Health Professions Advising

Early in fall semester two years before matriculation: Information meeting held to outline the application process. Request to open a file and be assigned an advisor due in the first week of October. Advisors are assigned approximately two weeks later (you will receive an email from HPA). If you are applying to an allied health program, you likely do not need a committee review, but can make an appointment to receive support. Alumni and those off campus need to contact the health professions office to (re)activate credentials file, obtain materials, and get added to email list.

Mid-to-late fall: Students should set up a meeting with their advisor and start soliciting recommendation letters (see below).

Late fall-early February: Students should work on and finish personal statements and other materials. Committee materials are due Feb. 15 (including those who have been reviewed previously). Exception: If you currently have applications pending at schools (but are concerned you will not be admitted this cycle), the deadline is extended to May 1 for a new committee review for reapplication. Otherwise, if you reapply we will send the same letter as the previous cycle.

Late fall through mid-spring: Study for and take MCAT. (The MCAT is offered online several times a year or are self-paced.) The DAT can be taken early June.

Mid-to-late spring: Students are given preliminary evaluations by the committee on a rolling basis. Letters containing the evaluation level are emailed after each evaluation meeting.

Late May: The committee assigns final evaluations after spring grades are recorded. The MCAT should be taken by late April/early May.

June: The Health Professions Office begins mailing recommendation letters to medical schools on a rolling basis. You must decide which schools to apply and send in AMCAS application as close to June 1 as possible. Apply as early as possible; most medical schools have "rolling admissions". Notify your advisor of your application decision so that they can write your letter, and submit a formal request to the office. Letters are written on a rolling basis and take considerable time.

July - August: Complete secondary application materials from schools. Some schools begin interviewing in July/August, so make sure to practice your interview skills.

Early Fall-Following Spring: Interview at medical schools; hear results; accept one school. If you are certain you will not go to a school in which you are accepted, let school know so your place can go to another student.

Following Fall: Enter medical school.

The Health Professions Advising Committee seeks to provide applicants with the best possible feedback on their readiness to apply to graduate programs as well as the best possible letters of recommendation. As a result, we require you to submit the following items in the formats described below.

Note that in order to be recommended by the committee for any cycle, applicants must have materials submitted by February 15 so they can be evaluated by the committee in the spring of the year they will apply. This includes applicants who were recommended by the committee in previous years. If you were evaluated by the committee in the past, please scroll down to "Seeking a Second or Subsequent Review" for instructions.

Starting in the Fall, make sure you:

1. Open a file by emailing a signed Health Professions File Waiver Form to healthprofessions@holycross.edu. You only need to do this once, not every year.
2. In the first week of October in the academic year when you want to be reviewed by the committee, fill out the Health Professions Advisor Request Form. You must do this in any year you plan to apply, even if you have been reviewed previously.
3. Request letters of recommendation as required, updating your recommendation spreadsheet as appropriate. 

By February 15 in the academic year you want a committee review:

You must submit the following materials to healthprofessions@holycross.edu. Make sure to have your advisor review your materials well before the due date.

Items 1-9 must be combined in one PDF document in that order. If the steps above are not completed prior to February 15, your file will be delayed.

