Top Ten Tips. MBA Behavioral Interviews

If you’ve been invited to interview at any or all of the schools on your list, congratulations! Now, it is time to begin preparing. See below for a list of our top ten interview tips:

1. Upon receiving the invitation, schedule the interview as soon as possible. This will enable you to avoid scheduling conflicts and select the time of day when you have the most energy and the fewest distractions. 

2. Read all you can about the program, and follow them on social media to stay abreast of their latest announcements, research findings, and other content. If possible, schedule an in-person visit prior to the interview, which often will include a tour, class observation, and lunch with current students. Talk to current or former students already in your network to gain insight on the interview process and other aspects of their MBA experience. 

3. Review your application and think through how you will succinctly, yet cohesively, explain your path to this point. What have been some of your most meaningful experiences that reinforced your interest in the study of business? You will likely receive some introductory question(s), which will require a three-minute elevator-pitch response, as well as several others that will require you to back up claims you make about your abilities in the areas of innovation, leadership, and teamwork with specific examples from your professional life. 

4. Convince them that their program is at the perfect intersection of where you’ve been and where you want to go. Be sure you can speak about specific courses, professors, case competitions, experiential learning opportunities, etc. that interest you most.  And explain why, citing some of your past experiences and/or future goals.  Remember, depth is better than breadth.  We would rather you explain at length one or two specifics that really set the program apart for you, than briefly mention seven to ten.

5. Prepare to weave into your responses what you will be able to offer the school. Make it clear how your experiences and interests, personal and professional, will benefit the school and create a stronger, more diverse MBA class and alumni base.

6. Think through your biggest career successes and failures, and consider what you learned from both. When answering a question about one of your failures, spend only 20 percent of the response on the situation and mistake. The rest of your response should be devoted to the actions you took to gain a better understanding and improve, and what you learned as a result.

7. Determine if there are any red flags in your application and, if so, craft a response that addresses the issue without making excuses. For example, if asked about the ‘C’ you received in Calculus your sophomore year, discuss what you have done to improve your quantitative ability since then, and make mention of those specific areas in your transcript and post-baccalaureate experience that are more indicative of your ability to compete in a rigorous academic environment.  

8. Stay current on domestic and international news. The Economist is wonderful, one of our favorite publications. You will also want to be aware of any news related to your current company, industry, and desired career path as these are great areas from which your interviewer may draw questions.  Setting up Google alerts for key phrases related to your company and industry will also help ensure you’re up to date.

9. Prepare three questions, which demonstrate your knowledge of and enthusiasm for the program, to ask the interviewer at the end of your session.

10. Compose a hand-written thank you note and snail mail it to your interviewer. In the note, thank them for their time, reiterate your interest in the school with specifics, make note of something memorable you spoke about during the interview, and, if applicable, make the yield protection statement (If admitted, I will attend.).

How to Use Community Service Experiences to Enhance Your MBA Application: Answering Your FAQs

Your MBA application should showcase the full range of your interests, abilities, and experiences. In addition to your academic and professional life, how you spend your free time can be telling. Today, we’re addressing our most frequently asked questions about how to incorporate community service into your MBA application.

I volunteered a lot in college, but I haven’t had much time to do so since I started working. Should I include those older experiences in my MBA application?

Your MBA application can include any experiences from the start of college onwards. Do keep in mind that the significance of your contribution matters. Participating in one “walk against hunger” your sophomore year will not carry the same weight as spearheading an initiative or raising a significant amount of money. Again, emphasize depth over breadth.

I am working constantly and don’t have time to volunteer right now. Should I try to fit something into my schedule?

Community service can enhance your application, but it is not a deal-breaker if you don’t have it. That being said, don’t forget to consider any volunteering you’ve done as a part of your company. Many firms include community service as a component of the performance framework. So, if you routinely help organize your company’s “dress for success” program, make note of that. 

I don’t volunteer for a nonprofit organization, but I do serve on committees at my workplace. Should I include this in my application?

Yes. Think about all that you do within your workplace that falls beyond the scope of your professional responsibilities. Are you a member of the holiday party steering committee? Or a participant on a DEI initiative? Those activities that go beyond your role are opportunities to demonstrate leadership, innovation, teamwork, and a commitment to giving back to and bettering your workplace.  

