As the 2025-2026 BS/MD cycle closes out, I like use this time to reflect on how the season went and what insights I’m bringing into the next cycle. It’s been a while since I’ve written anything for Application Architect, but this was our busiest season yet (on top of studying for my Family Medicine boards and graduating residency!).
Let’s start with the obvious: this season was undeniably tough, perhaps more than previous years. Even though this is my fifth BS/MD cycle, I still felt challenged every step of the way. Working closely with my students, I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from them to continue evolving my strategy.
Overall, our students did amazing (check out our acceptance list!). We had multiple acceptances at many of the popular programs like PMM, REMS, NJMS, Drexel, and UMKC. While this post reflects my experiences of the 2025-2026 BS/MD application cycle with my small cohort of students, understand that other students may have had a drastically different experience than what I’ve described.
If you want to work with Application Architect on BS/MD applications or premed planning, click the link here to get started. Hear from students about their experience working with us.
BS/MD School Strategy Matters
The general approach to BS/MD programs is applying to about 10-15 schools. However, where you apply matters. While it’s typical to see students simply trying to cast a wide net, it’s more important select schools that are the right fit for you.
When formulating a school list, there are several things you should consider:
- Grades/ Standardized Tests: If you’re below the minimum/ average, you have a very unlikely chance of getting in even if the BS/MD program a holistic review. For programs like Baylor and VCU, I have seen students with their minimum (SAT 1430) get interviews. However, programs like Penn State PMM are very stats heavy. Of the 10 students we prepped for interviews, no one had less than a 1580 SAT or 36 ACT. Two years ago, I did have a student interview at PMM with a 1560, but I’m not completely sure if their threshold changed after they became test required this year.
- Mission: This year, when I asked a student about some of the programs on his list, he responded “my stats are good enough for them”. Having good stats doesn’t make a student a better fit for a program; rather, it’s the student’s personal mission that helps BS/MD admissions committees understand how a student would thrive at their institution. If a student has a 1600 SAT, 4.0 GPA, and has significant research, but the school favors service in underserved community, the student would likely not be deemed a good fit. Before you spend several hours perfecting essays for a multitude of schools, take some time to research your suitability for the program.
- Other factors: I encourage all of my students to consider things like location, curriculum, financial aid, medical school residency matches. Your time during the BS/MD process is extremely limited and you can easily write over 100 essays. Rather than just applying to see what happens, think about how a program would fit your specific goals and needs.
Read More: How My Students Secured Several Top BS/MD Interviews
Submit Early and Double Check!
I could write a whole article on mistakes that I’ve seen over the years. If you fall behind in the cycle, it definitely feels like drowning from October to January. This year, some students made mistakes that cost them the opportunity to be considered for some of their BS/MD programs.
For one student, there was some confusion whether to use Common App or the school’s private portal. While they spent several hours revising 6 essays and submitted the BS/MD supplement, they unfortunately forgot to submit the undergraduate application on the school’s private portal. After the application deadline, they were automatically disqualified.
Another student did submit their applications and test scores early. However, the admissions committee made a mistake didn’t link their test scores to the application. The student didn’t realize that her application was not considered until the program extended all of their invites.
One other student was invited to interview at NSU’s BS/MD. However, they took 2 weeks to actually schedule the Shark Preview event. By the time they got around to scheduling, all the spots had filled and they were put on the waitlist. Fortunately, they were able to come off of the waitlist and attend the interview, but don’t always bank of this happening.
If there’s one thing that you take away from us, start your applications early, submit 2 weeks in advance, and then take the time to double check that everything is received by your programs. What’s tough about applying to BS/MD programs is that the applications are decentralized (other than Common App), so there are a lot of specific nuances to keep track of.
There’s No “Perfect” BS/MD Profile
This year, I will be the first to admit that I underestimated quite a few students in my cohort. Even with several years of experience under my belt, I was very pleasantly surprised by some of the outcomes. Let’s explore a few instances.
High Stats, Lackluster Profile
Prior to taking on students, I extensively screen and interview them to assess for fit to make sure I can realistically help them achieve their application goals. I look beyond stats; I consider their personality (will we get along?), goals, extracurricular, and life experiences. When I initially met one student this year, I initially declined to work with him. It wasn’t stats: he had a 4.0 and 1550+ SAT. He was very motivated and had a good reason to pursue medicine. He was a caretaker for one of his family members. However, I was initially reluctant to take him on because I wasn’t sure we could be successful in the BS/MD process. His clinical hours severely lacked (less than 100 hours), volunteer hours were limited, and though he had a passion project, it was only in its infancy. I’m an expert at framing narratives, but I didn’t feel confident about what I could do with this application. After declining to work with him, and even suggesting 2 other companies to check out for consulting, his mom came back 3 times asking me to reconsider. She said if anyone was going to get her son’s narrative right, it would be me. I eventually took him on, with the conditional understanding that we may not get any interviews this season. They were fine with that; they just wanted to see how far he could get in the process.
