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In short clinical trials are still being undertaken in parts of the USA.Recap of the 2019 Training YearThe MDMA Therapy Training Program launched a series of trainings to prepare therapy providers to become eligible to work on a MAPS PBC MDMA PTSD protocol.On October 1 – 8, 2019 Michael Mithoefer, MD, and Annie Mithoefer, BSN, led a six-and-a-half-day training retreat in Asheville, North Carolina focused on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. This retreat was the last MDMA Therapy Training retreat for 2019. 49 practitioners traveled from across the US and internationally to receive training. Trainees hailed from 14 states in the US and 11 doctors and therapists traveled from China to receive training in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. The China contingent was able to receive training thanks to the generous sponsorship from the Evolve Foundation.The MDMA Therapy Training Program organized five training retreats in 2019 and provided training to over 250 practitioners in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. These trainees completed the Part A online course and Part B training retreat. The training retreats took place in Israel, North Carolina, Colorado, and Kentucky. In addition to these five retreats, the MDMA Therapy Training Program offered one training for the CIIS Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research 2019 cohort in Northern California and provided training to an additional 95 practitioners.What's Next?The MDMA Therapy Trainers are gathering together in November for a Trainers Retreat to reflect on the 2019 year and strategize about the year ahead and the future of the MDMA Therapy Training Program. There are no dates scheduled for 2020 trainings yet. The training team will be planning dates and tuition fees for the 2020 training year and announcing that information through the MDMA Therapy Training Newsletter in the months to come. The Expanded Access protocol and the MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy for Healthy Volunteers Therapist Training protocol for the Part C experiential component of the MDMA Therapy Training Program are still under FDA review. The training team is using this time to strategize and integrate feedback from the 2019 year as we wait to learn about the timing, size, and scope of our protocols from the FDA. We are excited to continually improve and evolve the training program to offer comprehensive training to practitioners interested in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.Update from the Expanded Access TeamThe MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) Expanded Access Team is currently working through questions from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the proposed Expanded Access protocol for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Expanded Access protocol is still under FDA review and pending approval.The Expanded Access Team is grateful for the overwhelming interest in Expanded Access and future opportunities to deliver MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Due to the level of interest and limited capacity dictated by FDA, not all interested sites will be able to participate. Growing this modality and making effective treatment options available is an ongoing process, and there are still significant uncertainties about timing and regulatory approvals. We are hopeful about making MDMA-assisted psychotherapy into a legal prescription treatment. Submitted applications will continue to be reviewed for site feasibility as we are able to add additional sites for Expanded Access or post-approval. All interested sites must undergo eligibility review and complete the pre-requisite MDMA Therapy Training Program in order to work on an MDMA PTSD protocol, Expanded Access or post-approval.How to ApplyThere are two layers of application: 1) Site Questionnaire, and 2) MDMA Therapy Practitioner Training Application. Each site must submit one Site Questionnaire. Additionally, each therapy practitioner must submit an MDMA Therapy Practitioner Training Application. Only applicants affiliated with a qualifying site can be considered for training at this time.Each application takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. You can save and return to work on your application at your convenience by creating a free Formsite account (highly recommended- instructions on first page of each application). Once you have completed the application, the final page will prompt you to confirm and submit. MAPS PBC will review applications on an ongoing basis, as they are received.Site Questionnaire Link:https://site.mdmatherapytraining.comMDMA Therapy Practitioner Training Application Link: https://apply.mdmatherapytraining.comSites and therapy providers inquiring to work on an MDMA PTSD protocol should be familiar and comfortable with the Treatment Manual before submitting an application. A full course of treatment involves three 90-minute Preparatory therapy sessions, three total 8-hour MDMA therapy sessions, and nine total 90-minute Integrative therapy sessions, summing about 42 hours of therapy. All sessions are administered by a Therapy Pair, two providers for every one participant/patient, utilizing a non-directive approach and an ability to work with extreme states. More information about the therapeutic approach can be found in the MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Treatment Manual and in in Cultivating Inner Growth: The Inner Healing Intelligence in MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy.We