Admissions Straight Talk

Show SummaryDr. Sundas Ali, a former Lecturer at the University of Oxford and now an admissions consultant at Accepted, discusses the differences between graduate school admissions in the UK and the US. She explains that while there are some similarities in the application process, such as the importance of personal statements in both countries,there are also several differences. Dr. Ali emphasizes the importance of tailoring personal statements and resumes to each program and university, as well as the significance of strong recommendations from professors. She also advises applicants to start early, do thorough research on the programs they are interested in, and proofread their application materials carefully to avoid common mistakes. Dr. Ali shares her own experience of overcoming challenges and pursuing her dream of studying at Oxford University.Show NotesWelcome to the 574th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. The challenge at the heart of admissions is showing that you both fit in at your target schools and stand out in the applicant pool. Accepted’s free download, “Fitting In and Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of Admissions“, will show you how to do both. Master this paradox and you’re well on your way to acceptance. You can download this free guide at accepted.com/fiso.It is my pleasure to welcome Dr. Sundas Ali to Admissions Straight Talk. Originally from Pakistan, Sundas received both a BS in Economics and Econometrics and an MSc in International Relations from the University of Bristol in the UK and then a PhD in Sociology from the University of Oxford. She worked for several years at the UK Civil Service and, since 2013, served as a Lecturer at the University of Oxford. While at Oxford, she was involved in Oxford’s prestigious PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) admission process. She has also been involved in teaching high school and college students in rural areas of Pakistan through online platforms as well as guiding them through the college admissions process. At Accepted, Sundas will be working primarily with college and graduate school applicants. The show today will focus on graduate school admissions as always. Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Show SummaryIn this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews David Kirschner, the Associate Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Innovation at USC Gould School of Law. They discuss the distinctive elements of USC Gould’s JD program, including its small class size and student-centered approach. Dean Kirschner also highlights the flexibility and experiential learning opportunities available to students. They discuss the admissions process, including the acceptance of both the LSAT and GRE, the importance of engagement in an applicant’s background, and the components of a strong personal statement. Dean Kirschner shares his advice for wait-listed applicants, transfer applicants, and re-applicants. Show NotesThanks for joining me for the 573rd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Are you applying to law school this cycle? Are you planning ahead to apply to law school next year or later? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted’s law school admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/law-quiz, complete the quiz, and you’ll not only get an assessment, but tips on how you can improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it’s all free. I’m delighted to have back on Admissions Straight Talk, David Kirschner, Associate Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Innovation at USC Gould School of Law. Dean Kirschner earned his undergrad degree at USC, in Political Science and Film-Production.  He then earned his JD at California Western School of Law. He has been in law school admissions since 2006, when he joined Loyola Law as an Associate Director of Admissions. In 2011, he became Director of Admissions at USC Gould, and in 2016 he became USC Gould’s Associate Dean and Dean of Admissions and Financial AidFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Show SummaryIn this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews admissions directors from MBA programs outside the United States to find out if there are any common threads among them. The guests on the show include representatives from Oxford Saïd Business School, INSEAD, NYU Abu Dhabi, and HEC Paris. The interviews cover various topics such as program overviews, admissions processes, and common applicant mistakes. The interviews also touch on language requirements, the role of the video interview in the evaluation process, and the importance of holistic review in admissions decisions. Overall, this interview provides valuable insights into the unique aspects of these MBA programs and shed light on the similarities and differences among them.Show NotesWelcome to the 572nd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Before I turn  to today’s show, I have a question for you. Are you ready to apply to your Dream MBA programs? Are you competitive at your target schools? Accepted’s MBA admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/mbaquiz, complete