Application Timeline

The Art of the Letter of Recommendation Packet

Asking for letters of recommendation? Don't just, like, ask, you know. Make sure you come prepared with a packet of materials that the letter of recommendation writer might want.‍What goes in this packet, you ask?

What’s a good Letter of Recommendation?

Asking for recommendation letters can be nerve-wracking, but it doesn't have to be. Rob Humbracht shares tips to help you turn an awkward request into recommendation gold. Learn how to provide your recommenders with the right info and focus to make your letters shine. Dive into this guide and transform your letters from dull lists to standout endorsements.

How to Write Effectively About Your Challenges

Master the art of writing about personal challenges with our guide. Learn to craft narratives that resonate with admissions committees and showcase your growth.

Three Ways to Answer "How Are You Diverse?

Discover the key to acing the diversity question in your admissions essays and interviews with Passport Admissions. Explore three layers of diversity beyond race and ethnicity that can make your application shine.

Think Your Stories Aren't "Application Material?" Think Again.

Unlock the secrets to standing out in college applications with Passport Admissions. Join Ryan Kelly as he reveals how embracing your unconventional path can make all the difference. From quirky hobbies to bizarre life experiences, learn why being unique is your secret weapon.

The Golden Rule of Applications: Stay True to Yourself

In the quest for the perfect application, the golden rule is simple: be unapologetically you. Our latest Passport Admissions blog post delves into the power of authenticity and how it can transform your application from forgettable to front-and-center. Discover Ryan Kelly’s take on why impressing yourself is the first step to wowing admissions committees. Ready to shine in your true colors?

Dealing with Clichés in Your Personal Statement

Clichés—those well-worn phrases—are like old friends. But in the world of college admissions, they’ve become invisible. So, how can you make your story stand out? Discover how to transform clichés into captivating narratives that resonate with admissions committees.

Let’s Chat(GPT) About Admissions Committee Bots

Explore the innovative intersection of AI and medical school admissions in our enlightening blog post. Admissions specialists Rob Humbracht and Janet Snoyer delve into how AI could transform the way candidates tailor their applications to match a program’s unique criteria. Learn about the potential for AI to act as a simulated admissions committee, providing personalized feedback on your application materials.

Make your first application your last

In this interview, Rob Humbracht, an admissions expert, and Janet Snoyer, a former admissions committee member and Principal Consultant at The Mentoring Alliance, share their insights and tips on how to apply to medical school only once and only when you are ready. They explain why applying multiple times can be detrimental, both emotionally and financially, and how being prepared and early can increase your chances of getting accepted. They also discuss some common mistakes and best practices for making your application stand out.

Personal Statement Hooks That Don’t Suck

To write a great personal statement hook, you need to be counterintuitive, contrarian, and morally ambiguous. These qualities will make your hook stand out and captivate the admissions committees. In this article, we’ll teach you how to use these strategies with examples from medical school applicants. We’ll also give you tips on how to avoid mistakes and find your own voice. Writing a killer hook is hard, but rewarding. Keep reading to learn how.

Are You Ready to Apply to Medical or Graduate School?

Are you thinking of applying to medical or graduate school? If so, you might want to take a moment and slow down. In this blog post, I share my insights as an admissions consultant on why many students are not ready to apply and how they can avoid wasting time and money on unsuccessful applications. I also provide a 10-question quiz that will help you assess your readiness and preparation for the application process. Whether you are interested in healthcare, business, law, or any other discipline, this quiz will help you make an informed decision about your future.

Pre-Mortem Your Admissions Dreams: Avoiding Application Missteps

Are you applying to graduate school and feeling overwhelmed by the process? Do you want to avoid the common pitfalls that can ruin your chances of getting accepted? If so, you need to read this article by a former admissions officer who reveals the biggest mistakes students make in their applications. From temporal discounting to procrastination, from avoiding weaknesses to over-focusing on them, from bungling the writing process to failing to plan for the gap year, this article covers it all. You will learn how to identify your own weaknesses, make a realistic plan, and stand out from the crowd. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the expert and get closer to your dream school. Read the article now and make your application count!