1. Completed checklist.
2. A copy of your most recent unofficial Holy Cross transcript.
3. Official copies of transcripts for courses taken away from Holy Cross that do not appear on your Holy Cross transcript. (You do not need transcripts for HECCMA or study abroad courses). **PLEASE NOTE:  If your non HC school cannot email transcripts, please have the paper transcript(s) sent to your address, scan the transcript for us, then add to your packet.  We are currently working remotely and are not receiving mail.  Save the paper transcript in case it is needed in the future.
4. A cover sheet with your name, contact information, target type of health professions school (M.D., D.M.D., etc.) and recent picture (color headshot) of yourself. Make sure the picture is professional-looking. You do not have to hire a professional photographer but please don’t send in a group party picture with other people cropped out, for example.
5. A list of all the courses you have taken at Holy Cross and elsewhere plus the teachers and grades in these courses, organized by semester. Indicate which professors you asked for recommendation letters. Also on this sheet report all standardized test and entrance exam scores you have taken, e.g., SAT, ACT, MCAT, DAT etc. (but not AP, SATII, IB, etc.). We will use this for advising purposes only, and not to rate you. We will not share this information with any institutions you apply to.
6. If needed, also supply a sheet that explains how you took a medical school requirement in a non-standard way, for example, meeting the English requirement in a non-English department course, or biochemistry by working in a lab. Use this form.
7. An optional academic notation sheet on which you discuss any grades which you feel need to be explained. Use this to tell us about extraordinary circumstances, e.g., illness, family tragedy, etc. that impacted your ability to perform well in classes.
8. A separate sheet listing your extracurricular activities in college, post-college, and high school. Please organize this by labeled categories: clinical experience, research experience, volunteer experience, other activities (e.g. clubs, athletics, hobbies, and other (non-clinical/ non-research) professional (work) experience. Indicate the dates of the experience, the number of hours per week or total that you have worked or participated in, and the contact person for the experience (e.g. supervised you). Provide a brief (350 characters) description of your involvement and indicate if you solicited a reference letter. For up to four of the experiences that are most meaningful to you, you may provide a short paragraph of up to 1352 characters explaining why it was important to you. View an example of what we are looking for (PDF).
9. A personal statement of approximately seven double-spaced pages in length (12 pt font, 1” margins, approx 10,000 characters/ 1500 words). This statement allows you to introduce yourself to the committee and show why you are ready to pursue graduate training for your chosen career in the health professions. Use this to reflect on the important experiences of your life to show that you are ready to dedicate your career to serving others as a healthcare professional and have demonstrated the competencies of a successful student (e.g. search for “AAMC Premedical competencies”). You can also use this space to discuss your personal growth including any hurdles/ setbacks you have overcome. We will hold your statement confidential. You do not have to tell your whole life story. Make sure to work with your advisor on this statement and attend the workshops. This essay is a critical part of your review.

In addition, you are required to solicit at least one new letter of recommendation (sent to the Health Professions Advising Office) that speaks to your experiences since your last review. This letter may be an updated letter from someone who reviewed you in the past. If for some reason you cannot obtain a new letter, please speak to our office.  You should solicit such letters of recommendation using the same instructions as your original letters. Update your letters spreadsheet accordingly.

If you have been previously reviewed by the committee and want to be reviewed again, in the first week of October in the academic year when you want to be reviewed by the committee, fill out the Health Professions Advisor Request Form. You must do this in any year you plan to apply, even if you have been reviewed previously.  Your updated materials are due on Feb. 15 (for first-time applicants).

Exception: If you currently have applications pending at schools (but are concerned you will not be admitted this cycle), the deadline is extended to May 1 for a new committee review for reapplication. Otherwise, if you reapply we will send the same letter as the previous cycle.

If you currently have applications pending at schools (but are concerned you will not be admitted this cycle), the deadline is extended to May 1 for a new committee review for reapplication. Otherwise, if you reapply we will send the same letter as the previous cycle.

1. Completed checklist.
2. Your most recent unofficial Holy Cross transcript if you have completed additional courses since your last review.
3. Official copies of transcripts for new, completed courses taken away from Holy Cross.  **If your non-HC school cannot email transcripts, please have the paper transcript(s) sent to your address, scan the transcript for us, and then add it to your packet.  Save the paper transcript in case it is needed in the future. If you still have courses in progress at an institution, you may submit an unofficial transcript for Feb. 15 and follow up with an official transcript once grades are entered.
4. Provide an updated cover sheet (see item 4 above for new applicants). Mark “addendum” and provide the date.
5. A list of all the courses you have taken since your last review, plus the teachers and grades in these courses, organized by term. Indicate which professors you asked for recommendation letters and the institutions where you took the courses. Also on this sheet report all entrance exam scores you have taken (as in item 5 above).
6. If needed, also supply a sheet that explains how you took a medical school requirement in a non-standard way, for example, meeting the English requirement in a non-English department course, or biochemistry by working in a lab. Use this form (DOC).
7. Optional short academic notation sheet as (in item 7 above) for new courses/issues.
8. An addendum to the list of activities (as described in item 8 above). List any new activities (and report activities you have continued) in the format described in 8 above.
9. An update and reflection on what you have done since your last review. This should be short, typically two to three pages. Use your statement to reflect on the important experiences since you were last reviewed and how these experiences have helped you learn and grow, helped you become a better care provider, and impacted your decision to apply to a health professions school or have helped you grow. (Do not edit your original committee personal statement.) Use the same format as your original statement, showing rather than telling and reflecting on experiences.

