For Immediate Release: 
David Petersam, Editor

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New Happenings at AdmissionsConsultants

Current Status

We conducted hundreds of interviews with current admissions officers over the summer and early fall. We fine tuned our approaches again this year to ensure they remain up to date with the very latest trends in admissions. Now we have moved on to our very favorite activity – helping applicants craft successful strategies and powerful applications that help them gain admission to their top-choice schools.

Many of our admissions consultants are already at their full client capacities and several more are rapidly approaching that point. We have a maximum 72-hour turnaround time and, accordingly, even our full-time consultants work with a relatively small number of applicants. This allows us to ensure that our clients receive the prompt, customized attention they need to maximize their admissions chances.

Early Congratulations and Successes

Several of our MBA clients have already been accepted for Fall 2005 matriculation, and many more have been invited for interviews. Congratulations are also in order to our many clients who are preparing for their medical school interviews.

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Business School Admission News

Business School Admission Calendar

Congratulations to our clients who applied, and have already been admitted, to top programs such as Columbia Business School for Fall 2005. Many business schools have accelerated their deadlines. As a result, it is even more advantageous for prospective MBA students to submit their applications as soon as they are ready.

As of mid October, several schools’ Round 1 deadlines have already passed. Many more are looming in the near future. The top business schools have already released their Fall 2005 application deadlines and essay questions. Even if you have not yet taken the GMAT, it makes good sense to start reviewing the essay questions for all the schools you have identified as good ‘fits’ for you. It is not too early to begin thinking about how you intend to best incorporate your story themes into the applications. Businessschooladmission.com, by the way, has been updated with the essay questions and application deadlines for the top MBA programs. The site also contains transcripts from recent interviews with several members of top b-school’s admissions committees, and is hosts periodic chats.

Admission Essay Advice

MBA admissions consultant Cindy Suttie states, "It is truly a gift to give admissions committees well written, thoughtful, interesting accounts of who one is as an applicant, both personally and professionally. Too often applicants present themselves in a one-dimensional way, without revealing the person behind the application. The essays are meant to bring out personality, passions and goals. My advice is not to waste that opportunity." Cindy spent 2.5 years as an Associate Director of Admission at Chicago GSB before joining our firm.

Are You Looking to Apply to B-school in One or More Years?

We can help ensure that you position yourself optimally for those future applications. We can also advise you on whether it really is in your best interest to delay your applications for one or more years. Go to our website to sign up for a one hour, pre-admissions consultation. You will receive a detailed and highly-customized action plan from one of our expert consultants!

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College Admission News

We provide professional assistance to all high school students no matter how early or how far along they are in their college plans. Our college admissions news is organized by high school class.

High School Seniors (Class of 2005):

Register now for the next SAT and/or ACT exam date if you have not yet taken these tests or if you are not satisfied that your current scores accurately reflect your abilities. Now is also the time to begin thinking seriously about the college selection process, if you have not already done so. That said, if you have been looking at schools for months but still have lingering doubts about your preferences, it is probably best to let the upcoming early decision deadlines pass. A binding offer is a serious commitment. It is not worth risking your happiness if you are not certain a binding-offer school is the right one for you.

Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our highly-qualified consultants. They can give you an in-depth and brutally-honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate, advice on school selection, and admissions strategy formulation.

High School Juniors (Class of 2006):

In past years, high school juniors could focus almost entirely on positioning themselves for the next year’s college applications. This year, however, a significant distraction faces many members of the high school class of 2006. They need to decide which version of the SAT I to take. Other members of this class will have to decide whether or not they wish to sit for the 30-minute ACT Writing Test which will become an optional component on February 12, 2005.

Sara Hernández, a college admissions consultant and former Assistant Director of Admissions at Cornell University, states, "It is especially important that students applying to college in this transitional year for standardized testing remain focused. The college admissions process is an exciting yet stressful period in the lives of many students. However, students can maintain their control over this situation by being prepared for what lies ahead and by staying focused. These actions will help students manage their time and stress better, which in turn will help prevent what should be an incredible experience from becoming an overwhelming one. Although students need to be prepared to meet all admissions requirements, within this process they should not allow any one requirement to let them lose sight of what is really important - finding the colleges that fit their overall academic and personal needs the best so that they may realize their tremendous potential for success!"