How to Use Community Service Experiences to Enhance Your MBA Application

Your MBA application should showcase the full range of your interests, abilities, and experiences. In addition to your academic and professional life, how you spend your free time can be telling. But before you run out and sign up for various volunteering gigs, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

• Show commitment and continuity. If you had experiences in college with a particular organization, say supporting the environment or working with the homeless population, you may want to pick up a role with a similar organization locally. Spend time on a cause you really care about. 

• Prioritize depth over breadth. A years-long involvement or considerable weekly time commitment with one organization is preferable to brief interactions working on a large number of causes. You will have more opportunity to make an impact.

• Flex different skills. Volunteer organizations are an excellent place to apply skills you may not yet demonstrate professionally. If you think your resume (or current position) is lacking in experiences that demonstrate leadership, innovation and/or teamwork, see if you can gain that experience in a volunteer setting. Entry-level professional roles typically don’t involve much people management, however, leading a non-profit initiative or committee often does! 

Check back tomorrow as we address FAQs related to community service and the MBA application.

Your Law School Application Resume: Don’t Forget the Basics

Yesterday we posted about the importance of focusing on results in your resume. Here are a few more important elements to keep top of mind while you’re crafting your resume.

Don’t forget to…

Keep it relevant. Your resume should only include experiences from the start of college onward, and should showcase your abilities in critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and/or teamwork.

Review the Guidance. Some law schools instruct you to “submit a resume,” while others such as Yale Law School, provide unique specifications for your “activities section” submission. Review the school’s admissions page to confirm any instructions including format and/or page limits. If the school does not provide formatting guidance, you should keep it simple. Opt for left-justified text in an easy-to-read font—we prefer Garamond—sized between 10 and 12. 

Use proper grammar. Even the best writers can get worked up about creating resume text. Don’t overthink it. Make use of active verbs to showcase your contributions. Use proper punctuation and the appropriate tense (present for current activities, past for past activities). And do not lean on corporate jargon, rather you will want to ensure that you explain what you did and your results in a way that a classmate would understand.

Your Law School Application Resume: Focus on the Results

In contrast to your personal statement, which should be a deep-dive into a few pivotal stories from your life, your resume should showcase the breadth of your experiences and accomplishments. But remember, it should not merely communicate what you did in each role and extracurricular endeavor; each entry should explore WHY what you did and accomplished was so significant to you and/or your team and/or the organization as a whole. What results did you achieve? What impact did you have? What did you learn?

Law school resumes should include the following components and be no longer than one page:

1. Education. List all the universities you attended (including study abroad experiences) and the degrees you obtained. Include a bulleted list in the Education section of internships and extracurricular involvements you participated in while in college. And be sure to note any scholarships, awards, or honors you received. If you published a thesis, you can include that here too.

2. Work Experience. If you’re applying to law school directly out of your undergraduate studies, you may not have a lot of work experience and this is to be expected. Your work experiences should include summer jobs, internships, fellowships, and/or TA positions that you held during college, as well as any post-graduate employment. Use results-oriented bullets to describe your responsibilities and outcomes, and highlight any progression in responsibility. Elaborate on the impact you’ve had and/or the lessons you’ve learned. Also note any awards and/or honors you received.

3. Additional Information. This section can include significant extracurricular and charitable involvements, languages you speak, as well as any noteworthy skills, certifications, and/or memberships.

Check back tomorrow for additional guidance on crafting your resume.

Writing your MIT Sloan Pre-Interview Essay Submission

Those invited to interview at MIT Sloan will be asked to answer the following questions and submit their responses 24 hours prior to the interview:

• The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice. In 250 words or less, please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse.

• We are interested in learning more about how you use data to make decisions and analyze results. Please select one of the following prompts to respond to:

  • Please select an existing data visualization and in 250 words or less explain why it matters to you. The data visualization should be uploaded as a PDF. Examples may come from current events, a business analysis, or personal research.

