Applying to health professional schools can be a complicated and daunting task. Our team is here to help guide you in putting together a comprehensive portfolio and letter packet for admission to professional health schools.
For applicants who plan to apply in Summer 2022, for the 2023 Application Cycle, the office will begin conducting Committee Interviews from February 2, 2022 - May 20, 2022. No appointments will be conducted beyond that date.
Review our timeline to understand when you will participate in the various components of the Letter Packet process.
Date Important Dates and Deadlines for Student Applicant Fall 2021 Request letters of evaluations from professors and health professionals January 3, 2022 Committee Interview scheduling opens February 2 - May 20, 2022 Conduct committee interviews, if applicable (medical and dental school applicants only). Refer to the 2023 Committee Interview Procedures on Blackboard. May 20, 2022 No Committee Interviews will be scheduled beyond this date- Last Day of Interviews Spring - Summer 2022 Take admissions test (MCAT, DAT, GRE, CASPer) May – June 2022 Begin online primary application; request official transcripts from each institution where you have taken courses for credit. June 1, 2022 Submit your primary application to the appropriate application service. Once submitted, complete the Queue for Submission Form (for first-time committee letter and update committee letter applicants only). Queue for Submission begins on June 1st and the office will start receiving requests to submit letter packets to the application portals. The queue is on a first-come, first-served basis. The applicant will be placed in the queue in the order that their request was submitted. Once your file has been reviewed, you will be placed in the queue and assigned a number. Please allow 3-4 weeks for letters to be submitted to the portals. For more information, refer to the 2023 Procedures for Letter Packet Submissions on Blackboard. June – July 2022 After completing and submitting your primary application, complete the Queue for Submission form. If you are requesting a cover packet- complete the Cover Packet Request Form. Reapplicants with no changes/updates to your letter, complete the Queue for Submission once after submitting your application. June – October 2022 Complete secondary applications within two weeks of receipt. September 1, 2022 No committee letters will be written beyond this point. Students will only be able to request a cover packet beyond this date. September 2022 - Spring 2023 Interview; Consider offers of admission April 30, 2023 Final decision deadline-only one school acceptance per applicant Fall 2023 Matriculation
The committee letter is an evaluation that highlights your background and accomplishments in pursuing your career choice. Authored by the Pre-Health Director, it will provide an objective, holistic perspective of the applicant’s life journey and professional portfolio (academic performance, clinical experience, research, leadership, and community service). In addition, this packet includes your six individual letters of evaluation from your professors and evaluators. Although a committee letter is not required, it is an important step in the application process for health professional schools. Students must attend our mandatory Pre-Health Information Sessions to be eligible for a Committee Packet. Information for Previously-Interviewed Applicants: Students who previously interviewed for a committee packet and would like to provide new information for their letter will need to schedule an Update Committee Interview. Please refer to the Committee Interview Requirements & Procedures for further instructions. Some health professional programs do not accept committee packets. If you plan to apply to any of the following: Physician Associate, Veterinary, Chiropractic, Optometry, Special Master's Programs (SMPs), or Post-Baccalaureate programs, please refer to the instructions listed on the program's website or designated application portals. Please Note: The Pre-Health Office does not submit individual letters. Students should provide their professors and evaluators with instructions to submit their letter of evaluation directly to the application portal or professional school.
For Initial Committee Interview: The interview is 45-60 minutes with the Pre-Health Director. Business Professional attire is required, as this will serve as a dress rehearsal for a professional school interview. For tips on professional clothing and interview preparation, we recommend visiting Toppel Career Center's resources. Be prepared to discuss any of the following topics: Review the Committee Interview Requirements & Procedures for further information on how to prepare. For Update Committee Interview: The interview is 30 minutes with the Pre-Health Director. Business Professional attire is required, as this will serve as a dress rehearsal for a professional school interview. For tips on professional clothing and interview preparation, we recommend visiting Toppel Career Center's resources. Be prepared to discuss any of the above topics as well as the following: NOTE: Please adhere to the instructions on the Committee Interview Requirements & Procedures. For Re-Applicants: If you previously interviewed and had a committee packet submitted on your behalf, and wish to use the same packet without making any updates, you do not need to interview. Once the application portals open please refer to our Submission Procedures available on Blackboard.
The office will not submit letter packets before your centralized application has been submitted. In most cases, the centralized applications cannot be submitted prior to June 1. Even in instances where you can submit your application before June 1, we will not accept requests for Cover Packets before June 1. Once you have submitted your application, please log into your prehealth blackboard site and complete the following:
Re-applicants who have already interviewed and had a letter packet (committee or cover) submitted through our office and wish to use the same packet without making any updates do not need to schedule an interview. If you plan to resubmit your letter packet to health professional programs in summer 2022, please log into your prehealth blackboard site and fill out the Queue for Submission Form once the centralized application portal(s) open. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via email.
For students who had an Initial or Update Committee Interview and do not have all of their letters in their file should concentrate on finalizing their evaluations. To ensure your letter packet is complete and ready for submission once you submit your centralized application, be sure to:
Most centralized application services open in May, and applicants may begin filling out the primary application. However, in most cases, you will not able to submit the application before June 1st. When creating the letter entry in the Letters of Evaluation section, you will be required to indicate who submitting letters on your behalf. Please follow the below instructions to ensure you enter the information accurately: Note: DO NOT enter the names of the individual letter writers who submitted letters to the Pre-Health Office. The committee letter packet will be all six individual letters and submitted to the portal(s). Reference the Application Guides/Manuals for Help All application services provide a step-by-step guide for completing each section of the application. We recommend you refer to the relevant application services' instruction manual for guidance. AACOMAS Application Instructions AADSAS Application Quick Guide For additional application service links, refer to the Pre-Health Student Guide.
Our office utilizes a queue system to process requests for letter packet submission to the application portals. The queue is a first-come, first-serve and requests will be processed in the order in which they are received by the office starting June 1st. Only students whose files are complete and have all necessary documents will be placed in the queue and assigned a number. Once you are placed in the queue, please allow three (3) to four (4) weeks for your letter packet to be submitted to the portal (e.qug., AMCAS, AACOMAS, AADSAS, or TMDSAS). This time frame does not include university closures and holidays. Note: it takes the application services four to six weeks to verify your application and review your transcript(s). Therefore, our timeline will not negatively affect your application.
Once you submit your primary application to the relevant centralized application services, you are now ready to complete the Queue for Submission Form. Please note letters are not required in order for your to submit or application or for it to be verified. The application can be submitted before your letters of evaluation are uploaded to the portal. You must have the following to be placed in the queue: Off-Shore Program Submissions: For off-shore schools that do not utilize a designated application portal, please complete the Off-Shore and International Submission Request form available on the prehealth blackboard site.