Sophomores, Freshmen, and Eighth Graders (Classes of 2007 – 2009):

This fall is a good time to begin thinking about summer enrichment programs for 2005. There are many programs you might find interesting and enjoyable. They can also give a boost to your future college candidacies by providing the ‘wow’ factor necessary to successfully differentiate you from the many other qualified applicants competing for places in the top colleges.

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Law School Admission News

LSAT Test Volume

No information has yet been released on the number of people who took the LSAT this October. However, the number of tests administered this past June increased by 4.1%, an indication that law school application volume will be high again this year.

Law School Admission Insight

Admissions consultant and former Associate Director of Admission at Penn Law Renee Post advises, “Most applicants are anxiously awaiting the results from the October LSAT. In the interim, applicants should focus on completing the LSDAS requirements, submitting letters of recommendation, and working on the personal statement. Applicants should remember that the personal statement is their ‘interview’ with the admissions committees as most schools do not offer formal interviews. A carefully-crafted personal statement should focus on what differentiates that particular applicant from the rest of the pool.”

LSAT Test Tip

LSAT expert Bara Sapir advises, “Logic games inspire more fear and trembling among LSAT test takers than anything else on the exam – and for good reason. Most students have never encountered test questions like these. The amount and complexity of information presented in a game can be overwhelming. The trick to handling games is to have a method that quickly identifies and organizes all these pieces of information. Try drawing diagrams, charts, timelines, and decision trees. Once you find a method you like, use it consistently. Having a method you trust and know well enough to apply automatically on test day is the surest way to improve your score on this section of the LSAT.”

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Medical School Admission News

Medical School Admission Calendar

We have already helped many aspiring medical school students submit their secondary applications. The medical school admissions committees have a rolling admissions policy, which means that qualified applicants are admitted to the incoming class as their applications are processed. Completing your application as early as possible means increasing your chances of being accepted, as there are more interview spots to give out, and more open seats, early in the process.

If you have not yet submitted your applications for fall 2005, your chances of being admitted are certainly going to be lowered by the late submission. Unfortunately, it will be a bit more competitive to gain admission as a 2006 re-applicant than as a first-time applicant. A re-applicant needs to show improvement over their first application, which is not always an easy feat. Consequently, we are now advising an increasingly large number of prospective medical school applicants to wait until next June to apply. We are also providing them with an action plan to ensure that they make the best use of the next several months to optimize their positioning for those 2006 applications.

Medical School Waitlist Advice

Medical school admissions consultant Dr. Tim Wu, who served on the Downstate College of Medicine admissions committee, offers the following advice for applicants who become waitlisted:

Being waitlisted to medical school is never completely bad news. It gives you another chance at winning acceptance. You can improve your chances of moving from the waitlist to the classroom by following these tips.

1) Submit updated grades. Have your grades improved since you submitted your application? If they have, submit them. The improvement will give the admissions committee more confidence in your abilities and focus.

2) Convince the school that you were made for each other. Send the message that there’s no other school you’d rather attend. Be specific. Say why this school’s curriculum, history, rotation sites, etc., make it the right program for you. Craft this letter carefully and ensure it advances your candidacy by mitigating your weaknesses, highlighting your strengths, and substantiating your previously-stated application themes.

3) Tell the admissions committee about your recent achievements. Let them know you’ve been elected Student Council President, or published a paper. Achievements enhance your appeal as a candidate.

4) Use your contacts, Part 1. Some of your professors may know medical school faculty and staff. Ask them to put in a good word for you.

5) Use your contacts, Part 2. The representative who interviewed you is another contact. Thank that person for their help – and ask what you can do to get off the waitlist and into the program.

6) Learn more about the school. Aggressive (and successful) premeds want to know more about a school that has waitlisted them. Ask if you can meet current students, observe classes, or speak with someone about your candidacy. The more interest you show in the program, the more interest you’re likely to receive as a candidate.