March 2026 Preview –
What’s Coming This Month 

📅 Mark Your Calendars – Key March 2026 Dates

🔬 Rising Researchers – Make the Most of your Summer Researching Cardiovascular Health, Astronomy/Biology or Bioinformatics

🎓Seniors: Ivy Day is coming March 26, 2026 at 7pm EST

📚Underclassmen News: From Volunteer Hours to Research Breakthroughs: A Short Guide for High School Medicine Explorers

⚕️Med School Applicants: Spring Forward: What Premeds should be doing in March

📷In the News – Moon Prep Featured Articles

📊 University Updates – What You Need to Know

🎙 White Coat Club Podcast – Duel Feature: The College List Blueprint and Supporting Juniors in the College Application Process

✏️SAT/ACT Prep – Ace Your Exams With Expert Test Prep

Mark Your Calendar!

✅ March 15: Hagan Scholarship deadline

✅ March 15: Shell Oil Company High School Senior Scholarship deadline

✅ March 26: Ivy Day – Decisions Released at 7pm ET

✅ March 31: SWE Emerging First-Year Scholars Program deadline

✅ April 1: National CCAA First-Year Scholarship deadline

Summer break is right around the corner — and it’s the perfect time to get ahead while your peers are taking time off. Use some time to add research and even a publication to your resume.

Join one of our Summer 2026 Research Camps: 

Camp 1: Searching for Life in the Universe: The Intersection of Astronomy & Biology, led by Dr. Ryan.

 Schedule: Every Tuesday and Friday (6/30/26 – 7/31/26) from 7:00p – 8:30p ET / 4:00p – 5:30p PT
 Investment: $3500 (Early Bird Discount: Register by June 1 to save $200)

Why You’ll Love This Camp:

This camp brings astrobiology and space science to life by immersing students in the most compelling questions scientists are exploring today. Students will learn how exoplanets are discovered and examine statistical patterns that reveal their existence. They will explore the three essential criteria for life and apply that knowledge to evaluate the most promising places to search for life within our solar system and beyond.

Students gain authentic research and scientific writing experience. They will learn how to develop a compelling research question, locate and analyze scholarly literature, and understand the critical difference between objectively reporting results and interpreting scientific findings.

This course is tailored to accommodate various skill levels and is suitable for beginners.

View the syllabus

Sign up now

Camp 2: Cardiovascular Health – The Medical and Social Factors Behind Disease, led by Loren B..

 Schedule: Every Monday & Thursday (7/6/26 – 8/6/26) from  7:00p – 8:30p ET/ 4:00p – 5:30p PT
 Investment: $3500 (Early Bird Discount: Register by June 1 to save $200)

Why You’ll Love This Camp:

This camp introduces students to the social determinants of health, including socioeconomic status and environment, and their impact on cardiovascular disease. Students will review the anatomy and physiology of the heart and apply cardiology knowledge to real-world case study scenarios. They will explore common cardiology pathologies, learn to interpret clinical data and findings, and gain experience performing literature reviews. By combining medical knowledge with public health perspectives, students develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of how social factors influence heart health.

This course is tailored to accommodate various skill levels and is suitable for beginners. 

View the syllabus and secure your spot now. 

Learn more and sign up here.

Camp 3: Bioinformatics Research: Biology Meets No-Code AI and ML Programming. Select a focus in either Medicine, Microbiology, or Plants for Beginners, led by Dr. Jedy.

 Schedule: Every Monday & Thursday (7/20/26 – 8/20/26) from  7:00p – 8:30p ET/ 4:00p – 5:30p PT
 Investment: $3500 (Early Bird Discount: Register by June 1 to save $200)

Why You’ll Love This Camp:

Bioinformatics Research: Biology Meets No-Code AI and ML Programming introduces you to the fast-growing field where biology and artificial intelligence intersect. You’ll use intuitive, no-code tools to analyze biological data while learning how machine learning drives discoveries in healthcare, microbiology, and plant science. Choose a focus area in Medicine, Microbiology, or Plants for beginners to tailor the experience to your interests. By the end of the camp, you’ll understand how computational tools are transforming modern biology, and you’ll have hands-on experience applying them yourself.

