Meaningful Summer Plans
No matter which grade your student is in high school, summer is a vital time for students considering applying to BS/MD programs to be focused on their future. Instead of spending the summer at the pool or in endless Call of Duty rounds, competitive students must plan a productive summer. Summer is a great time to fully focus on activities and passion projects that they might not have the hours to spend during the regular school year.
Learn about our advice on spending a summer filled with volunteering, research, and shadowing with our latest podcast episode of the White Coat Club.
Casper Changes
If Hofstra, Drexel, University of Illinois at Chicago, or Texas Tech BS/MD programs are on your college list, this section is just for you! A few of our favorite direct medical programs require the Casper test before being accepted. For most students, this test is nowhere on their radar.
Issued by Acuity Insights, the Casper test has predominantly been used by medical programs to assess students’ ability to succeed in patient-facing careers and has also been adopted by a few BS/MD programs.
BS/MD Programs That Require Casper
This year, there are changes coming to the format and review of this test to include a more holistic view of the answers.
Here are the changes:
Past: 15 scenarios, divided between video and word-based passage sections.
Now: 14 sections total, reducing the amount of test-taking time by 10 minutes.
Past: 5 word-based passages with a 5-minute optional break in the middle.
Now: Answer the 6 video scenarios first; in case of technical difficulties recording answers. You will record four video responses and submit a typed response for the remaining two.
Past: 10 video-based scenarios.
Now: 8 word-based scenarios, recording a video answer for five scenarios, and submitting a typed response for the remaining three.
The cost of the test has also increased to $85 USD + $16 distribution fee, however PA, Vet, Dentistry, and BS schools that require Casper have a fee of $60 with one free distribution and then $16 per additional distribution.
Read all the details of the changes coming to the Casper test in our latest Forbes article; The Casper Test Has Rolled Out Significant Changes For The 2023-24 Admissions Cycle. You can also watch Moon Prep counselor Loren’s advice on how to Ace The Casper Exam in our recent webinar. Moon Prep counselors are also available for one-on-one prep to tackle this test.
Essays, Essays, Essays!
One common misconception we see in our prospective meetings is parents not realizing the number of essays involved in the college process. The Common Application allows every college to see the same essay and that’s all colleges need to admit a student, right? Wrong!
Let’s break it down together! Seniors will need to complete:
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The main Personal Statement/College Essay
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Anywhere from 0-6 supplemental essays per college on their list (Georgetown University, for example, asks students to detail special talents or skills, describe what it means to be educated, and discuss a resume activity that holds significance to you.)
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Complete the additional essays required by any specialized program: Honors, BS/MD, or even priority scholarships
Many BS/MD applicants will write over 50 essays, some even breaking 100 essays! Thankfully, Moon Prep has you covered. Register for our self-paced Crash Course, How To Write The Supplemental Essays, and snag one of the final seats with our Moon Prep mentors. If you are a rising senior who could use some help writing college essays that truly stand out, contact us for a complimentary Zoom meeting to learn more about our services.
Application Cycle Updates
Whether you are considering applying test-optional or trying to determine your chances at the schools completing your final college list, you need data. Your chances at a school vary drastically if the school is receiving one thousand more applications each year and dropping its acceptance rates from your childhood days of dreaming of attending one particular campus. Numbers matter even more if your standardized test scores do not match the average accepted numbers of other applicants.
Our recent article for College Express, 5 Recent and Interesting College Admission Trends Students Should Know About, dives into the numbers behind college admissions to demystify your chances at the schools on your list, like Columbia University going permanently test-optional while MIT reinstated their testing requirement.
College Updates For The 2023-24 Admissions Cycle:
Boston University received a new record number of 80,492 applications, admitting 3,162 students for an acceptance rate of just 10.7%.
Penn State Schreyer Honors Program is an option many of our students have on their list as they also submit applications for Penn State’s direct medical program. This admissions cycle, the Honors Program alone received 3,690 total applications this year, sending out just over 900 acceptances, and receiving 302 confirmed incoming students as Scholars. Just as a note on this program that we share with our students- students can be accepted to both the direct medical program and Honors, but they can only accept one offer.
University of Washington received a total of 62,400 applications, and admitted 26,000 students for an admit rate of 51% for Washington residents and 40% for out-of-state applicants.
Iona University increased their student enrollment by 30%, increasing the seats in its Honors program to accommodate the number of interested students. The average GPA for incoming Honors students was 3.97, and an average SAT score of roughly 1230.
