Apply Point Graduate Admissions Consulting

FAQs on Letters of Recommendation for your Law School Application

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m not very close with any of my professors, but have a great relationship with the volunteer manager at the legal aid clinic. Can I use her as a reference?

Law schools specifically look for recommendation letters to provide insight into a candidate’s ability to thrive in a challenging academic environment. You will need to have at least one reference from an academic source. Even if you aren’t close, providing specific examples from class discussions and course work will allow the professor to speak directly to the quality of your work.

Check with the law school, but most will accept supplemental recommendations. So you can also request a recommendation letter from your volunteer manager.

I’ve been out of school and working for a while now. Can I have my current supervisor write one of my recommendation letters?

Yes, if you have been out of school and working for a few years, you may ask your supervisor to complete a letter of recommendation. But you still must ensure you have one academic reference.  

The law school requires two recommendations, but will accept up to four. Do I need to submit four?

You do not need to submit the maximum number. Carefully consider the perspective and anecdotes that each of your potential recommenders could share. Pare down the number if you feel any of your recommenders will provide overlapping views of your abilities. However, if you have four strong relationships and each recommender can provide a unique view of your skills and character, then feel free to submit them all.

What if my recommender asks me, the applicant, to write the letter?

If a potential recommender puts you in a tough spot and only agrees to submit a letter that you’ve written, it is best to move on. It is often obvious to schools when an applicant has crafted the copy because of similarities in voice to other application components.

How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for your Law School Application

Good news! No one who hates you will agree to write you a Letter of Recommendation. It's too annoying of a task to bother with if you don't have nice things to say about someone. Still, some letters can be lackluster, especially if they're rushed or overly general. 

The University of Chicago Law School admissions blog describes a “standout” recommendation letter as one that provides, “specific and substantive discussion of your abilities as a student.” They look for “a discussion of particular examples of your work, possibly a research project or substantial piece of writing” and/or “qualitative comparisons to your peers and illustrative anecdotes.” 

There are ways to make sure recommenders are talking you up effectively. Here’s how to make the ask. 

Individualize your approach. What do you know about your potential recommender? Are they someone who will want a face-to-face conversation about this? Or are they someone who will be open to an email with an updated CV attached?

Remind them of your accomplishments. You're not telling them what to write—and they may well choose to highlight some of your other victories or qualities—but offering them a refresher to reference will make your request less of a burden. Your professors know the drill of writing law school references, but they have a lot of students, so a reminder of what you've done is still appreciated. Ex. "It was a privilege to be in a graduate course as an undergraduate. Attending office hours deepened my understanding of the material and provided me insight into strengthening my arguments for the paper, on which I earned an A. I also found that working with a group on the research project honed my abilities in research and developed my collaboration and leadership skills."

While you will want at least two of your recommendations to be written by those who can speak to your academic performance, you may also include a letter from a supervisor at a job or legal clinic where you volunteered. In this request, you want to tell the manager what it meant to you to work there and how you thrived. Ex. "Your recommendation would mean so much to me because this job reinforced my interest in the study of law. Working to support pro-bono immigration cases gave me a better understanding of the day-to-day work of a lawyer as well as additional insight into the necessary research and client-interaction skills required." OR "Working as an analyst in this consulting firm gave me significant experience with project and time management, developed my written and oral communication abilities, and improved my analytical skills. Over time I have increased my responsibilities. This summer I took on the role of team lead and now run weekly client meetings and oversee the analytic strategy and initial creation of client deliverables. I have also made myself available to newer project staff for mentoring and support.” 

If you're asking for a recommendation from someone who has never written one, loop them in on the qualities law schools are looking for and how you've exemplified them. Ex. "The schools that I am applying to value critical thinking and problem solving abilities, writing skills, and intellectual curiosity. I believe that my final group project on the early work of Chaucer showed my abilities in those areas.”

