show Notes Thanks for joining me for this, the 579th 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 tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free.  Now for today's interview. I'm delighted to have on Admissions Straight Talk for the first time Dean Katherine Scannell, Vice Dean for Institutional Success at Washington University in St. Louis. Dean Scannell earned her bachelor's degree from Wash U and her JD from the University of Missouri. She practiced law for several years and then joined Washington University in St. Louis Law School, becoming first Assistant Dean of Career Services and then Associate Dean of Admissions and today she is the Vice Dean for Institutional Success at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. Since 2009, she has also been a Lecturer in Law at Wash U. Dean Scannell, thank you for joining me for Admissions Straight Talk. [2:05] Thank you for having me. I'm so happy to be here. Can you give us an overview of the more distinctive elements of WashU's JD program? [2:14] Yes. So WashU's program is interesting, because we have so many broad areas of expertise that you can kind of focus on, and we really focus individually with each student to think about their career goals. We start that even before students start law school. So this summer, we're working with the class that'll be coming in in the fall to help educate them on the possibilities, what they can do with their law degree, and just let them hit the ground running. So I think that's unique, how we start early, and then we have a lot of very individualized opportunities at WashULaw in the educational experience and to support their long-term career goals, because most students are coming to law school to practice law, right? So we want to help them understand what all the paths are, and that can help shape the classes, the courses they take here. We do a lot of interdisciplinary work that is interesting, like our Cordell Institute in law and medicine. And so, we collaborate with our highly ranked medical school here to think about policy, privacy, and data issues. So things like that we've really dug in that provide interesting experiences for our students and educational opportunities. Wonderful. I'm actually very impressed that you started out with the idea of career services before they even start. I don't think I've gotten that answer from any law school admissions dean. I'm a big believer in graduate school, in general, being a means to an end. That implies you have to have some idea of what “end” you want, and law is an incredibly broad field. I think it's fantastic that you provide that guidance, even before somebody steps foot on campus. [3:58] That has been a very unique and very important part of our mission in the Career Center. And I should say in the admissions office,

Show Summary In this episode, Linda Abraham discusses successful secondary applications for medical school. She highlights the key differences between primary and secondary applications and provides 6 tips for submitting a successful secondary application. Additionally, Linda offers practical advice on when to submit and how to write concisely to meet word or character limits as well as how to check these crucial documents before you hit SUBMIT.  Show Notes Welcome to the 578th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted's Med School Admissions Quiz will give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/medquiz, complete the quiz, and you will not only get an assessment of your chances, but tips on how to improve them. And it's all free.  Today is going to be a solo show, and we're going to be discussing successful secondaries. Given that the show is airing on May 28th and AMCAS is just starting to process the primary applications today, I think the show is extraordinarily timely. You can't submit your secondaries yet if you don't have them, but for those of you who submitted or will submit early, in other words, your primary application sometime in June, this show really couldn't be better timed. For those of you planning to submit later in the cycle, you can take advantage of it as soon as you submit your primary applications, and there may be even a tip or two for you regarding the primary in the course of the show. So if you are in either group, perhaps you submit it today or will submit very shortly, or perhaps you're the parent or significant other of someone in either of these two groups, in other words, somebody submitting early or somebody submitting later in this cycle, congratulations, you or a very important person to you is progressing down the path to medical school and achievement of his or her career dreams. Now, applicants still have a long, grueling journey in front of them, but the next leg consists of the secondary applications, and that's the topic of today's show, which as I mentioned, I'm going to present. It's going to be a solo show. Going back to the timeliness part of the show, once you have submitted your primary, give yourself a day or two off. Don't even think about medical school applications. If you have to study, study for school. If you can take a break, take a break, go to the beach, go for a hike, do whatever you love to do, and then start pre-writing your secondaries. You had your break, get back to business. Secondary application questions tend to change little from year to year, and one thing that is very consistent is that they come in a deluge, and if you can have drafts of essays ready for final tweaks for the programs that you are most interested in, especially if those programs automatically send out secondaries without any screening, you'll have a much easier time when those secondary applications start raining down upon you. And your essay responses – your applications – will probably be of better quality if at least some or most of those essays are pre-written and written at a time when you don't have the time pressure you're inevitably going to experience when the deluge starts. Primary vs. secondary applications [3:51] Now, let's start by discussing conceptually what secondary applications are and the similarities and differences between them and the primary applications that you have been working so hard on or will be shortly working so hard on. For those of you new to the process, for MD applicants, secondary applications are sent out after medical schools have received your AMCAS or your primary application. It could be the AACOMAS, the TMDSAS... Actually, I think TDMDSAS doesn't send secondaries. It does it simultaneously. But for MD applicants, secondary applications are sent out after medical scho...

Show Summary In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews Andrea McHale, the Director of Admissions for the Michigan Ross MBA program. They discuss the unique elements of the Ross MBA program, such as its action-based learning principles and emphasis on impact. Andrea also provides advice for MBA applicants, including the importance of showcasing impact in the application, preparing for interviews, and addressing weaknesses or gaps in the application.  Show Notes Welcome to the 576th 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 will 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 the opportunity to calculate different scenarios and it's all free.  It gives me great pleasure to have on Admissions Straight Talk for the first time, Andrea McHale, Director of the Michigan Ross Full-time MBA and Global MBA Admissions. Andrea has 10 years of industry experience in marketing, sales and supply chain management within the healthcare and automotive industries. In 2013, she transitioned to education administration. Before joining the Ross MBA team, she worked as the Director of Admissions for Michigan State University's Broad MBA program. She has a BA and MBA from Michigan State, an MS from the University of Michigan and is currently pursuing her doctorate of business administration from the University of Florida. Pretty impressive. Andrea, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:14] Thank you for the super generous welcome. Yes, I'm also a student, so anyone who chats with me, we can talk about the pros and cons of going back to school as someone that's been in the workforce for a while, but I definitely have a bias towards a full-time MBA and higher education in general. Let's start with a few general questions about Ross and then we'll get more specific and focused on admissions. Can you give us an overview of Ross' full-time MBA program for listeners who may not be that familiar with it, focusing on its more distinctive elements? [2:51] Yes. Absolutely. The Ross School of Business is located within the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. We are 2024 national champions. However, back to the Ross MBA program, our key differentiators are our action-based learning principles. So really, many people have heard about MAP. MAP stands for multidisciplinary action projects. This is a quintessential end-of-your-first-year MBA experience where you are consultants with real-world impact. Fortune 500, NGOs, you name it, and you're doing a seven-week project on site and back at Ross with them with real deliverables. It's that pre-internship before the internship. Sometimes you'll also hear of “Midwest nice,” but that really does define our culture. We're a highly collaborative, very inclusive culture, and we want everyone to be highly successful while they're here at Ross, and we do that through very intentional pedagogy within the curriculum as well as within your experiential learning through student clubs, different organizations. We have a number of centers and institutes to support your learning even outside of your classroom experience. And I think the last thing about Ross and our curriculum particularly is the flexibility of it. We have over 110 top-ranked graduate programs at the University of Michigan. And you have the opportunity not only to dual degree and choose your path in those dual degrees, but also take up to 10 of your elective credits outside of Ross. So really thinking about what is most important and unique to you and what your goals are and your experience for your education,