encourage each site, in choosing location and therapy teams, to consider diversity, inclusivity, and cultural and racial competence. One of the most robust ways to provide accessible care is to train therapists and practitioners from diverse backgrounds, including people of color and the LGBTQIA+ community. If you are a therapist from a marginalized community, we encourage you to reach out to us at [email protected] site and practitioner application procedures are posted athttps://mapspublicbenefit.com/. If you have already submitted an application for your site and therapy teams, thank you! The training team will be in touch with you. The MPBC clinical operations team is currently reviewing site questionnaires to screen for initial eligibility and the training team is reviewing therapy provider applications.MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Code of EthicsThe MDMA Therapy Training Program has established the MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics is available online for your reference and review.Therapy providers completing the MDMA Therapy Training Program will agree to practice MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy within their scope of competence and in accordance with the MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Code of Ethics, and will agree to directly address concerns regarding ethical issues and use clinical judgment, supervision, and consultation when ethical dilemmas arise.Phase 3 Trials of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD now enrolling!FDA-regulated Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD are currently recruiting participants who live within an hour’s drive of 15 clinic sites across the United States, Canada, and Israel.The Phase 3 clinical trials are assessing the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in adult participants with severe PTSD. Over a 12-week treatment period, participants will be randomized to receive either MDMA with psychotherapy or psychotherapy only. Assignment to the group will be blinded throughout the study, and all participants will have twelve preparatory and integration sessions lasting 90 minutes each along with three day-long sessions about a month apart.The Phase 3 clinics are located:Los Angeles, CA | private practiceSan Francisco, CA | research institutionSan Francisco, CA | private practiceBoulder, CO | private practiceFort Collins, CO | private practiceNew Orleans, LA | private practiceNew York, NY | research institutionNew York, NY | private practiceCharleston, SC | private practiceMadison, WI | research institutionBoston, MA | private practiceMontreal, Canada | private practiceVancouver, Canada | research institutionBe’er Ya’akov, Israel | research institutionTel HaShomer, Israel | research institutionIf you know someone with PTSD interested in participating in a clinical trial or want to refer others, please share our new recruitment website https://mdmaptsd.org/for more information and our Phase 3 trial application.Open Call for Mental Health Providers:Join the Psychedelic Support Network!Psychedelic Support brings together a Network of clinics, therapists, counselors, doctors, and other specialists to offer services (online and in-person) for psychedelic/plant medicine integration, transformational preparation, psychological and physical health, and personal growth. Providers are required to be licensed in a health profession or be experienced as a therapist/guide in psychedelic-assisted research trials. Visit the website psychedelic.support to search provider profiles, find integration events and professional trainings, and access free resources from the collective knowledge of the Psychedelic Support Network. For more information or to apply, email [email protected] PBC Therapy Provider Connect Portalhttps://connect.mdmatherapytraining.comThe MAPS PBC Therapy Provider Connect Portal is a community discussion forum for therapy providers, physicians and facilities to connect with one another to develop a site or treatment staff, in order to become eligible to participate in an MDMA PTSD Expanded Access protocol, pending FDA approval. If you are looking for treatment staff, a physician, or a treatment facility, or for general information and Frequently Asked Questions, we hope that this platform will support you.Instructions: Upon viewing the website, register with your name, email and professional information, and read and agree to the Terms of Use. Please follow the guidelines outlined in the Connect Portal for appropriate posting and language.We're Hiring!Adherence & Supervision CoordinatorMAPS PBC is seeking an enthusiastic, focused, and organized person to join our Training & Supervision Department. Reporting to the Director of Training and Supervision, the Adherence and Supervision Coordinator supports programs and staff who monitor the delivery of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in MAPS protocols. This position requires competence in program coordination, project management, remote work environments, communication, meeting facilitation, team building, scheduling, contracts, creation and management of spreadsheets. Due to the sensitive and protected nature of psychotherapy clinical trials and clinical supervision, this position requires an individual who respects and is able to uphold confidentiality. Training in HIPAA and Good Clinical Practice will be provided on the job. Preferably the person filling this position will have worked in clinical research and/or mental health settings. The ideal candidate is engaged in therapeutic and self-care practices, is familiar with the process of clinical supervision and the conduct of psychotherapy. Suitable candidates are able to work well in a fast-paced environment and excel at organizing and managing lots of information virtually.You can find out more about the position by visiting the full job posting on our website.Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online at: tinyurl.com/applyMPBC.Thank you!We will continue to provide updates on the MDMA Therapy Training Program and MAPS PBC protocols when they available. In the meantime, you may find some of the resources and trainings listed below helpful. Please also visit our new website https://mapspublicbenefit.com/ and the Connect Portal for additional information. If you have any questions, please considering checking the FAQ in the Connect Portal or [email protected] appreciate your patience and continued support as we work to bring the healing potential of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD to those in need.From the MDMA Therapy Training Program"The way I must enterLeads through darkness to darkness -O moon above the mountain's rim,Please shine a little furtherOn my path"– Izumi ShikibuBooksThe Way of the PsychonautThe Way of the Psychonaut: Encyclopedia for Inner Journeys by Stanislav Grof, M.D., Ph.D. (Two-Volume Book Set and eBook)Consciousness MedicineConsciousness Medicine: Indigenous Wisdom, Entheogens, and Expanded States of Consciousness for Healing and Growth by Françoise Bourzat and Kristina HunterThe Ethics of CaringThe Ethics of Caring: Finding Right Relationship with Clients by Kylea TaylorGroups for StudentsMAPS grad student listservThis moderated Google Group is for graduate students and prospective graduate students who are conducting or interested in conducting psychedelic research to share resources and ideas.Medical Psychedelic Interest GroupInspired by the MAPS Grad Student Listserv,the Medical Psychedelic Interest Group is a googlegroup specifically for medical students and residents who share an interest in psychedelic research and psychedelic-assisted treatments.SSDP Psychedelic PipelineStudents for Sensible Drug Policy is embarking on a new project to connect members and alumni interested in a career in psychedelic-assisted therapy and research to quality mentorship, training, and career development opportunities. The pipeline will provide resources through a mentorship program for members interested in all aspects of the field, to include professional skillsets beyond therapy and research that are necessary for the field to develop and thrive. To learn more visit the SSDP blog at https://ssdp.org/blog/ssdp-receives-grant-from-threshold-foundation-for-the-just-say-know-psychedelic-pipeline/.Training Resources and Events:Master Series on the Clinical Application of CompassionOctober 23 - November 14Free 4-module series, OnlinePsychedelic Science SummitNovember 1-3, 2019Austin, TXPsychedelics for Clinicians 101 & 102November 2 - 3, 2019Montreal, Quebec, CanadaKRIYA Conference 2019November 9 - 10, 2019Hillsborough, CAEntheogenic Indigenous Traditions in Times of MedicalizationNovember 14, 2019Berkeley, 2019Building Community Through Restorative JusticeNovember 15 - 16, 2019San Francisco, CAEncountering the Numinous: Expanded States of Consciousness, Depth Psychotherapy, Analysis and PsychedelicsNovember 16 - 17, 2019San Francisco, CAOn Somatics and Social JusticeNovember 19, 2019San Francisco, CACollective Trauma SummitGrof Transpersonal Training EventsSomatic Experiencing Trauma Institute TrainingsHakomi Institute TrainingsGenerative Somatics CoursesInternal Family Systems TrainingsBenefit Corporation (MAPS PBC)!Please see the message below from one of our Phase 3 Principle Investigators, Scott Shannon, MD.Business of Psychedelic Medicine SurveyDear Colleague:The rescheduling of MDMA and psilocybin has the potential to change the face of mental health care around the world. We are witnessing a massive surge in the interest and support for psychedelic medicine. This includes interest in training for mental health practitioners to provide this care. A number of psychedelic medicine supporters have concerns that the strong interest in psychedelic medicine training by psychotherapists and psychiatrists will not translate well into the business of setting up and running clinics for this type of care. We are concerned that the lack of business expertise will create a roadblock for this paradigm shift in mental health that may become a significant business opportunity as well.As a result, we are considering whether to provide concise and practical trainings about how to set up and run a psychedelic medicine clinic. This training would help individuals without business or start up experience feel more comfortable about starting a new clinic with this specific focus. In collaboration with MAPS, we have attached a link to a brief (less than 5 minutes) survey to explore your views and interest in this topic. This training would be supported by philanthropy and run by our non-profit organization PRATI. This project is not being run by MAPS, so please do not reach out to them. If we decide to move forward I will be the point person.If you complete the survey we will send you a copy of our summary of the data we collected.Survey link: Business of Psychedelic Medicine SurveyI appreciate your participation.Scott Shannon, MD FAACAPPsychiatristClinical Investigator (site Principal Investigator), Study Physician and Therapist:MAPS MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy ResearchWholeness Center Research- Fort Collins, COThank you!MAPS Public Benefit Corp is still in the review process with the FDA for the Expanded Access protocol and the protocol is still pending approval. We will continue to provide updates on the MDMA Therapy Training Program and MAPS PBC protocols when they available. We appreciate your patience and continued support as we work to bring the healing potential of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD to those in need.Kind regards,MDMA Therapy Training Program

