AdmissionsConsultants Insider Edge Newsletter


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In the April 2008 Edition: AdmissionsConsultants News Business School Admissions Think About Timing When You Think About Re-Taking the GMAT Harvard Business School Celebrates 100 Years David's Corner: 3 Questions You'll Never Get an Answer To Preparation Will Pay Off In Your GMAT Score College Admissions How to Ace a College Interview Michigan Lawmaker Proposes Ten-Percent Rule "Flutie Effect" More Than a College Myth	Graduate School Admissions Don't Let an Admissions Interview Intimidate You Maximize Your GRE Potential Law School Admissions Waitlisted? Here's What to Do Summer Hiring May Lag Ready for Summer LSAT? Medical School Admissions M.D. Programs Will Begin Taking Applications for 2009 in Early May Harvard, Yale Medical Schools Reducing Med School Costs May MCAT - No Need to Panic Visit Our Sponsors
New Happenings at AdmissionsConsultants
April is a month when many college and grad school applicants complete their admissions journeys – and when first-time applicants are just setting off on theirs. We'll begin this month's newsletter with congratulations to our many admitted applicants. As in past years, many of our college and graduate school clients were accepted at Ivy League and other selective colleges and universities. Special congratulations go to those who won substantial scholarships (covering 50 per cent or more of tuition). 2008 admissions decisions are still being made at business, law and other graduate schools. However, we can report outstanding success again this year for our grad and professional school clients, in terms of both acceptances and scholarship offers. We're pleased to have helped all of these people progress toward their educational and career goals. Applicants who are just beginning work on 2009 college, grad, and professional school admissions have many months of reflection, work, and some anxiety ahead of them. Our consultants have timely words of advice and encouragement. Go to the admissions news section of interest to you to see what they have to say about how you can maximize your chances for admissions success in the 2008-2009 application season. Spring is an excellent time to start working seriously on your school selection and admissions strategy. Call us at 703.242.5885, email us, or visit our website to learn about our consultants' various fields of expertise and how they can help you position yourself for admissions next fall. < back to top >
BUSINESS SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Think About Timing When You Think About Re-Taking the GMAT
Although the top b-schools are unlikely to release their 2009 applications and essays for another 2 months, eager applicants are already asking what they can do now to move their plans forward. Senior Consultant Cristina Freeman advises applicants to use these months to get their GMAT scores squared away. "For candidates trying to get a jumpstart on the upcoming fall admissions season, taking the GMAT ahead of time, and working towards your highest possible score, is one of the wisest investments of your time," she says. Read more Is Your GMAT Score Working For You or Against You? GMAT scores are an important factor in business school admissions, but they're far from being the only piece of information that the Admissions Committees consider. Our consultants can help you understand how your GMAT score will look to an Admissions Committee in the context of your academic and professional background and advise you on whether you're best served by re-taking the test or by focusing on other aspects of your applications. Call us at 703.242.5885, email us, or visit our website to learn more. back to top >
Harvard Business School Celebrates 100 Years
More than 3,000 members of the Harvard Business School community - MBA and doctoral students, faculty, and staff - recently came together for a day-long series of festivities and special events to celebrate the Centennial anniversary of the School. On April 8, 1908, the Harvard University Board of Overseers approved the establishment of a graduate school of business administration, the first in the world to offer the MBA degree. Described as "a great but delicate experiment," HBS started with a full-time faculty of fifteen, a handful of staff, and a student body of fewer than a hundred. The School had no buildings of its own until a gift from New York financier George F. Baker in 1924 enabled the construction of a campus on the Allston side of the Charles River. In the decades since, HBS has flourished, setting a high standard in the quality of its teaching, research, and course development and dedicating itself to its mission of educating leaders who make a difference in the world. HBS helped establish and develop such fields as organizational behavior, marketing, managerial accounting, and corporate strategy. The School is now at the forefront in addressing important issues affecting companies and countries, large corporations and small startups, for-profit businesses and social enterprises. < back to top >
David's Corner: 3 Questions You'll Never Get an Answer To
Applying to business schools is a complicated process – and, understandably, applicants always have a lot of questions about it. But applicants are wasting their time along with everyone else's when they ask certain types of questions. That's why I wrote "3 Admissions Questions You'll Never Get an Answer To" for BusinessSchoolAdmission.com, in this month's David's Corner. < back to top >
Preparation Will Pay Off In Your GMAT Score