  • In 250 words or less, please describe a recent data driven decision you had to make, and include one slide presenting your analysis. The slide may include a data visualization example and should present data used in a professional context. Your slide must be uploaded as a PDF.

The interview process is about getting to know applicants more thoroughly. The first question provides you with an opportunity to not only demonstrate that your values match those of MIT Sloan, but that you are willing to proactively work to put those values into action during your business school tenure. The second question allows you to submit proof of your analytical skills and showcase your comfort working with data and using it to drive decision-making.

Your Strategy: Your response to the first question should examine how you will demonstrate leadership in creating a diverse environment and promoting wellbeing among your peers. Focus on a specific example from your past professional experience to demonstrate your ability to cultivate a positive culture. Use the SAR (Situation, Action, Response) model. Spend about 20 percent of your response on the situation, and the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took and what resulted/what you learned. And be sure to clearly link the perspective you gained from this experience to what you hope to accomplish at Sloan.

In the second question, you will want to demonstrate your comfort with using data to tell a story, draw conclusions, and make decisions. If you opt to share a data visualization, clearly state the reasoning for the data visualization, the story or hypothesis you are looking to understand via the data, and why it is meaningful to you. You may want to visit the MIT Data Visualization project page to see current research projects, and gather inspiration. If you opt to submit a professional power point slide showing a data-based decision, ensure that your slide is simple, easy to read, and clearly describes your analysis, assumptions, and conclusions. Then, use your supplemental essay to expand upon each of these areas including the sources of the data, why you analyzed it in the way that you did (and, if applicable, why you did not use other analysis methods), the basis for your assumptions, and how you came to the conclusion that you did (including additional data that would help you to confirm your decision).

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Keep it Tight

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Keep it tight. Focus only on the experiences, sentences, and words that you absolutely need to support your argument and demonstrate your growth in the piece. You want to go deep, not broad. Adding in additional stories can distract the reader, and potentially lose them. Once you have demonstrated growth and made your argument, your personal statement is complete. Fight the urge to turn it into an autobiography or a resume.

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Keep the Audience in Mind

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Don’t forget your audience. Your memoir should hit on universal themes that are relatable to the reader. When you’re writing, and more importantly editing and rewriting, keep in mind how your audience will take in what you’re saying. Did you provide enough detail of the experiences to show growth and to make your argument? Did you provide too much or extraneous detail? Were you vulnerable and honest in your writing? 

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Deploy Details

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Think small. Memoir requires that you share your growth with the audience, which can be done effectively by incorporating small details. Smith notes the power of observation for showing the reader your journey to transcendence. She writes, “Never forget about the small stuff and how it reveals the big stuff of life.” Small details also create a relationship with your reader, drawing them into the experience. 

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Structure

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway daily from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto.

Structure. Memoir is created out of three components. Prior to writing, sit down and consider the building blocks of your piece.

1) What is this about (think: universal, e.g., connecting with and empowering your team, trying and trying again to find the right approach to solve a complex problem)?

2) What is your argument (something that you learned based on your experience)?

3) What experiences from your life will you deploy to prove your argument? 

Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement: Lessons from Memoir Writing

A memoir requires more than a recounting of events from your life. Rather, you must show the reader that you’ve experienced transcendence. Marion Roach Smith calls it the “golden rule” of memoir. She writes, “Memoir is not about what you did. Memoir is about what you did with it.” The experience is not the focus or the reason for the writing, just the vessel for sharing a more universal learning with your audience. 

Smith expands this thought when she writes, “Specifically memoir is a promise from me that I experienced something, I’ve given some real thought to it and now know what it is, and now I am going to share what I now know with you. The promise is not that I am going to recreate the experience or make you relive it with me.” 

This approach also aligns with what admissions committees are seeking in your personal statement. From your past experiences, they want to learn more about your potential and character. Show them how a recent discovery helped you evolve, how you’ve refined your abilities in innovation and/or leadership, and/or teamwork. Prove to them that you are ready to pursue a graduate education and career path.

