AdmissionsConsultants Insider Edge Newsletter


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In the March 2009 Edition: AdmissionsConsultants News Business School Admissions HBS May Be Increasing It's Class Size! The 'Golden Rule' for Waitlisted Applicants The MBA Tour Near You! Preparing for the Interview Preparation Will Pay Off College Admissions 9 Questions to Ask a College Ambassador Understanding Your College Choices Upcoming College Admissions Workshop Getting Your Best SAT/ACT Score Can Be Done	Graduate School Admissions Which is Right for You: A Master's or a Ph.D.? Sometimes It's Best to Say Nothing About a Poor Grade Law School Admissions LSAC Releases 2009-2010 LSAT Test Dates New Program Launched With UC Law Schools Waitlist Tips and Strategies Medical School Admissions Programs Will Begin Taking Applications for 20120 in Early May Two Colleges Form Partnership for Medical Students Tailor Your MCAT Preparation to Your Needs Visit Our Sponsors
New Happenings at AdmissionsConsultants
March is the time of year when many college and graduate and professional school applicants are waiting for that legendary 'other shoe' to drop. It is always an uncomfortable wait, even for gifted and well-prepared applicants who know they submitted strong applications. We're happy to be able to extend congratulations to our many clients who have already heard good news from their targeted schools and programs. They have every right to be proud of their achievements and excited about their prospects. And we are, of course, keeping our fingers crossed for clients who are awaiting March 31/April 1 decisions from colleges and universities, Round 2 decisions from business schools, or admissions decisions from law and medical schools. Of course, even strong applicants sometimes get bad news when decision dates roll around. There's no getting around the cold hard fact that selective schools always have more qualified applicants than they have seats. Being waitlisted or denied doesn't mean you're not worthy. It does mean that you need to take stock of your situation and options and make a decision about what to do next. College and graduate applicants who don't get the news they're hoping for still have some options if they're set on beginning school this fall. College applicants can enroll at a less competitive school this fall and apply to transfer to their preferred schools next year. Alternatively, they can take a carefully structured 'gap year' to position themselves as more competitive applicants for freshman admissions at their targeted schools next fall. MBA applicants who don't win admission to their top-pick schools still have a few weeks to apply to several less competitive but nonetheless well-regarded programs for fall 2009. The final deadlines for Tepper, Georgetown, Kelley, Simon, Krannert, and Anderson are all still several weeks away. Several of the top international business schools will continue taking fall 2009 applications for several more weeks as well. For other readers, it is by no means too early to start making plans for 2010 applications to colleges and professional schools. Although applications to most programs will not be available for several more months, this is an excellent time to start working seriously on your school selection and positioning strategy. Call us at 703.242.5885 or email us 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
HBS May Be Increasing It's Class Size!
We have heard from multiple alumni sources that HBS has sent a memo to its alumni informing them that they are cutting their budget by about 5% and planning for another 5% cut if needed. To help boost revenue, and to cover for the currently weaker executive education program support, they are going to increase class size "slightly" for the up-coming class. Dean Jay Light reported that applications are up and the quality is very high. Unfortunately, "slightly" was not defined in the alumni memo. Are You Unsure About Your Chances of Admission? Our consultants can help you with an honest assessment and valuable feedback. Call us at 703.242.5885 or email us to learn more. back to top >
The 'Golden Rule' for Waitlisted Applicants
One of the most difficult situations you might face as a b-school applicant is how to handle a waitlist decision from a school you really want to attend. Should you bombard the school with additional material, hoping that something you send will convince the school to admit you? Or should you just sit tight, fearing that submitting additional, unsolicited material will annoy the admissions committee? The 'Golden Rule,' says Senior Consultant Susan Shaffer, is, "Follow the instructions from the Admissions Committee." Read more Discuss Unsure what else to submit for an Update? Our consultants can help you get ready to do your best. Call us at 703.242.5885 or email us to learn more. < back to top >
The MBA Tour Near You!