Show Summary In this episode, Dr. Miroslava Chavez-Garcia and Dr. Yvette Martínez-Vu discuss the challenges faced by underrepresented groups in graduate school and provide advice for all grad school applicants. They emphasize the importance of finding a good fit in a program and building strong relationships with faculty. They also discuss the concept of imposter syndrome and its role in the admissions process for first-gen applicants. The guests highlight the benefits of taking a gap year (or more) before applying to graduate school and offer advice to their younger selves.  Show Notes Welcome to the 575th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. The challenge at the heart of grad school admissions is showing that you both fit in at your target schools and are a standout in the applicant pool. Accepted's free download, "Fitting In and 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 guests today are Dr. Yvette Martínez-Vu,a grad school and productivity coach and host of the globally top-rated Grad School Femtoring Podcast. She is also the co-editor of the best-selling Chicana M(other)work Anthology, co-author of Is Grad School for Me? Demystifying the Application Process for First-Gen BIPOC Students, and founder of Grad School Femtoring, LLC, where she coaches first-gen BIPOC folks in reaching their academic and personal goals. Dr. Miroslava Chávez-García is Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is currently the Faculty Director of the UCSB McNair Scholars Program. She is author of Migrant Longing, States of Delinquency, and Negotiating Conquest, and co-author of Is Grad School for Me? Demystifying the Application Process for First-Gen BIPOC Students. Dr. Chavez-Garcia and Dr. Martínez-Vu, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:08] [MCG] Thank you for having us. [YMV] Yes, thank you. What I'd like to do is first discuss your advice that applies to all grad students, kind of the foundation, and then focus on the specific challenges faced by BIPOC applicants as well as your suggestions for overcoming them. And of course, I'd like to hear how you came to write Is Grad School For Me? Let's start with a very basic question: what are good and bad reasons for pursuing a grad degree? [2:35] [YMV] The first thing that comes to mind when you ask that question are all the many bad reasons that sometimes individuals find themselves when they're applying to graduate school. And when I think about bad reasons, I think about a lot of external reasons that may not be directly tied to what they need to do to pursue the career path in life they want. So I'm thinking someone who's saying, "Oh, I'm going to apply to grad school because I want to delay my job search because the job market is terrible," or, "I want to go to graduate school because my friend or my mom told me to do it," or, "I want to go to graduate school because I have this romanticized view about what it looks like to have a career in academia," and trust me, behind the scenes, it's not always pretty. And then of course there's some folks who are afraid of facing reality, like post-college reality. They want to keep deferring their student loans and so they find that as another option to do that, and I don't think those are great. We had a son who kind of tried to go down that path and ended up not doing it. He definitely wanted to postpone adulthood. [3:47] [YMV] Now, for the good reasons. I will say that usually when folks ask me, it's a very personal decision, but there are two solid good reasons to apply to graduate school. The first one is if you absolutely need it to pursue the career that you want and/or to advance in your career. That's a very good reason. Second is an intrinsic reason,

Show Summary Dr. Sundas Ali, a former Lecturer at the University of Oxford and now an admissions consultant at Accepted, discusses the differences between graduate school admissions in the UK and the US. She explains that while there are some similarities in the application process, such as the importance of personal statements in both countries,there are also several differences. Dr. Ali emphasizes the importance of tailoring personal statements and resumes to each program and university, as well as the significance of strong recommendations from professors. She also advises applicants to start early, do thorough research on the programs they are interested in, and proofread their application materials carefully to avoid common mistakes. Dr. Ali shares her own experience of overcoming challenges and pursuing her dream of studying at Oxford University. Show Notes Welcome to the 574th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. 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 and Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of Admissions", will show you how to do both. Master this paradox and you're well on your way to acceptance. You can download this free guide at accepted.com/fiso. It is my pleasure to welcome Dr. Sundas Ali to Admissions Straight Talk. Originally from Pakistan, Sundas received both a BS in Economics and Econometrics and an MSc in International Relations from the University of Bristol in the UK and then a PhD in Sociology from the University of Oxford. She worked for several years at the UK Civil Service and, since 2013, served as a Lecturer at the University of Oxford. While at Oxford, she was involved in Oxford's prestigious PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) admission process. She has also been involved in teaching high school and college students in rural areas of Pakistan through online platforms as well as guiding them through the college admissions process. At Accepted, Sundas will be working primarily with college and graduate school applicants. The show today will focus on graduate school admissions as always.  Sundas, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk and Accepted. [2:12] Thank you, Linda. It's a pleasure to be on this podcast today, and I'm absolutely delighted to be a part of the team at Accepted. I'm delighted to have you both as a part of the team and on the podcast. At Oxford, you worked with students both at Oxford and outside of it who wanted to attend UK graduate programs. Is there some quality or element of the admissions process that is unique to UK universities or to Oxford? Something that non-UK applicants need to adjust to? [2:23] Yes. Having worked with students for over 15 years at Oxford and those outside wanting to apply to the UK, US, and the rest of the world, I think what's distinct about the UK is quite similar to other countries when it comes to graduate applications. If we were looking at college, that's quite a difference between the US and the UK. But I find that actually for graduate programs, there's quite a lot of similarity. For example, the personal statement, the academic statement of personal statement, which is very important when applying for graduate study in the UK. And it's similarly very important when you're applying to the US. So there are a lot of similarities across the board when it comes to graduate study. The degree programs vary. So we have different degree structures in the UK, so you have an MRes, for example, which is a research degree and different types of degrees to the US perhaps, which maybe there are two different types of graduate programs when it comes to masters. But specifically thinking about Oxford and Cambridge, what's quite different is that when you're applying to Oxford and Cambridge, you are applying to not just a department, but also a college.

Show Summary In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews David Kirschner, the Associate Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Innovation at USC Gould School of Law. They discuss the distinctive elements of USC Gould's JD program, including its small class size and student-centered approach. Dean Kirschner also highlights the flexibility and experiential learning opportunities available to students. They discuss the admissions process, including the acceptance of both the LSAT and GRE, the importance of engagement in an applicant's background, and the components of a strong personal statement. Dean Kirschner shares his advice for wait-listed applicants, transfer applicants, and re-applicants.  Show Notes Thanks for joining me for the 573rd 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 tips on how you can improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free.  I'm delighted to have back on Admissions Straight Talk, David Kirschner, Associate Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Innovation at USC Gould School of Law. Dean Kirschner earned his undergrad degree at USC, in Political Science and Film-Production.  He then earned his JD at California Western School of Law. He has been in law school admissions since 2006, when he joined Loyola Law as an Associate Director of Admissions. In 2011, he became Director of Admissions at USC Gould, and in 2016 he became USC Gould's Associate Dean and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Dean Kirschner, thanks for joining me again on Admissions Straight Talk. [1:59] Thank you. I'm happy to be here, Linda. I always like to start with this question in case some people may not have listened to the previous episode. Can you give us an overview of the more distinctive elements of USC Gould's JD program? [2:03] Certainly. I think one of the things that really sets our JD program apart, is the fact that it's relatively small in class size, and that allows us to offer a very student-centered approach to the program. I like to tell prospective students, admitted students and enrolled students, that they're not merely passers by during their three years in the JD program, but that they're owners of their legal education. And our small size and our student-centered approach really do allow us to give students the opportunity to take ownership of their legal education. How does that ownership manifest itself? Does it mean there's more flexibility in the program and students have more opportunity to shape the program that they engage in? [2:51] Absolutely. I think it's both of those things. From a curricular standpoint, once a student gets beyond the first year required courses, in the second and third year, we have very few requirements, it's a handful. There's an upper division writing requirement, there is a required class on race, racism and the law, that's a new addition since we last talked, and that's something we're very proud of, that's now part of our curriculum, right. So there's that upper division writing requirement, there's the race, racism and the law course. And then there's an experiential learning requirement, so we want to ensure that our students have some kind of practical experience before they graduate. Beyond those three requirements, it's really up to the student to shape those second and third years in a way that they believe will most benefit them. The USC Gould website emphasizes the flexibility of the curriculum as well as the experiential learning opportunities. Can you touch on the experiential learning opportunities? I know they're quite broad. [3:49]

Show Summary In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews admissions directors from MBA programs outside the United States to find out if there are any common threads among them. The guests on the show include representatives from Oxford Saïd Business School, INSEAD, NYU Abu Dhabi, and HEC Paris. The interviews cover various topics such as program overviews, admissions processes, and common applicant mistakes. The interviews also touch on language requirements, the role of the video interview in the evaluation process, and the importance of holistic review in admissions decisions. Overall, this interview provides valuable insights into the unique aspects of these MBA programs and shed light on the similarities and differences among them. Show Notes Welcome to the 572nd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Before I turn  to today's show, I have a question for you. Are you ready to apply to your Dream MBA programs? Are you competitive at your target schools? Accepted's MBA admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/mbaquiz, complete the quiz, and you'll not only get an assessment, but tips on how to improve your qualifications. Plus, it's all free. . If you are a regular listener, you know that during most episodes of Admissions Straight Talk, I interview a guest, frequently, an admissions director or dean. Usually, our guests are leaders at a US graduate program. However, within the last couple of years, I have had the privilege of interviewing several deans or directors from programs outside the United States. Today we're going to take specific excerpts from four of those episodes and let you determine if there are some common threads and of course, how they differ. Today's episode is a collection of their answers to admissions questions as well as insight into their programs. The guests on this program are: Hannah Griffiths, MBA Recruitment and Admissions Director at Oxford Saïd Business School Teresa Peiro, Associate Global Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at INSEAD Dr. Robert Salomon, Dean of Stern at NYU Abu Dhabi Sara Vanos, Executive Director of Marketing and Admissions at HEC Paris. I've asked some questions of almost every admissions director I've spoken to, so the responses that you're going to see, again, represent a sample. In any case. Let's start with Hannah Griffith of Oxford Saïd Business School.  Oxford Saïd Business School While Saïd is a fairly new and very innovative MBA program, Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, and Hannah provides the following:  An overview of the Oxford Saïd MBA program, focusing on its more distinctive elements; insights into the program's admissions process, and a review of common misconceptions about Oxford Saïd.Can you give us an overview of the Oxford Saïd MBA program for those listeners who aren't that familiar with it, focusing on its more distinctive elements? [2:32] [HG] Yes, absolutely. So the Saïd Business School is a business school that is embedded within Oxford University. Our MBA program is a one-year MBA program, and given that the business school is embedded within a world-class university, that does impact the MBA experience in a number of different ways. One of those ways being that the students can expect, in the one-year program, a lot of academic rigor. Our program is an intensive one-year MBA, it aims to include everything that a candidate would maybe anticipate finding on a two-year program, but packed into a 12-month period. The main aim of the business school and of the MBA program is to prepare our students to be responsible business leaders and individuals who, as they move through their career in the future, are prepared to tackle world scale problems, challenges, and to really see business as a vehicle to drive change. And be that within the organizations that they work in,