Let me share a little anecdote from my own life.When I graduated from Cornell University, one of the graduation speakers told a short joke about how Cornell is the only school where you climb a 40 degree slope (a probably exxaggerated reference to the infamous Libe Slope), in negative 30 degree weather (definitely an excaggeration- but there WERE days where it was -18 Farenheit on my morning walks to class, and the mucus straight froze in my nostrils- much colder and we got a “Cold Day”), to get a 20 on a test (referring to Cornell's comparative *lack* of Grade Inflation at the time…)After hearing this the entire audience of graduates laughed nervously, but we all thought that this was the norm at ALL the best schools, and graduate/professional schools would know how low our median GPA's were when considering our applications, right?Wrong. When I applied to Medical Schools years later, after EXTENSIVE volunteer activities, participation in student EMS in grad school no less, and earning a top MCAT Score (in the best 6% of all scores for the new version of the MCAT I took- based on released score data) NONE of the 20 medical schools I applied to even contacted me for interviews…This is odd, I thought. So, I contacted the medical school admissions departments, and finessed them until a few of them provided me with (unofficial) explanations of why I wasn't considered a stronger applicant, despite what seemed to me to be very impressive credentials…Even then, some of the answers were fluff (like needing to demonstrate a “stronger passion for medicine”— which is generally code for needing to re-apply again to show your dedication: but many applicants get in the first time…) and some were more valid- like wanting to see more volunteer experience (though I already had quite a bit), but they ALWAYS managed to come around to the same point eventually- a negative commentary on my GPA, and sometimes nitpicking at particular grades.Now, I was SHOCKED to see this, because as a Cornell Alum, I had to compete with some of the nation's best students for my grades (remember, these were the cream of the crop from top high schools all around the nation- in fact even though I was a studious and hardworking student in high school, I was incredibly lucky to get in to Cornell, coming from a mediocre public high school…)- which I would have thought would lead to a more generous assessment of my grades on that basis alone.However I *also* thought the medical school admissions staff would at least have sat down with detailed records of median GPA's at various schools before putting a statement like thst in writing (I knew from certain professors and professional connections that they typically didn't do so during the early rounds of cuts to applicants- up until after interviewing candidates median GPA is often not looked at to put student GPA's in context, according to the experience of former admissions committee members at other schools I knew…) I thought wrong.I've met quite a few people before and since then who had served on medical school admissions committees in the past, and while their experiences all varied depending on what school's committee they had served on they ALL recounted some variant of a system where admissions began with a set of “filters” based on a points sytem- with points awarded for raw GPA, raw MCAT score, and raw # of volunteer hours- among other easily measured things… (some schools also awarded points for re-applicants based on it showing dedication, for instance)The problem with such a system is that it's completely unfair to the students, as it does not account for differences in school competitiveness, median GPA's, or the difficulty of courses a student selected (for instance even at a top school with a low median, it's generally a lot easier to get a 4.0 if you load up with “fluff” classes known for their easier content or grading than if you load up on hard science courses like I did…)At Cornell, for instance, classes were typically graded to much lower medians than at your everyday state universities- or for that matter many other top schools like Harvard or Stanford…This was especially true in Biology at Cornell at the time. It was the norm for half the class to receive a “B” or lower in many of my classes (with as much as 20% of the class getting a “C” grade at semester's end, and 10% a “D”) and some of my classes were graded even lower: a B/B- median was not unheard of in a few classes (50% of students got a “B-” or lower), and these were in UPPER LEVEL classes AFTER the infamous freshman/sophomore “weed-out” classes I had incidentally dodged altogether by transferring to Cornell going into my sophomore year with *TONS* of transfer and AP Credit (so I took sophomore classes at my previous institution, RPI, where incidentally the school medians were even lower- 3.05 for that year'sgraduating senior cumulative GPA's, and 3.11 for all classes offered the year I graduated…)So, when I graduated from Cornell with a 3.36, nearly all of that based on challenging upper-level classes with a more competitive group of attendees than lower-level classes before the weeding-out (and mind you this weeding-out ALREADY from among a *TOP* selection of high