Meet an elite group of Business Schools at The MBA Tour event near you! The MBA Tour is an independent and high quality information source regarding MBA admissions. These events emphasize personal interaction between prospective students, admissions representatives, alumni and others. The MBA Tour represents top business schools from five different continents; the events coming up in February will feature schools from Europe and Canada. This will be a great opportunity to learn about international options available to you. The presentation format includes panel sessions and presentations that help students select a university specific to their career and lifestyle goals. The schools conduct all the talks, panels, and presentations and allow attendees to learn more about the people and schools present at the event. These events are limited to a select group of business schools that are reviewed and approved by an advisory board of peers. For more information, visit The MBA Tour website. Look below to find the next event closest to you: Washington, D.C. Thursday, March 19, 2009 New York City, NY Saturday, March 21, 2009 < back to top >
Preparing for the Interview
If you are still waiting for an interview invite, or if you have already begun preparing for one in the near future, I wanted to take a moment of your time to give you some great information to help you prepare for this next, important step. There are a lot of interviews being scheduled and I wanted to share some common tips for improvement with you, based on some feedback from several of our consultants. Five things people should improve upon in their interview: KNOW your resume. It's almost always the first question that people ask ("take me through your resume") and if you flub on that, it's impossible to make up later. Have some questions available for the interviewer. It's really tough if a person who has done okay on the interview itself, has no questions to ask. This is almost as important as the interview, and it's tough to gauge how you'll do if you haven't prepared for it. Follow instructions. Seems simple enough, right? Our consultants are surprised at the people that don't. If the interviewer asks for a 3-5 minute walkthrough of your resume, that's what he/she wants. If they ask for three adjectives that best describe you, give them words, not paragraphs or long sentences. Don't assume that a "nice" interviewer means something good is going on or a "mean" or difficult interviewer means something bad. When our consultants actually interviewed people, if they knew someone wasn't appropriate, they kept the entire interview very jovial - why torture the person? If they really liked the person, they may have turned into "Dr. Jekkyl/Mr. Hyde" for three primary reasons: they wanted to make sure the person was honest; they wanted to see how she/he did under pressure; and they wanted to make sure the school was appropriate for her/him. The interviewer has your resume (at the very least) so try to fit in accomplishments, achievements, and unique/interesting tidbits that might not be readily seen. It's shocking sometimes when the interviewer gets someone's resume, looks at it, thinks "okay, this is nice but nothing spectacular", then the person blows it away. It's a shame it happens by the mock interview time, because so much of what was said should be on the applications itself. So again, I have to ask: do you feel ready for the interview? It's ok if you don't. I'd like to remind you that we do offer a 'mock interview' service specifically for this. Our consultants know what questions the admissions committees like to ask and they have an excellent intuition about the types of questions you can expect based on your unique background and experience. Our consultants also communicate frequently with each other, so as a result, they are up to date on any new questions the various admissions officers may ask each season. For more information on this valuable service that we offer, you can check out this page. < back to top >
Preparation Will Pay Off
The 2009-2010 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. Not sure whether you need a GMAT prep course? Call us at 703.242.5885 or email us to discuss your situation. We're here to help you! < back to top >
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
9 Questions to Ask a College Ambassador
As you make campus visits and attend college information sessions, you're likely to have a chance to speak to a campus ambassador. These are current students who give prospective students tours of the school and who answer questions about the school from a student's perspective. Campus ambassadors are an important source of information, but they're not an entirely objective one. They're doing a job, and that their job is to persuade prospective students to come to their school.. Read more Your College Application Choices Can Be Confusing! To apply under the early or the regular admissions deadline, to use the Common Application or a school-specific application, to use the same basic essay for different schools or to write completely different essays... Our consultants can help you understand the choices you face and help you make the decisions that are right for you. Call us at 703.242.5885 or email us to learn more. < back to top >
Understanding Your College Choices
School selection can be an overwhelming task for college-bound high school juniors. There are literally thousands of colleges and universities to choose from in the United States. Although every educational institution is unique, it is possible to place most colleges and universities into one of several broad categories. A helpful first choice in school selection is to understand what these types of institution are and how good a fit they are for your personal preferences and learning style. Read more Discuss < back to top >
Upcoming College Admissions Workshop
The next college admissions cycle is just around the corner, but will you be going to the school you have your sights on? Find out how to improve your chances on winning admission to your top-choice schools at a free workshop. Here are some of the topics we’ll cover: Tutoring for your high-school aged child. SAT/ACT prep courses. Increasing your child’s academic appeal to admissions officers. The best ways to write admission essays. Maximizing your eligibility for Financial Aid. Reducing out-of-pocket expenses for college. Now is your chance for discussion and Q&A from these leading local professionals: Ralph Perrino, PhD; Northern Virginia Tutoring Service - www.NVTutoring.com David Petersam, MBA; AdmissionsConsultants - www.AdmissionsConsultants.com Todd Hughes; Hughes Financial Solutions - www.OurCFA.com Save the date: Monday, April 20 6:30 to 8:30pm Arlington Central Library Auditorium 1015 North Quincy Street Arlington, VA 22201 < back to top >
Getting Your Best SAT/ACT Score Can Be Done
With the SAT and ACT tests on every college applicant's mind, many students are scrambling to incorporate proper test preparations in order to get the best score possible. You may also want to allow yourself more preparation time than you normally would to take practice tests and to make sure you're comfortable with the pace of the exam. Here's a few other suggestions to help get you at your best for either test, given to us by founder and director of TestPrepNY, Bara Sapir: Drink more water Laugh Sleep more (at least 7-8 hours a night) Set a schedule for yourself and start the day unrushed Learn to say "No" to projects or social engagements that won't fit into your time schedule Exercise Test Prep New York (TM) is the first and only educational company to fuse academic and strategy-based learning with holistic human potential training. The Full Potential (TM) method ensures that students reach their most relaxed, effective mental state while preparing for and taking tests, easing their experience and increasing their scores by targeting the most pivotal traits of peak performance to give them a critical edge. < back to top >
GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Which is Right for You: A Master's or a Ph.D.?