Show Summary In this episode, Linda Abraham interviews Christian Essman, Senior Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Case Western Reserve University Medical School. They discuss the unique aspects of Case Western's three MD programs, the significance of research in the application process, and what makes an applicant stand out. Christian emphasizes the importance of quality experiences and reflections in the application essays and advises applicants to submit their applications when they are in tip-top shape, rather than rushing to submit on the first day. He also discusses the culture at Case Western, describing it as laid-back, balanced, and invested in the success of its students. Show Notes Thanks for tuning into the 571st episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your 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 tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free.  I'm delighted to introduce today's guest, Christian Essman, senior director of admissions and financial aid and fellow podcaster and host of the All Access Med School Admissions Podcast.  Christian, thank you so much for joining me today on Admissions Straight Talk. [1:31] Hi, Linda. Delighted to be here. Thank you for having me. Let's start with some just really basic information about Case Western University's medical school programs. Can you give a 30,000-foot perspective or view of the three MD programs that it offers? [1:39] Certainly. We're a bit unique in that we have not one, not two, but three different pathways to an MD/MD-PhD. The first one is the university program, which is our four-year MD, which is a traditional four-year degree. Then we have our MD-PhD program, which is a medical scientist training program, and that's about eight or nine years. MSTP actually started at Case Western back in the 1950s, by the way. It's the longest NIH-funded program ever in the history of the universe. And then the one in the middle is unique. I don't know if the word boutiquey is a word, but it's boutiquey. Our Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. So these are all three Case Western programs. They're under the umbrella of the university and they're all Case Western students, but we have three tracks. So the one in the middle, the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, is a five-year MD and it's for students who really like research. Really, really, really like research. But maybe advancing to an MD-PhD is not an educational goal to be in school for eight or nine years and getting a PhD, but they really like research. And so the reason why it's five years is because they thread research throughout the entire five years that you're there. And at one point students will step away usually after the second year to do 12 months of research with the results of hopefully having some publishable results. And so it's for students who might be considering MD-PhD, maybe they're also applying to MD-PhD. So it's one in the middle there and so that's why we have three different tracks. It's a bit unique. It is unique. I don't know of any other school that has that three structured program. [3:36] When people apply to us in AMCAS, they apply to Case Western and then in the secondary application, they can indicate which program or programs plural that they want to apply to. And so you could apply to the university program and the Cleveland Clinic program and then you get separate admissions decisions. We review them separately. So it's two for one or three for one if you want to think of it that way. But I will say this. Very few students apply to all three. Usually, if you're interested in MD-PhD, that's what you're applying to, and then maybe add in Cleveland Clinic,

Show Summary MBA admissions veteran Kara Keenan Sweeney has joined Accepted. Formerly part of the admissions team at Wharton Lauder, INSEAD and Columbia Business School, she's not only an Accepted consultant but she's our guest on the podcast. Kara discusses various aspects of the MBA application process, including choosing the right schools, handling common challenges faced by international applicants, and approaching the essays and resume. She also touches on the qualities that management consulting firms look for in MBA recruits and provides advice for MBA re-applicants. Finally, she discusses the use of AI and ChatGPT in the admissions process and the importance of authenticity in application materials. Show Notes Our guest today is no stranger to Admissions Straight Talk. She's been on several times but wore a different hat. It gives me great pleasure to introduce Kara Keenan Sweeney, Accepted consultant. Kara previously served as the Director of Admissions, Marketing and Financial Aid at Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and Penn Law School. Kara has an extensive background in graduate admissions, starting with her master's in higher education administration from Columbia and including admissions positions at INSEAD, Penn State, and as I mentioned, Wharton's Lauder Institute. Most recently, she was a senior recruiter for McKinsey & Company.  Kara, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:24] Thanks, Linda. It's great to be with you on this side of the table. Glad to have you back, and this time as a colleague. Let's start with something really easy. How did you get into admissions? [1:32] Yeah, it was a little bit by happenstance, which I think is true for a lot of admissions professionals or higher education folks. I started working at Columbia University at the beginning of my career, and one of my first jobs was in student affairs at the business school, and I was working specifically with Executive MBA students as their... Directing a cohort through the two-year program, so working closely with admissions, actually. And I started to get a little bit of exposure to admissions and help out with interviewing and things like that. And then, a few years into that role, an admissions job opened up on my team, and I was lucky enough to get it. And the rest is history. That was, I think, 17 years ago, which is crazy to think about it. It's been that long. But yeah, I started in student affairs and navigated my way to admissions, and it's been a great experience. You have a wealth of experience in MBA admissions and a lot of it has been focused in the international business space. What do you think is critical for MBAs interested in international business, and specifically those programs that you've worked for? [2:31] It's funny as I'm thinking through the question again. So much of business education now is international. The cohorts and the classes are so international. I think Wharton's 30, 40%; Lauder, of course, is probably 50, 60%. So it's just such a global pool of students. Back maybe 30, 40 years ago, it was mostly Americans at Wharton or whatever. So it's changed a lot. Very global by nature. But for students who are looking at international business, it's looking at it in that global context. It's looking at it from a big vantage point. For Americans who are maybe looking to gain some more hands-on experience, maybe going to INSEAD or London Business School, having a “study abroad” experience can be a great way to really get that on-the-ground cultural immersion, language immersion in some cases. For some international students coming from outside of the US, coming to Wharton Lauder or Columbia Business School or any of the US schools is a great way to get that US or North America focus. Getting that on-the-ground experience is really invaluable. Working at Lauder and at INSEAD, it's funny,

Show Summary Would you like to apply to Tulane University School of Medicine, but are you concerned about the intense competition for seats? Its Director of Admissions, Dr. Mike Woodson, is our guest today, and he'll tell you what it takes to get in. Dr. Woodson discusses the unique aspects of Tulane's medical program, including its focus on healing communities and its integration of nursing students into the curriculum. He emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and authenticity in the application process and advises applicants to stop comparing themselves to others. Show Notes Welcome to the 569th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your 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 tips on how to actually improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free.  Our special guest today is Dr. Mike Woodson, Director of Admissions at Tulane University's School of Medicine. Mike earned his bachelor's at Elon University and an MS in Sport Management from Virginia Commonwealth, and his PhD in Higher Education and Higher Education Administration in 2022 from Liberty University. After working for several years in high school athletics, Dr. Woodson moved into the admissions world at Randolph-Macon College. He then was Assistant Director of Admission at the University of Houston and came to Tulane Medical in 2017 as Assistant Director of Admissions. In 2019, he became the Director of Admissions. Dr. Woodson, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:54] Linda, it's great to be back with you. I've heard so many great things on the interview trail about your program and how it's helped pre-meds along the way. I've gotten some great reviews about our episode before, so can't wait to chat with you again. Thank you for the wonderful feedback.  To start, can you give us an overview of Tulane Medical's program focusing on its more distinctive aspects and elements? [2:11] Sure, Tulane School of Medicine is right in the heart of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana in the south. Our focus is mainly on really helping our community here in New Orleans. Now we have students that come from all over. The mission of our school is healing communities, and that's what everything about our school is focused on, whether it's curriculum, whether it's extracurricular activities, whether it's research, it's all focused on healing communities and we're trying to do that here in the New Orleans community. It's interesting that you say you're focused on healing communities, not individuals. Normally you think about doctors treating individuals, but this is a little bit different focus. [2:55] When we say healing communities, yes, individuals are part of the community, but as a whole, our goal is to really help the community because communities help themselves. It can't be this big institution that's talking down to the community, talking to individuals, lecturing communities, lecturing individuals about what they need to do. It has to be a partnership, and so it helps that Tulane is really partnering with the community in the community. Our students are living in the community. Our doctors and faculty are living in the community, so they have a vested interest in this. And so yes, individuals are part of the community, but overall we're really trying to focus on healing communities. What's new at Tulane since we last spoke? It's almost exactly two years ago. [3:49] I would say there are a couple of new things that we have going on. It doesn't really pertain per se to the medical school, but it will affect us. In the fall we have a new nursing program that started, and the good thing about that is, once it goes again with our mission of healing communities,