Should You Use AI to Write Your Personal Statement? Pt. 2

Writing a personal statement is a daunting task for many students, especially when it comes to crafting a catchy hook or introduction. In this article, Ryan Kelly explores how AI can assist students with this challenge, using ChatGPT as an example. The strengths and weaknesses of AI in generating hooks are evaluated, and tips and best practices are provided for using AI as a tool, not a replacement, for human creativity and editing. The article is part of a series that examines AI’s usefulness in different stages of the personal statement process. There’s even a ChatGPT prompt you can use for writing your own hook!

Five Rules Every College Student Should Break

You’ve probably heard some unwritten rules about what college students should or shouldn’t do to be successful. But what if I told you that following these rules could actually hurt your chances of getting into your dream job or graduate school? In this blog post, I’ll reveal 5 rules that every college student should break, based on my 11+ years of experience helping people get into college and graduate school. These rules will help you create your own path, showcase your strengths, and have more fun along the way.

Newsletter: Why Mowing Lawns is Better than Your Summer Internship

Are you looking for a summer internship that will boost your resume and impress your future employers or admissions committees? Think again. In this blog post, you will learn why mowing lawns is better than your summer internship. You will discover how “crappy jobs” can give you real competencies, stories, and character that will make you stand out from the crowd. You will also see examples of how former students used their “crappy jobs” to showcase their skills and achievements. Don’t miss this opportunity to rethink your summer plans and find out why getting a “crappy job” is better for your soul and your future.

2022-2023 AMCAS Timeline and Checklist

This year, the AMCAS opens up on May 4th, and the first day for submission is May 31st. It’s imperative to get your application in as soon as you can due to the rolling admissions process. That means that applications are considered on a first-come-first-serve basis. The earlier you apply, the more spots are yet available. Before you hit that sacred submit button, use this checklist to ensure you’ve covered all your bases.

How to Start Your Career Over as a Doctor as a Non-traditional Applicant

The path to medicine can seem daunting as a non-traditional student. There is no denying that the journey is chock-full of uncertainty and obstacles. We interviewed two non-traditional students (one medical student and one current applicant) about their roads to medicine and how they overcame their challenges. We hope these FAQs will be helpful in your own journey!

Important Dates and Deadlines for the 2021-2022 AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS, and CASPer

With new deadlines announced recently, we’ve highlighted the crucial dates to submit your 2021-2022 AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS, and CASPer so that you survive the application gauntlet.

6 Holiday Break Activities to Increase Your Chances of Getting into Medical School

The holiday break can be a time of blissful unproductivity - lazing around, eating hearty meals, tinkering with new presents - but it can also be a good time to put in some work on your medical school application (hopefully it’s a little bit of both!). So, if you’re feeling ambitious, how exactly should you spend your holiday break? Well, that depends a little bit on how far along you are in your pre-med journey. Regardless of whether you recently applied or won’t be applying for a few years, we wanted to give you 6 possible options for holiday productivity.

Every Question You Have About Medical School Waitlists

For each medical school, only about 10-15% of applicants are offered an interview each year, let alone placed on a waitlist. So, if you’re on a waitlist, you’re in rare company! It’s actually quite an accomplishment. Okay - sorry - we know that’s not much consolation. The waitlist is the medical school equivalent of “being in limbo,” so we’re sure you have lots of anxious questions. Let’s get them answered!

How to Write an Effective Letter of Intent for Medical School

Have you recently interviewed at your dream medical school? Were you just placed on its waitlist? Is interview season over, and you’re still waiting to hear back from your top-choice program? If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it’s likely time for you to write a letter of intent. This letter is quite high-stakes, so you want to get it right! This article will help you write an effective letter of intent that gets noticed and moves the needle.

COVID-19's Legacy: Predictions for the 2021-2022 Medical School Admissions Cycle

Canceled MCATs; online coursework; in-person shadowing restrictions; virtual interviewing - COVID-19 undoubtedly shifted the medical school admissions process in 2020 and created unprecedented challenges for pre-meds. But how will it impact medical school admissions moving forward? What will COVID-19’s legacy be in the 2021-2022 cycle?