Go beyond the ask. After someone agrees to be your recommender, you're going to send them a "game plan" that gets into the experiences you’ve had and your accomplishments in greater depth than you did in your initial request. It is helpful to give each one a short portfolio of information, which should include:

  • School names and submission date(s)

  • Method for recommendation submission (e.g., LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service)

  • Background information (academic, professional) and your future career goals

  • Illustrative anecdotes from your work with this recommender, with particular emphasis on the following topics: analytical/critical thinking, writing/presentation skills, leadership, teamwork, personal characteristics you want to highlight (e.g., determination, intellectual curiosity), and your ability to grow from feedback. For example, the student who highlighted the Chaucer project can remind their professor what aspects of the presentation they worked on and reiterate that they organized the group's study sessions. You might also attach a copy of the associated paper that you submitted with your contributions highlighted. You get the gist. 

Say thank you in a unique way. Once someone has agreed to write your recommendation, do something nice for them. Send a memorable note, maybe even a small gift (a box of their preferred tea or some candy is nice) or offer to take them to lunch. This is common courtesy, but it's also going to remind them to submit their letter on time.

Who to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for your Law School Application

Recommendation letters are not going to make or break your candidacy for law school—ninety-nine percent of the time, applicant’s rec letters are filled with glowing reviews of their academic abilities and potential. But, if done right, a letter of recommendation can reinforce and expand upon key themes presented in other application components like your resume, personal statement, and essays.

Here are some actions to take to make sure this happens:

Consider Who Knows You Well

Most schools require two letters of recommendation and will accept up to three or four. At least two should come from academic sources (professor, teacher’s assistant, advisor) who can speak to your ability to thrive in a challenging academic environment. You may also submit letters of recommendation from nonacademic sources, for example a coach, professional manager, or volunteer coordinator. Of course, you will want to choose those you know will sing your praises, but also who can back up their claims (with specific examples) on your abilities in the areas of intellectual curiosity, problem solving, critical thinking, integrity, and perseverance. Don’t ask your family friend who is a Senator or Judge to submit a recommendation letter because you think his/her title will impress admissions committees. Save requests to contacts with significant influence at a specific school (say, they're donors or members of the board) for letters of support, which they can send separately from your application to the Dean of the law school. 

Take a Strategic Viewpoint

If your personal statement is anchored in a story that shows the reader your critical thinking and persuasion skills on a significant project, one of your recommenders could provide additional insight on this project in their letter. And remember, if one of your letters of recommendation further emphasizes your academic potential, the second should focus on other qualities, such as your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment. Furthermore, if you see gaps in your application, you may want to speak with one of your recommenders who could address them in his or her letter and share how you’ve grown from specific challenges. 

Generating Strong W&A Entries: Shadowing

Approaching Your W&A Entry. Shadowing is great introductory clinical exposure and prevalent among applicants—88% of Johns Hopkins' 2018 accepted students had shadowing experience. But to med schools, shadowing weighs less than volunteering at free clinics, doing clinical research, or working as a medical scribe, etc. That's because it typically doesn't lead to significant patient interactions. Still, shadowing someone in a field you're very interested in is informative, and you can have poignant experiences. We had one client who shadowed an infectious disease doctor abroad and learned that potential life-altering treatments regularly can't cross international lines.

Since patient interaction isn't common in these scenarios, you want to emphasize how else a shadowing experience helped you build clinical skills or expanded your knowledge of a medical specialty, preferably one you're interested in pursuing after medical school. If these things don't apply to your shadowing experience, here are some other things to consider: What did you see—and how did it affect you? Did a doctor calmly handle an angry patient? Did you seek more information on any condition a physician diagnosed in front of you? Did you learn something about a doctor's day-to-day life that you didn't know before? Unless you had one incredible experience or really need to fill up your W&A, grouping your shadowing experiences in one entry is a great idea.

Connect Your Shadowing to Your Future. If you know what area of medicine you'd like to study, having multiple shadowing experiences with different physicians practicing the same specialty shows the depth of that interest. That makes for a powerful shadowing entry. Who you shadow should be relevant to your goals. If you're interested in congenital heart disease because you worked on a clinical research study related to it or your dad survived a heart attack, try to shadow multiple cardiologists. Shadowing a broad range of specialties is exciting and may indeed be a part of your deciding what field you're most interested in—that makes for a strong entry. But there's something sturdy and assuring about a med school candidate who has pursued one area in depth. A consistent interest is compelling.