In addition, you are required to solicit at least one new letter of recommendation (sent to the Health Professions Advising Office) that speaks to your experiences since your last review. This letter may be an updated letter from someone who reviewed you in the past. If for some reason you cannot obtain a new letter, please speak to our office. You should solicit such letters of recommendation using the same instructions as your original letters. Update your letters spreadsheet accordingly.

For the HP Advising office to hold your letters, you must submit a signed Health Professions File Waiver Form to healthprofessions@holycross.edu and submit an excel spreadsheet with your list of requested letters. Below are detailed instructions, as well as a template to request letters.

We require a minimum of three letters of the following types for a preliminary committee review, but almost always need more to craft a compelling committee letter. If you are unable to obtain any of these letters contact our office to discuss the situation. Please ask that at least three letters be submitted by February 15. If letters come in late, it may delay your review.

1. A professor from your major department at Holy Cross with whom you completed at least one class
2. Two professors from laboratory science courses (ideally from Holy Cross) including one outside of your major with whom you completed at least one class if you are a science major. (Notes: this requirement may be met by the instructor of the lecture portion of the laboratory science course, e.g. introductory biology. Letters from laboratory instructors are helpful as additional letters but do not meet this requirement.)
3. Someone who supervised your work in a clinical (or similar) setting
4. If you are an alumnus and currently employed, a letter from a supervisor. If you just started your position, you may request the letter to arrive by April 15.

However, more letters are almost always necessary for both a comprehensive review and to write a strong composite committee letter to your health professions school. We need evaluations from people who have known you in a variety of classroom, laboratory, clinical, and professional settings. Additional letters from a professor, coach, advisor, mentor, or supervisor who can review your academic, volunteer or professional activities are helpful. Letters from instructors in humanities classes are especially valuable. More than one letter from your major and laboratory sciences are usually needed. In general, it is helpful to ask letters from all those with whom you have worked closely, and from a range of activities. Note that if you are applying to osteopathic medical school (DO) you need a letter from an osteopathic physician, and if you are applying to dental school you need a letter from a dentist before you apply to your graduate program. We continue to accept letters until your letter is submitted to the application service in summer. We will securely hold submitted letters until you apply, so you do not need to re-request letters if you delay your application for a year or more.

• Apply early: Medical schools have rolling admissions policies. Submit your AMCAS (MD) and AACOMAS (D.O.) materials as close to early June as possible. (Note: Texas and offshore schools have their own application processes.) There is no reason to apply in May.  August is likely too late. You must have your AMCAS application processed by July 31st to obtain a committee letter.

• Consider applying to about 20-25 schools: Use the online MSAR (allopathic) and Choose DO (osteopathic) to help guide your choices. These resources provide acceptance rates for in and out of state applicants, special requirements, test score and GPA ranges, etc. Also consider a ranking guide (e.g., U.S. News or Princeton Review) but remember these are imperfect and incomplete.

• If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

• Wait for MCAT: It is generally a good idea to wait until you have your MCAT scores in hand to apply. Applying with a poor score can result in an unsuccessful application. However, if you are confident you will score well, you can apply to a few schools on June 1 to start processing your application with AMCAS/AACOMAS. 

• Request official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar's office and any other places you took classes to AMCAS/ACCOMAS.  Do this as soon as possible.  The request form is available in the AMCAS/AACOMAS application and should be sent to the Registrar's office.  Do this very early, before anything else.

• Complete the AMCAS (M.D./allopathic)/AACOMAS (D.O./osteopathic) application.

Start this early, ideally in early May. This is tedious and time consuming but it is important to do a good job. You should be able to use parts of your committee personal statement in crafting your personal statement but these essays are much shorter.  You must accept the advisor release for AMCAS/AACOMAS. 

If the instructions say to enter your credit hours directly as they appear on your transcript, use course units - this is most typical. If you need to use a conversion: 1 Holy Cross course = 4 credits and scale up as necessary (1.25 courses = 5 credits, etc.). AMCAS asks you to report course units as they appear on your transcript.