Show Summary Here at Accepted, we're getting more and more inquiries from applicants interested in PhD programs in the humanities. We have a panel of experts today on the show to discuss PhD admissions in the humanities. You'll hear from Vanessa Febo, Dr. Mary Mahoney, and Dr. Christie St-John as they discuss what PhD programs in the humanities look for in applicants, including academic achievements, research interests, and fit with the program and faculty. They also discuss the importance of having a clear goal and being open to different career paths after completing the PhD. The panelists emphasize the importance of the statement of purpose, writing sample, and letters of recommendation in the application process. They also provide advice on researching programs, selecting recommenders, and starting the application process early. Show Notes Welcome to the 568th episode of Admissions Straight Talk, thanks for tuning in. The challenge at the heart of PhD admissions is showing that you both fit in at your target programs, and are a standout in the applicant field. Accepted's free download, Fitting in and 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. We've done this once before, and I thought it worked great, so we're going to do it again. For today's episode we have a panel. Our panelists are Vanessa Febo, Dr. Mary Mahoney, and Dr. Christie St-John. Vanessa Febo is an Accepted consultant, who has 10 plus years of experience teaching writing at UCLA, where she has also guided applicants to Acceptance's scholarships and grants, including the Fulbright, Stanford's Knight Hennessy, and Ford Foundation Fellowships through UCLA's Center for Scholarship and Scholar Enrichment. She is completing her Ph.D. this summer, so almost congratulations, Vanessa, and welcome. Dr. Mary Mahoney is an Accepted consultant and tenured English professor, director of a medical humanities program at a liberal arts college in New York, and writing instructor. Dr. Mahoney earned her PhD in literature and writing.  Dr. Christie St-John is an Accepted consultant and former admissions director at Dartmouth and Vanderbilt. She earned her PhD in French and Italian.  You're all repeat guests on Admissions Straight Talk. Welcome back to Admissions Straight Talk. It's a pleasure to have you, and I'm really excited about this new format that we're experimenting with. We won't do it all the time, but I've enjoyed it when we've done it in the past.  Welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:20] [MM] Thank you. I realize that the topic of PhD admissions in the humanities is a very broad topic. What will most PhD programs in the humanities want to see in applicants both academically and experientially? [2:28] [CS] Well, one of the key things is that you have an idea of what you want to do this program for, that you have a basic idea of the research you'd like to do. Academically, of course, you do have to have strong grades and good test scores. I think one of the key things for me when I was applying was I was really worried about the test score, and it wasn't as important as my grades, actually. They were more concerned about, "What did you do here? What did you do there?" They also wanted to see writing samples to make sure that I could write well, and that I had a decent idea of what I wanted to do, and that the school I applied to had the faculty members with the expertise I needed to guide me. That is critical. You don't just apply to any school out there. You need to check and see what kind of research do they do. You don't have someone to guide you. It's a very lonely and long process. [VF] I think that's articulated perfectly. I guess the only thing I would add is yes, with the school choice, it's not necessarily about school rankings.

Show Summary The 2024-25 medical school application cycle is looming. In fact, for many it's already started. Would you like to learn how to craft a quality application to medical school, a compelling persuasive application? Well, that's the topic of today's episode, so tune in. Show Notes Welcome to the 567th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Are you considering using an admissions consultant at any point during your medical school application journey? Well, if you are, you are eligible for a free 30-minute consultation with a top-notch, experienced Accepted admissions consultant. A lot of experience is one thing you don't want to have when applying to medical school, but you sure would like to have a personal guide and mentor with decades of just such experience by your side as you're going through this really tough and long process. That's what Accepted provides. If you're interested in learning more, just go to accepted.com/freemedcall and sign up for invaluable guidance. And that initial call is 100% free.  And even if you have that guide, you probably want to know the itinerary, as well as what you need to bring on your trip, and that's what we're going to discuss today.  I have many times said that in order to apply successfully to medical school, you need to have competitive qualifications, and you also need to present those qualifications effectively via your primary and secondary applications, as well as the all important interview.  Today, we're going to address how to do exactly that, so hold onto your hats or your earbuds. There's a lot to cover here. Also, because there's so much to cover, Accepted is providing a worksheet for you that you can use to take notes on today's show or to set up a to-do list that you can use throughout the application process. Remember, a goal without a plan is really a wish. And it's a goal to get accepted to medical school, not a wish. So, the note-taking and to-do list with due dates can help you turn your dream into reality and make sure that that goal is not just a wish, along with the personal guide that I mentioned a minute ago. Again, you can find the free worksheet here.No registration is required. So, just get your copy and enjoy. Five essential ingredients of a successful medical school application [2:57] A successful medical school application has five essential ingredients, if you don't mind me mixing travel and cooking metaphors in the show. Include them all in your application and your chances of acceptance are excellent. Leave off any one element, any one ingredient, and your chances are simply greatly diminished. Again, if you have all five, then medical schools will want you and accept you. My goal for this podcast is to show you that a successful medical application has to have each of these five elements, not one, not two, not three, not even four, all five. And I'd suggest that you see page three of the worksheet, where you can jot down to-dos for your medical school application during the podcast or after, I mentioned that a second ago, I'm mentioning it again. The task list will probably shrink and grow during the process at different points in time, but it will guide you and help you as you apply. 1. Demonstrate you can do the work in medical school [3:48] Okay, so essential ingredient number one. I'll list them all at the end, but let's go one by one for now: demonstrate you can do the work in medical school. That's just foundational. Do you have the educational foundation, intellectual ability, the capability to succeed and handle the work? And how do you intend to show that you have that, that you can do that work?  Well, the most common way, and here I'm talking academically, the most common way is through your undergraduate transcript and your MCAT score, and this is usually presented in the primary application, because it is so foundational.

Show Summary Here at Accepted, we're getting more and more inquiries from applicants interested in PhD programs in the STEM fields, so Linda Abraham has invited a panel of Accepted consultants to discuss PhD admissions in engineering, life sciences, and STEM. The panelists discuss what PhD programs in STEM typically look for in applicants, including academic achievements and research experience. They emphasize the importance of research experience, publications, and presentations in the application process. The panelists also discuss the role of rankings in selecting schools, the importance of finding the right faculty advisor, and the significance of the statement of purpose in the application. They provide advice for interview preparation and offer insights for re-applicants and international applicants. Show Notes Welcome to the 566th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. The challenge at the heart of PhD admissions is showing that you both fit in at your target programs and stand out in the applicant pool. Accepted's free download, Fitting In and 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 and accepted.com/fiso. Our panelists today are Dr. Karin Ash, Accepted consultant since 2015 and former director of the Career Management Center at Cornell's Johnson School, career coach at Cornell's College of Engineering, and Director of Cornell Career Services; Dr. Herman “Flash” Gordon, Accepted consultant since 2014 and former chair of the U of Arizona Tucson College of Medicine's admissions committee as well as a member of several Ph.D. admissions committees; and Dr. Barry Rothman, Accepted consultant since 2015 and Emeritus Professor of Biology, and founder and former Director of SF State University Postbac Programs. Welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:05] [BR] Great to be here. When we talk about PhDs in STEM, we have a very broad topic. What will most STEM PhD programs want to see in applicants both academically and experientially? [2:11] [KA] I used to work with MBAs. When I was at one of my stints at Cornell and was working with MBAs, the admissions team would look for leadership and achievements in that regard, personality, being able to lead a team, being able to get along with a lot of other people and being able to motivate other people. I have found with STEM that it is very much about achievements in the STEM field and less focused on personality. Yes, you need to get along on any project team, and yes, it would be ideal that if you are, let's say going to work in industry, that you become a leader someday, but I think what I have seen is it's more about the achievements in their field. Some of my PhD clients have come directly from undergrad, they were just able to get a number of research experiences as an undergrad and applied successfully to PhD programs. Others have come to me from master's programs. I'm not sure that there's a right way or a wrong way, it depends on what your own experience is, but you can be successful either route. You seem to be dealing more with the experiential qualifications. [4:00] [KA] Especially research experience. Let's say you're applying after working in industry, but you never had any research experience as an undergrad or in industry, then the challenge is much tougher. If you had research experiences at your university, even if you're not published, you have an easier path. Barry, do you want to add something? [4:33] [BR] Yeah, I wanted to add that I think for STEM PhD applicants, one of the criteria is you need to know how to think and that the entire application process emphasizes that and experience. They don't want somebody who was a pair of hands who was told what to do on a research project and wasn't intellectually involved, so I think that's extremely important. Then,