Build a Strong Foundation for Your MBA Application (and Beyond) with a Brainstorm Document

Before you begin work on your business school application, we recommend that you create a brainstorm document where you will explore your formative experiences—what you thought, felt, said, and did. This brainstorm will be your touchstone for everything about this application process. It will help you discover what meaningful experiences and qualities you want to highlight in your essays and discuss during your interviews. 

Putting meaningful experiences into different "buckets" helps a lot. You might have some crossover with experiences technically fitting into two buckets or more—don't worry about that; put them in one bucket, for now, to keep things grouped. Maybe write: "This is also a leadership experience" or "Innovation/Critical Thinking" in your notes.

An important note: Eighty percent of these experiences should be from adulthood (college and beyond). Twenty percent can be from before then if they established foundational skills or led to evolutions in perspective. For example, if a family member’s illness during your high school years inspired your desire to work in a healthcare start-up. 

Bucket 1: A-ha Moments. What meaningful experiences changed your mind about or expanded your perspective on something? Some could be spectacular successes, others, catastrophic failures. Have you learned from a mistake? What skills of yours did you discover in a challenging time? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? (Prepare yourself, we're going to ask those last two repeatedly.) 

Bucket 2: Leadership. In what meaningful experiences did you show your leadership abilities? Did leadership come naturally to you, or did you work to get to this place? (Both things are great!) How did you support your team? Did you encourage collaboration or independence? Did you feel supported by your team? Did you experience any pushback, and how did you handle that if you did? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 3: Teamwork and Collaboration. During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others? Were you working with people unlike yourself? Was there a struggle for balance in the beginning? Any confusion? What did you appreciate about your team members? How did they influence and impact you and your actions? Did one or two team members step up in a way you admired? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 4: Innovation. In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 5: Experiences that Reinforced Your Commitment to an MBA. What meaningful experiences reinforced your commitment to pursuing an MBA and your post-MBA goals? Was it meeting a professional you admired? Was it accomplishing something at work or in a volunteer setting? What did you think of these things at the time? How did you feel?

Bucket 6: Miscellaneous. What experiences have you had that you can't quite categorize? What else should we know about you? What do you think we don't necessarily have to know? Don’t be afraid to expose some vulnerability and use everything you’ve got. You should even include things about yourself and what you care about that you don't imagine will be a factor in an essay (e.g., your quest to make the perfect chocolate cake, your passion for wordle). You might be able to weave aspects of your personality or some fun facts into your essays and interviews to add some color—or something even better.

Your Work & Activities Section: Two Problems You Don't Really Have

"Help, I have too many experiences!" 

We've heard it before: "How am I going to keep this at 15 entries? I have 20 options." Here's the thing, you probably don't. You can and should bundle certain activities. Doing so reduces repetition and allows you to include a wider variety of experiences. Say, you were secretary of your student council for one year and vice president for two—that's material for one entry. Even if one of those roles produced one of your Most Meaningful experiences, you can likely cover both in one write-up.

"Help, I Don't Have Enough Experiences!" 

You may insist: "I have had three clinical experiences, two volunteer posts, and was in one club in college. I don't have 15 options!" 

Here's the thing, you probably do. Did you take a weekend long improv class with some friends? It might have teased out a braver you or helped you to think on your feet. Do or did you have a non-medical job? Obviously, you're going to include all medical work or volunteering experiences as well as impressive internships or jobs in any industry. But even working as an office temp, swiping cards at the college food court, and ringing up retail at the local bookstore exemplifies your work ethic and commitment. It also implies that you're not spoiled. Facts are facts: A lot of med school applicants are privileged. Earning your own money can set you apart because it shows personal responsibility and that you know how to balance work and studying. 

Hobbies count too. It is not a waste of space to share that you're an artist or love to garden. You can angle these activities to be more relevant to your application by explaining what transferable qualities—creativity, dedication, patience—you can apply to medicine. Your hobby write-ups also can highlight different strengths than your other entries, have a passionate delivery, and show some personality. 

"No, I really don't have enough experiences."

