Your Medical School Application: Win the Waiting Game

After you’ve submitted your medical school application and/or completed your interview, you’ll want to be proactive as you wait for a school's decision. In the weeks after your interview, for example—say, two to three weeks in—you should send a letter reiterating your interest to keep the admissions office thinking about you. 

Here are your choices:

The Update Letter. 

We're going to go ahead and say that you should send an update letter to every school where you’ve interviewed, unless you absolutely hated one or two and are confident that you'll get in elsewhere. You should also be writing to schools you’ve yet to hear from to remind them that you’re eager to connect. 

You want to send a maximum of two Update Letters over a six to 10-week period that reiterate your interest in each school with program-specific details. And only send letters that include a substantive accomplishment. If you don’t think you have one—you do! You just have to find it. We like these examples of accomplishments that one might include in an Update Letter: 

• "Since submitting my application, I have increased my overall GPA to 3.8, earning an A+ in Biochemistry." 

• "As I mentioned during my interview, I began an internship doing clinical research at My Local Hospital in October. In the ensuing weeks, I have pre-screened 75 potential study subjects, gaining valuable research and patient-facing experience." 

• "Since applying, I gave a poster presentation on a novel postpartum hemorrhage treatment at The Very Cool National Conference." 

The Letter of Intent.

If a school is a top contender for you, go a step beyond an Update Letter, and send a Letter of Intent. Send a Letter of Intent one or two weeks after your interview or the instant you have been waitlisted. Your letter should include relevant updates since you submitted your application (what you'd put in an Update Letter). Plus, a reiteration of your interest in the program with shoutouts to favorite offerings. Be specific about why you are interested in the medical school and try to relate those interests to your background, accomplishments, and goals. Have you worked on a study that relates to something happening in one of their labs? Do you want to be a pediatric surgeon and they are affiliated with one of the best children's hospitals in the country? Tell them. 

And finally—and this is what makes a Letter of Intent different from an Update Letter—include the yield protection statement: "If admitted I will attend." Keep it tight. No more than one page. Three paragraphs, max. 

Medical schools have several reasons for wanting to accept people whom they know will attend. First, they want enthusiastic students who will add to the morale of the student body. They also like to know, especially as the date of matriculation nears, that the applicant they accept will attend because no medical school wants an open seat on the first day of classes. Finally, medical schools like the percentage of accepted applicants who matriculate to be as high as possible since this reflects the desirability of the medical school. (That's their "yield percentage" stat.)

The Quasi-Letter of Intent. 

Along with your updates, you can also tell up to two schools: "I will likely attend" or "X school is one of my top choices." But ensure that your language is tight. You can only send an "I will attend" letter to your top choice school.

Logic Games to be Removed from the LSAT Next Summer

Next August, the LSAT will ditch its infamous “logic games” section. In its place, the test will include an additional logical reasoning section. 

While the new logical reasoning section will test the same skills, the impetus for the change stems from a 2019 settlement that LSAC made with two blind test-takers. According to the test-takers, the analytical reasoning section violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, as they could not draw the diagrams that most test-takers use to work through the questions.  

LSAC President, Kellye Testy, commented on the announcement to Reuters. "This decision might help some, and it hurts none," Testy said. "The skills that we assess are the same and the scoring is the same."

Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Law School Personal Statement

Writing a Personal Statement is a massive undertaking. In a relatively short document, you’re trying to show the admissions committee who you are and what you value, while simultaneously building a case for why you will succeed in law school. It’s a lot. But we can help.

Below are some of the most common mistakes we see applicants make as they approach the Personal Statement. Try your best to avoid them.

1. Trying to include everything: You cannot fit every relevant experience you've ever had into this essay—and hey, that's why you submit a resume. Stick to one or two key experiences that will show your abilities in critical thinking, prompted growth, and reinforced your interest in the study of law. The Personal Statement is about showing depth.

2. Telling instead of showing: The admissions committee is looking for more than a list of your strengths and traits. Not only is that boring, it is unreliable. A good rule of writing is: “Show, don't tell." Listing off your qualities is meaningless if you're not backing them up with real-life examples. Instead of telling the reader, “I am good at solving complex problems,” provide an anecdote that will show them your critical and/or creative thinking in action.

Similarly, don’t tell the school what you will do in the future without showing them why you are capable of achieving such things. We've said it before: Sharing goals works when what comes before it exemplifies your strengths and abilities. More than what you want to do, what you have done tells us who you are.