the quiz, and you’ll not only get an assessment, but tips on how to improve your qualifications. Plus, it’s all free. .If you are a regular listener, you know that during most episodes of Admissions Straight Talk, I interview a guest, frequently, an admissions director or dean. Usually, our guests are leaders at a US graduate program. However, within the last couple of years, I have had the privilege of interviewing several deans or directors from programs outside the United States. Today we’re going to take specific excerpts from four of those episodes and let you determine if there are some common threads and of course, how they differ.Today’s episode is a collection of their answers to admissions questions as well as insight into their programs. The guests on this program are:Hannah Griffiths, MBA Recruitment and Admissions Director at Oxford Saïd Business SchoolTeresa Peiro, Associate Global Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at INSEADDr. Robert Salomon, Dean of Stern at NYU Abu DhabiSara Vanos, Executive Director of Marketing and Admissions at HEC Paris.I’ve asked some questions of almost every admissions director I’ve spoken to, so the responses that you’re going to see, again, represent a sample. In any case. Let’s start with Hannah Griffith of Oxford Saïd Business School. Follow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Show SummaryIn this episode, Linda Abraham interviews Christian Essman, Senior Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Case Western Reserve University Medical School. They discuss the unique aspects of Case Western's three MD programs, the significance of research in the application process, and what makes an applicant stand out. Christian emphasizes the importance of quality experiences and reflections in the application essays and advises applicants to submit their applications when they are in tip-top shape, rather than rushing to submit on the first day. He also discusses the culture at Case Western, describing it as laid-back, balanced, and invested in the success of its students.Show NotesThanks for tuning into the 571st episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted's med school admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/medquiz, complete the quiz and you'll not only get an assessment but tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free. I'm delighted to introduce today's guest, Christian Essman, senior director of admissions and financial aid and fellow podcaster and host of the All Access Med School Admissions Podcast. Christian, thank you so much for joining me today on Admissions Straight Talk. [1:31]Hi, Linda. Delighted to be here. Thank you for having me.Let's start with some just really basic information about Case Western University's medical school programs. Can you give a 30,000-foot perspective or view of the three MD programs that it offers? [1:39]Certainly. We're a bit unique in that we have not one, not two, but three different pathways to an MD/MD-PhD. The first one is the university program, which is our four-year MD, which is a traditional four-year degree. Then we have our MD-PhD program, which is a medical scientist training program, and that's about eight or nine years. MSTP actually started at Case Western back in the 1950s, by the way. It's the longest NIH-funded program ever in the history of the universe. And then the one in the middle is unique. I don't know if the word boutiquey is a word, but it's boutiquey. Our Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. So these are all three Case Western programs. They're under the umbrella of the university and they're all Case Western students, but we have three tracks.So the one in the middle, the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, is a five-year MD and it's for students who really like research. Really, really, really like research. But maybe advancing to an MD-PhD is not an educational goal to be in school for eight or nine years and getting a PhD, but they really like research. And so the reason why it's five years is because they thread research throughout the entire five years that you're there. And at one point students will step away usually after the second year to do 12 months of research with the results of hopefully having some publishable results. And so it's for students who might be considering MD-PhD, maybe they're also applying to MD-PhD. So it's one in the middle there and so that's why we have three different tracks. It's a bit unique.It is unique. I don't know of any other school that has that three structured program. [3:36]When people apply to us in AMCAS, they apply to Case Western and then in the secondary application, they can indicate which program or programs plural that they want to apply to. And so you could apply to the university program and the Cleveland ClinicFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Former Wharton/Lauder admissions director Kara Keenan Sweeney discusses MBA application tips, managing challenges for international applicants, qualities consulting firms seek, selecting the right business schools, utilizing AI in applications, and the importance of authenticity in essays.