If you don't have enough experiences, now is the time to get them. Put together a group to clean up tree pits in your neighborhood to practice leadership. Take a hip-hop dance class to become less stiff and stern. If you're interested in mental health, volunteer for a crisis hotline. Exercising empathy and learning to talk to people on the worst days of their lives is useful for a future physician. Last-minute shadowing experiences are an option, too. They in no way should replace clinical experiences, but, if you are light on clinical experience or want to get some career goal-related shadowing experiences in, this is the ticket. Attending a conference or volunteering at a community health fair are one-day events that can lead to impactful encounters. Pursuing and sharing education is very valuable to medical schools.

Your Work & Activities Section: Where to Begin

To improve your W&A writing experience and the quality of your entries, try this: 

Raid your brainstorm. As we’ve frequently mentioned, your brainstorm serves every part of your application process. If you're having a hard time with W&A entries, copy and paste info directly from a brainstorm bucket or two and cut and sew together the first draft of an entry from that material.

One client began a W&A entry on her time as an EMT by briefly sharing salient details about things she did and skills she acquired while working on an ambulance. She then copied (literally control-C) a poignant story from her brainstorm's ah-ha bucket wherein she showed compassion for a patient who had miscarried. She pasted it directly into her W&A draft document. She proceeded to trim unnecessary parts of the story (what day it was, what her partner was doing), and add a takeaway about seeing the importance of caring for a patient's mental health.

Start with the easy ones. Do you know what your takeaway was from shadowing a pediatrician? Did working on a poster presentation with a group help you learn to manage conflict? Have you been swimming competitively since you were a guppy? Instead of writing W&A entries in the order of their occurrence or importance, start with whatever comes naturally.

Do a dirty draft—and re-read it later. You don't have to refine your first draft text right away. In fact, we’d recommend that you write all 15 first drafts (that doesn't have to happen in one sitting) and then go back to the entries with fresh eyes later. Sometimes when you're reading one entry repeatedly back-to-back, you see what's in your head and not what is on the page. So, you might think a description makes perfect sense. But later, you'll read it, discover issues, and revise it accordingly.

Craft your stories. You'll always share some basic duties and details; and they can be pretty cut and dry. For example, "At the free clinic, I checked in patients and learned how to take vitals. I interacted with approximately 20 patients during every four-hour shift." But you must also include what you got out of this experience, preferably using an engaging anecdote. "One patient, Linda…" If you don't think you have a specific story to tell, schedule time with an Apply Point consultant and we'll talk things over and find one. You'll be surprised at how much of a story you can fit into 700 characters. But don't worry about going over the word count in your first draft. We're here to help you pare down, if necessary.

Your Work & Activities Section: Before You Start

Before we make a case for the kinds of experiences you should include in your W&A and get into the deep details you should be sharing, we're going to give you three super-basic tips for writing these entries. Bookmark/screenshot this page and keep it accessible because you are going to want to check that you're doing these three things in each entry that you write.

  1. Use complete sentences. This is not a resume. You might have done an activity log when presenting your candidacy to your pre-med committee. That will be an excellent resource, but it's probably not polished, and these entries must be.

  2. Go beyond the "what." Don't just describe a job you did. Share details about how this experience challenged, changed, or motivated you. Through anecdotes, show the qualities that medical schools are looking for, which include leadership and critical thinking abilities, empathy, strong communication skills, resilience, intellectual curiosity, and maturity.

  3. Utilize your space well. For general entries, you'll have 700 characters with spaces to tell your story. Aim to max out that character count. Each experience should warrant it—700 is not that many characters. For the Most Meaningful entries, you'll have 700 characters with spaces, followed by an additional 1,325 with spaces. If you come up short on either section of the Most Meaningful entries, don't worry about it, so long as you have something compelling in each section.

Your Round One MBA Application Timeline: Fall 2025

MBA Round One application deadlines will be released this summer, but It’s never too early to create your business school application strategy. We’ll share Apply Point's ideal schedule in posts throughout this week.

September - October 2025

  • Submit your applications no later than the deadline (confirm the submission time and time zone).  

  • Update your social media accounts to ensure that your profiles reflect you in a positive and appropriate way.

September-December 2025

  • Prepare for and participate in interviews. Your brainstorming document will continue to be useful here. Interviews are a great way for the admissions committee to get to know you as a person (beyond your application) and for you to learn more about a program’s student experience, experiential learning opportunities, and/or alumni network.