school students matriculating at Cornell as freshman each year…) and an even HIGHER set of grades from my freshman year at RPI (I had a GPA of 3.50, when classes that year had a medians of 3.11, and seniors a measly 3.05 due to even harsher grading in the very recent past…) where I was required to take a prescribed list of rigorous courses (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, Writing- all in one year) to be eligible to transfer to Cornell in the first place, I had THOUGHT, or rather hoped and believed the rhetoric, that medical schools would take a careful look at each applicant, and when I asked them to take a closer look at my application and provide me feedback (even if it was not “official”— school policies technically forbid admissions departments from providing such feedback to rejected applicants) they would do just that.The letters I received from medical schools proved just the opposite. They all gently broached the topic of my supposedly “low” GPA (which had me fuming- I went to CORNELL, after all- and many much less competitive state schools had medians of 3.64 or higher. Even top schools like Harvard had a MUCH higher median GPA at the time, and Harvard was particularly infamous for grade inflation in their life sciences/pre-medicine program…) and in a couple cases called out particular grades that were not really all that low given the context, and used terms like “difficulty adjusting to college academics” (which was a ridiculous claim- if I was scoring at/above the median, did they really think HALF of all graduating seniors at Cornell, one of the best universities in the world, had “difficulty adjusting to college-level academics”? These were the cream of the crop, drawn from the very best high schools around the country, with the very best class-ranks and activities from among those classes…)Consider this comparison for a moment: Cornell University typically only accepts the top 15% of applicants for spots in their undergraduate classes. Those applicants are a self-selected group and are typically brighter than your average high school student to begin with…This Year's Cornell Admission RequirementsQuinnipiac University, by contrast, accepts just under 75% of their applicants- 74% to be precise. That means Quinnipiac is 5x less selective than Cornell, from among a less competitive group of applicants to begin with.Quinipiac Admission RequirementsThis means that your average Cornell student is, on average, going to be about as talented as your average student in the top 20% of the student body of Quinnipiac.Sure, there are some students who fall below this standard at Cornell- but the very brightest students at Cornell tend to be brightest students at Quinnipiac: because if you're bright enough to have your pick of colleges (that is, you're a shoo-in even at Cornell), why would you go to Quinnipiac when you could easily go to Cornell where there are far more resources and opportunities? A few such students do so to be closer to family, or work with a particular professor, or various other reasons- but far more choose to go to the overall better school.It gets better though. When you remove the outliers of the very worst and very best students at Cornell the trend becomes even more clear because of the Law of Large Numbers (have a large enough sample size and your results will converge on the expected outcome)— and the students who fall around the median at Cornell should theoretically be as good as the students at the 10th percentile at Quinnipiac (this is, once again, ignoring the fact that Cornell typically draws more highly qualified applicants than Quinnipiac- meaning the top 50% of students at Cornell are probably more like the top 7 or 8% at Quinnipiac…)This is entirely ignoring the cross-fertilization effects of cramming a lot of very smart people together on a single campus- the very best minds tend to sharpen each other, and both competition and cooperation drive them to heights they would rarely achieve when surrounded by lesser peers…In short, as a student pulling just above the median at Cornell I was academically equivalent to a student in the top 7-10% of students from Quinnipiac. Yet, because medical schools only looked at raw numbers for their first cuts, a few even had the nerve to suggest I might have been “struggling to adapt to college academics” rather than simply being surrounded by people *many* times smarter than those at a lesser school, who I had to compete with for top grades along an exceptionally harsh grading-scale (remember, the median GPA at Cornell when I graduated was also much lower than that of most oither schools around the country…) in some of the toughest classes Cornell had to offer (I loaded up on hard science classes and avoided the temptation to take numerous “fluff” classes like many of the top-ranking students do at many universities…)So, hearing medical school admissions staff pick on my supposedly “low” grades when only a handful (6 in all- 3 of them really a single summer class divided into 3 parts) of them were ever more than a single grade-modifier below the class median (a “B-” in a “B/B+” class) was absolutely infuriating after all the blood, sweat, and tears I invested in my education and the fact that if I had simply gone to an easier school as an undergrad, or not attended graduate school (graduate students face even greater obstacles to earning a 4.0 in their course than undergrads- offset only by the grades they receive for their researcn- a whole can of worms I’m not going to even touch right now), the exact same level of hard work would have earned me MUCH higher