How to Get into Medical School: A Thorough Step-by-Step Guide to Formulating Strategies for Success in the Admissions Process » (New Edition)

Get in! Thirty-nine thousand students applied to medical schools in 2006, but only 17,000 matriculated-that translates to a 44% success rate! The strategies in this book are designed to help you make sure you are among the accepted applicants. This advice is the culmination of our years of experience in admissions consulting, and our insight from our personal experience of the admissions process. We know there isn't a good source of information for how to really put together a great personal statement, or a 'sales pitch' for admissions interviews, so we developed step-by-step guides to help students navigate this intensive year-long journey.

You should buy this book if...: You want the inside scoop from people who have been on both sides of the med school application process. This book goes beyond simply giving you information-it provides never before published strategies and techniques that will help you optimize your application and presentation to medical schools. We debunk the most common medical school application myths and give you tips on how to deal with the mental and emotional challenges you will inevitably face on the long, winding journey into medical school.

During our many years of teaching MCAT preparation, we began coaching our students on how to get through the personal statement and interview components of the application. With our several years of experience on medical school admissions committees, we are able to offer helpful advice, which can be tailored to your individual profile. Most importantly, we went through this process ourselves and remember how overwhelming it can feel. We hope our book brings you great success, comfort, and even a few laughs as youmake your way through the application process.

Overview of the Application Process: All Phases     1
Timeline & Components of the Application Process     1
Components of the Application Process with Timeline     2
Introduction to Preparation Phase     4
Setting Goals for the Admissions Process     5
Phase 1 Introduction     5
MCAT Formats Scoring     7
Phase 2 Introduction     7
Phase 3 Introduction     8
Introduction to Acceptance Phase     9
Key Players in the Admissions Process     9
Undergraduate Premed Committee     9
Medical School Admissions Committees     10
Every Interaction Counts     10
Non-Traditional Applicants     11
Ahead of the Game: Preparation Phase     13
When to Start Planning     13
What are Medical Schools Looking For? Preparing to Apply     14
Coursework & Majors     14
Premed Prerequisites     15
Extracurricular Activities     16
Research     17
Clinical Experience     19
Non-traditional Applicants     22
Primary Application: Phase 1     23
Significance     23
Identifying Information     24
Disadvantaged Status     24
Sample Disadvantaged Mini-Statement     25
Institutional Action     27
Designating Courses for Your Science GPA (BCPM Designation)     27
Work & Activities     29
Letters of Recommendation     31
Who to Ask     31
Making the Request     32
Researching Schools I (Selecting Recipient Schools)     33
MD-PhD Applicants     34
Your Personal Statement: Phase 1     37
Before You Begin     37
Purpose of the Personal Statement     37
The 'Five Golden Steps' to Conquering Your Personal Statement     38
Step 1: The First 2 'Cardinal Questions'     38
Sample Cardinal Question Brainstorm     39
Step 2: Constructing a 'Self-Reflection Chart'     39
What is a Self-Reflection Chart?     42
Sample Completed Self-Reflection Chart     44
Step 3: Connecting the Dots     45
Sample Connect-the-Dots     46
Sample Self-Reflection Chart with Selected Topics & Connect-the-Dots     47
Step 4: Choose Your 'Gift Wrap'     48
Step 5: Outline!     50
Sample Outline     51
Sample Personal Statement     52
The Writing Process-Anticipating Roadblocks     53
Paragraph Structure     53
Length     54
Quotes     55
Imagery     56
The Fudge Factor     57
Grammar Refresher     58
Tone & Flow     61
Proofreading     62
Giving Yourself Enough Time     63
Non-Traditional Applicants     64
Sample Non-traditional Essay     65
The Secondary Application: Phase 2     69
How Important Are They?     69
Examples of Some Common Secondary Questions     69
How to Tackle Secondaries     69
Referring Back     70
Researching Schools II (Institution-Targeted Responses)     70
Short & Sweet     71
Let Your Personality Shine Through     72
Maximizing Efficacy of Secondaries     72
The Interview: Phase 3     73
Nailing Your Interview     73
The Importance of Interview Performance     73
What is a 'Sales Pitch'?     74
The 'Six Platinum Steps' to a Savvy Sales Pitch     74
Step 1: Review Your Brainstorm for the Cardinal Questions 74 Figure 6.2.1a: Cheyenne's Brainstorm to the First 2 Cardinal Questions     75
Step 2: The Third Cardinal Question: What Do You Want to Accomplish in Medicine?     75
Sample Brainstorm to the Third Cardinal Question     76
Step 3: Put Answers to the Three Cardinal Questions in Story Form     76
Sample Story Developed from Answers to the Three Cardinal Questions     77
Alternate Storyline     79
Step 4: Add 'Flava'!     80
Sample of Weaving Additional Self-Reflection Chart Contents into Story     81
Step 5: Be Able to Tell the Whole Story in 5 Minutes or 50     81
Customize Your Pitch for Each School (Researching Schools III)     82
Sample Sales-Pitch Customization     84
Cheyenne's Self-Reflection Chart     85
Table of Online Resources     86
Delivering the Pitch     87
Should I Be Doing Anything Else to Prepare?     93
Tips for Success     94
Getting into the Right Mindset     94
Group Interviews     95
Multiple Interviews     95
Don't Let Your Guard Down!     96
Follow Up     96
Appearance, Maintenance, And Logistics     96
Appearance, Maintenance, and Logistics     96
What is Interview Day Like?      97
The Structure of the Day     97
Take Notes!     101
Expect Tough Questions     101
Non-traditional Applicants     105
Interview Day Bloopers: Phase 3     107
Murphy's Law     107
Story 1     108
Story 2     109
Story 3     110
Story 4     111
Once You Start Hearing Back From Schools: Acceptance Phase     113
How Long Should I Wait Before Saying 'Yes!'     113
Do I Have Any Hope on a Waitlist?     114
Leveraging Offers     116
Deferring Admissions     117
Financial Aid Packages     118
Researching Schools IV     119
Curriculum     119
The Boards     120
Residency Match     120
Strengths in Your Areas of Interest     121
Lifestyle     121
Appendix     123
Our Med-School Slang: Glossary of Terminology     123
Application Timeline: Overview     125
Glossary     127
Allopathic Schools     127
Natropathic Schools     200
Osteopathic Schoolss     203
About the Authors      215