The 2008-2009 application season may still seem a long way off – but Jeff Glazer, president of Griffon Preparation Services, reminds applicants that it's by no means too early to begin working on their GMAT preparation. "Since the GMAT is weighted so heavily in the b-school admissions process, it is crucial to spend as much time studying for the GMAT as possible," he says. "Proper preparation is key" in doing your best on test day, says Glazer. "Your studying should begin with a full-length, timed exam" that will help you identify the areas that you need to improve on. < back to top >
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
How to Ace a College Interview
Summer is a popular time to visit college and university campuses – and to seek on-campus interviews with admissions representatives. Check ahead of time to see what the interview policy at the schools you'll be visiting is. Some schools have changed their policies this year, partly because of the increase in queries and applications that admissions staff are coping with these days. Dartmouth, for example, no longer grants individual on-campus interviews. Instead, applicants may either attend group Q&A sessions on-campus or request off-campus alumni interviews. Read more Are You Unsure About What Lies Ahead of You in College Admissions? We can help. Our consultants can explain what to expect, when, and give you an informed and candid assessment of your strengths and weaknesses as an applicant to your targeted schools. Call us at 703.242.5885, email us, or visit our website to learn more about our services. < back to top >
Michigan Lawmaker Proposes Ten-Percent Rule
State Representative Rick Jones has proposed a plan that would guarantee admission to any of Michigan's 15 public universities to students in the top 10 percent of their class at Michigan high schools. Modeled after Texas's decade-old 10-percent law, the plan was introduced last week. Jones said the plan would ensure that students from rural farming and urban areas would have the same access to education as students from affluent suburbs. Critics of the plan say it would infringe on the independence of Michigan's universities and force them to admit students who don't meet a college's academic standards. Because Michigan's 15 public universities have autonomy under the state constitution, Jones said he plans to propose the admissions system as a constitutional amendment. For the amendment to appear on the ballot this November, both houses of the Michigan Legislature must approve the measure by July to give voters the required three months to review the measure. Michael Boulus, executive director of The Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan - a Lansing-based interest group that lobbies on behalf of Michigan's 15 public universities - said he opposes the proposal. The proposed amendment infringes on the schools' independence from the state and may force them to admit students who aren't prepared to meet the schools' academic standards. "It's an affront to constitutional autonomy," he said. "There is no guarantee that the top 10 percent of every school is prepared to succeed at each and every one of our state schools." Jones said if the plan is met with strong resistance, he is willing to compromise with other lawmakers and propose that the system begins with a smaller percentage of students guaranteed admission. < back to top >
"Flutie Effect" More Than a College Myth
Until recently, evidence about the "Flutie Effect" - coined when applications to Boston College jumped about 30 percent in the two years after quarterback Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass beat Miami in 1984 - had been mostly anecdotal. A broad study conducted recently showed, however, that winning the NCAA football or men's basketball title means a bump of about 8 percent, with smaller increases the reward for more modest success. "Certainly college administrators have known about this for a while, but I think this study helps to pin down what the average effects are," said Jaren Pope, an assistant professor in applied economics at Virginia Tech who conducted the study with his brother Devin, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. The brothers compared information on freshman classes at 330 NCAA Division I schools with how the schools' teams fared from 1983 through 2002. Among their conclusions in a paper that is to be published this year in Southern Economic Journal: Schools that make it to the Sweet 16 in the men's basketball tournament see an average 3 percent boost in applications the following year. The champion is likely to see a 7 to 8 percent increase, but just making the 65-team field will net schools an average 1 percent bump. Similarly, applications go up 7 to 8 percent at schools that win the national football championship, and schools that finish in the top 20 have a 2.5 percent gain. Experts agree that any bump caused by a tournament appearance can't sustain a school, but it provides valuable national exposure that most couldn't buy. The key to boosting enrollment, say experts, lies not in more money for sports, but in keeping college affordable by providing more financial aid for students. Are you uncertain about how many schools you should apply to – or which ones are good choices for you? We can help. Our consultants can explain the many college and university options open to you and assess how competitive an applicant you are at your targeted schools. Call us at 703.242.5885 or email us to learn more. < back to top >
GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Don't Let an Admissions Interview Intimidate You
