This book was rather disappointing and borders on a scam. It is not an actual bound-book, but a 200 page pamphlet held together by a single staple that was not carefully placed (I actually couldn't read some parts that were obscured by it without taking the book apart). This would be forgivable, even understandable if the content was worthwhile, but it definitely wasn't. The book uses about 14 pt. font with double-spacing and the writing is riddled with grammatical errors and typos. It contains no true revelations about med school admissions, but instead makes many blanket statements emphasizing how important MCAT scores are (without evidence), and how hard it is to get into med school if you are not a minority or female (again, no evidence). It also contains some misleading information that may actually harm your application, like exhorting the reader to take as many hard science classes as possible over the summer at less-prestigious colleges to get better grades. But med schools question and frown on this, and the writers know it--their advice is simply to give an excuse at the interview, like being needed at home during summers, etc.



The chapter on interviews, with sample questions and answers was probably the most useful chapter in the book but still had very basic common-sense info; for example, be confident, and reasonable rather than emotional.



More than half of the book's content is actually the 60 sample essays that come with it (p. 84-191). These essays would be more useful if some info was given on where the applicants were accepted, or some analysis other than just listing them under headings like "family of physicians" or "volunteer experiences."



Also included with the book were about 5 pages of badly-formatted excel spreadsheets of schools' acceptance rates by gender, residence, etc. that are supposed to help you decide where to apply. I have no idea how they calculated the stats, and they don't say. But it's incredibly misleading that they seem to ignore the distinction between matriculants and accepted applicants. Most of the brief one-sentence explanations of the tables say they are talking about acceptees, but the table columns are labeled "matriculants." Additionally, no indication of the year(s) the data are taken from is given.



My recommendation: Don't buy this book. It's a secret route to nothing but frustration and a feeling of being ripped off. The authors are not on a mission to help potential med students fight an unfair admissions system, if the care they put into their book and the frequent admonitions to not share it with anyone are any indication. They also do not cite evidence or report progress about this mission that was ostensibly their primary motive for writing the book. In fact, they ask the reader to burn the book upon gaining admission to med school. That's a bit severe, considering its perfectly banal and unreliable contents.

This book was rather disappointing and borders on a scam. It is not an actual bound-book, but a 200 page pamphlet held together by a single staple that was not carefully placed (I actually couldn't read some parts that were obscured by it without taking the book apart). This would be forgivable, even understandable if the content was worthwhile, but it definitely wasn't. The book uses about 14 pt. font with double-spacing and the writing is riddled with grammatical errors and typos. It contains no true revelations about med school admissions, but instead makes many blanket statements emphasizing how important MCAT scores are (without evidence), and how hard it is to get into med school if you are not a minority or female (again, no evidence). It also contains some misleading information that may actually harm your application, like exhorting the reader to take as many hard science classes as possible over the summer at less-prestigious colleges to get better grades. But med schools question and frown on this, and the writers know it--their advice is simply to give an excuse at the interview, like being needed at home during summers, etc.

The chapter on interviews, with sample questions and answers was probably the most useful chapter in the book but still had very basic common-sense info; for example, be confident, and reasonable rather than emotional.

More than half of the book's content is actually the 60 sample essays that come with it (p. 84-191). These essays would be more useful if some info was given on where the applicants were accepted, or some analysis other than just listing them under headings like "family of physicians" or "volunteer experiences."

Also included with the book were about 5 pages of badly-formatted excel spreadsheets of schools' acceptance rates by gender, residence, etc. that are supposed to help you decide where to apply. I have no idea how they calculated the stats, and they don't say. But it's incredibly misleading that they seem to ignore the distinction between matriculants and accepted applicants. Most of the brief one-sentence explanations of the tables say they are talking about acceptees, but the table columns are labeled "matriculants." Additionally, no indication of the year(s) the data are taken from is given.

My recommendation: Don't buy this book. It's a secret route to nothing but frustration and a feeling of being ripped off. The authors are not on a mission to help potential med students fight an unfair admissions system, if the care they put into their book and the frequent admonitions to not share it with anyone are any indication. They also do not cite evidence or report progress about this mission that was ostensibly their primary motive for writing the book. In fact, they ask the reader to burn the book upon gaining admission to med school. That's a bit severe, considering its perfectly banal and unreliable contents.

Secretroute has many lovers and followers at my college but there are also those like me who feel an important segment of audience is being overlooked. Coming from a respected liberal arts school, my advisor always told me that medical school admissions involve a very thorough qualitative assessment of the candidate. This book, however, chops everything into numbers and statistical analysis of almost every national medical school. I guess they are probably right about their conclusions otherwise they won't be handing out the money back guarantee but I am sophomore who is although not statistically challenged but is neither much statistically inclined. I will prefer them to just give me the nutshell without all the data analysis and evidence. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a very good book but they should care for the right brained people too!

Secretroute has many lovers and followers at my college but there are also those like me who feel an important segment of audience is being overlooked. Coming from a respected liberal arts school, my advisor always told me that medical school admissions involve a very thorough qualitative assessment of the candidate. This book, however, chops everything into numbers and statistical analysis of almost every national medical school. I guess they are probably right about their conclusions otherwise they won't be handing out the money back guarantee but I am sophomore who is although not statistically challenged but is neither much statistically inclined. I will prefer them to just give me the nutshell without all the data analysis and evidence. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a very good book but they should care for the right brained people too!

After reading this book, I took a deep breath. Ever since I was child I wanted to become a doctor, a desire which was put on hold due to family obligations. People who are wrote are probably experts of the medical school admissions game but most certainly are not experts in morality nor do they understand the long term consequences of their actions.There are multiple things mentioned in the book which made me relatively uneasy. This book is a sort of a Machiavellian guide to medical school admissions. If someone could summarize the theme of this book in a single sentence it will be, "How can I make you doctors by any means necessary".