Although master's and doctoral degree programs are often grouped together in the category of 'graduate education,' the two programs represent different educational experiences and often lead to different career paths. Anyone considering graduate school should give careful consideration as to which program is the better option for them. Here are some questions to ask yourself: Which degree do you need to achieve your career goals? Some fields require a Ph.D.; others do not. On the other hand, in some fields, holding a doctorate may actually make you look over-qualified for many positions. Research the qualifications and standards of the field you want to work in to make sure your educational goals are appropriate. Is the master's program you're considering terminal or non-terminal? Some master's degrees are terminal, meaning there is no higher degree awarded in that subject. For example, a master of fine arts (MFA) degree is terminal. You could go on to pursue a doctorate in theater or literature, but those degrees draw on a different body of knowledge and develop a different set of skills than an MFA program does. Other master's programs provide a logical stepping stone to a more advanced degree. If you know you eventually want to get a Ph.D., or think you might, choose a master's program that will help you move toward that goal – or simply apply directly to appropriate doctoral programs. How much time are you willing to commit to a program? Most master's programs can be completed in two years. Doctoral programs take much longer. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in most fields, the average doctoral candidate requires at least seven years beyond college to complete their Ph.D. requirements. And that's seven or more years of full-time study. Many schools discourage doctoral students from taking outside employment during their program. Although many schools will provide stipends or paid graduate or research assistantships to doctoral students, a Ph.D. program nonetheless means committing to several years of hard work and limited income. Are you ready to pursue an independent research project? Doctoral programs are less structured than master's programs are. They also expect students to produce a significant piece of original research. If you still want to explore your career options, or are uncertain as to which field or questions you want to study, you may be better off entering a non-terminal master's program that would leave you with the option of pursuing a more advanced degree later on. < back to top >
Sometimes It's Best to Say Nothing About a Poor Grade
The axiom that 'no one's perfect' holds as true for college students as it does for anyone else. Even serious, dedicated, hard-working students sometimes graduate with a transcript that includes one or two poor or even failing grades. Those grades can later become a major source of anxiety for students who decide to apply to graduate schools. What should you do if you're a grad school applicant with one of those less-than-perfect college records? Read more 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 to learn more, or visit our website to learn more about our graduate school admissions consulting services. < back to top >
LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
LSAC Releases 2009-2010 LSAT Test Dates
It's high time for 2010 law school applicants to start thinking seriously about when they will take the LSAT. The LSAT is scheduled be given on: Monday, June 8, 2009 Saturday, September 26, 2009 Saturday, December 5, 2009 Saturday, February 6, 2010 For Sabbath observers, there is an alternate date for the following Monday. Whenever you plan to take the test, make sure you give yourself enough time for test preparation "Proper preparation is the key to success on the LSAT," says Jeff Glazer, president of Griffon Preparation Services. Glazer reminds applicants that, unlike many other standardized tests, the LSAT is not knowledge-based. "Instead, the exam is designed to test a pattern of critical reading and thinking," Glazer says. "That means that studying for the LSAT must be approached differently than other tests. Simply taking many timed tests will not usually improve one's score. You'll need to sit down with a few real LSAT tests and work out how to derive the correct answer from the information you are given." < back to top >
New Program Launched With UC Law Schools
A new, collaborative internship program in Washington, D.C. has been implemented among a few University of California law schools: the Berkeley School of Law and the UCLA School of Law, with the UC Irvine School of Law joining later. The internship places second and third-year students in congressional offices on Capitol Hill, the Department of Justice, and various regulatory agencies. "This is a direct and powerful way to expose students to aspects of lawyering in Washington and thereby broaden their thinking about professional paths available to them," says UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Chris Edley, Jr. "Our new classroom technology will also enable us to connect our students and experts in Washington with law students on campus, combining resources for dynamic interactive instruction." "We truly value this exceptional partnership with our sister schools," says UCLA School of Law Dean Michael H. Schill. "As a law school committed to the public interest, this is exactly the kind of project we should be collaborating on. By combining our efforts, our students and our communities will truly benefit." A companion seminar for students examines the unique role of lawyers in creating federal legislation. Weekly classes include talks by influential policymakers from all three branches of government, independent agencies, the media, lobbying firms and leaders of national nonprofit organizations. The line-up includes senior counsel from the House Office of Legislative Counsel, U.S. State and Treasury Departments, the Congressional Research Service, Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, U.S. Senator Boxer's staff - as well as National Public Radio's legal reporter Nina Totenberg. The University of California 's law schools now join just a handful of American law schools with academic programs in D.C. < back to top >