Not all graduate programs require an admissions interview – but for applicants to the ones that do, it's often the most intimidating step of the admissions process. The interview requirement is one more way in which grad school admissions are more like a professional rite of passage than they are like undergraduate college admissions. Admissions Consultant Courtney Weld says applicants will improve their interview performance by preparing themselves for a grad school interview the same way they would for a job interview. "Before your interview with the Admissions Committee, do your homework. Familiarize yourself with the program offerings, faculty bios, and the latest happenings within the program. Prepare yourself for the questions that might be asked during the interview. "When the big day arrives, dress professionally. Follow the standard rules of interviewing: Start with a firm handshake, make eye contact during interview, and ask appropriate questions. "After the interview, be sure to follow up with a thank-you note to the interviewer. "Finally," says Courtney, "remember that it's not only your application you're being judged on. It's the overall presentation you make." – Courtney served on the Admissions Committee for the University of Michigan's Graduate School of Public Policy. Are You Ready to Get The Most From Your Grad School Interviews? Our Mock Interview service may be just what you need to do your best on your interview day! A consultant who has previous experience interviewing MBA applicants on behalf of a top b-school admissions committee will conduct a mock interview with you to ensure that you are ready for the "real thing." Call us at 703.242.5885, email us, or visit our website to learn more about our graduate school admissions consulting services. < back to top >
Maximize Your GRE Potential
With the GRE now significantly harder than before, many prospective graduate school candidates are scrambling to incorporate proper test preparations in order to get the best score possible. If you plan to take the test soon, make sure your test prep includes materials written for the revised GRE. You may also want to allow yourself more preparation time than you normally would to take practice tests in the new format and to make sure you're comfortable with the different types of questions. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that cramming in study-time doesn't necessarily translate into a great GRE score. These tests don’t only measure what you know or how well you know it; they also measure how well you take them. To help you get into the right frame of mind, Bara Sapir of Test Prep New York has a couple of suggestions. "Make sure you exercise regularly and eat heathly with plenty of water," she says. "Take some time to be with friends and laugh, too - it helps alleviate the stress on the body and keeps your system calmer. "Optimal test readiness includes feeling confident, calm, focused and alert," she continues. "When you achieve this state, you can have a "conversation" with the test, a dialogue in which you understand what the questions are really asking and then respond with ease and clarity. In this state, it feels easy to pick the right answers." – Contributed by Bara Sapir, founder and executive director of Test Prep New York, the first and only educational company to fuse academic and strategy-based learning that helps students reach their most relaxed, effective mental state by targeting the most pivotal traits of peak performance to give them a critical edge. Not sure whether you need a GRE prep course? Call us at 703.242.5885 or email us to discuss your situation. We're here to help you! < back to top >
LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Waitlisted? Here's What to Do
The top law schools have now released most of their decisions for 2008 admissions. For a number of applicants, that has meant a waitlist decision from at least one of their target schools. Senior Consultant Derek Meeker says that waitlisted applicants should waste no time in letting schools know of their continued interest in admissions. "Waitlist reviews are now underway," he says. "If you are on a waitlist, now is the time to get in touch with the Admissions Office to and show your interest and enthusiasm about the school." Read more Were You Waitlisted or Denied? Our Waitlist Assistance or Ding Analysis package can help you understand your situation and options. A consultant with first-hand law school admissions experience will review the application you submitted, give you their assessment of the reasons for your admissions outcome, and advise you on what to do next. Call us at 703.242.5885, email us, or visit our website to learn more. < back to top >
Summer Hiring May Lag
Summer associate ranks may be thinner for the upcoming season. Many of the nation's law firms have begun pulling back from the record-breaking hiring of 2007. A sampling of summer associate programs at several top firms shows a decrease in the number of students that they plan for this year. With last year's summer associate tallies representing all-time highs at some of those firms, many top firms were more guarded at recruiting time last fall. As the economy takes a dramatic downturn since on-campus interviews began in August 2007, some law firms are finding the possibility of a mismatch in the supply of summer associates and their demands for full-time starters. While summer associate hiring at least at some top firms look to be in decline, law firms in general appear to be casting a wider net for the summer associates they bring on. According to NALP, of the 120 law schools that provided on-campus interviewing information, 56% reported an increase of 5% or more in the number of employers participating in the process during fall 2007. However, the increase of school visits is likely due to more mid-market firms participating in recruiting. < back to top >
Ready for Summer LSAT?