Your Round One MBA Application Timeline: Summer 2025

MBA Round One application deadlines will be released this summer, but It’s never too early to create your business school application strategy. We’ll share Apply Point's ideal schedule in posts throughout this week.

June 2025

  • Be all about GMAT / GRE preparation. Take a prep course and/or work with a tutor to prepare for the test. 

  • Reach out to your recommenders. We'd like you to get two letters of recommendation, one from a current supervisor (if possible) and another from a supervisor who can speak to your performance in full-time post-baccalaureate employment.  

  • Visit MBA programs of interest, and gain an understanding of their offerings and how they align with your goals. 

  • Continue keeping a journal. This is repetitive for a reason—never stop doing this. It is so helpful. 

July 2025

  • Take the GMAT or GRE.

  • Finalize your school list. You want a hearty list of "I could go here" schools and you’ll ultimately want to apply to between six and eight schools. 

  • Move all of your journaled experiences into a brainstorming document. 

  • Update your resume to showcase the results you’ve achieved and impact you’ve had. 

August 2025

  • Request your transcripts—and this includes those from schools abroad. 

  • Start drafting your essays. This is going to take a while. If you blast through them all in one week, you haven't done it right. Give yourself time for outlining, writing, revisions, and re-writing. 

  • Fill out the school applications. 

  • Follow up with your recommenders to ensure that they have plans to submit their Letters of Recommendation prior to the deadlines.

Your Round One MBA Application Timeline: Never Too Early

MBA Round One application deadlines will be released this summer, but It’s never too early to create your business school application strategy. We’ll share Apply Point's ideal schedule in posts throughout this week.

Never too early 

  • If you haven't connected with us yet, do it as soon as you can. We can guide you on school selection, provide an initial assessment of your transcripts and work experience, and advise you on ways to bolster your candidacy. 

  • Solidify your plans to take the GMAT or GRE. Taking your standardized test in the spring or early summer before your application deadline gives you some wiggle room if you must retake it. The latest you should retake this test is two weeks prior to the application submission date. We recommend no later than mid-August for Round One applicants and December for Round Two applicants.  

  • Start a journal. You'll raid your journal for details for your School-Specific Essays and, later, for interview preparation. Make notes on your current experiences as they happen and past ones whenever you have a moment to ponder them. You can keep a paper or digital diary or even record audio and text notes on your phone as they come to you, and organize them into a document later. (You will eventually want all of your experiences in one place.) 

  • Gain meaningful professional experiences and seek out leadership opportunities in internship and/or volunteer settings. 

The 2025-2026 Allopathic Medical School Application Overview: Medical School Interviews

If you’re looking to start medical school in the Fall of 2026, now is the time to get started with the application process! Throughout this week, we’ll post blogs that focus on each component of the application and provide suggested timing and resources.

Medical School Interviews: 

Fall 2025 through Spring 2026 (by invitation only)

Many applicants receive invitations to interview following their submission of secondary applications and/or CASPer or Preview Exam scores. Schedule yours as early as possible. And before solidifying your travel plans, you should contact nearby schools to which you’ve applied and let them know you have an interview in the area in case they have availability. This serves the dual purpose of letting the other school know that you are “in demand,” while also showcasing your strong interest in their program.

Review our blog posts on medical school interviews:

The 2025-2026 Allopathic Medical School Application Overview: Secondary Applications

If you’re looking to start medical school in the Fall of 2026, now is the time to get started with the application process! Throughout this week, we’ll post blogs that focus on each component of the application and provide suggested timing and resources.

Secondary Applications:

Submit within two weeks of receipt. 

Secondary applications are typically sent between June and August, although they can come later depending upon the timing of your AMCAS submission. Many schools will not review your application file until you have submitted your secondary application. And, because most schools review applications on a rolling basis, and invite applicants to interview accordingly, it is important to send in your secondary application materials promptly, which we define as within two weeks of receipt. 

Additionally, because many of the schools will use at least some of the same prompts, you can start preparing responses to the most commonly asked questions as soon as you’ve submitted your AMCAS application. 