Every Question You Have About Medical School Update Letters

Once you submit your secondaries and the summer dies down, it's time to send update letters to the medical schools on your list! Confused about how to start? What to include? When to send them off? We're here to answer all of your pressing questions and help you craft a stellar update letter that gets noticed by medical schools.

How to Make Your Pre-med 4-Year Plan

We’re not saying that you need to be hyper-obsessive and plan out every little detail, and we’re not saying that you can’t change your mind or take time to explore. BUT getting into medical schools is HARD, and the competition is STEEP, so careful planning will be crucial to your success. And it’s not just about planning in general. You’ve probably heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder.” The same idea applies here. We want to help you “plan smarter” by offering you tips and insights that will give you a strategic advantage.

Everything You Need to Know About the New AAMC Video Interview Tool for Admissions (VITA)

Imagine having to record an 18-minute speech about your qualifications for becoming a physician. Now imagine that speech being sent to all the medical schools you’re applying to, without being able to make any edits or start over. Sounds pretty terrifying, right? Well, that’s essentially how the new AAMC Video Interview Tool for Admissions (VITA) is going to work… more or less.

Answering Your FAQs About the Pilot AAMC Situational Judgment Test (SJT)

It was recently announced that two medical schools - University of California Davis School of Medicine and University of Minnesota Medical School Twin Cities - will be participating in the AAMC’s pilot Situational Judgment Test (SJT). If you’re applying to either or both of these schools, you probably have a lot of questions: Is the pilot test mandatory? Will the test affect my admissions chances? What kinds of questions will be asked? We’re here to help get those questions answered!

Answering Your Most Common AMCAS Questions

The AMCAS opens for submissions in two days on May 28. Are you ready?

How to Talk to Your Parents About Applying to Medical School

When we Googled “how to talk to parents,” the results were all over the map. Some were quite serious: depression, dating, moving out, etc. What we didn’t find was how to talk to your parents about applying to medical school. In our experience, this task can range from laidback to very stressful, depending on the pre-med, family, and numerous factors like income or culture. Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, we have some helpful tips to prepare you for this pivotal conversation in your pre-med journey.

Updates: Medical School Admissions 2020-2021

UPDATES 8/27/20:‍ Medical School Applications Have Gone Up 14% Over This Time Last Year. Click here to read more about this development!

FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About the CASPer Test

FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About the CASPer Test

New 2020 MCAT Changes and What They Mean for You

New 2020 MCAT Changes and What They Mean for You

5 Tips for Writing About Coronavirus in Your Personal Statement

5 Tips for Writing About Coronavirus in Your Personal Statement

13 Changes Medical School Admissions and the AAMC Should Make for 2020-2021

13 Changes Medical School Admissions and the AAMC Should Make for 2020-2021

The 6 biggest med school application timeline mistakes (Video)

The 6 biggest med school application timeline mistakes

5 Bold Coronavirus Predictions: What Will Happen to Med School Admissions in 2020?

5 Bold Coronavirus Predictions: What Will Happen to Med School Admissions in 2020?

How to Avoid the 6 Biggest Medical School Application Timeline Mistakes

How to Avoid the 6 Biggest Medical School Application Timeline Mistakes

Medical School Application Deadlines 2020-2021 for AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS, and CASPer; Updated 4/14/20

Medical School Application Deadlines 2020-2021 for AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS, and CASPer; Updated 4/14/20

Quiz: Should You Take an MCAT Prep Class?

Quiz: Should You Take an MCAT Prep Class?

