Applying to Professional Schools

• Suggestions/Tips
  • Work with an academic advisor for correct course selection
  • Complete all prerequisite courses by the end of the sophomore year
  • Take additional upper-level science courses to improve preparation
  • Earn outstanding grades, especially in all science courses
  • Prepare thoroughly for all admission tests, taking several timed, practice tests
  • Assess your competitiveness for admission before applying
  • Apply early and to all schools in your state of residency
  • Proofread and revise the personal statement and ask others to read and edit it
  • Monitor the status of your application
  • Prepare well for professional school interviews
  • Send a thank-you note promptly after the interviews
• PPAC Process
  • PPAC stands for Premedical Professions Advisory Committee
  • Members include AU Pre-Health Professions Programs Director and four faculty interested in health-care issues.
  • PPAC simplifies application process for students and professional schools prefer committee evaluations 
  • Annual meetings about PPAC in January, February and March
  • Web-based instructions also available for all applicants
  • Committee members interview applicants and write individual letters of evaluation
  • Applicants select three external evaluators who submit individual letters to PPAC
  • Composite committee evaluation includes content from the individual letters and rating of the applicant relative to other applicants
  • Committee sends all evaluation materials to schools for the applicant
• National Admissions Tests
  • Allow time to repeat admissions tests if necessary
  • Take several timed, full-length practice tests to prepare
  • Have acceptable test scores on file with PPAC by July 1 of the application year
  • Medical College Admission Test information available at www.aamc.org/mcat
  • Dental Admission Test information at www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/index.asp
  • Optometry Admission Test information at www.opted.org
  • Graduate Record Exam information for PT programs at www.gre.org
  • Pharmacy College Admission Test information at www.pcatweb.info

Last updated: 03/04/2010