Review our blog post on common secondary application questions. 

The 2025-2026 Allopathic Medical School Application Overview: AMCAS Application

If you’re looking to start medical school in the Fall of 2026, now is the time to get started with the application process! Throughout this week, we’ll post blogs that focus on each component of the application and provide suggested timing and resources.

AMCAS Application: 

Submit no later than mid-June.

  • The AMCAS application opens and will be available here on May 1, 2025.

  • The first date to submit the AMCAS application is May 27, 2025.

  • The first date that processed applications will be released to medical schools is June 27, 2025.

We recommend that you submit your application in early to mid-June because your application will go through a verification process prior to the data being released to medical schools. This can take anywhere from a couple of weeks early in the process, to over a month during peak application submission periods. Note, in order to complete verification, your application must contain your official transcript, so request this document as well as your letters of recommendation a month or two before your planned submission date (by early April). You also want to submit your AMCAS application early because this step triggers schools to send out secondary application materials, either automatically, or after a pre-screen of your application. 

Review our blog posts on the AMCAS application:

The 2025-2026 Allopathic Medical School Application: An Overview with Suggested Timing

If you’re looking to start medical school in the Fall of 2026, now is the time to get started with the application process! Applying to medical school is arduous, but proper planning can reduce your stress and help you to maintain a manageable task load. Throughout this week, we’ll post blogs that focus on each component of the application and provide suggested timing and resources.

The four components of the medical school application include:

  • Standardized tests: MCAT and Situational Judgment Exams

  • AMCAS application 

  • Secondary Applications

  • Interviews

Standardized Tests:

MCAT: Your MCAT scores are typically valid for three years prior to matriculation, and you can take the exam up to three times.

  • Register: Select your preferred date, as well as a few alternative dates that would work. You can register for the test here. The ten-day deadline prior to the test is your last opportunity to schedule, reschedule, or cancel.

  • Prep: Start preparing for the MCAT at least six months prior to your planned test date. And sit for the exam no later than May 23, 2025 (scores released June 24th): This will avoid application delays. Keep in mind that we recommend that you take your exam by mid-April so that you can re-direct your attention to preparing the AMCAS application. 

Review our blog posts on the MCAT:

Situational Judgment Exams: There are two exams (CASPer and AAMC’s PREview) that fall under this umbrella. Depending upon the specific application requirements at the schools where you apply, you may need to take one, or possibly both. Currently, CASPer is the most commonly required of the two. 

CASPer: This test gauges your ability to critically evaluate complex scenarios and employ sound judgment and communication skills. Not all medical schools require applicants to take the CASPer, however, a growing number of allopathic and osteopathic programs do, currently over 50. Your CASPer score is generally only valid for one application cycle. 

The CASPer score is often requested alongside your secondary application or prior to an invitation to interview. Opting to take the test earlier in the cycle, rather than later, will allow you to have your scores readily available when requested, meaning that you can dedicate that time to preparing your secondary application materials or for mock interviews. It will also ensure that your application is not delayed as you wait for your scores.

Review our blog post on CASPer.

AAMC’s PREview Exam: Similar to the CASPer, the Preview exam gauges professional readiness by assessing your judgment in nine competency areas identified as critical for medical school success. It is unique in that it was created specifically for use in medical school admissions. Currently, only ten allopathic schools require the Preview exam, while an additional 14 allopathic schools and three DO programs recommend it.

  • Register: Find instructions for registering for the test here. You are able to reschedule your test up to 24 hours prior to your scheduled test time. Be sure to sit for the exam during the spring or summer of 2025.

  • Prep: Familiarize yourself with the test format and content before you take the exam. Once you have registered for the test, you will gain access to an exam tutorial. 

Review our blog post on the AAMC PREview Exam.

Are You a Pre-Med Struggling With a “Should-I” Question? We’re Here to Help. (Part 3)

If you’re planning to apply to medical school, you likely have a few “Should-I” questions on your mind. Stay tuned, as this week we’ll review the three most common pre-med questions and provide guidance and related resources.

Should I Take a Gap Year?

