Blog
As a high school student with medical school aspirations, you've likely been encouraged to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses to demonstrate your academic prowess and prepare for the rigors of college. While high school AP classes are undoubtedly valuable, pre-med students should carefully consider whether to use their AP credits when entering college. Here's why:
Diversity
George Mason prides itself on creating a highly diverse student body that can learn from the backgrounds and perspectives of fellow classmates.
Support Services
In addition to academic, mental, and physical health services for all students, GMU hosts multiple programs to support students with Autism in their transition to college. The GMU campus is also entirely ADA-accessible!
Meals on Six Wheels
Food delivery robots. Need I say more?
Academic Focus
Students who thrive at GMU are those who embrace uniqueness and individuality. They are focused on their academic experience in college, and are highly motivated to come out of college prepared for the professional world.
Rural School with Access to DC
George Mason sits 20 miles outside of DC in a relatively rural area. The campus has lots of green space, and the ability to disconnect from everything going on in the capital city. However, there is a shuttle to take students to the metro so they can easily access everything Washington DC has to offer.
NO PEEKING!
Every year toward the end of the summer, the New York Times publishes sample college essays. I assume that they are looking to inspire rising seniors to begin writing their college essays if they haven’t already started; maybe reading others’ work provides a nudge to get going. Other colleges, like Tufts University, Johns Hopkins, and Connecticut College, post essays on their websites from prior application cycles that they have found especially compelling. Honestly, if you were to google “sample college essays,” you would probably find an endless supply of personal stories at your fingertips. Why not take a look for inspiration?
What we have discovered is the very act of reading other essays for inspiration often inhibits a student’s creativity. They consciously or subconsciously replicate what they have seen. It isn’t that they are necessarily copying an idea or plagiarizing text, but they tend to fit their idea into a structure, format, or theme that they have already read. After all, we are often patternmakers. Once we see something, we cannot unsee it. In the admissions process, the last thing you want to be is a carbon copy of anyone else. So, I encourage you to trust your own creativity and turn a blind eye to the “essay that worked.”
Access to DC
Located just 4 miles outside of downtown DC, American gives the best of both worlds! A residential campus with metro access to all of the perks of living in our nation’s capital.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
AU views Washington DC as an extension of the campus - providing students with unmatched access to internships, study abroad, guest lecturers, local events, museums, current events, and more!
Campus is a National Arboretum
With over 2,500 trees on campus, American University has been designated a national arboretum.
Collaborative Campus Culture
While AU is a highly academic, selective institution, it values collaboration over competition and fosters a learning environment that encourages collaborative success.
Trick-or-Treating on Embassy Row
Students rave about the campus tradition of going trick-or-treating on embassy row, where they have the opportunity to snag treats from all over the world.
1. LIBERAL ARTS + CAREER PREP
UHart’s seven colleges spanning career prep in rising professions and traditional liberal arts offer students abundant interdisciplinary opportunities.
2. SUBURBAN FEEL, CITY RESOURCES
UHart’s suburban campus has plenty of green space while also being a 10 minute drive from downtown Hartford’s internships and West Hartford’s restaurants and shopping.
3. HILLYER COLLEGE
Hillyer’s two-year curriculum gives students a structured, supportive academic environment to ease the transition to college-level work. Hillyer students finish the program on track to graduate in four years from another UHart school or college.
4. THE HARTT SCHOOL
“Turning passion into profession” for dancers, musicians, actors and other theater artists. Hartt is a conservatory that offers students the ability to minor in fields like communications and business through UHart’s other schools.
5. STUDENT LIFE
A strong athletic culture, high-quality performances and art shows on campus, 100+ clubs, and a therapy dog who makes house calls.
1. FIRST YEAR INTENSIVES
First years choose one of 30+ small-enrollment courses, and their professor becomes their pre-major advisor. FYI courses are offered in a variety of areas, but they all teach critical thinking, writing, and debating skills that help with the transition to college-level work.
2. 4+1 ACCELERATED MASTERS DEGREE
Clarkies have the chance to receive a master’s degree in a fifth year of study and can receive a full-tuition scholarship for that year.
3. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Problems of Practice courses give students exposure to real world issues. Students collaborate with experts at local and global organizations, building their skills and professional networks.
4. INCLUSIVE STUDENT SUCCESS
Academic support and coaching is available through Strategic Learning Services and other resources.
5. GAME ON
Top ranked Interactive Media/Game Design & Development major in the Becker School of Design and Technology and 20+ e-sports teams.
To apply for medical school, you should start the application process about 1 to 2 years before your intended start date. The application cycle begins in the spring of the year prior to when you plan to start medical school. For example, if you intend to start medical school in the fall of 2026, you should begin applying in the spring of 2025. Submitting your application early, ideally by early June, is crucial due to rolling admissions, which favor earlier applicants.
1. HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
Established in 1789, the University of King's College is Canada's oldest chartered university, offering a rich legacy of academic excellence and tradition.
2. FOUNDATION YEAR PROGRAM
Its unique Foundation Year Program emphasizes interdisciplinary study through classic texts, fostering critical thinking and a deep understanding of humanities.
3. JOURNALISM EXCELLENCE
King's is renowned for its journalism program, attracting students globally and providing hands-on training in a vibrant media environment.
Says one student, ““A co-worker of one of my parents directed my attention to King’s, saying all their favourite journalists were King’s alumni.”
4. DIVERSE PROGRAMS
With a small student body of around 1,000, King's fosters a supportive and engaging academic atmosphere, allowing for personalized learning experiences.
But students also have all of the resources of a larger university at their fingertips. Students at King's College and Dalhousie University take advantage of classes at both institutions through a seamless cross-registration system. This allows King's students to enroll in courses at Dalhousie, especially in upper-level subjects and the sciences.
5. PRIME LOCATION
Situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia, students enjoy a lively city filled with cultural events, historical sites, and stunning coastal views, enhancing their university experience.
1. RICH HISTORY
Founded in 1818, Dalhousie University is one of Canada’s oldest universities, boasting over 200 years of educational excellence and innovation.
2. RESEARCH
As a leading research-intensive institution and member of the U15, Dalhousie secures over $210 million annually in research funding, contributing significantly to various fields.
3. VIBRANT LOCATION
Situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the university is surrounded by stunning coastal landscapes and a lively cultural scene, enhancing the student experience.
4. DIVERSE PROGRAMS
Offering more than 200 degree programs across 13 faculties, Dalhousie attracts a vibrant mix of students from over 130 countries, fostering a rich academic environment.
Standout programs include Marine Biology, International Food Studies and Costume Design.
5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Dalhousie emphasizes social responsibility and inclusivity, actively engaging with local communities and promoting sustainability initiatives
Before you press send, become the viewer!
Your application is just about ready to go. But you want to make sure that it’s going to have the right impact! That it’s going to be noticed! What do you do?
I often have my students channel their inner-artist when reviewing each application for admission — even the non-artsy types! What I mean by that is to think about each aspect of your application like a piece of art in a portfolio. Artists talk about cohesion in their work, so should you.
Most college admission officers spend about 10-minutes reviewing an application. That’s it! They rarely look at a piece of the application more than once; one read of the essay, one glance at a resume. One of the biggest mistakes that an applicant can make is to confuse your reader. It’s like putting a DaVinci next to a Warhol!
So, as you review your application (or have someone else take a look), ask yourself the following:
Do all of my essays sound like they are written by the same person?
Often, in an attempt to be varied and engaging, students try to be something that they are not, and that shows in their writing style and their tone.
Am I being consistent with my activities?
Did you list theatre as your top extracurricular activity but write an essay about football?
Does the intended major that I listed make sense for your activities, transcript, etc.?
This can lead to a lot of confusion for an AO!
Am I being repetitive?
You wouldn’t want to look at the same still life over and over again!!
Does my application make sense for that college?
They’re not all the same!
Is the real me expressed on the page?
The last is the most important one! Your point of view and how you see the world should jump off the page, whether you are a sculptor or a scientist!
Good luck!
