Applying to a Health Professional School

Victoria C. Ukachukwu, Ph.D.

Director, Health Professions Program Department of Natural and Physical Sciences

Caldwell College . 120 Bloomfield Ave . Caldwell . NJ 07006

General Advising Session

February 22, 2012

How Do I Apply?

• Apply through the online Applicant Service of the school you to which you wish to apply.

• The online portal collects application materials and coordinates all parts of the application process to health professional schools

What are Applicant Services?Online portals for application to health professional schools:

• AMCAS – Allopathic Medical Schools (May 1)http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm

• TMDCAS – Texas Medical and Dental Schools (May 1)http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/

• AACPMAS – Podiatric Medical Schoolshttp://www.e-aacpmas.org/

• AADSAS – Dental Schools (June 1)https://portal.aadsasweb.org/

• AACOMAS – Osteopathic Medical Schools (May 1)https://aacomas.aacom.org/

• VMCAS – Veterinary Schools (Deadline is October 1)http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/vmcas.htm

Applicant Services

• PharmCAS – Pharmacy Schools (November - March)http://www.pharmcas.org/

• OTCAS – Occupational Therapy Schools (July 1)https://portal.otcas.org/

• PTCAS – Physical Therapy Schools (July 1)http://www.ptcas.org/

• CASPA – Physician Assistant Schools (April 1)http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/vmcas.htm

• OptomCAS – Optometry Schools (July 1)https://portal.otcas.org/

• SOPHAS – Public Health Schools (Deadline- February)https://portal.sophas.org/

How to Use Applicant Services Portal

1. Before You Apply: Read the Application Instructions carefully. If you are applying to the Fee Assistance Program, do that first.

2. Begin the Application: Enter Identifying Information, Schools Attended, and Biographic Information.

3. Entering your Course Work: Use a personal copy of your official transcript from each school you attended after high school.

4. Work/Activities: Enter up to 15 experiences (work, extracurricular activities, awards, honors, publications, etc…) including the date, hours per week, a contact, the location, and a description of the experience.

5. Letters of Evaluation: Enter information regarding each letter of evaluation submitted. Up to 10 letter entries may be created.

How to Use Applicant Services Portal 6. Schools: Select the schools to which you will apply

and designate the schools you wish to receive specific letters of evaluation.

7. Essays: Compose your personal statement

8. Standardized Tests: Enter or edit future test dates, (MCAT/DAT/GRE) as well as review previous test scores, and enter any additional test information, such as new or other test scores.

9. Submitting your Application: Before submitting your application, it is strongly recommended that you using the “Print Application” button on the Main Menu for proofreading purposes – very few changes are permitted after submission.

10. Monitoring your Application: Check the status of application throughout the application process.

Required Application Materials

• Items required before your application is processed:

Completed ApplicationApplication

All Official U.S. TranscriptsTranscripts

Correct Application FeeFee

Other Application Items

• Additional items required by different schools:

Admission Test Scores

References (LORs)References (LORs)

Foreign Transcript EvaluationTranscript Evaluation

TOEFL Scores

Volunteer/Observation Hours

Supplemental Application Materials

Items submitted directly to schools:

Supplemental Application

ReferencesReferences

Original Foreign Transcript Transcript

Supplemental Fee

Volunteer/Observation Hours

Admission/Standardized Tests

Request Official Test Scores• Use correct Test code for School• Scores MAY also go to Applicant Service, depending

on the Test code

Enter Test Scores on Application• Do not mix and match scores from different dates• Enter planned test dates

Submit Official US Transcripts

• Enter ALL ALL colleges & universities attended• 4-Year Institutions• Community Colleges

• Print transcript request form transcript request form for each school to which you are applying

• Registrar sends one official transcript • Encourage registrar to include transcript request form

• Do NOT send student-issued transcripts

Enter All US Courses on Application

Use a personal copy of transcripts Do NOT enter courses from memory Enter all courses on US transcripts

including… • Credit earned due to AP/CLEP/IB exams• Audited• Deferred• Institutional/Departmental Exam• Incomplete• Courses in Progress• Pass/Fail• Withdrawn (WP or WF)

Avoid errors …Review your entries

Calculation of GPAs

Overall Cumulative GPA

Undergraduate Cumulative GPAGraduate GPA GPA for Each College / University Attended GPA by Academic Status

freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, graduate, & post-BS

Combined Science and Math (BCPM)GPAScience GPA (no math)

Upper-Division GPA Course Subject GPAsCore Program Prerequisite GPA

Foreign Transcripts

IF REQUIRED BY SCHOOL:

Arrange for course-by-course foreign transcript evaluation to be sent to the Applicant Service (AS)

BEGIN EARLY! It may take 4-6 weeks for agency to complete evaluation

School may specify a particular agency

If received, AS mails copy to your designated school(s)

Foreign evaluations are NOT NOT required for “Study-abroad”

Letters of Evaluation (LORs)

• Submit up to 5-10 references

• Electronic references preferred

• Reference requirements vary by school

• Application file incomplete if missing references

• Schools may not accept late references

• Login to check reference status

Designating Letters of Evaluation (LORs)

Within each application, identify the letters to be submitted (3 to 5). Youshould enter packet only once as either a:

• Committee Letter/Packet if you are receiving a committee letter OR

• Individual Letter if you are NOT using a committee letter/packet.