University of Pittsburgh is offering a new opportunity for students interested in Pharmacy. The Pharmacy Innovation Experience and Research program will run every Monday evening for 5 weeks: July 3 to July 31. Final registration date is June 15! The best part? No fee to attend! Students attend weekly webinars and activities, and work in teams through patient cases outside the webinar sessions, mentored by current Pitt Pharmacy students.
FAFSA Changes
Although we may specialize in direct medical admissions with our students, we also help students apply to traditional undergraduate colleges of every level and ranking, as well as guide our students through financial aid questions and concerns. Naturally, when we heard the news about the FAFSA opening date being pushed to December, we knew this was information that would affect many of our students.
Here’s what you need to know:
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Although traditionally open in October, the FAFSA is now opening in December.
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Financial aid packages still arrive typically in March, so this later deadline simply means less time for families to complete the financial aid form.
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The good news is that this change also accompanies expanded Federal Pell Grant eligibility.
Federal Student Aid is also releasing a Roadmap of resources and tools to help families navigate the form.
Moon Prep is proud to announce a newly-designed research opportunity with Rising Researchers! Students have the opportunity to work one-on-one on a customizable research project with our expert research mentors. Students work virtually while still performing cutting-edge research under the guidance of a research mentor. Our research mentors are experienced in the direct medical and traditional medical admissions process and will guide students on how to showcase this unique research experience. The goal is to give these ambitious students an edge by adding advanced research, data analysis, and a publication to their resumes.
Here’s what you need to know:
How long is the program? 10 sessions, completed over a 4 month period.
When does it start? Projects can begin at any time, even during the school year. Students can register in advance to secure their spot with a research mentor of their choice.
Who is this program for? Our students are rising 9th graders through college students.
What is the end result? Students work with their research mentor to complete a research paper and poster, ultimately resulting in publication in the Rising Researchers Journal.
What is the curriculum? The project is fully tailored and customizable to each student, but we do have a syllabus of course objectives.
No other research experience available offers the level of close mentorship and project guidance as our research mentors. Schedule your complimentary session today to learn more about the details of adding a Rising Researchers research project to your child’s college resume.
Affirmative Action Ruled Unconstitutional
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action, or race-conscious, admissions at both Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. This landmark decision has effectively prohibited affirmative action policies, widely used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other minority groups of students on campuses throughout the United States.
This controversial ruling will force many universities to overhaul their admissions policies. According to Harvard University, an estimated 40% of U.S. universities consider race in their admissions decisions. Get all the details here.
Summer Opportunities Still Accepting Applications The majority of summer application deadlines have long passed. However, students interested in research can still spend their summer working one-on-one with a research mentor through Rising Researchers.
Through Rising Researchers students have the opportunity to work one-on-one on a customizable research project with our expert research mentors. Students work virtually while still performing cutting-edge research under the guidance of a research mentor. Our research mentors will guide students on how to showcase this unique research experience. The goal is to give these ambitious students an edge by adding advanced research, data analysis, and a publication to their resumes.
Here’s what you need to know:
How long is the program? 10 sessions, completed over a 4 month period.
When does it start? Projects can begin at any time, even during the school year. Students can register in advance to secure their spot with a research mentor of their choice.
Who is this program for? Our students are rising 9th graders through college students.
What is the end result? Students work with their research mentor to complete a research paper and poster, ultimately resulting in publication in the Rising Researchers Journal.
No other research experience available offers the level of close mentorship and project guidance as our research mentors. Schedule your complimentary session today to learn more about the details of adding a Rising Researchers research project to your child’s college resume.
Want one more reason to join Moon Prep? Now, our rising seniors have a direct medical college application “boot camp” included in their Moon Prep experience! This summer, our rising seniors will be attending sessions covering the intricate BS/MD application process, including strategies for the medical-focused essay questions. Over seven sessions, students will get a valuable head start on their college applications and essays in a structured, supportive environment. Students receive eBooks, templates, and sample essays to help guide them through the application process.
Application iQ is an experience like no other and will help guide students (and parents) through the complete BS/MD application process.
Here are the details:
When does the program start? Every Wednesday (7/19 – 8/30), 7:00-8:30p ET/4:00-5:30p PT. It is 7 weeks long – meeting 1x a week What is the investment? Free (live sessions), Paid (offline editing of essays)
Free: Moon Prep students can attend the live sessions for free. Sessions are via Zoom, interactive, and will assist students in getting a head start on their applications and essays in a structured environment
Paid: After each session, students will receive homework and work independently on drafts of their essays. All students are paired with a counselor/essay coach when they sign up. The offline essay edits/feedback will be billed at the hourly rate at sign up.
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 yet? Schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more about our affordable services.
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