Working on your Notre Dame application and stumped by the supplemental essays? We’re here to help! We’ll also be answering listener questions on college finance and admissions.

by Lauren DiProspero, former admissions officer at Columbia University

Did you discover a passion for medicine in junior or senior year of college – or you graduated and want a career change? Maybe you weren’t able to complete all pre-requisite courses or you need to improve your science GPA before applying to medical school. It can seem overwhelming to know where to start. The good news is that you have options! One option is a post-baccalaureate (post-bac) program. Post-bac programs come in many different formats but the two main categories are career changer and record enhancement.

Guest post by Brittany Peterson, Senior Executive Function Coach at Beyond BookSmart

If you’re reading this, it’s likely because you’re taking online classes or supporting someone taking online classes. No matter the reason, my goal is to offer you ways to tackle projects and introduce tools you can use to get focused and conquer assignments.

Thinking about transferring colleges? If costs are a consideration, we have advice on how to start preparing financially for this transition. While many seniors have already submitted some or all of their college applications, many, many more are just getting started. We have tips on getting organized and planning ahead in order to maximize the time left before regular decision applications are due. In Office Hours this week? Supplements for Tufts and Harvard.

Wondering what to do now that you’ve submitted your financial aid applications? We’ve got you covered. Hear from a College Coach team member about her choice to attend a public honors college. And in Office Hours, we’re reviewing the supplemental essays for Purdue and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

by Lauren DiProspero, former admissions officer at Columbia University

The process of applying to medical school requires a lot of reflection on the part of applicants. As you start considering when you want to apply, the very first question you should be asking yourself is: Am I competitive for medical school? You need to do an honest assessment of your academics, MCAT score, experiences, and motivation. It can be helpful to include your pre-med advisor in this process as that person has seen many students from your college apply to medical school. They can also provide suggestions for next steps to take to improve your application. Remember, gap years are incredibly common and you do not want to apply to medical school unless you have prepared the strongest application possible.

In this episode, we have more supplemental essay advice, this time for the University of Washington and Arizona State. We’re also answering your college admissions and finance questions.

Though far from the only benefit of attending college, better job prospects upon graduation is one important reason that students choose to pursue a degree. With this in mind, the quality of a college’s career services should be a major driver of a student’s college decision, but most students have no idea what to look for in a college career services office.

Myths surrounding getting into and paying for college abound, and this year is no different. In fact, the current challenges created by COVID have only increased the misinformation being shared. We’ll counter the biggest admissions and college finance myths we’re hearing with the real story. As early deadlines near, we have advice on evaluating when your application is ready to submit.

A guest post from Emma Bond, Fortuna Admissions

As people look for refuge from an uncertain economy, my colleagues and I at Fortuna Admissions have seen a surge in interest from candidates applying to business school. And, while MBA applications to the world’s top business schools are climbing, specialized business masters—tailored to early career professionals looking to kick-start their career in business and increase their competitive advantage—are seeing an even greater growth in demand.