January Admissions News

By Brandie Erickson January 13, 2025 BS/MD Admissions Consulting Newsletter

 

With Regular Decision deadlines at the turn of the new year, the past week has been quite busy at Moon Prep! This month, students will be receiving their Early Decision and Early Action results, along with many direct medical programs’ interview invitations. If your senior has received disappointing Early Decision news, our counselors are here to help in crafting a letter of continued interest to improve your chances of getting off the waitlist as well as prepare for interviews with their remaining schools.

Did you know? January is one of the most popular times for juniors and underclassmen to join Moon Prep as they begin planning for meaningful summer programs and plan out impactful resume steps. In fact, our exclusive resume-building bootcamp, Project IQ, begins this month! 

Schedule a free meeting to learn how Moon Prep can help.


 

Rising Researchers – 1 Final Winter Session!

This semester, get a head start on resume building before summer even begins. Rising Researchers offers the perfect opportunity for students to be exposed to scientific literature and complete the course with a publication and poster presentation. Gain valuable research experience in only 4 weeks during the spring semester, while working alongside peers in a small class cohort, under the guidance of a research mentor.

Research Topic: 

  • Biology Meets No-Code AI and ML Programming: Bioinformatics Research in Medicine or Microbiology for Beginners

View the syllabus and learn more about these research experiences online, in addition to a promotional video about the program. 

Project iQ is an exclusive opportunity available only to Moon Prep students, and the best part? It’s free. This benefit is included in all Moon Prep student retainers, making it an invaluable resource. Our exclusive, resume-building bootcamp kicks off this month on January 29. Join us for an in-depth exploration of what it takes to stand out as a BS/MD applicant.

This boot camp was created to guide students’ resumes in the right direction from the start. In five weekly sessions, students will learn how to level up the activities on their resume, standing out from their peers on college applications with a passion project. Attendees will also walk through real resume examples from successful past Moon Prep students. This boot camp is for students in grades 8-11 searching for that X factor on their college applications. 

Here’s what you need to know:

This opportunity is open to registered Moon Prep students only.

Schedule: 1/29/2025 – 2/26/2025), 7:00-8:15p ET/4:00-5:15p PT

What is the investment? Free (live sessions), Paid (offline work with your counselor/mentor)

What topics are covered? The course syllabus and learning objectives can be found here

Current Moon Prep students can register here. Not a Moon Prep student? Sign up by Friday, January 24th, to qualify for Project iQ.

 

Summer Planning

As we start the new year, it’s the perfect time for underclassmen to connect with their Moon Prep counselors and start planning for the summer. Some top summer research programs,  leadership programs, and internships have deadlines coming up as early as mid-January and through February, and they often require essays and a polished resume. Don’t forget to stay on top of this important task, along with the other steps on our Early High School Checklist.

In fact, many students plan for unique angles on their pre-med resumes, like pursuing knowledge in biomedical engineering and technology. Read our latest Forbes article, Tech-Focused Summer Programs, for a list of these programs. 

Looking for a prestigious summer program? Schedule a free consultation with us to get expert advice and start preparing!

 

January’s Resume X-Factor Tip:

Submit an independent research project to a science fair! Here’s a list of science fairs that accept high school student submissions. 12 Science Fairs Open To High School Students

Did you know? Moon Prep now offers Science Fair Project Collaboration mentorship with Dr. Jedy. Students work with their mentor to select a research topic of interest to accomplish clear deliverables for their goals: research publication, poster presentation, and certificate of completion. Students receive tailored advice and support on their research project. This science fair mentorship opportunity is open to middle school through college with no prior experience required. 

View the syllabusread more about mentorship details, or sign up now

Did you know you can listen to BS/MD advice while you drive to work? We not only release videos on our YouTube channel, but we’ve also launched a podcast called The White Coat Club.

 

Here’s what’s trending in college admissions this month:

  • Some universities release their new rankings in January, which can shift how schools are perceived as juniors plan their college lists this spring and seniors make their final college decisions. 

  • Students who were deferred in Early Decision or Early Action rounds often start hearing from colleges in January. 

  • Colleges update and refine their waitlist management strategies based on their number of applicants.

  • The number of applications across colleges may begin to decline after this year, as the generation peak that has been occurring the past few years for graduating high school seniors finally begins to fall.  

  • Now that the FAFSA has officially opened, families should be submitting the FAFSA as soon as they are able. Here are tips to follow. 

 

Underclassmen Timeline

At the beginning of the new year, it’s always a great idea to make a plan for the year ahead. This is especially true for younger students, who need to be planning:

  • Summer plans coming soon: research programs, leadership programs, and internships

  • SAT/ACT plans 

  • Course selections at school 

At Moon Prep, we work with students as early as 8th grade to plan out their resumes. Starting early is crucial to build a strong student profile. In our recent podcast episode, Underclassmen – What Can I Do Now? We take a close look at all the key areas of resumes and transcripts, offering tailored advice to students. Tune in to this episode to discover the advantages of getting started before junior year!    

 

FAFSA and Financials

Wondering how your family will afford college tuition? At Moon Prep, we know that financial aid is there for the taking, if you’re willing to navigate the steps. Listen to our White Coat Club episode, Funding Your Future for advice on:

  • Unsubsidized loans 

  • Grants

  • Internal and external scholarships

  • Strategies for financing both public and private schools

No matter which college is your ultimate goal, this episode equips you with the tools to make informed decisions about paying for tuition.

 

January scholarship advice: As acceptance letters begin arriving, so do the financial aid letters. If your dream college’s price tag is higher than you anticipated, it might be time to check out external scholarships. Thankfully, it’s not too late – hundreds of scholarships have deadlines in March and May. Get started right away! 

Joy Cappel Scholarship due January 20, 2 awards of $2,500

This award is perfect for our BS/MD students – Applicants must be intending to be a Life Sciences major and the scholarship prefers to award applicants with solid research experiences. Applicants are chosen from their responses to a video answering the prompt:  “What do you consider to be the most important scientific breakthrough?       Apply here.

 

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