I completed a master's degree in public policy and they are reasons why admissions policies of different medical schools are different. But I can almost assure you that none of those policy makers could have imagined in their wildest dreams that someone who is obviously very good statistics and numbers will manipulate the system in such a manner as described in this book. I mean I give it to them for figuring out the weaknesses of the system but most certainly there are reasons why certain people should practice professions other than medicine. One of those reasons being the lack of compassion and basic human decency.

Every student of the medical profession is required to take the Hippocratic Oath, whose modern version requires them to enter a house of the patient for the well being of the patient. This book assumes as if AMA is playing a sinister game against every pre medical student in the country and what the book is doing exposing the weaknesses of the sinister game and letting an average Joe student become a doctor.

I have been attending higher education institutions for almost a decade now and most of the books I have read about medical school admissions are/were written by senior doctors who had practiced the profession of medicine or academics that have seen class after class of aspiring pre med students. Those books contained an aura of civility and scholastic writing. Secret route is the first book I have ever seen that starts out with ton of system bashing. It then gives the reader extremely shrewd deductions of some very smart individuals and tries to persuade the reader that every successful medical student knows or uses these deductions. These deductions mentioned in the book are not limited to just what schools to apply to but extends to every arena of medical school admissions process which includes what courses to take and where etc. I think my main objection is that this book is not trying to lure the best and the brightest minds to the profession of medicine but it enabling anyone with a financial ability to buy this book become a doctor.

The writers see the medical school admissions world as extremely dialectical/black and white. The writers of this book believe that their principle motivation behind this book is attack an unjust system. But the question for me is whether the medical school admissions system is really that unjust? Maybe so! For those who believe that need to join the ranks of the medical profession by any means possible this book will serve as an good tool however the few idealists' like me will like to believe that through hard work and dedication I can still heal the ailing even though the abbreviation Dr. does not precedes my name.

Hello there, I am a Canadian Pre-Med student. I received the book from secret route.com a couple of weeks ago. I have really been impressed with the book and think it is among one of the best purchases I have ever made. I do have a couple of suggestions though.

Concerning the information contained in the book, it is very provocative and useful. The 60 essays found in the book appear to be genuine. You can notice small bits of information which gives it away as some student is talking about a hard physics class they took at Stanford. There is also a very snobby essay by some Yale premed. I think that the publishers should put some money and time to improve their website, It's not a big deal for me, but just thought you'd note that it may turn other people off from buying the book if they visit the current website.

Also, I think, through this book I brought the mindset of Ivy student who has survived 4 years of premed. This book has very intricate details which if you confirm with any medical student they will say are true but this book gives you all those snit bits in one complete package.

Lastly, I may have some helpful advice that the publishers could integrate into the book, especially concerning Canadian Medical schools (I'm not interested in attending a Canadian school so I don't mind passing the information. They could add as a section to their next edition and they can sell to all North American premeds (Americans and Canadians) who may want to purchase their book.

This is great stuff....there is so much material on this book you could be a complete 3-credit college course medical school admissions. Secretroute's website does not mention that the book includes 60 admission essays.

One of the best books, secretroute.com, I have ever seen on medical school admissions. The writers use very subtle investigative skills to get deep inside the medical school admissions process. Being a third time applicant to medical school, I am well aware of the myths of medical school admissions. This book has very insightful tips and data on understanding the logistics of medical admissions. Over fifty interview answers and sixty essays are more than enough to enlighten the most weak hearted.

This is book is for people who just want to get into medical school by any means possible. There writers have no sense of social responsibility. The book is filled with numerous strategies to manipulate the medical school admissions process. Writers do not realize that a person with low grades and a low MCAT is going to make a very bad doctor and will injure patients. A responsible writer should not empower such people to manipulate the system in this manner. Med school interviews are designed to access what a student really thinks; writers should not give their or Ivy student answers, to such interviews, to a low performing student. I believe this book should be taken off before more morons get into medical school using this book. In my medical school, we have some really dumb kids, who got in due to affirmative action, OR other ways some prescribed in this book, they struggle everyday and will make horrible doctors! AFTER SEEING THIS, I SAY, IF YOU CANNOT GET A 30 OR ABOVE ON THE MCAT, DO NOT DARE TO COME TO MEDICAL SCHOOL! The writers talk about how AAMC is screwing every pre med student over purely for financial purposes, they cite yale law journal articles, if the writers are so ethical they should do some pro bono medical work in the inner cities instead of pursing high paying residencies. This is book is for people who just want to get into medical school by any means possible. There writers have no sense of social responsibility. The book is filled with numerous strategies to manipulate the medical school admissions process. Writers do not realize that a person with low grades and a low MCAT is going to make a very bad doctor and will injure patients. A responsible writer should not empower such people to manipulate the system in this manner. Med school interviews are designed to access what a student really thinks; writers should not give their or Ivy student answers, to such interviews, to a low performing student. I believe this book should be taken off before more morons get into medical school using this book. In my medical school, we have some really dumb kids, who got in due to affirmative action, OR other ways some prescribed in this book, they struggle everyday and will make horrible doctors! AFTER SEEING THIS, I SAY, IF YOU CANNOT GET A 30 OR ABOVE ON THE MCAT, DO NOT DARE TO COME TO MEDICAL SCHOOL! The writers talk about how AAMC is screwing every pre med student over purely for financial purposes, they cite yale law journal articles, if the writers are so ethical they should do some pro bono medical work in the inner cities instead of pursing high paying residencies.