Show SummaryWould you like to apply to Tulane University School of Medicine, but are you concerned about the intense competition for seats? Its Director of Admissions, Dr. Mike Woodson, is our guest today, and he'll tell you what it takes to get in. Dr. Woodson discusses the unique aspects of Tulane's medical program, including its focus on healing communities and its integration of nursing students into the curriculum. He emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and authenticity in the application process and advises applicants to stop comparing themselves to others.Show NotesWelcome to the 569th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for tuning in. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted's med school admissions quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/medquiz, complete the quiz, and you'll not only get an assessment, but tips on how to actually improve your chances of acceptance. Plus, it's all free. Our special guest today is Dr. Mike Woodson, Director of Admissions at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. Mike earned his bachelor's at Elon University and an MS in Sport Management from Virginia Commonwealth, and his PhD in Higher Education and Higher Education Administration in 2022 from Liberty University. After working for several years in high school athletics, Dr. Woodson moved into the admissions world at Randolph-Macon College. He then was Assistant Director of Admission at the University of Houston and came to Tulane Medical in 2017 as Assistant Director of Admissions. In 2019, he became the Director of Admissions.Dr. Woodson, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:54]Linda, it's great to be back with you. I've heard so many great things on the interview trail about your program and how it's helped pre-meds along the way. I’ve gotten some great reviews about our episode before, so can't wait to chat with you again.Thank you for the wonderful feedback. To start, can you give us an overview of Tulane Medical's program focusing on its more distinctive aspects and elements? [2:11]Sure, Tulane School of Medicine is right in the heart of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana in the south. Our focus is mainly on really helping our community here in New Orleans. Now we have students that come from all over. The mission of our school is healing communities, and that's what everything about our school is focused on, whether it's curriculum, whether it's extracurricular activities, whether it's research, it's all focused on healing communities and we're trying to do that here in the New Orleans community.It's interesting that you say you're focused on healing communities, not individuals. Normally you think about doctors treating individuals, but this is a little bit different focus. [2:55]When we say healing communities, yes, individuals are part of the community, but as a whole, our goal is to really help the community because communities help themselves. It can't be this big institution that's talking down to the community, talking to individuals, lecturing communities, lecturing individuals about what they need to do. It has to be a partnership, and so it helps that Tulane is really partnering with the community in the community. Our students are living in the community. Our doctors and faculty are living in the community, so they have a vested interest in this. And so yes, individuals are part of the community, but overall we're really trying to focus on healing communities.What's new at Tulane since we last spoke? It's almost eFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Experts in PhD admissions in the humanities discuss what programs look for in applicants, including academic achievements, research interests, and fit with the program and faculty. They emphasize the importance of clear goals, statement of purpose, writing samples, and letters of recommendation. Advice is given on researching programs, selecting recommenders, and starting the application process early.

Show SummaryThe 2024-25 medical school application cycle is looming. In fact, for many it's already started. Would you like to learn how to craft a quality application to medical school, a compelling persuasive application? Well, that's the topic of today's episode, so tune in.Show NotesWelcome to the 567th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. Are you considering using an admissions consultant at any point during your medical school application journey? Well, if you are, you are eligible for a free 30-minute consultation with a top-notch, experienced Accepted admissions consultant.A lot of experience is one thing you don't want to have when applying to medical school, but you sure would like to have a personal guide and mentor with decades of just such experience by your side as you're going through this really tough and long process. That's what Accepted provides. If you're interested in learning more, just go to accepted.com/freemedcall and sign up for invaluable guidance. And that initial call is 100% free. And even if you have that guide, you probably want to know the itinerary, as well as what you need to bring on your trip, and that's what we're going to discuss today. I have many times said that in order to apply successfully to medical school, you need to have competitive qualifications, and you also need to present those qualifications effectively via your primary and secondary applications, as well as the all important interview. Today, we're going to address how to do exactly that, so hold onto your hats or your earbuds. There's a lot to cover here. Also, because there's so much to cover, Accepted is providing a worksheet for you that you can use to take notes on today's show or to set up a to-do list that you can use throughout the application process. Remember, a goal without a plan is really a wish. And it's a goal to get accepted to medical school, not a wish. So, the note-taking and to-do list with due dates can help you turn your dream into reality and make sure that that goal is not just a wish, along with the personal guide that I mentioned a minute ago. Again, you can find the free worksheet here.No registration is required. So, just get your copy and enjoy.Five essential ingredients of a successful medical school application [2:57]A successful medical school application has five essential ingredients, if you don't mind me mixing travel and cooking metaphors in the show. Include them all in your application and your chances of acceptance are excellent. Leave off any one element, any one ingredient, and your chances are simply greatly diminished. Again, if you have all five, then medical schools will want you and accept you. My goal for this podcast is to show you that a successful medical application has to have each of these five elements, not one, not two, not three, not even four, all five. And I'd suggest that you see page three of the worksheet, where you can jot down to-dos for your medical school application during the podcast or after, I mentioned that a second ago, I'm mentioning it again. The task list will probably shrink and grow during the process at different points in time, but it will guide you and help you as you apply.1. Demonstrate you can do the work in medical school [3:48]Okay, so essential ingredient number one. I'll list them all at the end, but let's go one by one for now: demonstrate you can do the work in medical school. That's just foundational. Do you have the educational foundation, intellectual ability, the capability to succeed and handle the work? And hoFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

Experts discuss key factors for successful applications to STEM PhD programs, including research experience, faculty advisors, and statement of purpose. Insights for international applicants, rankings, and interview preparation. Episode explores Master's vs. Direct PhD path and crafting a multi-dimensional SOP. Reflects on the transformative nature of applying to STEM PhD programs.