Don't miss our Admissions Straight Talk podcast interview with Sara Vanos, the Executive Director of Marketing and Admissions for HEC Paris MBA Programs. Sara highlights the unique aspects of the full-time MBA program, such as the 16-month duration, on-campus housing, and flexibility in specialization and electives. She also mentions the New Horizons program, which focuses on anticipating trends and thinking creatively. Listen below or click the image to read the full transcript. The HEC Paris MBA application essays – and there are many compared to most MBA applications these days –give the adcom a well-rounded view of you. They go beyond what you've done to capture how you think and respond, even how you imagine. Moreover, they require you to communicate complex thoughts and experiences succinctly. For the four shorter essays especially, don't waste words on conventional introductory and concluding paragraphs. Jump right into your point or story and use straightforward sentences that avoid wordy constructions (e.g. “had the opportunity to”); don't hesitate to use direct, declarative sentences. This writing approach has an added benefit: it conveys confidence. Since there are several essays, I suggest first sketching out ideas for them all, then stepping back to assess how all these facets add up as a whole, and adjusting topics if/as necessary to avoid redundancy and ensure a well-rounded presentation that will make the adcom feel that they must invite you for an interview. HEC Paris MBA application essays HEC MBA essay #1 Why are you applying to the HEC MBA Program now? What is the professional objective that will guide your career choice after your MBA, and how will the HEC MBA contribute to the achievement of this objective? (500 words maximum) This is a traditional goals question with a couple of twists. First, the “why now” part should be explicitly addressed, even if it seems obvious. Briefly is fine – the essay overall should make this case ultimately. Second, the “professional objective” is essentially your long-term career vision. The question implies that this vision or goal will drive your preceding steps, so present your shorter-term goal(s) in that context: show how they pave the way for you to pursue and achieve your ultimate professional objective. Be brief but specific when discussing the HEC MBA – tie its program directly to achievement of your goals, and detail the 2-3 points about the program that are most meaningful to you. Finally, connect the dots. This essay, well done, will convey how your goals grow organically from your experience and are achievable given your previous experience and an MBA from HEC. hbspt.cta.load(58291, '9bb31be0-3cf6-45f0-be3d-3791cc1bd9bd', {}); HEC MBA essay #2 What do you consider your most significant life achievement? (250 words maximum) Most significant life achievement – Wow. It probably didn't happen yesterday. And for many people it didn't happen at work… Few work accomplishments rise to the level of MOST SIGNIFICANT LIFE ACHIEVEMENT. Imagine if, for example, you state that boosting your organization's bottom-line (by whatever amount) is your greatest life achievement – the adcom might wonder about your values or whether you really have a life. Although, if you can say that at work you saved jobs or lessened negative environmental impacts or were instrumental in developing a new medical advancement, that would be more substantial and could possibly fit the bill. For many people, this story will be personal – I think of clients who have persevered through, managed, and overcome major family crises. For others, it will involve impact with community, religious, and/or social organizations or groups; for yet others it could involve a major milestone such as a national sports ranking or photo exhibit or music performance. Whatever topic you select, with only 250 words,

Show Summary Are you planning to take the LSAT or the GRE before you apply to law school? Are you dreading it? Well, there's a new option that includes a course and a test, and is accepted by 25% of all law schools. The JD-Next is an eight-week online course that simulates a real law school contracts class and trains students on the skills necessary to be successful in law school and as practicing attorneys. In this episode, Linda Abraham sits down with David Klieger, Program Director for JD-Next at Aspen Publishing to discuss the course that was developed to provide individuals with a preview of what law school is like before making the commitment, as well as to better prepare them for success in law school and possibly replace the LSAT and GRE. Show Notes Welcome to the 562nd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me today. Are you preparing to apply to your dream law schools? 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, take the quiz, and you'll not only get an assessment of your chances, but tips on how to improve your qualifications. Plus, it's all free.  Let's move on to our interview and fantastic guest. Our guest today is David Klieger, Program Director for JD-Next at Aspen Publishing. His work in admissions includes successfully leading efforts to make the JRE widely recognized for use by law schools. David practiced law after receiving his JD from the University of Pennsylvania with Carey Law School. He then earned his PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology, specializing in psychometrics and statistics from the University of Minnesota. David has worked in the assessment and training field for more than 20 years. His published work has appeared in leading publications, such as Harvard Business Review, The International Journal of Testing, and the Journal of Applied Psychology. He's given interviews to The Wall Street Journal and NPR about his work to innovate law school admissions. Of course, he's just continuing to move up the ladder by joining us on Admissions Straight Talk. David, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. I'm delighted to speak with you today, and again, congratulations on your new position with JD-Next. [2:09] Thank you very much, Linda. It's a pleasure to be here. Let's start with a really basic question. What is JD-Next? [2:19] JD-Next is an innovative eight-week online asynchronous course which essentially simulates a real law school contracts class. In it, one is exposed to what a real law school class would be like. One is trained on the skills that are really important to being a successful law student, as well as a successful practicing attorney. At the end of the course, there is a final exam. Why was it developed? Why have this pre-law school course, if you're ultimately going to go to law school? [3:01] Well, the back story is multiple. First, there was a desire to provide a way of giving individuals a preview of what law school is going to be like before they make the actual commitment, which can be obviously quite expensive and time-consuming. Law school can be quite a stressful experience at times. In addition, it was an opportunity to get people better prepared for success in law school. There actually is research that shows that, by participating in JD-Next, people will perform better in law school. It's very important to perform well academically in law school because it's really determinative of employment opportunities. The other really important aspect of JD-Next is that there's research that does show that the score gaps that you can see, in terms of different demographic groups, for other kinds of assessment, really you don't see nearly to the same extent for JD-Next. It does actually provide equity and fairness in a way that's rather innovative and unique. When you talk about people taking the course and...

Show Summary Are you an engineer who wants to use your technical skills and move into an entrepreneurial or managerial role? Well, Duke's Master of Engineering Management or MEM may be just the ticket for you, and it provides two options, on campus and online. The program has been around for over 25 years and aims to prepare engineers with business knowledge. Luis Morales, Executive Director of the program, shares more of what the program offers and how applicants can successfully present themselves.   Show Notes Welcome to the 564th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Before we dive into today's interview, I want to mention a free resource at Accepted that can benefit you if you are applying to graduate engineering programs and that is Applying to Graduate Engineering Programs: What You Need to Know. It can guide you through a process you've never been through before. It's not the same as applying to college. Download your complimentary copy at accepted.com/564download.  Our guest today is Luis Morales, Executive Director of the Master of Engineering Management Program at Duke University. Professor Morales earned his bachelor's in electrical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico and his master's of engineering from Cornell University. He then worked as an engineer and manager at AT&T and at Cisco before joining Duke as an executive in residence and adjunct associate professor at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, while also founding his own consulting company. He became the executive director of the MEM program in 2021 and also teaches three courses in that program. Professor Morales, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:00] Thank you, Linda. It's a pleasure to be here. Can we start with an overview of the Master of Engineering Management program at Duke? Who is it for? What need is it intended to fill? [2:06] Absolutely. So the Duke MEM program has been around for more than 25 years. In fact, last year we were celebrating our 25th year anniversary, and as I look back at the charter of the program back then in 1997, the purpose was to prepare engineers with business knowledge. So the assessment, Linda, at the time was that we were preparing engineers for industry, for the global economy that did not have the necessary business knowledge. So they were not able to either get an impact, have an impact on the business side of companies right away so that's exactly the need that we're trying to satisfy. And if you think back to if that was the need then, and you look at where we are now as technology has become so pervasive across so much of how we as a society generate value, engineering management, to me is the perfect solution because it combines, again, it builds on a base of technical knowledge, but then it builds business knowledge on top of that. So the basic structure of the program is eight courses, four of which are core, focus on management, people management, intellectual property management, marketing and finance. Then the other four are technical electives designed to basically sharpen your STEM, saw, whether it is product management, data science, software management, et cetera. There are two versions of the MEM program. There's the online and the in-residence. Can you go over how they're structured? [4:40] Absolutely. So the campus program, as I mentioned before, has been around for more than 25 years. Our online offering is going to be 15 years in September. Yeah, the time flies. There are a lot of similarities between the two in terms of courses. The curriculum is the same, core courses, four electives, with some small exceptions, but the same instructors teach the core courses, teach the online sections. But then for the online course, Linda, what we do is that we replace the seminars and workshops that are included in the campus offering and we replace those with three weeks of residency where online students get to come to campus ...