grades, EASILY within the “target-range” of most medical schools, due to higher medians and less competitive/qualified student bodies at your average state university than at Cornell…What's more infuriating was that my peers from schools like Harvard/Stanford where the medians were higher (among the Ivies and near-Ivies, Harvard/Stanford/Yale/Dartmouth/Brown tend to have higher medians whereas Princeton/Cornell/Caltech tend to have notably lower median GPA's than the rest of the pack… This is not a commentary on the hard work of their students- indeed the harsh grading at schools like Cornell and Princeton often lead to their students working HARDER because they fear what graduate/professional schools and employers will think of a “low” grade, making it EVEN HARDER to simply perform at the median at any of those schools, nevertheless beat it…) were ultimately offered a better selection of opportunities after graduating, simply on the basis of their “higher” grades that were really just a product of grade-inflation. They were also drawn from an elite group of high school students- but they got A’s for work that would have earned B's at Cornell/Princeton/Caltech…For the rest of my life, graduate programs, medical schools, and even potential employers will look down on me in disdain simply because they don't think I studied hard or did well in college- when *in reality* I busted my rear and worked HARDER than many of my peers, outperforming fully HALF of an elite university full of graduates of amazing public and private high schools, whereas my own college preperation was far inferior to theirs- at a public high school that was then just *starting* to rise from mediocrity at the time (with a new school building, they finally were starting to attract really talented teachers, after DECADES of merely adequate instruction… Nowadays, more than a decade later, I hear it's actually a fairly impressive public school…)I did ALL the right things, pursued an education even beyond the undergrad level, worked hard (although, without the distraction of family problems I could have done MUCH, MUCH better… I had relatives threatening to kill themselves; heated e-mail debates over finances I was not part of, but party to the results of; and parents screaming abusively at me on the phone at night at a time when most of my peers were getting warm, fuzzy feelings and free money from their family when they talked to them on the phone their first few years of college…) and did my best to stay out of trouble. And my reward?I might NEVER make it to Medical School and accomplish my dream of becoming a Doctor if admissions committees can't be convinced to practice what they preach and actually take a “holistic” look at my applications next time I apply- which means putting them in the context of median GPA's rather than just numerical GPA comparisons to other candidates, MCAT scores (which as somebody else posted are the BEST indicator of knowledge and work-ethic when two students graduate from entirely different universities with entirely different academic standards), volunteer activities (of which I have a lot- not all of which I could even document…), personal statements, and family history (although this would require asking for explanations of things of concern, making me feel comfortable providing a full answer, and LISTENING non-judgmentally to what I have to say- as these kind of family problems are rarely objective in nature, or an applicant's fault…) For institutions of healing and learning, Medical School admissions committees do a remarkably poor job actually putting each application in its proper context…So, to clearly answer the original question, YES grade-inflation diminishes the value of an education at ANY school- though probably not in the way you are thinking. Grade-Inflation does this by cheapening the achievements of students who work the hardest at the schools that practice it (there's a smaller difference between a 3.64 and a 3.90 than between a 3.36 and a 3.90, both in terms of numbers, perception, rewards in the form of opportunities, and sense of achievement…) and stealing opportunities that were justly-deserved from students who actually worked HARDER or just as hard at schools with lower median GPA's— teaching the graduates of schools like Harvard to strive for mediocrity and accept positions of unearned privilege, while stealing the glory even of students from other top schools like Cornell and Princeton…If you find yourself an undergrad at a top university, I suggest not measuring your achievements against the median grades, but against your own knowledge and understanding of the material… (which is also a big part if how I did so well on the MCAT- I never focused my studies on optimizing my GPA or earning the BEST grades, but instead on learning as much as I POSSIBLY could about the subject matter— and politely but insistently pumping professors for insights and wisdom… So I often ended up learning MORE than my peers who set the curves- even if I only very rarely did so myself- and as a result ultimately did much better on the MCAT even than most Cornell graduates…)So, to sum up my response once again. YES, grade-inflation diminishes a top undergraduate education. That does NOT mean you should not WANT to go to a school that practices it- some have excellent resources and opportunities- only that you shouldn't measure your knowledge primarily by the grades you earn, but by the understanding you acquire.After all, if you ever go into a field like medicine, it's UNDERSTANDING of medical science that enables the best doctors to save more lives- not the grades they earned in school.

