Application Process

Applying for Committee Recommendation

Students wishing to apply to medical, dental, optometry and veterinary (and most health professions) schools must begin the application process almost two years before intended matriculation. 

If your goal is to enter medical, dental and veterinary school in the fall of 2022, you must have started the process in the fall of 2020.

Medical, dental, optometry and veterinary school applicants must assemble three main credentials:

• the application form (administered through AMCAS and AACOMAS, AADSAS, OptomCAS),
• the MCAT, DAT & OAT score report, and
• the Health Professions Advising Committee recommendation.

To get full consideration from the largest pool of medical schools, the MCAT must be taken in April or May one calendar year before intended matriculation. (Most medical schools fill slots on a rolling basis, starting mid-summer based on applications submitted as early as June 1. Taking the MCAT later in the summer delays consideration and hurts your chances of acceptance.) That means, if you wish to enter medical school in the fall of 2021, you should take the MCAT in April or May of 2020. Other health professions follow a similar timeline.  For dental, the DAT may be taken in early June.

Step 1: Be Considered by the Committee and Take the MCAT, DAT

• 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 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 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 advisor and start soliciting recommendation letters.
• Late fall-early February: Students should work on and finish personal statement and other materials. Committee materials are due Feb. 15 (including those who have been reviewed previously).
• 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 May.
• June: The Health Professions Office begins mailing recommendation letters to medical schools on a rolling basis. (See below.)

Step 2: Formal Application Process

• May: Complete application materials for online application (through AMCAS for M.D. schools, AACOMAS for D.O. /Dental/Veterinary schools). See Documents and Resources page for links to AMCAS and other health professions organizations). Make application decision after receiving MCAT/DAT result.
• Early June: Learn MCAT results and make application decision; 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" which means they start considering (and accepting) applicants as applications are submitted. Make sure to notify your advisor of your application decision so she or he can write your letter, and submit a formal request to the office. Letters are written on a rolling basis and take considerable time.
• June - 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.