Show Summary Are you a mid-career manager hoping to elevate your career to senior management? Do you feel your business skills could use a boost? Are you interested in a top, top program?  In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews Johanna Hising DiFabio, Assistant Dean of MIT Sloan's Part-time and Full-time MBA Programs for Executives. They discuss the MIT Sloan Executive MBA program and the Sloan Fellows program, focusing on the application process and the unique aspects of each program. They also touch on the importance of innovation and the MIT ecosystem in these programs. Johanna provides tips for preparing a successful application. She also highlights the strong sense of community within both programs and the impact they have on developing principled, innovative leaders. Show Notes Welcome to the 563rd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me today. Before I dive into today's interview, I want to invite you to download Ace the EMBA: Expert Advice for the Rising Executive. This free guide will complement today's podcast and give you suggestions on how to choose the right EMBA program for you, how to differentiate yourself from your competition in a positive way, and present yourself effectively as a future business leader who will bring credit to any program that accepts you.  Now we're going to examine two fantastic options for mid-career, rising executives at MIT Sloan. MIT Sloan's Executive MBA program has a more typical part-time MBA structure and the MIT Sloan Fellows program, which is a full-time immersive executive MBA program. We're going to focus more on the more traditional one with our guest, Johanna Hising DiFabio, Assistant Dean of MIT's Executive MBA and Sloan's Fellows Programs. Johanna worked in business after earning her undergraduate degree from Ithaca College in 2000. She came to MIT Sloan as associate director of student life and learning in 2010, became director of MIT's EMBA program in 2014, and added the Sloan Fellows program to her responsibilities in 2017, becoming assistant dean in 2018.  Johanna, welcome back to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:15] Linda, thank you for having me. I'm so excited to talk about my programs. Can you start by providing an overview of both the MIT EMBA and the MIT Sloan Fellows program? [2:22] Absolutely. The Sloan Fellows MBA program is an over 90-year-old program. Often we talk about this as the first executive degree program that came to the US in the world. It's a very exciting program to lead. It is over 70-ish percent international, so people move their lives. If they have families, they move their families and spend an entire year immersed, earning an MBA or an SM degree either in management or in management of technology. They're a very tight-knit community. On the EMBA side, it's 14 years old. I was part of the founding team of the EMBA. That's why I came to Sloan. As you shared, it's a little longer. It's 20 months, and we call it an executive schedule. Meaning that they come to campus every two to three Fridays and Saturdays. We have some executive modules to give them a little bit more immersion here at MIT every six months and they're working full time. They're learning and working. The expectation is that they all have some form of general management experience to both be able to tack on the learnings to their previous experience as well as when they go back to the workforce or on Monday go back to work are able to have the responsibility to actually use what they're learning in their workplace. You mentioned the MS and the MBA as an option. I think that was for the Sloan Fellows program, right? [3:51] Right. What is the difference? [3:58] On the Sloan Fellows side, we sometimes have people who already have MBA degrees, so they're looking for a different degree for that reason. But I would say most people get the MS degrees if they're interested in doing a thesi...

Show Summary Would you like to hear insight based on decades of experience, both advising applicants to a variety of healthcare programs and working in admissions offices for, again, many different healthcare programs? Well, today's episode is the ticket for you. Dr. Emil Chuck, Director of Advising Services for the Health Professional Student Association is our guest. He discusses the admissions process for healthcare programs. He shares his recommendation for networking, shadowing, and journaling as ways for applicants to gain insight into the healthcare field and develop critical thinking skills. He advises applicants to consider the mission and values of each school they apply to and to choose schools that align with their own goals and values. Dr. Chuck also emphasizes the importance of submitting applications early and being mindful of deadlines. He provides information about the Health Professional Student Association (HPSA) and Student Doctor Network (SDN) resources for applicants. Show Notes Welcome to the 561st episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Do you know how to get accepted to medical school? Accepted does, and we share that knowledge and insight in our free guide, Med School Admissions: What You Need to Know to Get Accepted. Download your free copy at accepted.com/561download.  I'm thrilled to introduce our guest, Dr. Emil Chuck. He is the Director of Advising Services for the Health Professional Student Association, which among other services and assets host the Student Doctor Network, a major resource for applicants to and students in the healthcare fields. Dr. Chuck earned his Bachelor's of Science in Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and his PhD in Cell Biology from Case Western Reserve University. He began his career in research, but then moved into higher ed and admissions. Serving at different times student advisor and test prep teacher for Kaplan Test Prep, founding health Professionals Student Advisor for 5 years at George Mason University, Director of Admissions at Case Western's School of Dental Medicine, admissions consultant for the ADEA, Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Rosalind Franklin University, and for the last two years as Director of Advising Services at the Health Professional Student Association or HPSA. On SDN's forums he is known as the prolific, helpful, and extremely knowledgeable Mr.Smile12. In addition, he has also served in numerous volunteer roles for professional organizations. Dr. Chuck, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:29] Linda, it's a great pleasure to be part of your podcast and thank you so much for inviting me. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Let's start with some really easy questions: your background, where you grew up, and how on earth you got interested in admissions from biomedical engineering. [2:39] I guess the stuff that's not on LinkedIn certainly is the earlier background about me. I'm proud to say that I'm a first-generation student. My parents immigrated from Hong Kong a couple of years before I was born. And so of all the places in the entire world where I guess in the United States where I would be born and raised for about 17 of my years before going to Duke was Shreveport, Louisiana, that's northwest Louisiana, not anywhere near New Orleans to just make sure people know. And basically I grew up in that city, that little small town in northwest Louisiana and now apparently the home district to our current speaker of the house. It's a little bit of a trivia note. I don't know him. That's one of the little known facts in terms of how it shaped my worldview one way or another.  Obviously at the period of time when I was growing up, I was involved in a lot of research type projects and did science fairs, was involved in medical research at the medical school over there at LSU Shreveport before moving on to ultimately apply to all the various scho...

Show Summary Are you a college junior or senior with an interest in business and a non-business major? Or perhaps you recently graduated and realized you need to boost your business knowledge to propel your career?  Tune into this episode with Julia Hoffert, Director of Admissions & Recruitment of One-Year Master's Programs at the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Julia provides an overview of the program, including the curriculum, opportunities for international exposure, and job outcomes for graduates. She also discusses the application process, including the academic background and experience requirements, the essay questions, and the interview process. Julia highlights the resources available to students at Michigan Ross, such as the Ross Career Development Office, and emphasizes the fun, happening character of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Show Notes Welcome to the 560th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Before we dive into today's interview, I want to mention a resource at Accepted that can help you prepare your statement of purpose to a Master's in Management program or other graduate programs. Download Five Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Grad School Statement of Purpose to learn how to avoid the five most common mistakes we see in statements of purpose, as well as to gain tips on how to write a statement of purpose that makes your story memorable and highlight your qualifications for your target programs. Download this valuable and free resource at accepted.com/560download. Our guest today is Julia Hoffert, Director of Admissions & Recruitment of One-Year Master's Programs at the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Julia earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Vocal Performance, which was one of the less common educational foundations for a career in higher education that I've come across. She moved into higher education administration at NYU with its educational theater program and then became Assistant Director of Admissions there at NYU. In 2012, she moved to Michigan, and in 2013, she became the recruiting director for U of Michigan's Master of Public Policy and Master of Public Administration programs. She has been in Admissions at the University of Michigan ever since. She became the Director of Admissions & Recruitment for Ross' One-Year Specialty Master's Programs in August 2023. Julia, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:15] Thank you, Linda. Thank you for having me. Let's start with a basic question. What is the Master of Management at Michigan Ross? Can you provide an overview of the program? [2:22] Absolutely. The Master of Management program is a 10-month program that is really designed to offer a very foundational business skillset for individuals who do not come from a business background from their undergraduate degree. On a very basic level, the type of people that we see that are the most interested in this type of program come from a variety of undergraduate programs and curriculums, but somewhere in the course of that time, they realize that they lack a certain skill set to add on top of their expertise from their undergraduate program, and they see the business skillset as something that would be a jumping point for them, whether that career be directly from what they did in their undergrad or perhaps even a pivot. But this program really is designed to offer that foundational business skillset that is so functionally useful. Can you discuss the structure of the program? [3:35] Within the curriculum, you will see elements of marketing, accounting, financial evaluation, and economics. It's really sort of an overarching view of the business fundamentals that we would likely use in any scenario that we might be doing. We also have students have the opportunity to take elective credits, and that's where they can, in their own way, perhaps take advantage of some of the other areas of ...