Short VersionAttending Tech Elevator is the best decision I could have made for my career, and it could be yours too! Read my long version below for more details, and feel free to reach out on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyledthomas/ if you have any questions for me!Long VersionAttending the Tech Elevator Coding Bootcamp was the best investment of time and money I have made for my career. Because of this program, I was able to transition to a career that allows me to challenge myself, continually learn new skills and technologies, and work with some of the most intelligent and hard-working people I have ever met. I wake up genuinely excited every day to go to work and build software that makes a difference in people’s lives. I could not have gotten to this point without Tech Elevator. What makes this bootcamp so unique is what I think of as the “3 Ps”: Process, Preparation, and People.ProcessOver the course of 14 weeks, I learned more than I thought was possible in such a brief time frame. You don’t need to walk in with much experience in programming, but some exposure does help due to the fast pace of the curriculum.We started off by learning the basics of programming (“if else” statements, loops, object-oriented programming, file reading/writing, etc.) in .NET/C#. Next, we moved on to data security and relational database development and querying using SQL. After that, we started learning about client-side programming, covering topics such as HTML, CSS, MVC, and networks (servers, hosting, and requests and responses). The last module focused on JavaScript, the Vue.js front-end framework, and APIs.Tech Elevator has chosen relevant technologies based on input from local employers to ensure they are up-to-date with what companies are actually using for their software development. While graduates may not end up working in the exact same technology stack that the curriculum teaches, the program does an excellent job of teaching students to teach themselves new technologies that they may use after they start their jobs.In general, the days tend to follow a similar pattern. A morning lecture starts off with a brief review of what was learned the day before and and the instructor answers any questions the students have, followed by a short online quiz to make sure everyone understands the main concepts of the previous day’s lecture. The instructor views the results immediately, and takes a few minutes to reinforce any concepts that the class may have struggled with on the quiz. After review is over, the instructor launches into the next topic. After teaching new information, the instructor will typically walk through a code example of what was just taught and encourage students to code along to reinforce their learning.After lecture ends, most students will take a lunch break, then get started on their assignments if there is not a Pathway event scheduled that afternoon (more on the Pathway program in the next section). Most days, there is at least one individual or pair-programming assignment (sometimes both). Some students are able to finish assignments within an hour or two, and some take longer. You are welcome to stay on campus for as long as you like, but everyone in my class was usually done and headed home by 5:00 PM.At the end of each of the first three modules, students complete a mini-capstone project with a partner over the course of several days. During mini-capstone project days, there are no lectures so that students are free to spend their entire days working on the assignment. Teams are given a list of “user stories” (actions that the end user of the software should be able to perform), and then are turned loose to use all they have learned so far to complete their objectives.These were the times when I experienced the most technical growth during the program because while the daily assignments are fairly specific in how to solve a problem, capstones leave the planning up to the student, forcing them to think through how they will implement all the functions before they start to write the code. In addition, each team sits down with their instructor after completing each capstone for a code review, in which instructors will ask students to justify programming decisions, provide constructive feedback, and discuss what the students did well.It can seem overwhelming to think about the sheer volume of information that is yet to be covered while in the beginning or middle of the curriculum. My best advice is to take the program one day at a time and trust the process. It works.PreparationWhile I think that Tech Elevator does an exceptional job of teaching students the technical skills they need to secure jobs in development, teaching programming is a minimum requirement for any coding bootcamp. Where Tech Elevator really begins to elevate itself above the competition is in its resources for career preparation. Through workshops, individual mentoring, and networking opportunities, this program excels at preparing students for the job market.Each Tech Elevator campus has Pathway Directors, full-time staff members who are dedicated to preparing students for the job market. They lead workshops on resume writing and refining, interviewing, networking, comparing different types of work environments (like a startup vs. a large enterprise corporation), different types of work arrangements (like permanent employment at a company vs. working as a contractor), salary negotiation, and job application strategies, among other areas. They also sit down with each student individually several times throughout the cohort to advise