Over the next four days, we’ll highlight one takeaway from Marion Roach Smith’s approach to memoir that will help you craft a strong personal statement. Check in daily. Also, be sure to check out her memoir manifesto. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Ethical Behavior

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Ethical behavior. Law schools are highly-attuned to the character of applicants. You'll need to answer character and fitness questions honestly and thoroughly, of course. But admissions committees will also carefully review your application materials to ensure that you employ integrity and ethical decision-making. They want to see that you are a responsible, principled person. Share a story that exemplifies that you understand the importance of character in academic, social, and professional settings.

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Persistence

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Persistence. Law school and the practice of law require commitment, fortitude, and tenacity. Show the admissions committee that you are up to the challenge by providing examples of previous situations in which you worked steadfastly towards a goal, despite setbacks or failures. Show your ability to face adversity and get things done. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Collaboration

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Collaborative abilities. Law school and the practice of law are often team endeavors. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to work with others to accomplish a common goal. Consider the role you play within a group and how you help bring out the best in other team members. What has working in teams taught you about yourself? Law schools are looking for a diverse range of students. You don’t need to be the captain of a sports team or a club president to be a highly-effective and persuasive leader. Rather, you need to be able to articulate how your influence and openness promote the best outcome(s) in a collaborative environment. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Critical Thinking

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Critical thinking. Law schools look for students who are adept at problem-solving. In Psychology Today, Christopher Dwyer, Ph.D., Assistant Lecturer in Applied Psychology at the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland, wrote that critical thinking is the process of using analysis, evaluation, and inference to derive a conclusion. Show that you employ this process when making decisions or handling a problem. Demonstrate your ability to combine and review disparate pieces of information to examine a situation and come to a conclusion. 

Qualities that Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Intellectual Curiosity

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Intellectual curiosity. Law school is academically rigorous, and schools want students who can not only handle the workload but elevate the classroom discourse by engaging deeply with the material and concepts. Just demonstrating a record of academic success is not enough. Rather, you will want to show the admissions committee examples of situations where you went beyond what was required to better comprehend a topic. Show your commitment to asking questions, taking on additional research, and seeking out learning opportunities. Keep in mind that you can demonstrate intellectual curiosity in an academic environment but also beyond it – at work or in your participation with a charity or hobby. 

Overcoming Loneliness

In our next Emotional Intelligence (EI) Friday blog series, we will examine loneliness by considering research on social isolation in the workplace. We will discuss who is affected, the psychological effects of prolonged loneliness, and how you can support yourself or others who may need your help. We hope you enjoy this three-part series.

Click here to read Part 1 of this series. 

Click here to read Part 2 of this series.

So, what should you do if you are experiencing loneliness? Being aware of the dangers of prolonged loneliness is a starter. Below, we have also compiled suggestions for keeping loneliness at bay, for yourself or within your workplace or network.

1. Take cues from your loneliness. If you feel lonely at work or in your personal life, act on the emotional prompt! Do not ignore the feeling or focus on work to the detriment of your own professional, social, and physical well-being. Consider how you can find more consistent person-to-person interaction. If you work remotely or travel frequently, think about facilitating work discussions over video conference or the phone rather than relying on email or instant messaging.

2. Form personal relationships. While you’re at work, speak to people and don’t allow yourself to rely solely on emails or other technology to communicate. Ask people about their lives outside work and tell them about yours. Leave your desk to have lunch and invite someone to walk and/or eat with you. Take the occasional coffee break with peers. Join office committees or participate in community service activities. In the Work Connectivity survey, almost three-fourths of Gen Z and just under 70 percent of Millennials say that they would be more inclined to stay with their company if they had more friends. As a manager working to staunch loneliness on your team, Barsade and Ozcelik warn against falling into inauthentic means of relationship-building such as holiday parties or company picnics. Relationships are built in small groups by people sharing about their lives. Large parties often result in people feeling more isolated as they witness the socially connected enjoying the event.

3. Find shared meaning. According to a Harvard Business Review study, finding shared meaning with colleagues—understanding the meaning that they derive from the work and connecting it with the meaning that you find in the work—creates meaningful “social cohesion” and insulates team members from feeling isolated. This also addresses Barsade and Ozcelik’s point about the meaning and identity that younger generations are looking for in their careers. Younger generations are seeking to be part of something bigger, not just to receive a paycheck. This may also provide a way to connect with others when there are not obvious shared interests or a foundation for a relationship.