Indicate that your letter will be in the form of a "committee letter" (whether you were recommended or not).  For osteopathic (AACOMAS) schools, set a very late "deadline" for letters — we will get the letter in as soon as we can and this deadline is not helpful.

Enter Professor Gaby Avila-Bront as the primary contact. Enter the email address healthprofessions@holycross.edu. If additional letters will be sent by us, do not list them as "additional authors." We will send them from our office in one electronic packet.

• After you have submitted your applications, complete the Google Form to request your committee letter be written (or letter packet sent). This form asks for your final list of schools as well as your AMCAS and/or AACOMAS ID, and MCAT scores.  This form also allows you to provide special instructions for certain school requirements. Submit once. Do not submit this form until you have submitted all your graduate applications AND have accepted the advisor release.

• If you have requested additional letters of recommendation to be sent with your committee letter or packet, the deadline for our office to receive them is July 1. Please make sure your letter spreadsheet list is updated and keep in touch with the office and committee advisor about the status of any such letters.

• Fill out secondary applications in a timely manner.

• Regularly inform the Health Professions Advising Office of every interview invitation you receive as well as every school that accepts or rejects you by emailing healthprofessions@holycross.edu. (Feel free to do this in batches, every few weeks.)

• Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student.

• Observe the traffic rules, deposit rules, etc., carefully.

Apply early: Dental schools have rolling admissions policies. Submit your AADSAS materials as close to early June as possible. 

• If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

• Wait for Dental Admission Test (DAT): It is generally a good idea to wait until you have taken your Dental Admission Test to apply.  You will receive a preliminary DAT score the day you take the test; you may apply with this preliminary score.

• Complete the AADSAS application.  You must accept the advisor release for AADSAS.

Start this early. This is tedious and time consuming but it is important to do a good job. You should be able to use parts of your autobiography in crafting your personal statement but these essays are much shorter.  

If the instructions say to enter your credit hours directly, use course units. If you need to use a conversion, apply the ratio of 1 Holy Cross course to 4 credits, and scale as needed (1.25 courses = 5 credits, etc.).

Enter Gaby Avila-Bront as the primary contact with the email healthprofessions@holycross.edu. 

• If you have requested additional letters of recommendation to be sent with your committee letter or packet, the deadline for our office to receive them is July 1. Please make sure your letter spreadsheet list is updated and keep in touch with the office and committee advisor about the status of any such letters.

• Request official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar’s Office and any other places you took classes to AADSAS. Do this as soon as possible, before anything else.

• After you submit your applications, complete the Google Form to request a committee letter (or packet). This form asks for your list of schools as well as your AADSAS ID, and DAT scores. Submit once. Do not submit this form until you have submitted your graduate applications AND have accepted the advisor release.

• Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student.

• Inform the Health Professions Advising Office of every interview invitation you receive as well as every school that accepts or rejects you by emailing the office (healthprofessions@holycross.edu).

• Apply early:

Optometry schools have rolling admissions policies. Submit your OptomCAS materials as close to early June as possible. 

• If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

• Wait for Optometry Admission Test (OAT): It is generally a good idea to wait until you have taken your Optometry Admission Test to apply.  You will receive a preliminary OAT score the day you take the test; you may apply with this preliminary score.

• Complete the OptomCAS application.  You must accept the advisor release for OptomCAS.

Start this early. This is tedious and time consuming but it is important to do a good job. You should be able to use parts of your autobiography in crafting your personal statement but these essays are much shorter.  

If the instructions say to enter your credit hours directly, use course units. If you need to use a conversion, apply the ratio of 1 Holy Cross course to 4 credits, and scale as needed (1.25 courses = 5 credits, etc.).

Enter Professor Gaby Avila-Bront as the primary contact with the email healthprofessions@holycross.edu.

• If you have requested additional letters of recommendation to be sent with your committee letter or packet, the deadline for our office to receive them is July 1. Please make sure your letter spreadsheet list is updated and keep in touch with the office and committee advisor about the status of any such letters.

• Request official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar’s Office and any other places you took classes to OPTOMCAS. Do this as soon as possible, before anything else.

• After you submit your applications, complete the Google Form to request a committee letter (or packet). This form asks for your list of schools as well as your OPTOMCAS ID, and OAT scores. Submit once. Do not submit this form until you have submitted your graduate applications AND have accepted the advisor release.

• Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student.>

• Inform the Health Professions Advising Office of every interview invitation you receive as well as every school that accepts or rejects you by emailing the office (healthprofessions@holycross.edu).

• Veterinary schools generally do not have rolling admissions policies which gives you more time. Submit your VMCAS materials well ahead of the deadline. Request your committee letter in the summer if at all possible.

• Complete the VMCAS application.

Complete the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and Tufts University application separately from VMCAS.

• If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

• If you have requested additional letters of recommendation to be sent with your committee letter or packet, the deadline for our office to receive them is July 1. Please make sure your letter spreadsheet list is updated and keep in touch with the office and committee advisor about the status of any such letters.

• Send official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar’s Office and any other places you took classes to VMCAS. Do this as soon as possible.

• Complete the Google Form to request your committee letter/packet. This asks for your list of schools as well as your GRE scores. Submit once. Do not submit this form until you have submitted your graduate applications AND have accepted the advisor release.

• Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student.

• Inform the Health Professions Advising Office of every interview invitation you receive as well as every school that accepts or rejects you by emailing the office healthprofessions@holycross.edu.

• Apply early

Nurse practitioner schools often have rolling admissions policies. Submit your materials to individual schools as early as possible. However, as nursing programs have different start dates (August, January, June, etc.), program deadlines vary considerably.

• There is a new centralized application service for nursing programs (NursingCAS) but not all nursing schools use it. You may need to apply to each school individually.

• If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

• Consult with your Holy Cross health professions advisor about which letters you should solicit.

• Send individual school or NursingCAS letter of reference request links to your references (one may be your Holy Cross health professions advisor if you ask in advance).

• Send official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar’s Office and any other places you took classes to the nursing schools. Do this as soon as possible.

• Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student. After the application cycle is over, please send us a list of the schools you applied to and the result (matriculated, accepted, interviewed, rejected) at each.

• Apply early: 

Pharmacy schools have rolling admissions policies. Submit your PharmCAS materials as early as possible.

• Complete the PharmCAS application.

• If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

• Consult with your Holy Cross health professions advisor about which letters you should solicit.

• Send PharmCAS letter of reference request links to your references (one may be your Holy Cross HP advisor if you arrange it ahead of time). Schools vary in letter requirements. Some will accept a committee letter, some will accept letters from PharmCAS and others require letters to be sent directly to schools. Consult individual school websites and follow instructions carefully.

• Request official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar’s Office and any other places you took classes to PharmCAS. Do this as soon as possible.

• Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student. After the application cycle is over, please send us a list of the schools you applied to and the result (matriculated, accepted, interviewed, rejected) at each.

• Apply early: 

Physical therapy schools have rolling admissions policies. Submit your PTCAS materials as close to early July as possible.

• Complete the PTCAS application.

• If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

• Consult with your Holy Cross health professions advisor about which letters you should solicit.

• Send PTCAS letter of reference request links to your references (one may be your Holy Cross health professions advisor).

• Complete the P.T. hours section of PTCAS so your observation hours can be verified.

• Request official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar’s Office and any other places you took classes to PTCAS. Do this as soon as possible.

• Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student. After the application cycle is over, please send us a list of the schools you applied to and the result (matriculated, accepted, interviewed, rejected) at each.

•  Apply early: 

Physician associate schools (formerly "physician assistant") have rolling admissions policies. Submit your CASPA materials as early as possible. However, as P.A. programs have different start dates (August, January, June, etc.), program deadlines vary considerably. CASPA provides a guideline for application dates.

•  Complete the CASPA application.

•  If you plan to apply to any schools with situational judgement tests (CASPer or PREview), schedule those as soon as possible.

•  Consult with your Holy Cross health professions advisor about which letters you should solicit.

•  Send CASPA letter of reference request links to your references (one may be your Holy Cross health professions advisor and the other references).

•  Request official transcripts from Holy Cross Registrar’s Office and any other places you took classes to CASPA. Do this as soon as possible.

•  Periodically review the list of schools where you have open applications or acceptances. After you are accepted at a school, if there are other schools you will definitely not go to, please withdraw your application to open up a spot for another student. After the application cycle is over, please send us a list of the schools you applied to and the result (matriculated, accepted, interviewed, rejected) at each.