This course is tailored to accommodate various skill levels and is suitable for beginners. 

View the syllabus

Ivy Day is Coming March 26, 2026 at 7pm EST

For high school seniors, Ivy Day represents more than just admissions results—it symbolizes the end of a long journey through the college application process. It is a moment of closure and reflection, where students see the results of their hard work and begin to envision the next chapter of their academic lives. While not every student will receive the news they hoped for, Ivy Day remains an important milestone, reminding seniors that the college process is just one step in a much larger journey toward their goals and future opportunities.

From Volunteer Hours to Research Breakthroughs: A Short Guide for High School Medicine Explorers

If you’re a high school student curious about medicine, this quick guide blends two building blocks: Clinical Exposure and Service, and Research and Scholarly Activity. The aim is to help you choose high-impact volunteering, learn how to shadow effectively, and dip your toes into undergraduate research—laying a solid foundation for future BS/MD applications.

High-impact volunteering with measurable impact
Focus on roles you can commit to consistently and that offer clear outcomes. Hospital outreach and patient education programs are great for starting, with roughly 4–6 hours per month and minimal startup costs. You might help with health fairs, distribute educational materials, or assist families in understanding health concepts, keeping a brief activity log to capture your impact. Community clinics or school-based health programs are also valuable, often requiring 2–4 hours per week and little to no upfront cost. Document patient interactions (in a HIPAA-safe way) and note any improvements in access or understanding. If you’re drawn to health equity, consider advocacy or vaccination drives, tracking attendance, or resources connected to care. Youth mentoring in science and health offers a flexible schedule and tangible leadership outcomes, such as participant counts or feedback. Virtual health education and telehealth support provide modern outlets for impact with modest tech needs. Start with one steady commitment, then add another as time allows, and keep a simple log of date, setting, activity, learning, and impact.

Shadowing with purpose
Shadowing should combine observation with thoughtful reflection. Before you begin, set clear goals about what you want to learn—communication, decision-making, teamwork. Bring a reflective notebook or digital log and jot prompts such as what the clinician explained clearly, patient concerns, and how care was coordinated. During the experience, watch the workflow and note how clinicians explain options with empathy and how teams collaborate. Afterward, write a 150–300 word reflection focusing on a key learning, a lingering question, and how it shapes your view of medicine. A simple S.A.R.R. (Situation, Action, Result, Reflection) format helps organize notes, and noting skills like clinical reasoning or bedside manner will guide your future aims.

Early research and scholarly activity
Even as a high school student, you can begin with ideas that connect to medicine. Seek mentors who can guide you from concept to abstract, and look for patient-care relevance in projects. When choosing a project, prioritize potential clinical impact or questions that matter to patient outcomes. If you aim to present at student conferences later, start drafting a brief abstract or poster outline and seek feedback from teachers or mentors with research experience. Balance is key: as you gain research experience, learn how to frame your work alongside your clinical goals so admissions committees see a coherent path.

A simple starter plan
Begin by identifying 1–2 volunteering roles and 1 shadowing goal. Log reflections that connect experiences to your medical interests. Build a compact portfolio that records hours, outcomes, and leadership. When you’re ready for research, pursue opportunities aligned with your interests and your school’s resources, and practice presenting findings clearly. Remember: the journey from curiosity to a future medical career is long, but consistent, meaningful steps build a strong, cohesive story.

Starting early with purposeful volunteering, reflective shadowing, and introductory research can set you apart as you move toward BS/MD programs.

Med School Application Fatigue and Waiting Season Survival Tips

By February, most medical school applicants aren’t burned out from doing; they’re exhausted from waiting.