Show Summary Ranked number three in U.S. News' most recent rankings, the law school at the University of Chicago is a top law school famous for its intellectual rigor. In this podcast episode, Linda Abraham interviews Dean Ann Perry, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at the  University of Chicago Law School. Dean Perry discusses the distinctive elements of the law school, including its engaged student body, expert faculty, and interdisciplinary approach to legal study. She also provides insights into the admissions process, including tips for the personal statement.  Show Notes 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, be it the University of Chicago or any other program? Accepted's law school admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/law-quiz, take the quiz and you will not only get an assessment, but you'll receive tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. And it's all free.  I'm delighted to have on Admissions Straight Talk, Ann Perry, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at the law school at the University of Chicago. Prior to joining the University of Chicago Law School community as assistant dean for Admissions in 2002, Dean Perry was the assistant dean for student affairs and financial aid at the University of Illinois College of Law. Before entering the world of law school administration, she was an associate at Stellato & Schwartz in Chicago. Dean Perry received her AB and JD from the University of Illinois.  Dean Perry, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:00] Thank you very much, Linda. I'm happy to be here. Can you give an overview of the more distinctive elements of the Law School of the University of Chicago? [2:07] Yes, I'm happy to do that. I've been at the law school for over 20 years, and so what I find makes UChicago Law distinctive are a few things.  First, it's our students. We bring very engaged students to the law school through the admissions process, students who are engaged in their learning, both inside and outside the classroom. And we're a small community, we only have a total JD enrollment of about 600 students. So really, it's an active, engaged learning community, so we bring these students that are just very much part of their learning process. Second, I'd like to highlight our faculty. Our faculty are experts in their fields, but also why they're here is because their first love is teaching. They really engage with students not just in the classroom, obviously, but outside the classroom. I constantly see that as I'm walking through the halls. It's not a mistake that all the faculty's offices are located in the library where students tend to study. Students will see their faculty members coming back and forth, it's generally an open-door policy, and the faculty want that engagement. But also, and the final point I'd like to make is that we're part of the University of Chicago, a great university that has a lot to offer, and it really helps foster the interdisciplinary approach to the study of law that we really find is important these days when you're learning the law. You mentioned the interdisciplinary approach, and that leads to my next question. The University of Chicago Law School has a real focus on the interdisciplinary approach to legal study. How is that manifested in the program practically? [3:35] That's a great question because people talk about it a lot. Here at Chicago, we really live it, and it starts actually during your first year. We have a class that I think is unique to the University of Chicago Law School, our Elements of the Law class, which every first-year student takes as part of that first-year curriculum. And it is really the first introduction to the interdisciplinary approach to the study of law.

Show Summary Let's learn about the newest medical school in the United States in this interview with Dr. Caleb Marsh, the Director of Recruitment and Pathway Programs of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Not only that, but Frist is still accepting applications for its inaugural class matriculating this summer. In this conversation, Dr. Marsh details the program's offerings and highlights the whole person approach at the core of the curriculum. He invites applicants to join on the exciting journey and play a part in shaping the program.  Show Notes Thanks for joining me for the 558th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted's Med School Admissions Calculator Quiz can give you a quick reality check. Complete the quiz and you'll not only get an assessment, but tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. I'm delighted to be speaking to Dr. Caleb Marsh, Director of Pathway Programs and Recruitment at the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University. Dr. Marsh has over 20 years of health professions administrative experience, having served as a health professions advisor and/or director at Baylor University, the University of Texas at Austin, Temple University, Southern Methodist University, and Temple University's CST post-baccalaureate pre-health program. He has a wealth of experience to share with us today. In addition to his extensive professional advising experience, Dr. Marsh most recently held roles on the National Association of Advisors to the Health Professions Technology Committee and served in a variety of leadership roles in pre-health professions advising organizations of different stripes and I guess geographies.  Dr. Marsh, thanks for joining me today. I'm delighted to speak with you. [2:11] Thanks, Linda. I'm happy to be here. To start, can you give us an overview of the Frist College of Medicine's program focusing on its more distinctive elements? [2:17] Sure. One of the most distinctive parts of the program is that we're the newest medical school in the country. I think that's pretty distinctive. We're right here in Nashville, which gives us an opportunity to really quite literally build things from the ground up physically in the space of this brand new, beautiful building that we're putting up here in Nashville, as well as building a brand new curriculum and building a brand new culture here. So I think those are all things that you'll never hear from us here at the Frist College of Medicine. That's the way we've always done it because we haven't ever done it a way before. So it's a really exciting opportunity. That certainly is. In terms of taking advantage of this newness, what are some of the ways that Frist is cutting a different path? [3:00] You'll hear us talk about the whole person approach to medicine a lot. It really shows itself in two ways. One of those ways is how we train our students to treat patients. To treat patients not just as a disease, not just as a symptom, but really as a whole person. Knowing that that sickness can cause other problems maybe in your family life or personally or you may be getting sick because of other reasons that may be something happening in your community or a number of things that could be going on in your life that aren't just the sickness or the disease. So we really want to train our doctors, our future doctors, be leaders in that. We want them to be diverse physician leaders, and we want them to be trained in ways that can help treat the whole person, a whole person approach. Also, that responsibility falls on us too in how we treat our students, knowing that our students are whole people and that they're not just robots that take tests and spit out grades, and they are people and they also have personal lives and things going on. And especially,

Show Summary In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Linda Abraham looks back at her predictions for the 2023/2024 application cycle and offers advice for current and future applicants. She reflects on her previous predictions, such as the increase in test options and waivers and the continued use of rankings in admissions. She also makes new predictions for the upcoming year, including the increased use of video in applications and the continuation of questions about lived experiences and contributions to inclusive environments. Linda advises current applicants to pursue parallel tracks, prepare for interviews, and address weaknesses while also considering reapplication strategies. For future applicants, she emphasizes the importance of clarifying goals, researching programs, and preparing for tests. She encourages all applicants to start early and seek expert guidance to maximize their chances of acceptance. Show Notes What's coming down the pike in 2024 for applicants? How right or wrong was Linda Abraham with her predictions for the 2023/2024 cycle? What should applicants be doing now? We're diving into all that in this episode of Admissions Straight Talk. The academic world is at an inflection point [0:49] It's the second week of January, and the academic world is at an inflection point. It's not just the new year. Yes, 2024 just started. It's that the 2023-2024 application cycle is starting to wind down. As decisions come out, some people are admitted and some people are rejected, but it's also that a new crop of applicants is emerging for the 2024-2025 cycle. That cycle is starting to come into focus. At this inflection point, I'd like to examine some of my predictions for the 2023-2024 application cycle. I'm going to brave it again, and I'm going to make some additional predictions for the 2024-2025 application cycle, and finish the episode with suggestions and advice for current as well as new applicants. Now, if you feel that you are at a crossroads with your educational and professional journey and aren't quite sure which is the correct path for you to pursue, take advantage of Accepted's free consultation offer. You can have a free 30-minute call with one of Accepted's experienced admissions consultants. Just go to Accepted.com and click on Get Your Free Consultation in the upper right to have your free consultation. Were Linda's predictions for the 2023-2024 cycle right?  Now, let's start off today's show by exploring where I was right and where I was wrong in my predictions for the 2023-2024 application cycle.  Prediction: More withdrawals from rankings [2:07] One of the things I predicted was more withdrawals from the rankings, which started in fall 2022. Med schools joined the ranking withdrawals, which I did not predict, and I didn't make any predictions about MBA programs, but I did say that US News will use publicly available data and continue to rank programs. That is exactly what has happened. Those rankings sell lots of magazines and online subscriptions. Rankings are not going to go away as long as they produce sales. That part of my prediction was 100% correct, and they won't go away as long as applicants, alumni, and recruiters continue to buy them, use them, and cite them constantly. Prediction: More experimentation with test options and waivers [2:57] I anticipated more experimentation with test options and waivers. In that, I was 100% right. I predicted more test options and waivers, except for medical schools, and indeed, that's exactly what's happened. Many, if not most, law schools now accept the GRE. Some accept other tests also. Most MBA programs accept the GMAT or GRE, and many also accept the executive assessment, and there was a switch over from the traditional GRE and GMAT to new versions of it, which are shorter. As I predicted, there has been very little change in connection with the MCAT and medical school.