3. Staying linear: You don’t need the essay to be linear. Imagine your intro paragraph as the opening sequence of a movie—the most thrilling ones start mid-scene. You want to see an action star in action, not waking up to a buzzing alarm clock. Don't save the excitement for many scenes later. Show yourself there, then explain how you got there.

4. Being uptight: A personal essay is more like journalism than an academic paper. You're telling a story, and this one is about you. You want to sound intelligent and respectful but being a bit colloquial makes you appear confident and relaxed. As if to say, "This is who I am. This is who I plan to become." Boom.

5. Getting too poetic: Being a little poetic can show style, but if your point isn't clear, a beautiful turn of phrase is meaningless. One of our mottos is: "Clarity above all things." Leave no room for misinterpretation. The reader needs to see the story how you do.

6. Overusing passive voice: Keep most of your sentences active. Passive voice can minimize your contributions and slow down your essay's momentum. Active sentences move the statement forward.

There is flexibility, of course. Some passive sentences aren't slow-going or unnatural, and there are also times when you'll use passive voice for effect, accuracy, clarity, or flow. Just be mindful of how often you're doing it.

7. Spouting off clichés: Nothing says, "I don't think outside of the box" quite like the phrase "I think outside of the box." We also read a lot of first drafts that include "puzzle pieces"—skip 'em, they're going to be in a thousand other essays.

8. Using long quotes: A short conversation you had in an intense circumstance can be illustrative in a Personal Statement. It helps a reader picture the event. But making the point of your essay completely revolve around a long quote of someone else's thoughts about law, leadership, integrity, or whatever, makes it their essay, not yours. No Supreme Court justice, professor, lawyer you worked with, or dad is supposed to be the star of this show.

9. Dwelling on childhood stories: Schools don't care how long you've wanted to be a lawyer—they care if you have the potential and drive to be one. This doesn't mean that a flashback scene is never relevant. Perhaps you were in a unique situation at a young age when you learned about the legal system and it influenced your law school goals. That is noteworthy. But you need this essay to focus on your recent impactful experiences. Ones that reinforced your interest in studying law and gave you the skills applicable to excelling in a program.

10. Having too many readers: Having too many readers review your Personal Statement is a common mistake. If you're an Apply Point client, consider asking two people besides your two Apply Point advisors (who work as a team) to read your essays. If you're not working with a consultant, you could ask up to four people to read your work but make that the maximum just so you won't be overwhelmed by input.

This is not us saying that you shouldn't have any readers at all. You want eyes or ears on this, especially if they're attached to someone you respect who knows you well. In fact, the top question you should ask them is: "Does this sound like me?" Friends, family members, or a mentor can confirm if your essay gets your personality and best qualities across. That said, send them the edited, polished draft rather than your raw first draft. This way their suggestions and questions won't psych you out because you already have a good idea of what you want to present in your statement.

One more note on having too many readers: Never post your essay in an online forum, such as Reddit. Sharing thoughts and advice on the overall application process online with other prospective students is great, but if you post your essay, you'll have too many strangers giving input and you’ll be vulnerable to plagiarizers.

The Medical School Interview: Don’t Forget, You’re Interviewing Them Too.

As your interview wraps up, your interviewers will ask if you have any questions. You must have them. Being interested and thoughtful demonstrates your commitment to the program. Perhaps you've visited this school before your interview day or spoken to current or past students. Terrific. But if everything you know about a program came from their website, this is your chance to find out more. You should be open to every school you're applying to—so this is about engaging, not interrogating. This Q&A flip is also a chance to show that you've done your due diligence. Be precise instead of broad. A weak question such as "What research opportunities are currently available?" will require your interviewer to launch into 1,000 things, most of which won't apply to you—oh, and that you could have read about on their website.

You should also keep your focus on the program. Asking an interviewing physician: "What made you choose your field?" is something you do at a lunch mixer. The questions you ask during an interview session should relate to how you and the school will fit together. If you're going to ask three questions, ask at least two meaty ones. You want to include details in your questions that show that you've done your homework on the school. After your third program-related question, close out by asking if you can contact them with other questions in the future. And if the school is your top choice, tell them right now. As we cover elsewhere in this guide, schools want to accept students who will definitely attend.

Some questions you might ask a faculty or admissions committee member include:

• I read about X clinical opportunity currently offered to medical students in their second year. Is that going to be available in the future? Can you tell me more about that opportunity?

• I worked on a Y study as a research coordinator, and I'm very interested in the Y research happening here. Are there plans to expand that?

• How diverse is the student body? Are there support services for minority students?

• I have not lived in an urban setting, but I have worked with underserved patients in a small town. About how many patients does the student-run clinic see a year?