Every email notification triggers a spike of adrenaline, followed by disappointment when it’s just another mailing list or spam alert. This in-between space after effort but before resolution is one of the hardest parts of the medical school application process.

Anxiety during the waiting season isn’t a personal weakness; it’s a rational response to uncertainty after months (or years) of sustained effort. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety, but to prevent it from consuming your days.

One helpful strategy is by containing uncertainty. Instead of letting application thoughts spill into every hour, designate a short, intentional window each day to check email and portals. Outside of that time, remind yourself that nothing about your status changes minute by minute. Admissions decisions move slowly, even when our minds do not.

It’s also important to notice when your thoughts shift from reflection to rumination. Asking “What could I improve if I reapply?” can be productive. Replaying every interview answer or obsessively interpreting silence is not. When you catch yourself spiraling, redirect toward actions that restore a sense of agency, like exercise, creative outlets, volunteering, or learning something unrelated to medicine.

Silence feels personal, but it rarely is.

Admissions committees review thousands of applications, coordinate interviews across busy faculty schedules, and balance class composition over months. A lack of communication usually reflects logistics, not a hidden verdict on your worth or potential.

It’s also worth remembering that February is still early for many schools. Offers continue into the spring, and waitlists often move more than applicants expect. Silence does not mean rejection, just as an acceptance does not mean the process is over.

Reframing silence as neutral information rather than negative feedback can significantly reduce stress. You are not being ignored; you are still being considered within a system that moves carefully by design.

Productivity during the waiting season looks different from productivity during application season. You don’t need to prove anything right now—but you can use this time intentionally.

Focus on activities that benefit you regardless of outcome:

• Deepening clinical or community involvement

• Continuing research or skill-building

• Strengthening personal relationships neglected during the application season

• Reflecting honestly on growth areas without judgment

Some applicants find it helpful to begin a low-pressure plan B; updating a CV, identifying gap-year opportunities, or outlining possible improvements. Done thoughtfully, this can reduce fear rather than fuel it. Planning does not mean expecting the worst; it means trusting yourself to adapt.

Finally, give yourself permission to rest. Medicine is a career defined by delayed gratification, and this season is an early test of that reality. Learning to pause without guilt is not a distraction from becoming a physician, it’s preparation for it.

Waiting does not erase your effort. Silence does not negate your readiness. And uncertainty does not define your future in medicine. February is not a verdict—it’s  a holding space. How you care for yourself matters.

Spring Forward: What Premeds Should Be Doing in March

Regardless of where you are in the process, March is a time to stay proactive and focused on the next steps in your journey toward medical school. Whether you are preparing to submit your application, waiting on decisions, or considering how to strengthen a future application, continued engagement in meaningful academic, clinical, and service activities remains important. The medical school pathway is a long one, and progress often happens in stages. Staying organized, reflective, and committed to your goals during this time will help position you for success in the months ahead.

Check out our latest article:
3 Key Factors to Consider Before Enrolling in a Special Masters Program (SMP)

University Updates and Numbers You Need to Know

📊 Major changes coming to the University of Southern California admissions processes. 

1. Early Decision expands to most majors

The University of Southern California announces the expansion of the Early Decision (ED) option to nearly all undergraduate programs. Building on the initial success of this year’s ED pilot, and in response to growing demand from students who are confident that USC is their top choice, we are pleased to extend the ED option as broadly as possible. This option will be made available to first-year applicants seeking admission to USC for the 2027-2028 academic year. Students applying through ED must submit their applications by November 1, 2026, and may not apply ED to any other institution. Applicants admitted through ED agree to enroll at USC and must withdraw any pending applications to other colleges or universities. Admission decisions will be released in mid-December.

Note that ED will not be available for students applying to USC’s three schools of performing arts: the USC Kaufman School of Dance, USC Thornton School of Music, and the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Students applying to these programs will be considered for admission and scholarships using the Regular Decision December 1 deadline.