Maybe. In 2019, 43.9% of matriculating medical students had taken a gap year or two before medical school, according to the AAMC. You might even take a longer pause. Fun fact: The average age of a 2021 Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania matriculant was 24—ranging between 21 and 30. 

So, why might you want to take some time between undergrad and med school? You can use a gap year to beef up your transcript with a post-bacc or master's degree. Or you might take a break from academics to immerse yourself in a clinical or research experience. 

If you're light on clinical or research experience, we highly recommend a gap year. Longer-term clinical and research roles will teach you things a short stint cannot. And, if you work full-time in a clinical or research environment, that will further enhance your candidacy. 

Maybe you want to put away more money before attending medical school. Never a bad idea. Whatever work you do—it doesn’t have to be medical, you could be a bond trader or consultant—should challenge you in the areas of leadership, critical and creative thinking, and problem-solving. This is a transferable skill set to medical school and residency. What a gap year cannot be: A year of nothing but MCAT prep and vacation. Schools need to know you can handle multiple priorities and that you value learning and helping others.

Related:

Blog Series: Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School

Clinical Experiences that Medical Schools Love

How to Find Clinical Experiences for Your Gap Year(s)

Are You a Pre-Med Struggling With a “Should-I” Question? We’re Here to Help. (Part 2)

If you’re planning to apply to medical school, you likely have a few “Should-I” questions on your mind. Stay tuned, as this week we’ll review the three most common pre-med questions and provide guidance and related resources.

Should I Apply Early Decision? 

We rarely advise clients to apply early decision. Not only do you have to be 100% ready to commit to the school where you apply early if admitted, but you must be an absolute all-star. If you’re an average applicant, you will not improve your chances of admission. If you want to apply for early decision, August 1st is the Early Decision Program (EDP) deadline for all medical schools that use the AMCAS submission system. (And most do.) The EDP will tell you if you were accepted or not by October 1st, so you will still have time to apply to other medical schools if you’re rejected.

Are You a Pre-Med Struggling With a “Should-I” Question? We’re Here to Help. (Part 1)

If you’re planning to apply to medical school, you likely have a few “Should-I” questions on your mind. Stay tuned, as this week we’ll review the three most common pre-med questions and provide guidance and related resources.

Should I Take the MCAT again? 

We recommend taking the MCAT a maximum of three times—really, you should aim for two. (Medical schools prefer it.) "Since this exam’s introduction in 2015, the vast majority of examinees (just under 95%) have tested at most once or twice," reported the AAMC. "About 5% have tested three times.”

Data from the AAMC suggests that the longer the time between your first and second exam, the bigger the point gain. Many factors likely play into this, one of them is as simple as completing helpful college courses. 

You can take the MCAT seven times in your lifetime. The cap is three times in one calendar year and four times across two calendar years. There is no uniform way that schools handle multiple MCAT scores. Some will take your highest, others your most recent, others an average of your scores. So, if you scored really well on test one, you might do better to leave that score alone. But generally, we do recommend taking the test twice because it’s very likely that you’ll be able to improve your score by at least a couple of points.

Related: 

Key Considerations Before Retaking the MCAT 

Preparing for the MCAT: Tips and Advice from an Expert

Keys to a Great Relationship with Your Pre-Health Advisor: Be Strategic

A pre-med/pre-health advisor can be an invaluable resource. But, to make the most of your advisor relationship—you must invest in it. This week, we’re sharing our top tips for making the most of your relationship with your pre-health advisor. 

Make the most of your time together. Create an agenda for each meeting so that you can address all of your open items and use your time efficiently. In advance of the meeting, update your application timeline and resume, share any key goals or questions that you’d like to discuss during the meeting, and follow-up after meetings with any outstanding actions or questions. 

Keys to a Great Relationship with Your Pre-Health Advisor: Avail Yourself of All the Resources

A pre-med/pre-health advisor can be an invaluable resource. But, to make the most of your advisor relationship—you must invest in it. This week, we’re sharing our top tips for making the most of your relationship with your pre-health advisor. 

Avail yourself of all the possible resources. Take advantage of other resources that your school provides to help you stay informed and up-to-date on the medical school application process. Sign up for pre-health newsletters, digital resources, and/or clubs. You can then use your meetings with your advisor for more personalized guidance.

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