by Julie Wolf, Guest Writer

“While remote or online learning is different than face-to-face, it truly isn’t less than.”

A professor friend told me this. I believe it’s true, but some students are anxious. Who better to address their concerns than experienced faculty members? A dozen professors in varying fields (art history, architecture, writing, literature, African-American studies, nutrition, philosophy, computer science, and electrical engineering) from varying institutions (midsize Ivy League and liberal arts schools, large private universities in the Northeast, even larger state universities in the South and Midwest) weighed in: What can students do to achieve a successful fall semester? Their advice will be helpful not just for college students, but for students in high school as well.

For most people, writing a check for the tuition bill is a frightening prospect. What if you could spread those payments out? We have information on tuition payment plans offering an installment plan. We’ll also take a close look at the Common App essay topics and offer suggestions for approaching those. Finally, Bright Horizons’ director of learning and development services will join us to share data on strengths-based coaching.

by Lauren DiProspero, former admissions officer at Columbia University

College is the time that most pre-med students have been waiting for: they finally have the time and freedom to dig in and explore the field of medicine. Academically, pre-med coursework is mostly prescribed to meet the prerequisite coursework expected by medical schools. As a result, students look towards their involvement outside of the classroom as a way to confirm their desire to go to medical school. That exposure and reflection is crucial for creating a successful application. Medical schools do expect students to develop core competencies in addition to exploring what it means to become a doctor through experience. Admissions committees look for evidence of: empathy, ethics, compassion, maturity, leadership, and an understanding of a medical career. The experiences a student has in college, and beyond, can show all of these and more.

by Mary Sue Youn, former admissions officer at Barnard College

In my last blog post, I reviewed the pros and cons of applying to accelerated BS/MD programs. If you’ve decided an accelerated medical program is a good fit for your educational goals, let’s move next to what the programs are looking for from successful applicants.

Many students enter their undergraduate years with their sights set on medicine. We have suggestions for pre-med activities that can positively impact med school applications. In our second and third segments, we’re answering your questions related to college finance and admissions.

by Mary Sue Youn, former admissions officer at Barnard College

Have you always known you wanted to be a doctor? Maybe you have always been fascinated by medicine, or perhaps this is a more recent but intense interest. As you begin your college search, you may become interested in an accelerated medical program where you apply in high school to be admitted to a seven- or eight-year track to obtain both your Bachelor’s degree and your Doctorate in Medicine. But is this type of program the right fit for you?

One of the most important parts of the Common App is the section in which students list their activities. Involvement outside the classroom is a major selection component for many universities, and this is the primary opportunity to share the depth and breadth of that involvement. We’ll offer tips for these 10 entries to maximize their impact. In other segments, we’ll go over what you need to know about FERPA and one of our educators will share her experiences studying engineering in a liberal arts college.

COVID-19 looms large for all of us this year, including high school students. For many, it might be tempting to write their essays about their experiences—but should they? We’ll talk through this question and offer our perspective as former admissions officers who have read tens of thousands of admissions essays over the years. In other segments, we’ll go over how students can help themselves financially this summer and hear about one of our expert’s experiences selecting her college and studying abroad in London.

by Mary Sue Youn, former admissions officer at Barnard College

As we talk to families, a version of the same question keeps popping up over and over again:

“What will the impact be on the class of 2021 if a high number of the class of 2020 takes a gap year?”

A “gap year” involves delaying enrollment at a college for one year, oftentimes for travel, volunteer, or employment experiences. Students must ask their enrolling college for permission to use this option, and generally students are not permitted to take courses at another college during their gap year. Annually, about 3% of American college students opt for a gap year, but recent articles have touted that the number of gap years will skyrocket in the age of coronavirus. If 30% of the incoming class didn’t enroll this fall and held off until next year, it would certainly mean that colleges would have 30% less spots for next year’s applicants, right?

There are some executive functioning skills that are essential to student success. Michael Delman, founder of Beyond BookSmart, joins us to go over those skills and share tips for how to develop them. We’ll also look at how to find scholarships based on your intended major. In Office Hours, we have a suggested timeline and plan for rising seniors to make the most of their summer by tackling some of the biggest pieces of the college application process during this time off from school.