USC will continue to offer Early Action (EA) and Regular Decision (RD) pathways, providing students with multiple options to meet their needs.  Applicants not admitted through an early round will be deferred to Regular Decision. All admitted students will be considered for need-based financial aid, and students applying early will remain eligible for USC merit scholarships. Details and FAQs are now available on our website.

2. If tests are submitted, we will consider official reports

Although USC remains test-optional, we will consider standardized tests submitted via official reports. Applicants submitting tests must arrange for scores to be sent to USC directly from the testing agency.

📊Canisius College to launch new BS/MD 6-year program beginning in Fall 2026.

📊Rutgers–New Brunswick received roughly 80,000 first-year applications. While they are thrilled about the continuous increase in applications and interest in Rutgers, this has led to a more competitive applicant pool. The average GPA of fall 2026 admitted students is 4.0, with an average SAT score of 1445.  

📊As of the end of February 2026, more than 58,000 students have applied for fall 2026 admission to the University of Connecticut!

📊 University of Michigan received a record 115,125 undergraduate applications for Fall 2026, highlighting the rapidly increasing competition at one of the nation’s top public universities. The milestone reflects a 29% increase in applications over the past five years, underscoring how selective admissions at leading institutions continue to intensify for today’s applicants. 

White Coat Club Episode:
The College List Blueprint

Building a college list is one of the most important — and often misunderstood — parts of the college admissions process. In this episode, Nicole and Muskan break down a clear framework for how students can thoughtfully build a balanced and strategic college list.

They begin by discussing the importance of self-evaluation. Early in high school, students may not yet know their GPA trajectory, standardized test scores, or academic interests, which makes exploration an important first step. As students move into junior year and their academic profile becomes clearer, they can begin evaluating how their GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and extracurricular résumé compare to the academic profiles of admitted students.

Nicole and Muskan also walk listeners through where to find reliable admissions data — including Naviance or Scoir, College Board, and universities’ incoming class profiles — and explain how to interpret those statistics to determine whether a school should be considered a safety, match, or reach. They also address the reality that some institutions and programs — including Ivy League schools, Stanford, MIT, and many BS/MD programs — are highly selective for all applicants, regardless of academic credentials.

The episode then explores how students should evaluate fit beyond academics, including factors such as cost, majors, location, campus culture, research opportunities, pre-med advising, and proximity to hospitals. Nicole and Muskan also debunk common misconceptions around rankings and discuss how many schools students should realistically include on their list.

Finally, they share practical strategies for organizing the entire process — from understanding different application portals and timelines to consolidating research into a working spreadsheet that evolves as preferences change.

For students feeling overwhelmed by where to start, this episode provides a clear and actionable blueprint for building a thoughtful and balanced college list.

Check out this episode to learn more!

White Coat Club Episode:
Supporting Juniors in the College Application Process

Junior year is when the college admissions process shifts from abstract to real. In Part 2 of this parent-focused series, Nicole and Muskan break down how families can thoughtfully prepare for application season before senior year begins.

This episode walks parents through the strategic steps that matter most during junior year: being intentional about college visits, researching schools before stepping on campus, and exposing students to a range of institutional types — from large public universities to private institutions, STEM-focused programs, and liberal arts colleges. Nicole and Muskan also discuss how to begin thinking broadly about application categories, including BS/MD, BS/DO, traditional pre-med pathways, and other academic tracks.

The conversation then shifts to building a balanced college list, understanding safeties, targets, and reaches, and setting clear criteria around cost, distance, safety, and academic fit. Parents will also gain clarity around SAT/ACT testing strategy, summer planning, résumé refinement, and how to structure the months leading into senior year to reduce stress.

From early counselor meetings in the spring to outlining and drafting essays over the summer, this episode provides a clear timeline and practical framework for supporting juniors through one of the most important preparatory years of the admissions process.

Check out this episode to learn more!

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