We increased his clinical hours (nothing crazy, but still an improvement) and focused on his passion project. His passion project wasn’t simply tutoring students or fundraising; there was a clear connection between his personal experiences and the mission of the project. For his essays, we focused on his experiences as a caretaker over achievements. While many of my other students write about leadership, teamwork, and creativity, we took this approach because it felt more representative of his goals and personal growth. For his personal statement, we actually made the theme about Pokemon, which looking back feels risky. In the end, he landed interviews at 3 BS/MD programs, including UPitt (still waiting for results). The reason why I think his application was ultimately successful was because his essays clearly highlighted why was pursuing medicine and what he hoped to achieve as a physician.
Lower Stats, Average Clinical Experiences
For this next student, I felt more confident taking on her application. The only thing that worried me was slightly lower stats than the average BS/MD matriculant: <3.9 GPA, 1530 SAT. These are not bad stats by any means, but many of my successful BS/MD students had at least a 3.9 GPA. The SAT would bar her from some programs like PMM or Pitt, but it’s a stat that should do fairly well overall in the application cycle. In terms of clinical experiences, this was where I was a little nervous. She had pretty average clinical experiences, totaling about 150-200 hours, but had strong research experiences.
Starting the application process was challenging as she had some difficulty choosing stories that would stand out and articulating her strengths. The reflections in the initial drafts felt very vague— this is where most students falter. Students can have an amazing project or experience, but a weak reflection can dilute its significance. What I respect most about this student, though, is her grit. I could tell she was getting a little frustrated as her App Architect mentor, Shrey, and I kept pushing her to dig deeper for her experiences and be more specific about her motivations. After several rounds of back and forth (over the course of several weeks), things finally clicked.
For interviews, she received invites from 4 BS/MDs. Though we had a rough start with essays, by this point, she had spent a lot of time brainstorming stories and practiced storytelling. She made sure to practice diligently for each interview, taking the time to research programs, learn and debate ethics, and understanding the healthcare system. Yesterday, we celebrated as she received her 3rd BS/MD acceptance to her top choice, NJMS.
Practice For BS/MD Interviews!
I don’t know what it is about the Class of 2026, but so many students did not want to properly practice for their BS/MD interviews. For each school, the students that practiced the most were typically the ones who ended up earning acceptances.
If you receive an interview, don’t get overconfident. An interview is not the same as an acceptance, and for most programs, there’s still about a 20-30% chance of acceptance. One student, who is such a stellar candidate, unsurprisingly received 3 interviews early in the season. When I met with him to practice for his first, I could tell he was feeling a little too great about how his season was going so far. He bombed the first mock interview, as many students do, and I encouraged him to meet with me again. He declined, saying he would do it on his own. Two months later, I emailed him asking if he was accepted and he told me he was rejected to all 3 BS/MDs. Interestingly enough, for 2 of the programs he interviewed at, I had 8 acceptances at one of them and 3 acceptances at the other this year alone. For his 3rd school, I had a student matriculate last year.
Another student reached out to me after being invited to interview at 2 top tier programs: Penn State PMM and Rochester REMS. Like the first student that I mentioned, our initial interview prep session was pretty rough. However, she declined to prep with me again. She was ultimately rejected from both programs. I ended this year with 5 PMM acceptances, and 2 acceptances for REMS.
The thing about interviews is that you don’t have to start off as the best interviewer. Diligence and practice can certainly get you there. For those students who didn’t get in, I can’t say that they didn’t practice offline. However, for the students that consistently practiced with me, I could track their progress, challenge them with difficult questions, and offer specific feedback and education on healthcare topics. There were so many students this year that started as weak interviewers, but showed up to mock interviews prepared and consistently. Some even met with me every 2-3 days (on their own accord), which seems like overkill but they earned acceptances at their top choice programs. I’m not saying students who met with us more did better, but rather, the students who were the most prepared going into the interview were the same ones who came out on top. In reality, meeting with a mentor just once is not going to drastically change your interviewing skills.
One last point to consider is how you’re practicing. There were several instances of students who reached out to me after their first rejection. When I asked how their first interviews, they said that they thought it went fine. They all practiced in the same ways: with friends or family, and questions they found on the internet. But, in the first mock interview, I didn’t understand any of their motivations and didn’t learn anything about them. In their prior practice, they did not focus on articulating their goals, motivations, or personal qualities. Again, students can practice without an interview coach (and remember, we’re not all created equal!), but they have to know how to adequately prepare for high-yield questions and showcase their strengths.
If you’re going to spend hours writing essays, while sacrificing your hobbies and sanity, please do not take chances on the interviews. Getting the interview means you’re 90% of the way there.
Read More: How To Nail Your BS/MD Interviews
Final Thoughts
This article was so much longer than I intended it to be, but as always, I wanted to explore specific examples to provide better insight on what happens in the BS/MD application process. Applying strategically and thoughtfully can very well be the difference between getting an acceptance versus being waitlisted or rejected.
To the Class of 2027, I anticipate that you all will be subjected to another competitive application cycle. Start preparing early, stay organized, and most importantly, stay humble. I hope that by this time next year, you’ll be able to share your own BS/MD success story! If you want to read more about our insights, check out our insights from last year.
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