Waitlist Tips and Strategies
This is a nerve-racking time of year for many prospective students. If you are like many applicants that have applied to several schools, a waitlist status is a possibility. However, depending on the circumstances, there are few things you should consider if you do indeed find yourself on a waitlist. Here are few helpful suggestions: Almost every competitive applicant gets placed on a waitlist during the application season. A "held" application is different than being placed on the waitlist. Some waitlists are very large, others are small. Schools don't publish the size of their waitlists. Some schools begin to review their waitlists in the spring (April, May) around the time tuition deposits are due. Other schools wait until the summer so they have a better idea of their yield. People can be admitted off of a waitlist after classes begin in August or September. Most schools expect to admit people from their waitlist. The waitlist management process can be stressful and time consuming. As you look at your options, you should decide if you want to stay active and on the waitlist or withdraw your application. If you are interested in speaking to a law school consultant regarding your waitlist concerns, please feel free to call us at 703.242.5885 or email us. Discuss < back to top >
MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Programs Will Begin Taking Applications for 2010 in Early May
The 2009 medical school admissions season for the allopathic schools is about to begin. According to the AMCAS website, 2010 applications will be available early May. 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." Are You Wondering How to Prepare Yourself for the 2010 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. Discuss < back to top >
Two Colleges Form Partnership for Medical Students
An articulation agreement between Bluefield College in Bluefield , Virginia , and the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) in Blacksburg, Virginia, will benefit students in Southwest Virginia and assist Bluefield College graduates wishing to pursue a post-graduate medical degree. The agreement is designed to help alleviate the limited opportunities available for students from rural areas to attend medical school. Bluefield College students, who meet certain criteria, will be considered for an early acceptance program to medical school. Under the agreement, VCOM will guarantee early admission to Bluefield College (BC) students who earn a specified grade point average, demonstrate commitment to their community through volunteerism, and meet other VCOM requirements for admission. VCOM will interview students which Bluefield College recommends to the early acceptance program after the student has gained 60 hours of the required courses and meets all academic, technical, and health admission standards, including successful completion of the medical college admission test (MCAT). VCOM matriculated its first class of medical students in 2003 and has gradated 300 physicians in the past two years. With this year's graduation, the school's alumni will exceed 450. < back to top >
Tailor Your MCAT Preparation to Fit Your Needs
Dr. Brett Ferdinand, Chief Instructor for MCAT-prep.com, reminds medical school applicants to tailor their MCAT preparation to their own particular needs. "Be mindful of what you personally need to work on in order to do well on the test," he says. "Don't settle for a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to test preparation." Different students have different needs when it comes to preparing to do their best on the MCAT. One test-taker may need to concentrate on reviewing subject matter, while another may benefit more from learning to pace themselves on a timed exam. There's no point to spending your test prep time going over something you already do well when you could be using that time to improve an area of weakness. "Conduct a focused MCAT review," advises Dr. Ferdinand. Medical school applicants should start this process several months before they plan to take the exam. "It's important to take adequate time to plan and prepare for the MCAT," he says. "You can't expect to sign up for the test at the last minute and do well on it." < back to top >
VISIT OUR SPONSORS
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.
SUPPORT THE FEATURED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
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. Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that will help you support your community, demonstrate your abilities, develop your skills, and expand your knowledge? If so, be sure to check out VolunteerMatch, a national organization that matches volunteers with service organizations and nonprofits across the U.S. Go to www.volunteermatch.org, where you'll find a database that allows users to identify organizations and opportunities by geographic location and area of interest. The website also has informative articles about the benefits of volunteer service and how you can maximize your impact as a volunteer. VolunteerMatch might have just the information you need to find the volunteer opportunity you've been looking for!
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 2009 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.