The next LSAT is scheduled for Monday, June 16, 2008. That gives '09 applicants a couple of months to start preparing. "Proper preparation is the key to success on the LSAT," says Jeff Glazer, president of Griffon Preparation Services. He advises against using non-LSAC practice tests. "Study books published by companies that use fake questions should be avoided at all costs," he says. "Such questions rarely mimic the real thing and can cause confusion on test day." If you choose to prepare for the exam on your own, some of the best self-study material available for the LSAT is distributed by LSAC themselves, says Glazer. "They have multiple publications that include real LSAT questions from previous test administrations. In particular, LSAC's SuperPrep contains three exams plus wonderful explanations of correct answers from the test writers." The most important thing, Glazer reminds test-takers, is to put adequate time and effort into LSAT prep. "Since the LSAT is weighted so heavily in the law school admissions process, it is crucial to spend as much time studying for the LSAT as possible.” < back to top >
MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
M.D. Programs Will Begin Taking Applications for 2009 in Early May
The 2009 medical school admissions season for the allopathic schools is about to begin. According to the AMCAS website, 2009 applications will be available on or around May 1st. If you have not already begun working on your applications, now is the time to jump start the process. You'll help maximize your admissions chances by doing so. Given the very competitive nature of medical school admissions and the fact that most programs use a rolling admissions policy, it is in your best interests to submit your applications as early in the cycle as possible. Senior Consultant Dr. Tom Boyd explains the benefits of submitting an early application. "It is always advantageous to apply early, whether your application is outstanding or whether it might have a few shortcomings. That's because the best applicants are interviewed first and can get an offer in hand early in the process," says Tom. It's especially important for applicants with less-than-perfect profiles to apply early in the admissions cycle. "Once enough offers of admission have been given out to fill the class, it becomes even tougher for applicants with some weaknesses to get an interview," explains Tom. "So it is even more important for them to get their applications in as early as possible." For those of you interested in applying to the osteopathic schools, the AACOMAS applications will be available in June. The early application submission strategy is also beneficial to all future D.O. candidates as well. Are You Wondering How to Prepare Yourself for the 2009 Application Season? Our qualified consultants are available to help you on any questions you might have related to your positioning and school selection or the application process. Call us at 703.242.5885, email us, or visit our website to find out more about our services. < back to top >
Harvard, Yale Medical Schools Reducing Med School Costs
Both Ivy League medical schools recently announced that they will be taking steps to reduce the cost of a four-year medical education. The schools feel that minimizing debt is essential for removing a barrier that might otherwise restrict students in making career choices. The new HMS plan will eliminate from the family income calculation typical before-tax retirement savings. Students who demonstrate financial need are offered a package of subsidized federal and institutional loans of $24,500, called a Unit Loan. They may then be offered scholarships to make up the difference between the Unit Loan, the family contribution and the cost. The new financing plan will see HMS increase to nearly $7 million annually the amount provided in scholarships to make up for the reduction in parental contributions. HMS officials are also looking into reducing the Unit Loan and replacing it with scholarships to further reduce the debt burden. Yale School of Medicine eliminated the required parental contribution for families making up to $100,000 per year. This change is made possible by the addition to Yale's budget of approximately $1.1 million in new need-based scholarship funds from endowment income. School officials said the new policy will also remove financial barriers to students entering primary care fields and lower-paying specialties. The policy change will apply to all families earning less than $100,000, as long as their assets are typical for their level of income. < back to top >
May MCAT - No Need to Panic
The next MCAT occurs on May 10, 2008; late registration runs until May 3. There are three other dates that the MCAT is being offered: May 23 (late registration ends May 16) May 27 (late registration ends May 20) May 31 (late registration ends May 24) Dr. Brett Ferdinand, Chief Instructor for MCAT-prep.com, advises students who are planning to take the May MCAT to begin test preparation now if they haven't already. "Take adequate time to plan and prepare for the MCAT," he says. "Conduct a focused MCAT review that covers what you personally need to improve in order to do well on the test. And be sure you take realistic practice tests. Use one of the full-length practice MCAT tests available from the AAMC, and take it under realistic test conditions." < back to top >
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AdmissionsBoards is the premier discussion board for admissions-related topics. It is also vigilantly moderated so you can enjoy intellectually-stimulating debate without being harassed by flamers and spammers. Stop by, ask a question, and make some new friends. Visit us at www.admissionsboards.com.
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AdmissionsConsultants believes in good corporate citizenship. We intend to lead by example. While you may not choose to support the particular charity we have profiled, we do strongly encourage you to give back to your community however you can. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the oldest, largest, and most effective youth mentoring program in the United States. Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs adult volunteers with at-risk children in one-on-one mentoring relationships. Big Brothers and Big Sisters help children and teens build confidence, expand their horizons, and improve their school performance. The organization currently serves over 225,000 children between the ages of 5 and 18 in more than 5,000 communities across the country. Visit www.bbbsa.org to learn more about volunteering as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters or about making a donation.
AdmissionsConsultants is a full-service admissions consultancy that maximizes the admissions chances of its clients. Our consultants have admissions committee experience, meaning they have made accept/reject/waitlist decisions and, therefore, truly have expert knowledge of the application process. It is this admissions committee experience that enables us to know exactly what differentiates successful from unsuccessful applicants including: strategies, essays/personal statements, letters of reference, resumes/cvs/activity statements, applications, and admissions interviews. We understand that admissions committees care about more than just typo-free essays and that is why we offer comprehensive services. We have even assisted a former undergraduate admissions officer with some graduate school applications. She chose us because she recognized she would benefit from the expert advice of someone with the appropriate admissions-committee experience. We can provide this same expert level of service to you. If you would like more information about our services, you can call us at 703.242.5885, email us or visit our website. We will be glad to advise you through the application process and ensure that you maximize your admissions chances! Copyright Copyright 2008 Admissions Consultants, Inc. All rights reserved. While we ask that you not reprint or host this newsletter on a web site without our express written permission, we do encourage you to e-mail any friends or colleagues whom you believe may find this newsletter helpful. Information provided in this document is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. AdmissionsConsultants is a registered trademark of Admissions Consultants, Inc.