The Top 40 Pre-med Summer Internships

The Top 40 Pre-med Summer Internships

Five Types of Med School Gap Years, Ranked Best to Worst

Five Types of Med School Gap Years, Ranked Best to Worst

21 Pre-med Fairs and Conferences to Attend in 2020-2021

21 Pre-med Fairs and Conferences to Attend in 2020-2021

How to Write a Med School Update Letter That Actually Works

How to Write a Med School Update Letter That Actually Works

The MedSwipe Dating App: A Guide to Your Med School Application

The MedSwipe Dating App: A Guide to Your Med School Application

Top 10 Most Underrated Colleges to Be Pre-med

Medical School Application Dates 2019-2020 for AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS and CASPer

I Applied to 151 Medical Schools and Lived to Tell the Tale

If you wanted to apply to 151 medical schools, what would you need to accomplish that?

Every Question You Have About the New 2019 Medical School Traffic Rules

Imagine a private gathering of medical school admissions officers, perhaps in an ivory tower somewhere. This conclave of academic gatekeepers, mostly from prestigious schools, is meeting behind-the-scenes to discuss candidates and divvy them up amongst their programs.

The Real AMCAS Medical School Deadlines

How much does it matter to apply early to medical school? We touched on the idea briefly when we posted this year’s AMCAS application dates, but, because we’re getting down to the wire, I’ve created a video (complete with a Lego pre-med) to show you whether it’s advisable to submit late this cycle. .

Every Question You Have About the AMCAS

The race begins! The AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) opens tomorrow, and if you’re not one of the first few to fill it out in the hours that it opens, you will never fulfill your dreams of becoming a physician.

Don't Hurt Your Odds 05/07/18

My friend begins every trip to Vegas at the roulette table, throwing down a chunk of chips on black or red. “Let’s just see what happens,” he says.

Ruining Your 4-Year Plan: Good Reasons to Wait a Year to Apply to Medical School

The last thing you want is to waste a year of your life. Becoming a doctor already requires four years of med school and another four of residency, so unless you want to get a real paycheck before you’re 30, you’d better get a move-on. Right?

Medical School Application Dates 2018-2019 for AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS

During the American Civil War, Henry Wirz, a particularly vicious Confederate general, was convicted and hanged for torturing Yankee prisoners of war. During the trial, it came out that he had drawn a line in the dirt, beyond which any prisoner who crossed would be shot. Some believe this particular act to be the origin of the term “deadline.”

Is It Bad to Take A Gap Year Before Medical School?

One thing that’s inevitably passed down from generation to generation is a resentment towards the younger generation. Just take some time to read the news on social media, and you’ll see countless articles about what’s wrong with millenials, how Gen Z’s are all screwed, or (perhaps most apt in this case) how baby boomers are out of touch.

Top 6 Reasons Reapplicants Didn't Get In And What to Do About It

Join the club. If you’ve been rejected from medical school, that makes you normal. 60% of applicants DON’T get in. The people who get in are the unusual ones.

Medical School Application Dates 2017-2018 for AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS

Pre-meds are Type A. Rather than wait for the application deadlines, they rush to submit their application on the first day each application opens.Is this crazy? Well, not really. When you apply affects whether you get in.

Six Essential Lessons for Getting Into Medical School - Part 2

Last week, we dove into the first three lessons that successful students can teach us about how to get into medical school. Let’s continue with our final three lessons:

Six Essential Lessons for Getting Into Medical School (Part 1)

"Nobody gets into medical school these days." I hear this statement a lot, and I understand where it comes from. When you see scores of well qualified candidates - brilliant classmates, selfless neighbors, hardworking siblings - apply and get rejected, it's easy to think, "there's no way I can get in."

What Should I Do During My Gap Year?

One year from today, your life will be over. When you start medical school, you will be consumed by academic and extracurricular responsibilities, and your free time will effectively end. And of course, while it's hard to think about that day when you haven't yet gotten in, it's important to plan for it nonetheless.

Gap Year Part 2: How and When to Travel While Applying to Medical School

What are the best times to travel during your year when applying to med school? On the one hand, your first responsibility is to your applications, so you don't want to be out of the country and miss an important secondary application or interview. On the other hand, this is your last year to do some serious travel, and plane tickets to another continent aren't exactly cheap.

Highly Recommended: Too Much To Do, Not Enough Time

Your Med School Application is Ticking

Why Applying Early (Still) Helps your Chances