• The Committee Letter/Letter Packet

Your committee letter packet from Caldwell College, includes your individual letters of recommendation that were sent to the Office of Health Professions Program and the committee letter, and is sent to the appropriate applicant service (AMCAS, AADSAS, PTCAS, OTCAS, etc) that you request

If you select committee letter/packet on the application form letters drop-down menu, you should have only 1 Letter Request Form which should have the program director’s name on it. Please submit the letter request form to the Office of Health Professions Program (Room 203 Raymond Hall) to go along with your committee letter

Designating Letters of Evaluation (LORs)

• Primary Author / Contact: Dr. Victoria C. Ukachukwu, Director, Health Professions Program, Caldwell College, 120 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07706 if your committee letter is from Caldwell College.

• Additional Authors:

Enter the authors of the other letters in the packet. You may add up to 9 additional authors.

• Institution Information: Enter “Caldwell College” if your committee letter is from Caldwell College or another institution that is providing your committee letter.

• Releasing Your Letters: Print the letter request form and submit to Dr. Ukachukwu if you request a committee letter from Caldwell. In order to get your letters released to schools, you also have to fill out a release form available from Caldwell College. The earliest students can submit this form is July1.  Submit form to Dr. Victoria Health Professions Program, 203 Raymond Hall, Caldwell College, 120 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006

Caldwell College

The Committee Letter/Interview

Requirements for the Committee Letter:

• Letters of Recommendation 3-5 Letters of Recommendation in your file by March 15

• Personal StatementSubmit a DRAFT copy of your personal statement for review by Committee by March 15

• Committee Interview: Schedule a date for your Committee Interview to discuss issues including:- Knowledge of medical and health issues- Communication skills - Personality/compatibility with healthcare - Exposure/volunteer experience- Motivation

The Personal Statement

• What personal qualities and experiences have motivated you to pursue this field of health professions?

When Should I Begin the Process?

• Begin the application process in the spring (March).

• Ensure that LORs are complete

• Prepare Personal Statement, (review & scrutinize before submitting)

• Review Official Academic Transcripts

• Take the Standardized Test (MCAT, DAT, GRE, PCAT, etc) in the spring, if prepared.

• Schedule Committee Interview (by March15)

Application Timeline: March - April - May

• Fine tune your Personal Statement. Have a colleague review your personal statement.

• Check web site for school listings. Check MSAR & individual school web sites.

Application Timeline: May - June Timeline

• Finalize School List: Realistically assess your candidacy.” Include” some upper, middle, and lower range schools to balance your selection:

1. GPA 3.6 & above = upper 20% of schools selected (MCATS 33 +)

2. 3.3 to 3.5 = middle 50% schools selected (MCATS 29 +)

3. 3.2 or lower = lower 30% schools selected (MCATS 28+)

Application Timeline: Submission

• May 1: Most online application portals open

• June 1: Submission of application begins

Note: Print and submit copy of application: 1) Director office 2) Self.

Early Decision Program• Deadline for most schools is August 1st

• Check with individual school for LOR and Secondary deadline.

• Binding option for applicants

• Not all programs participate in Early Decision

• If accepted, applicant cannot apply to other programs

• If denied or moved to “general” status, applicant can apply to other programs

• DO NOT WAIT until DEADLINE:

Application Fee

• Application Fee – varies with program

(About $30-$50/school!!! Plan accordingly).

• Fee Waiver/Fee Assistant Program - apply before starting your application

Application Timeline: August - September

• Complete and send supplemental applications and materials

• Complete and send correct $$ supplemental

fee.• DO NOT WAIT until DEADLINE

Academic Updates to Application

Enter updated summer & fall 2012 grade

Send updated 2012 transcripts to Applicant Service as soon as available

Academic Update Dates: check Applicant Service for dates

Timeline to update your coursework is limited

Applicant Service will send an updated courses & GPAs to schools.

Secondary Application Deadlines

• Application deadlines to medical schools range from August 1 to December 15.

• Keep deadlines & fees for each school on your list organized.

• Remember: June 1st be prepared to submit application

Caldwell College: LOR TIMELINE

• March 15th : All LORs received in office including . . .

3 - 5 letters (3 Caldwell College Professors – Bio, Chem, Organic, Physics; 2 others from your previous life experiences - humanities professor, and/or employer, volunteer/ research)

Caldwell College Committee Letter Timeline: June - July

• March 15: 5 LORs in file; Submit Forms #1; #2; and Draft Personal Statement

• March - April 5: Interviews for Committee Letter (Note: Deadline to schedule interview is March 15)

• May 1: Submit Intent to Apply Form to Program Director

• June 1 – June 30: Provide copy of Submitted Application and Letter Request form , and Consent Form

• July 1: Committee Letters Sent to Schools

Remember . . .• Send Thank You Notes/Emails to recommenders.

• Monitor your application.

• Call schools to inquire

about interviews.

• Be familiar with the institution

you are interviewing at.

• The interview begins the minute you walk on campus (maybe even before-train, etc).

Finally…

• Notify Program Director when accepted!!!