With student interviewers, your questions can be more personal, but you still want to show that you know something about the school. It's also a good idea to ask a question that relates to something you've just discussed or about a commonality that you two share, or that you share with the school:

• You mentioned that you're involved in researching X. I, too, have a background in researching X. Or, if you’re into completely different areas of research: I’m very interested in pursuing research at Specific Lab. Can you tell me more about your work at Specific Lab?

• My grandfather was in the Army, and I value our veterans. I know that the medical school has partnered with the local VA center to address both chronic pain and mental health issues. Have you worked there? What is it like?

• I’ve read about X, Y, and Z organizations here. What clubs and student organizations do you belong to? Have they proven valuable to you?

Application Tips: How to Approach Yale Law School’s 250-Word Essay

The “Yale 250” prompts you to show the admissions committee your intellectual curiosity in action. Here is the prompt: 

The Law School is a vibrant intellectual community where students are expected to engage academically with faculty and fellow students. In no more than 250 words, applicants must write about an idea or issue from their academic, extracurricular, or professional work that is of particular interest to them. The idea or issue you choose does not have to be law-related; this is an opportunity for readers to learn more about how you would engage intellectually in the Law School community.

According to the Yale admissions website, many students write about an academic thesis or major paper, an issue encountered at a job or internship, or an ethical challenge at an extracurricular activity. 

Before you get started, take time to brainstorm and consider the following questions: 

• What idea or issue are you most passionate about? Do you have related personal, academic, or professional experience? Have your views on this topic changed over time? If so, when? Why? 

• What experiences have prompted you to seek out additional learning or research? Does a particular area of study fascinate you so much that you lose track of time?

• What challenges have prompted your most significant evolutions in perspective?

Once you’ve chosen an idea or issue, you’ll want to show the reader your critical thinking in action.  How have you grappled with the complexities of this topic? Do you continuously gather more information? How has your perspective changed over time? It’s ok and likely that your work on the issue continues, so you can also discuss questions that still exist for you or additional learning you’d like to pursue. Just be sure to present yourself as someone with an appetite for learning and discourse, who appreciates complexity, nuance, and other points of view.

Your Medical School Group Interview: A Team Sport

In a group interview, multiple applicants are interviewed at once. And, typically, by multiple interviewers. The most important thing to remember here is that the other interviewees are not your competition but your colleagues. You won't impress your interviewers by bulldozing the other applicants and dominating the session. Of course, you want to speak up, express your thoughts and opinions, and show leadership—but you must have a team in order to lead. 

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind for a successful group interview:

• Introduce yourself to your compatriots before you enter the room; try to remember their names and drop those names in throughout the interview. 

• Listen to and converse with the other interviewees and the panel. Your interviewers are looking to see your communication and collaboration styles. 

• When you answer a question, be sure to build on something someone else has said or compliment how others answered the question at the start of your own response. You don't have to compliment them if it doesn’t feel natural, but at least know what they've said so that you're adding to it. You don’t want to just repeat another’s answer. 

• Prep for a unique question mix. Some of the questions they'll ask in the group interview are similar to those used in a one-on-one, while others are more like the MMI prompts that place you in hypothetical ethical or teamwork scenarios.

Department of Education Increases Transparency in Graduate School Outcomes

Prospective graduate students are about to gain access to a lot more financial outcomes data, which they can use to compare programs. Last week the U.S. Department of Education (DoE) announced that it finalized the Financial Value Transparency framework to consolidate financial outcomes data.  

All qualifying graduate programs will be required to submit data to the DoE on program cost, debt, sources of financial aid, and graduates’ earnings starting next July. As applicable, the data compilation will also include licensing outcomes for graduates. For example, law schools will provide data on graduates’ admission to the bar. The data will be consolidated, published, maintained, and made available to the public on a DoE website. As of 2026, the regulations will also stipulate that programs that do not meet an established debt-to-earnings ratio will be subject to a disclosure requirement. For these programs, all prospective students must acknowledge that they have reviewed the data and understand the financial risk, prior to matriculating in the program. 

For medical schools, the DoE’s final regulations acknowledge the lengthy nature of medical training in the U.S. where medical school graduates continue in lower-paying residency training programs post-graduation. To accommodate this practice, the DoE extended the horizon for collecting earnings data for medical schools to six years post-graduation. 

For business, law, and other graduate programs, the data provided to the DoE will use graduates’ earnings three years post-graduation. 

Medical School Applicants: Are You Taking Care of Yourself?

If you're going to dedicate your life to healthcare, start at home. Medical students have a significantly higher rate of mental illness than similarly aged postsecondary graduates, according to a 2019 study in Academic Medicine. One harrowing quote: "Higher rates of distress and burnout in physicians and medical learners have been linked to poor academic performance, increased thoughts of dropping out of medical school, lower levels of professionalism, decreased empathy, increased medical errors, increased substance abuse, and increased suicidal ideation." 

Despite the intensity of the medical school application process, preparing yourself for the stress of attending medical school is important. Practicing mindfulness, getting rest, and being a person in the world are part of being ready for a rigorous academic environment and career. 

Stay social. This is not to say that you should be partying the night before a medical school interview. But you do need to leave your desk—or at least have interactions beyond your study group. Keeping your relationships strong also provides a safety net in hard times and helps you to be empathetic. 

Sleep. When sleep is in your control, try to maximize the opportunity. A study published in the December 2021 Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that anxiety and stress directly impacted medical students' sleep during the second wave of COVID-19. One thing that you can do to combat that right now is to put away your phone every night. You've heard it before—but it's especially relevant to you. In a study published in the January 2022 Journal of Affective Disorders, medical students’ anxiety was associated with problematic smartphone use and sleep deprivation. 

Move. Do whatever you comfortably can do in terms of a regular exercise regimen. You don't need to run a six-minute mile to be a strong candidate for medical school —exercise is just another way to relieve stress (and reduce your risk of a meltdown). A study published in Academic Medicine in 2017 surveyed 12,500 medical students across the country and found that those who met the CDC's exercise recommendations had a lower risk of burnout and a higher quality of life. 

Get professional help. Even if you're not feeling extreme turmoil right now, this could be something to explore. "Studies suggest medical students experience high levels of mental distress during training but are less likely than other students to access care due to stigma and concerns regarding career progression," according to a 2020 study published in BMC Medical Education. The University of Cambridge developed a mental health program for medical students. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy, or Cognitive Analytic Therapy was provided to 189 students. Stress, anxiety, and suicide risk were "significantly reduced" and students' functioning "significantly improved." 

Meditate. This is just a suggestion, if it's not for you, it's not. But you could try it. (And cynically speaking—schools might be into it if you mention meditation during your interview. It shows both openness and dedication.) Meditation isn't about having a blank mind; it's about acknowledging and letting go of intrusive thoughts and accepting what is happening at the moment. This can aid performance, according to George Mumford, a mindfulness coach who taught Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan how to meditate. "Mindfulness is the process of making yourself flow-ready," he says. And don't all doctors want to be ready for whatever happens next?

Another benefit of incorporating these healthy behaviors into your life is that they can strengthen your tolerance for ambiguity. Studies have measured this quality in medical students and physicians for years, and they have shown that a physician's ability to tolerate ambiguity correlates to their level of psychological well-being. Those with a low tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty "tend to report a higher rate of referrals, burnout, and anxiety, and lower level of satisfaction, less comfort in dealing with dying patients, and higher levels of dogmatism, rigidity, and conformism," according to a 2017 study in Medical Teacher, which utilizes many others' findings as well as their own assessments. 

Related

Narrative Medicine Helps Physicians Gain Empathy, Make Connections, and Accept Difficult Experiences

The Medical School Admissions Process is Long and Stressful. How are you Coping?

Your MBA Application: The Common Letter of Recommendation

Nearly 40 MBA programs have a shared template for recommendations: the Common Letter of Recommendation (LOR). While the template is shared, the questions are all embedded within the participating schools’ existing application systems. 

The Common LOR includes the following sections. You can review and save the full template here.  

Section 1: Recommender Information/Background

Section 2: Leadership Assessment Grid. 

In this section, recommenders are given 12 competencies and character traits related to leadership and are asked to rate the applicant’s behaviors. The 12 competencies and traits are grouped into five categories: Achievement, Influence, People, Personal Qualities, Cognitive Abilities. Recommenders are also asked to select an overall recommendation that ranges from not recommending an applicant to enthusiastically recommending.

Section 3: Open-Ended Recommendation Questions

1. Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.

2. How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (e.g., what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)

3. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.

4. Is there anything else we should know? (Optional)

U.S.-based programs that accept the Common Letter: 

Related

MBA Application Tips—Letters of Recommendation

Two Questions to Expect in Your Osteopathic Medical School Interview

The interview process for osteopathic programs is basically the same as that of allopathic programs. Some schools will have you in-and-out of a one-on-one traditional interview. Others will utilize the MMI. And some will have a day-long extravaganza. “During our interview process, we have the first half of the day be an informational session,” says one admissions director. “In the morning, we have presentations on the curriculum and professionalism, financial aid, learning services, and inclusion. We also schedule a medical student panel where interviewees have the chance to ask questions of current medical students. This is followed by a traditional behavioral interview.” 

But there are two key questions you should expect to be asked in an osteopathic medical interview that won’t come up in allopathic interviews. They are: 

• Why are you interested in attending osteopathic medical school? A great answer will emphasize what you'd gain from an osteopathic program, why osteopathic values mean something to you, and will highlight an osteopathic clinical experience and how it impacted you. 

• Are you also applying to allopathic medical school? Just be honest. If the answer is yes, and it probably is, say you're exploring all possible paths to becoming a physician.

Related

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

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

Application Tips: How to Approach Harvard Law’s Updated Essay Questions

Earlier this month Harvard Law School released the J.D. Application for the Class of 2027 and unveiled two new essay questions. Rather than submitting one personal statement, Harvard Law applicants are now asked to submit two essays: a Statement of Purpose and a Statement of Perspective. According to the HLS Admissions Blog, these statements are intended to “inspire you to reflect upon your motivations for attending law school, as well as the contributions you will bring to the HLS community and the legal profession.”

Both statements should adhere to the following:

• At minimum, your submission should be one complete page, although you can take up to two pages using double-spaced text, one-inch margins, and font that is no smaller than 11 point.

• Keep in mind that the Admissions Committee is interested in learning who you are and why you belong at Harvard. They are well-versed in their own program, so while you may allude to program offerings, ensure that the spotlight remains on you and what you have to offer.

• The content in your two essays should not be duplicative. 

Statement of Purpose: What motivates you to pursue law? How does attending law school align with your ambitions, goals, and vision for your future?

This prompt asks you to address how a law degree will be the best bridge between your past experiences and future goals. To do this, you must anchor this essay in the past. Because what you’ve already done, learned, and achieved is far more important than what you haven’t—what you say you want to do in the future. Go into your backstory and detail the key moments that influenced and reinforced your commitment to the study of law. In contrast to your resume, which will provide an overview of your path and achievements to date, you will use this essay to dive-deeply into just a few pivotal experiences—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. The stories that you highlight should also demonstrate the qualities you possess that will make you successful in law school and the legal profession: intellectual curiosity, critical and creative thinking ability, a track-record of sound ethical behavior. Once you’ve taken the reader on this trip to the past, your proposed path forward will make much more sense.

Statement of Perspective: The Admissions Committee makes every effort to understand who you are as an individual and potential Harvard Law School student and graduate. Please share how your experiences, background, and/or interests have shaped you and will shape your engagement in the HLS community and the legal profession.

What makes you unique? How has your personal journey likely differed from other applicants? How do you hope to make your mark in the future? You will use this essay to show Harvard’s admissions officers how you will be a valued member of their community and in the wider legal profession by highlighting experiences from your past that will inform and invigorate your plan. Are you a passionate environmentalist who has spent a great deal of time volunteering for environmental causes and hopes to spearhead a sustainability initiative within the law school and later lobby for environmental regulations? Were you a leader in the student government at your undergraduate institution, hope to take on a similar role at HLS, and eventually run for office? Do you have a background in academic research, hope to support a specific professor’s research at HLS, and later seek out a career as an academic? In linking your passions and expertise to your proposed contributions, you will demonstrate to the admissions directors that you are the kind of collaborative, community-minded, and determined student they are looking for.         

Related

Structure Your Law School Personal Statement for Maximum Impact

Feeling Stuck Writing your Law School Personal Statement? Here’s How to Move Forward.

Your MBA Interview: Day-of Tips

You’ve been invited for an MBA interview. Congratulations! Amidst your pre-interview preparation, don’t overlook day-of planning. Review our tips below to ensure that you feel your most confident when the day arrives.

Before Your interview:

• Review your application. Don’t forget that anything included in your application could be grounds for discussion. If you have any red flags, be prepared to discuss them calmly.

• Practice brief answers to common questions aloud. This might include your introductory elevator speech (“Tell me about yourself” or “Walk me through your resume”) and “Why this program?”.

• Eat something light and plain and be sure to hydrate. 

What to bring:

Theoretically, you need to bring nothing. The interviewers have everything they need from you already. But there are a couple of things that we suggest you bring along to an in-person interview (which, if possible, we recommend you choose over the virtual interview).

1. An extra copy of your resume. It never hurts to have an extra copy in the case your interviewer asks for one.  

2. A copy of your application. This application isn't for you to hand over to your interviewer. This copy is for you. Review it while you're waiting so that you can refresh your nervous brain and stick to the same takeaways. You should feel prepared to talk about any experience included within the application and/or resume. If you feel you've reviewed this application all you can review it, take a break, and read the newspaper or a book while you wait. 

3. A notebook. You can and should ask questions during your interview too. Feel free to bring yours prewritten and jot down shorthand versions of your interviewers' answers. Just be sure to look up and nod periodically as you write. 

4. The right clothing and accessories. You already know to wear something professional, but this tip has less to do with being interview-appropriate than with being activity- and weather-appropriate. If you're touring the campus before or after your interview, wear or bring comfortable shoes. If it's going to rain, bring an umbrella. If you're from Florida and you don't have a warm coat, borrow or buy one before your interview in Boston. When you're engrossed in interview prep, these are the kinds of things you'll forget. 

5. Water and a pain reliever. Being physically uncomfortable during your interview is a nightmare. Make sure to bring a bottle of water that you can sip prior to your interview, and if you're prone to stress headaches, have some pain medication on your person. 

6. Fun plans. You might live in this city or town someday. If you have the time, explore it. This will give you something to look forward to after your interview, and it might come up in interview small talk. "Will you be doing anything while you're in town?” Yes! I'm checking out the botanical garden this afternoon. This simultaneously shows your interest in the area and makes you seem like you have a life and interests outside of studying.

Related

Top Ten Tips. MBA Behavioral Interviews

MBA Interviews: When the Interview Requires More than an Interview

The Law School Application: A Results-Driven Resume

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.

And 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.

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Final Thoughts

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the six question types you can expect.

Throughout this series, we’ve reviewed the key question types that you should expect to answer in your medical school interview. Now, some final thoughts:

• Know who you are presenting. The “you” at your interview should align with the one you presented in your primary and secondary application materials. Some of your interview questions will be like ones you answered in your application, so review your application to stay on message. We even recommend that you take a copy with you on interview day so that you can review it as you wait.

• Everything is on the table. All of the information you included in your application is fair game. The interviewer can ask about a hardship, emotional experience, or disciplinary action. Be prepared to address it calmly. During a Q&A, one dean shared that a prospective student cried during his interview. However sympathetic an interviewer may be, this lack of emotional regulation is not a good look. If there's a topic that could throw you off your game or elicit an emotional response, practice talking about it. 

• Use stories to make your point. We know this has come up a lot, but it’s important. Every answer you give should include a story about one of your experiences or something you've learned, even if the question doesn't outwardly demand a story. (For example, "Why medicine?") 

• Be direct. Keep your answers to most questions between one-and-a half and three minutes. Practice responses to our sample questions aloud. You don't have to memorize your answers. Just acclimate yourself to the topics and time limit. We like using flashcards to prepare for interviews. Put the Q on one side, and bullet points of what you want to say on the other.

• Medical schools are looking for real people. You don’t have to be perfect. Just be you. And within appropriate limits, don’t be afraid to expose some vulnerability.

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Questions on Current Events in Healthcare

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Wildcard Questions

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Wildcard Questions

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the six question types you can expect.

Wildcard Questions

In any interview you should expect something… unexpected. It could be a fun question about what makes you special, or it could be a logistical question like: "How will you pay for medical school?" 

As with all interview responses, how you back up an answer matters more than the answer itself. So, even if the question is something like "What do you do for fun?" it should subtly hint at one or two of your finer qualities. You don't have to say, "I study extra hard for fun! All I love is studying because I am a serious person!" That's disingenuous. But if you say, "I take salsa classes," share why in a revealing way: "I take salsa classes. I love Latin music and I am nothing but present on the dance floor. Having a partner reminds me to be attuned to her. And having a place to be every Tuesday night makes me even more diligent at work. I've come in early a few times just so I know I can be out the door by 5 PM to make it to my 6 o'clock class." 

Questions you may be asked:

• Teach me something.

• If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

• How would your best friend describe you?

• Who is someone you admire? Why?

• What do you do for exercise?

• Do you think the MCAT is a good measurement of one’s readiness for medical school?

• How do you think you did during this interview?

• What will you do if you're not accepted to medical school? (Oof, right? Is your plan to gain more clinical or research experience and try again? Try a post-bacc or Master's program and try again?)