Don’t miss our Admissions Straight Talk podcast interview with Sara Vanos, the Executive Director of Marketing and Admissions for HEC Paris MBA Programs. Sara highlights the unique aspects of the full-time MBA program, such as the 16-month duration, on-campus housing, and flexibility in specialization and electives. She also mentions the New Horizons program, which focuses on anticipating trends and thinking creatively. Listen below or click the image to read the full transcript.The HEC Paris MBA application essays – and there are many compared to most MBA applications these days –give the adcom a well-rounded view of you. They go beyond what you’ve done to capture how you think and respond, even how you imagine. Moreover, they require you to communicate complex thoughts and experiences succinctly. For the four shorter essays especially, don’t waste words on conventional introductory and concluding paragraphs. Jump right into your point or story and use straightforward sentences that avoid wordy constructions (e.g. “had the opportunity to”); don’t hesitate to use direct, declarative sentences. This writing approach has an added benefit: it conveys confidence.Since there are several essays, I suggest first sketching out ideas for them all, then stepping back to assess how all these facets add up as a whole, and adjusting topics if/as necessary to avoid redundancy and ensure a well-rounded presentation that will make the adcom feel that they must invite you for an interview.HEC Paris MBA application essaysHEC MBA essay #1Why are you applying to the HEC MBA Program now? What is the professional objective that will guide your career choice after your MBA, and how will the HEC MBA contribute to the achievement of this objective? (500 words maximum)This is a traditional goals question with a couple of twists.First, the “why now” part should be explicitly addressed, even if it seems obvious. Briefly is fine – the essay overall should make this case ultimately.Second, the “professional objective” is essentially your long-term career vision. The question implies that this vision or goal will drive your preceding steps, so present your shorter-term goal(s) in that context: show how they pave the way for you to pursue and achieve your ultimate professional objective.Be brief but specific when discussing the HEC MBA – tie its program directly to achievement of your goals, and detail the 2-3 points about the program that are most meaningful to you.Finally, connect the dots. This essay, well done, will convey how your goals grow organically from your experience and are achievable given your previous experience and an MBA from HEC. hbspt.cta.load(58291, '9bb31be0-3cf6-45f0-be3d-3791cc1bd9bd', {}); HEC MBA essay #2What do you consider your most significant life achievement? (250 words maximum)Most significant life achievement – Wow. It probably didn’t happen yesterday. And for many people it didn’t happen at work… Few work accomplishments rise to the level of MOST SIGNIFICANT LIFE ACHIEVEMENT. Imagine if, for example, you state that boosting your organization’s bottom-line (by whatever amount) is your greatest life achievement – the adcom might wonder about your values or whether you really have a life. Although, if you can say that at work you saved jobs or lessened negative environmental impacts or were instrumental in developing a new medical advancement, that would be more substantial and could possibly fit the bill.For many people, this story will be personal – I think of clients who have persevered through, managed, and overcome major famFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553