4. Work for companies and managers who take their emotional culture seriously. Some companies have cultures that are more prone to driving isolation than others. Consider this as you look for jobs. Do the employees seem connected beyond meeting corporate goals? Do they seem to know and care for each other on a more personal level? “Mandy O’Neill (management professor, George Mason University) and I have done some work in emotional culture—the norms around what emotions you’re allowed to express at work and what you’re better off suppressing. We found that in emotional cultures of companionate love [that include] care, compassion, and tenderness, even lonely employees were more likely to be perceived as approachable and committed to the organization… Anything that a manager can do in terms of creating a culture that sends out cues that are supportive is helpful,” Barsade said. When interviewing, look for signs that your manager and co-workers will be interested in forming real relationships with you that extend beyond your work together.

Top Qualities Business School Admissions Committees are Looking for in Your MBA Application

At Apply Point, we often remind our applicants that MBA programs are looking for individuals, not just resumes. Admissions committees want to understand the full spectrum of experiences that have led you to this point of your life and career, and have informed your future goals. But while you brainstorm, in addition to poignant personal experiences, be sure to keep in mind the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. 

Leadership. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to influence a team in order to accomplish a common goal. And keep in mind that there are many ways to demonstrate effective leadership. You don’t need to be the captain of a sports team or a club president to be an inspirational and persuasive leader. 

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? What did you learn that you will incorporate into your leadership style in the future?

Teamwork. Conducting business is a team endeavor. Accordingly, business school is a highly collaborative place where you will spend a lot of your team working together with your classmates. Highlight instances where you have shown humility and elevated the voices of others. 

During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others successfully? 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? Have you had experiences with teams that were unsuccessful? What did you learn (remember: failures can provide great insight too!)?

Innovation. The pace of change in business continues to speed up and business schools are looking for students who demonstrate skills in both critical and creative thinking and problem solving. 

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? What did you learn? How did you feel?

Integrity and a sense of community. Many leading business schools have missions that include educating principled leaders who will make a positive difference in the world. Business schools are, now more than ever, highly-attuned to applicants’ integrity and sense of civic responsibility. 

In what meaningful experiences did you elevate a community that you were a part of? What effect did you have on others? What effect did they have on you? What have you learned about finding common ground with those who are different from you?  What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Law School Early Decision: What You Need to Know

Due to the rolling admissions at most law schools, prospective law students should submit their application materials as early as possible in the admissions cycle. But, if early is good, is early decision even better? Well… it’s complicated.

Submitting an early decision application is an appealing choice. Generally, the applicant pool is smaller. Classes are still open and waiting to be filled. Admissions officers provide expedited decisions, which can relieve a lot of stress. And, it provides the applicant a chance to demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm for the program, which can be highly beneficial. However, despite these positives, there are some complexities to consider. 

Early decision applications are (almost always) binding. If you are admitted to a law school early decision, you agree to withdraw all other applications and enroll. There is no leeway. It doesn’t matter if you were also accepted to the dream school that you thought you’d never get into or if your financing falls through and you find yourself in need of merit-based scholarship money. And, for the most part, if an applicant applies early-decision they forego the possibility of receiving any scholarships.  This is because they have already agreed to attend if admitted.  The school doesn’t have to woo them with money. 

We’ve summarized the pros and cons to applying early decision below:  

Pros

• Applying early decision will place you in a smaller “yield protection” applicant pool than applying regular decision. This can advantage you if you’re seeking to gain access to a “reach” school, as you have clearly demonstrated a commitment to the program and will definitely attend if admitted. Schools are always interested in protecting their yield. Do note that some schools grant automatic scholarships to all students admitted early decision, which increases the competitiveness of their early decision round (Northwestern and Berkley). 

• If you have a slightly lower than a school’s average GPA or LSAT score, applying early decision may help you to gain admittance to a school you may not have otherwise. 

