A thorough self-assessment is essential to ensure that you are preparing your most competitive application. Each year only about 40 percent of applicants to American medical schools are accepted, so the majority of applicants who complete the time-consuming and expensive application process do not achieve the results they want. We consider the following pre-application tasks to be the minimum preparation for a strong application.
Have you. . .
- Earned a C or higher on the required courses for your program?
- Scheduled your standardized entrance exam (MCAT, DAT, GRE, etc.) so that the scores will arrive within the first month of the application window?
- Completed at least two semesters of consistent clinical experience (e.g. clinical volunteerism, shadowing)?
- Requested letters of evaluation with a firm deadline at the end of May (see LOE page for specific date)?
- Met with your pre-health advisor?
If you have questions or concerns about any of these essential steps, please schedule an appointment to meet with a pre-health advisor before you prepare your professional school application.