them on resume edits, companies to apply to based on students’ interests, and anything else that will help students succeed in the job search.Pathway Directors bring in community members to assist with career preparation as well. The staff organizes panels of volunteers to share experiences and advice. Just a few of the panels that were the most impactful to me consisted of Tech Elevator alumni sharing their perspective on working after graduating from a bootcamp, senior developers sharing their experiences on how they were able to advance in their careers, and HR professionals sharing tips on how to best navigate relationships with recruiters. Pathway Directors also plan Employer Showcases, in which local employers will present information about working at their companies and answer students’ questions.Interviewing can be a daunting step in the application process, and Pathway Directors ensure the students are prepared by requiring students to complete several rounds of mock interviews. Community recruiters conduct mock interviews that simulate first-round general HR interviews and behavioral-based interviews. Instructors and volunteer developers in the community conduct mock technical interviews that consists of both answering technical questions and white-boarding solutions. Every cohort has a large Matchmaking Event, in which employers come to Tech Elevator so each student has the opportunity to have a first-round interview with seven or eight companies over the course of two days. Matchmaking is the pinnacle of the Pathway Program, and was one of the most exciting events of the cohort.When students begin to receive job offers, Pathway Directors are there to help navigate job offers and give negotiation advice. If students are having a hard time securing an offer, the staff does a great job of encouraging them to keep trying, no matter how hard it gets. While other bootcamps might end their career preparation services after the program ends, Tech Elevator takes pride in working with every student until they land a job. The staff even helps out with alumni who need advice on advancing to more senior jobs long after they have graduated from Tech Elevator.I felt extremely well-prepared to begin working in development after Tech Elevator thanks to the strong curriculum. However, it was the Pathway Program that helped me to land my first development role. The knowledge I gathered from the panels and workshops helped me to know where to focus my application efforts and how to tailor my applications to those employers, and the mock interviews gave me the confidence to excel in my interviews.PeopleTech Elevator has a fantastic curriculum, and the Pathway Program really begins to differentiate it from other bootcamps. However, the people are what distinguish Tech Elevator as a superior bootcamp – specifically, the staff. Completing this program will introduce you to some of the most caring people you have ever met.Between the time I applied and when I started, the admissions coordinators were my main points of contact. They were extremely helpful and patient with me every step of the way through the admissions process, even when I was taking up a lot of their time with questions.I already explained a lot of what the Pathway Directors do in the previous section, but Tech Elevator really does an incredible job of choosing them based on their passion for helping students to develop their soft skills and their ability to communicate. Many of them are former recruiters or HR professionals, so their perspective is invaluable to students.The Tech Elevator instructors are the staff who interact most frequently with the students, and definitely had the biggest impact on me. All the instructors are very experienced senior developers who have spent years honing their programming and communication skills. They all could be working incredibly high-paying senior developer jobs, but they choose to spend their hours helping people transition into junior developer roles. Andrew Frank is a wealth of knowledge, and was always our favorite to go to with individual questions because of his awesome communication skills. I count John Fulton among the teachers whom have impacted me most in life, which is telling since he knew me for the shortest amount of time of all the teachers I’ve ever had. The passion he has for teaching is unparalleled. I would recommend the .NET/C# path simply to develop a relationship with him.All the staff are incredible, and the Campus Director Katie Detore is the glue who holds it all together. She works tirelessly to keep the campus running, grow the network of community partners, and develop a relationship with each and every student in every cohort. She is always trying to think of ways to improve the Tech Elevator experience, and consistently meets with students to solicit their feedback. Without her, things would not operate as seamlessly as they do.Tech Elevator does a great job of teaching programming and preparing students for interviews, but I know that the relationships with the staff members will last me for my entire career.ConclusionIf you have made it to the end of this review, you can see how passionate I am about my experience at Tech Elevator. I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t attending this bootcamp. If you are thinking about this program but aren’t quite sure if it’s a smart decision because of the time and financial commitment, I hope this review alleviates your hesitation. If you would like to ask me any additional questions, please feel free to reach out on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyledthomas/