With a little encouragement, you can write your way into med school!
As students contact me to share the good news that they have received acceptances to medical school, I can’t help noticing patterns in the way that successful applicants work with a medical school consultant, like me and my colleagues at accepted.com. For those of you embarking on the process of applying to medical school and considering working with a consultant, we can help in the following three substantial ways:
1. Provide guidance on strategy
From advising you on which schools to apply to all the way to helping you decide which school to attend, we can help you identify and use the individualized approach to each part of the application process that will work best for you.
2. Help you reduce your stress levels
I focus my clients’ attention on the sections of the application that they have control over and encourage them to do their best in these areas so that they can relax when it comes to the parts of the process over which they don’t have any control. By providing activities and emotional support to guide clients through the process, I hope to give them insight into themselves and to increase and enrich their coping mechanisms so that they will not only get into medical school but are successful in their training and career.
3. Give you the confidence to present yourself most effectively in writing and in interviews
By reviewing essays with clients and pointing out how they can improve their writing, I hope to encourage my students to become better writers as well as empower them through self-expression to make their dream of medicine a reality. You can write your way into medical school.
Through mock interviews, I assist students by evaluating the rhetoric of their responses, facial expressions and posture. I include exercises and nonconventional approaches to help students be more authentic and comfortable in interview settings. You can enjoy the journey!
To get the most out of your experience working with a consultant, I recommend taking the following approaches
• Set deadlines for you to complete your application materials and share these dates with your consultant.
• Get organized by creating an excel spreadsheet with school deadlines and dates of submission for all materials and check it regularly.
•Meet all agreed-on deadlines for the primary application, secondary applications, and mock interviews.
• Be ready for scheduled appointments; don’t miss appointments.
• Ask for help when it’s needed, especially if you’re uncertain about how to proceed in any section of the application process or if you’re feeling frustrated.
• Talk to your consultant about any questions, worries or concerns that you have.
• Enjoy the process.
• Get organized by creating an excel spreadsheet with school deadlines and dates of submission for all materials and check it regularly.
•Meet all agreed-on deadlines for the primary application, secondary applications, and mock interviews.
• Be ready for scheduled appointments; don’t miss appointments.
• Ask for help when it’s needed, especially if you’re uncertain about how to proceed in any section of the application process or if you’re feeling frustrated.
• Talk to your consultant about any questions, worries or concerns that you have.
• Enjoy the process.
The best part of my job is working with clients. I enjoy getting to know each student and identifying how I can best support each individual. Once you have clear goals with realistic deadlines, share them with your consultant. You will then gain not only the expertise that will lead to an acceptance but you will also acquire a mentor and a cheerleader to help you thrive in the application process.
Alicia McNease Nimonkar is an Accepted.com advisor and editor specializing in healthcare admissions. Prior to joining Accepted, Alicia worked for five years as Student Advisor at UC Davis’ postbac program where she both evaluated applications and advised students applying successfully to med school and related programs.
Related Resources:
• Get To Know Our Consultants
• Navigate The Med School Maze
• 5 Step Guide to Successful Medical School Personal Statements