Show Summary In this podcast episode, Linda Abraham discusses the use of ChatGPT in MBA application essays with admissions directors at top MBA programs. The admissions directors generally view ChatGPT as a tool that can be used to enhance the application process, but they emphasize the importance of authenticity and personal reflection in the essays. They caution against relying too heavily on ChatGPT and stress the need for applicants to take ownership of their ideas and experiences. The admissions directors also discuss the potential benefits and limitations of using ChatGPT and suggest ways in which it can be used effectively as a tool. Overall, they encourage applicants to use ChatGPT thoughtfully and responsibly, while still putting in the necessary effort to create thoughtful and authentic applications Show Notes ChatGPT roared into our consciousness at the very end of last year, and I had the opportunity to ask several admissions directors what they thought about applicants using it. That's what we're going to discuss today. Welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [0:46] Welcome to the 556th episode of Admissions Straight Talk, thanks for tuning in. Before I turn to the subject of today's show, I have a question for you. Are you ready to apply to your dream MBA programs? Are you competitive at your target schools? Accepted's MBA admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Complete the quiz and you'll not only get an assessment, but tips on how to improve your qualifications.  Now, if you are a regular listener, you know that during most episodes of Admissions Straight Talk, I interview a guest, frequently an admissions director or dean. I also have many times asked these guests, "What do you think about applicants using ChatGPT or artificial intelligence when writing their application essays?" Today's episode is a collection of their answers to that question with a little commentary from me, but mostly it's admissions directors at top MBA programs, sharing what you need to know – the good, the bad, and the ugly – about using ChatGPT in writing your applications. In this episode, you're going to hear from: Clare Norton, Columbia Business School Senior Associate Dean for Enrollment Management Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business Blair Mannix, Executive Director of Graduate Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School Eric Askins, Executive Director of Full-Time MB admissions at UC Berkeley Haas Dean Robert Salomon, the inaugural Dean at Stern at NYU Abu Dhabi. I've asked this question of almost every admission director I've spoken to, so these responses represent a sample. And there is some difference, there's more differences on this one than on some other questions, but in any case, I think you'll see that there's cautious acceptance of ChatGPT, with several caveats and warnings for applicants. Clare Norton, Columbia Business School's Senior Associate Dean for Enrollment Management. [2:43] [CN] I think ChatGPT is a tool, and there are many, many tools that we have now that we did not once have. At some point in time we thought to ourselves, "If people use a calculator, will they understand math?" Yes, they do still understand math, and in fact, probably, probably higher level math than they understood before that was utilized broadly. And I suspect ChatGPT will be quite similar. We've made it very clear to students in our application process that it's a tool that can be utilized, but generative AI is not something that can write the whole answer. It's the kind of thing that could do some editing for you or provide you with some ideas to make sure that you've touched upon, but that the work must be your own. So from that perspective, I think we're quite clear. But also I think, actually back to what we were just talking about, the best applications are reflective, truly,

Show Summary In this episode of Admission Straight Talk, host Linda Abraham addresses the concerns of medical school applicants who have not yet received interview invitations. She debunks the myth that not receiving an invitation by Thanksgiving means rejection and shares insights from several admissions directors. She offers tips for both current med school applicants and those preparing for a reapplication.  Show Notes Welcome to the 555th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. This episode is for those of you who applied this cycle to medical school and haven't received any interview invitations or at least haven't received an interview invitation from your top choice schools. We're also going to discuss a little bit about what you should be doing now –  neither hitting a panic button nor just worrying and chewing your nails – which is preparing for the possibility of a reapplication. Before we dive in, I have two free resources that I'd like to invite you to take advantage of: The Ultimate Guide to Medical School Interview Success and Medical School Applicant Advice: 6 Tips For Success.  Welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:00] If you are a regular listener, you know that during most episodes of Admissions Straight Talk, I interview a guest. Occasionally I give a solo show, but usually I interview a guest and frequently that guest is an admissions directors. I also have many times asked guests who are med school admissions deans or directors, “When do you stop sending out interview invitations?” I started asking this question because many applicants believed incorrectly that if they don't have an interview invitation by Thanksgiving, they are toast. And here we are in the midst of the Christmas and New Year holidays, and if you haven't gotten the invitation by now, are you actually burnt toast? Well, let's hear what five admissions deans and directors have said in response to my question.  The five are:  Roshini Pinto-Powell, the Associate Dean for Admissions at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine Paul White, Assistant Dean for Admissions at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Dr. Kristen Goodell, Associate Dean of Admissions at BU's Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine Dr. Michael Ellison, Associate Dean for Admissions at Chicago Medical School at the Rosalind Franklin University Dr. Cynthia Boyd, Associate Dean for Admissions and Recruitment at Rush Medical College Today's episode is a collection of their answers to that question,  “When do you stop sending out interview invitations?” At the end there's a  little commentary from me, but mostly it's admissions directors and their own words. These are admissions directors at top medical programs sharing what you need to know about the interview invitation timeline.  Dr. Roshini Pinto-Powell, Professor of Medicine and Medical Education and Associate Dean of Admissions at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University. [4:20] [RPP] So, our process is a rolling process. We do rolling admissions and we continue to send out invitations well into March. And similarly with the waitlist, that's another thing that people worry about. This is a long process, which is why I said I feel sorry for our candidates. It's a long year. It's a long year. Paul White, Assistant Dean for Admissions at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. [5:09] [PW] Well, when it was in person, the last date would be around the first week of February. With virtual interviews, we literally sometimes invite people three or four days before the interview. I would say at least a week before is ideal. Mid-February to late February, certainly not the day before. Yeah, we want to give a heads-up, but when it was in person because of travel in February, we always did minimally two weeks in advance. The reason I asked this question is because there's this meme out there that if you don't have an interview invitation by T...

Show Summary What are the pre-med competencies? And if you're pre-med and planning to apply in September 2024, what do they mean to you? That's the subject of this week's podcast of Admissions Straight Talk, as Linda Abraham and Dr. Valerie Wherley, an Accepted consultant, dive into pre-med competencies. Dr. Wherley gives an overview of the 17 competencies identified by the AAMC as essential for success in medical school and beyond. She leans into her expertises as an Assistant Dean, medical school program director, and advisor to present practical tips on how to develop these traits and demonstrate them in an application.  Show Notes Our guest today is Dr. Valerie Wherley, an Accepted consultant. Dr. Wherley earned her B.S. and M.S. at the University of Maine in kinesiology, and her PhD in higher education and higher education administration from the University of Connecticut. Over the last 20 years, she has served as the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Career Development at William Beaumont School of Medicine, Director of Pre-Health Post-Bacc Certificate program at Sacred Heart University, and the Director of Pre-Health Advisement at Sacred Heart University. In those roles, and before joining Accepted in 2022, she advised thousands of students in the following pre-health tracks: pre-med, pre-PPA, pre-vet, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, pre-PT, pre-OT, pre-accelerated nursing, and pre-optometry, as well as applicants to master's programs in exercise science, biomedical sciences, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, athletic training, public health, and applied nutrition. Today we're going to focus on med school admissions, and specifically the AAMC's recently updated pre-med competencies for entering medical students.  Dr. Wherley, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:21] Thank you so much. I'm happy to be here. I'm delighted to have you joining me. Now, let's start with the basics. What is a pre-med competency? What's the goal of them? [2:27] Sure. Where I thought that we would start is just looking at the word competency. The National Institutes of Health, or the NIH, define competencies as the following: "Competencies are the knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors that contribute to individual and organizational performance." So, if we keep that word in mind, that helps inform our conversation. Pre-med competencies are now a list of 17 standards that have been identified by the AAMC and others, which I can talk about in a minute, as essential for success for entering medical students, and also people who are going to be practicing medicine in the future. So, it's not just for students in medical education, but our future practitioners. So that's the conceptual framework for the competencies. [3:35] Right. Let's discuss a little bit more in depth. Do you want to focus on some particular ones? I'll let you take the lead here. [3:41] Sure. I can give an overview. The competencies are grouped in three categories, and then within the categories there are specifics. With those specifics there are sort of a deep dive into the definitions. So, without getting too far into the weeds, let's look at the categories, and then maybe the specifics. The three categories are the professional competencies, which has the biggest list now, and then there's thinking and reasoning competencies, and then science competencies. If I start backwards, the thinking and reasoning competencies, that's one category, and the science competencies actually did not get updated in the update that we will talk about. It's the professional competencies that underwent the update. So, I'll start with science competencies. There are two specifics within that category. There's human behavior and living systems, and you can look at the specific definition of both of those. Thinking and reasoning competencies include the following: critical thinking, quantitative reasoning,