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Questions on Current Events in Healthcare

Don’t Rule Out “Reach Schools” on Your MBA Program List Just Yet

If you’re on the fence about applying to an MBA program this year or still considering your school list, we have an update for you. Based on 2022 admissions data, it looks like the window for gaining acceptance to a “reach school” hasn’t closed quite yet. A recent Poets & Quants analysis states that the “...2022 acceptance rate data is remarkable for the encouragement it provides anyone considering an MBA at a top-10 school, every one of which saw their acceptance rate climb last year.” 

The analysis goes on to describe that in 2022 the P&Q Top-10 ranked schools averaged an acceptance rate of 22.2 percent, an increase of 3.8 percentage points from 2021 and 7.7 percentage points from 2016. 

The 2023 admissions data (released by schools in the fall) will, of course, provide the most accurate picture of admissions trends. However, the 2022 admissions statistics among elite MBA programs were so applicant-friendly that P&Q walked back it’s pronouncement from last Spring (based on 2021 data) that the window to obtain a spot in a “reach” school is closing.

Here are a few key callouts from the P&Q analysis. You can find the full analysis and findings here. 

• The top-10 ranked schools all saw increases in their admissions rates in 2022. Chicago Booth, ranked first by U.S. News & World Report, saw the biggest increase in acceptance rate, which spiked from 22.6 percent in 2021 to 30.1 percent in 2022. Similarly, UPenn Wharton, ranked first by P&Q, saw a jump from 18.2 percent to 22.8 percent. 

• In 2021 there were no top-10 ranked MBA programs with an acceptance rate over 30 percent, whereas in 2022, there were three (Chicago Booth, Northwestern Kellogg, Dartmouth Tuck). Cornell Johnson and Virginia Darden (ranked 13th and 14th by P&Q) also reported acceptance rates over 30 percent.

• The top-10 ranked schools also saw a sharp decrease in application volume. P&Q reported that eight of the top ten schools saw double-digit percentage decreases in the number of applications between 2021 to 2022. 

• For the 15 schools ranked outside of the top 10, but within the top 25, the admissions data painted a less dramatic picture. In line with the elite programs, all of the schools ranked from 11 to 17 reported increased year-over-year acceptance rates. However, six of the schools ranked between 11 and 25 did report application increases (Cornell Johnson, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Washington Foster, Emory Goizueta, Indiana Kelley, and Carenegie Mellon Tepper). Among these schools, four also saw lower acceptance rates compared to 2021; most notably Emory Goizueta’s acceptance rate plummeted from 53.1 percent in 2021 to 37.1 percent last year. 

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Questions on Current Events in Healthcare

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the six question types you can expect.

General Healthcare News

You will not be asked medical questions during your interview. No one is going to need you to walk them through setting a bone. But you should be prepared to speak about the medical field and current events related to it. Your interviewers want to know that you're keeping up with the times and that you've deeply considered some of the big questions that come with this work.

Spend some time each day reviewing the news. The New York Times is great for current events related to health care, as are MedPage Today, MedScape, and Stat News. We also recommend that you set up Google alerts for key phrases related to healthcare and/or your research interests and desired specialty to ensure you’re up to date.

You may be asked:

• What have you been following in healthcare news lately that is of particular interest to you?

• What healthcare-related or academic publications do you read?

• Do you have an opinion on the current [X medical news] controversy?

• What would you say is a major problem in the healthcare system today?

• What do you think is the greatest medical development in history?

• What's the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?

• What can be done about rising healthcare costs?

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the six question types you can expect and provide response structures and practice questions.

Why Our School?

Or: "Tell me why you are interested in this program," etc. This interview prompt will appear, in some form. Obviously, your response should include school-specific details, like what labs or research opportunities you'll take advantage of, what technologies or unique resources they utilize that maybe aren't available at other schools, which professors you're eager to learn from, the student clinics or affiliated hospitals you'd like to work at, and maybe even what you like about the area. And don’t forget to bridge these details with your past experiences and future goals to reinforce your interest in these offerings. 

Whatever you do, don't say something ingratiating and general: "It's an esteemed program where I'll learn from esteemed physicians who lead their esteemed fields." We're teasing about this phrasing, but "esteemed" gets thrown around a lot in responses like this, and what it reads as is essentially: "If I praise you enough, will you let me in?" 

Just answer the question with a couple of salient details and you'll be golden. 

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety. But there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the six question types you can expect and provide response structures, sample answers, and practice questions.

Make a Claim and Back it Up Responses

Claim Questions are simple and direct—but your answer should be complex and direct. Just like with your Situation-Action-Result (SAR) responses, you will want to use stories here, not just statements. The question may ask you about attributes or skills you have, but do not be fooled, they're not looking for a list. The interviewer wants to hear examples of when you’ve exhibited those things. Go ahead and use multiple examples! They don't all have to be long, but they should be detailed. 

Some questions will be about the hypothetical future, things you'd do as a medical student or doctor. Think: "What would you do if a colleague made a serious clinical mistake?" An ethical question like this should still be backed up with experiences, if possible, or anecdotes that prove that you have the qualities you claim to have. "In the past, I've been quick to remedy others' mistakes. During my work at a university lab…" You want to show your critical thinking too. Explain your thought process, "If I was close to this colleague, I would…”

Questions could also seem to require opinion-only responses. Something like: "What are your feelings about euthanasia?" But don't get it twisted. This is a "make a claim and back it up"-question. You believe or don't believe in it “because…”

One question that you'll almost certainly be asked: What qualities do you have that will make you a good physician? Here's an example of a strong answer: 
“I'm calm and precise under pressure: As a scribe in the ER, I was part of the intake for multiple patients involved in a three car accident. The ER was understaffed and very busy already, so the atmosphere was chaotic. I documented several patients' conditions, bouncing from one doctor's side to another. Later, my supervisor praised my calm demeanor and consistently accurate work. The ER was, of course, a generally hectic place, and I adapted to it quite well. 

I also think a good physician must be able to connect with a diverse array of patients. While volunteering and shadowing at a free clinic, I spoke with patients of all ages, most of them in underserved populations. In one instance, I was asked to give a 5-year-old child a PCR Covid test—but she was terrified and pulling away. Moreover, there was a language barrier; both the girl and her mother only spoke Spanish. I decided to take my time instead of rushing into the test. There was a stethoscope in the room, and I thought she might like listening to her own heart, so I showed her how it worked—mostly through gestures on my end. Her mother was able to translate what was happening as well. I let the young girl listen to my heart, her mother's, and then her own. She was amused and after that, she trusted me more. I then pulled out the PCR test kit again. I spoke soothingly, and I knew she understood my tone. She was uncomfortable during the test—the test is uncomfortable—but she endured it without pulling away. I praised her after the test. I've since begun Spanish lessons, as I think that is the most practical second language to learn in America. I also better understand social determinants of health after working with recent immigrants at the clinic.

Finally, I'm eager to learn and believe a physician must have intellectual curiosity. When I worked on a diabetes study at my university lab, I went beyond my daily responsibilities, reading previous studies unrelated to ours to be more informed about the disease. I now feel like I have a depth of knowledge on this topic.”

Other “make a claim and back it up”-questions that you may be asked:

• How will you add to the diversity of our school?

• What is your greatest strength?

• How do you deal with stress?

• Explain your academic path. (Here, focus on the positives and how they led you to medicine. Illustrate this with maybe three poignant experiences.)

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (Here, you can share both past experiences and what you hope to learn in medical school that will help you achieve this goal.)

Related:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

Structure Your Law School Personal Statement for Maximum Impact

When writing your law school personal statement, we encourage you to think like a storyteller rather than an academic. One of the goals of your writing is to inform, but it is equally important to engage your reader and get them personally invested in your journey. 

You might even take a cue from an action movie. When the lights go down and the curtain goes up, you see the star in a sports car going full throttle. What you don’t know, immediately, is who or where they are. Narrative writing does not have to be linear. After leading with an attention-grabbing scene, the writer can go back and provide additional context and information on what’s missing. 

Here is one type of outline example: 

Event/Problem: Engage your reader immediately in a scene that shows you in action. Is it a high-stress experience? A significant interaction? An unforgettable, formative moment? Then, share what you’re doing. 

Context/Background Info: Give the reader a wide-view angle on the situation. Who are you in this scenario? How did you get here? What are your responsibilities and greatest challenges in this role/scene? 

Re-engagement: This is the heart of the essay. You've introduced the event/problem and yourself. Now, take us back to the anecdote. Show your leadership, integrity, perseverance, critical thinking, or collaboration in action. Delve into the complexities of solving a problem. Sometimes there isn't a solution or grand finale. That's okay. You just want to make it clear why this is the scenario you opened with—why this was meaningful to you. And you don't have to bang the reader over the head with claims of your best qualities; you want to show them those qualities through your story. 

Takeaway/Reflection: What did you learn via your experience? How did it change you? What was the impact on your life or path? This should show that you’re dedicated to growth, self-awareness, and your values, and where these things will take you. 

Conclusion: How did this experience reinforce your commitment to the study of law and the pursuit of a legal career?