• You will receive an expedited response—an accept, reject, or move to the regular decision pool. If you are moved into the regular decision pool, your preference for the program, shown through your initial early decision application, may benefit you as schools are looking for applicants who will accept their admission offers. 

Cons

• Early decision deadlines come… early. So you will need to finalize all of your application materials, which includes recommendations and test scores, earlier. For most early decision deadlines, you’ll need to complete the LSAT/GRE by October (confirm the deadlines on the school admissions page). 

• By committing to the law school, you are giving up your ability to negotiate for scholarships. In fact, we recommend that you do not apply early decision if financial assistance is an important factor for you. This is unless you are applying to one of the programs (Northwestern Pritzker or Berkeley) that award assistance to all early decision admittances, and you are comfortable with that financial award. 

• You may not be able to defer your matriculation to the school, if admitted via early decision. If the option to defer is important to you, confirm with the admissions office their policy on early decision deferrals prior to submitting your application. 

• You cannot change your mind. Your admissions decision is binding (you are contractually obligated to withdraw your other applications) and you must matriculate at the school if you receive an early decision acceptance…even if you find out that you’ve been accepted to a more appealing program. 

The bottom line is that applying early decision requires a great deal of commitment on your part. While it can bolster your chances for admission in some cases, you want to be 100 percent sure that you would attend a particular program regardless of financial aid. 

Applying to Both Allopathic and Osteopathic Medical Programs? Here’s What You Need to Know.

If you’re a prospective medical student, particularly one interested in primary care, it’s a good idea to consider osteopathic medical programs in addition to allopathic ones. While many students grow up dreaming of an MD behind their name, osteopathic medicine continues to grow in popularity. One in four medical students in the United States attends an osteopathic program, according to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). 

The program requirements for MD and DO programs are similar, although osteopathic students are required to take an additional 200 hours of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) training, which focuses on the spine, bones, and muscles. “Osteopathic physicians use all of the tools and technology available to modern medicine with the added benefits of a holistic philosophy and a system of hands-on diagnosis and treatment known as osteopathic manipulative medicine. Doctors of osteopathic medicine emphasize helping each person achieve a high level of wellness by focusing on health education, injury prevention, and disease prevention,” the AACOM says.

Additionally, while osteopathic programs are highly competitive, entrants typically have slightly lower GPAs and MCAT scores than their allopathic counterparts.

Mean GPA and MCAT scores for Entering 2023: Osteopathic Students:

• Overall GPA: 3.61

• Science: 3.52

• Non-Science: 3.71

• Overall MCAT: 503.9

• Psychological, Social, and Bio: 126.9

• Bio and Biochemical: 126.1

• Chemical and Physical: 125.7

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning: 125.2

Mean GPA and MCAT scores for Entering 2023 Allopathic Students:

• Overall GPA: 3.77

• Science: 3.71

• Non-Science: 3.85

• Overall MCAT: 511.7

• Psychological, Social, and Bio: 128.9

• Bio and Biochemical: 128.1

• Chemical and Physical: 127.8

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning: 127.0

Recipients of both degrees have similarly high residency match rates (over 90 percent for both in 2023), though DOs tend to specialize in primary care at higher rates. In May 2021, the AOA’s Physician Masterfile reported that 56.5% of osteopathic doctors (DOs) practiced primary care (including specialties like obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics). And in 2022, nine colleges of osteopathic medicine were in U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top 10 schools with the most graduates practicing primary care. 

Among the more competitive specialties, MDs continue to outnumber DOs in residency placement. But DOs can increase their competitiveness by taking the USMLE (MD accreditation) in addition to the COMLEX (DO accreditation). 

Sounds appealing? Here’s what to keep in mind for your DO application:

• Submit your AMCAS and secondary applications first. Then, turn to your osteopathic applications (AACOMAS), which you’ll want to submit by October. 

• Spend at least 20 hours working alongside a DO and ensure your application demonstrates your understanding of and motivation to pursue a career in osteopathic medicine.

• Request a recommendation letter from a DO. 

• Review the guidelines for any program where you would be considered in-state, as some schools must admit a certain percentage of in-state students.

• Review the residency placements for the DO programs you are considering to ensure the school’s placements align with your goals.