Frequently Asked Questions

As early as possible! Students do not need to wait until May 1st to begin submitting documents for the committee and advisor process. Although students have until August 31st of their application cycle to upload the supplemental documents and request an interview, we suggest they submit as early as possible as this will expedite their letter packet process and therefore also expedite the completion of their application which increases the probability of an acceptance.

Yes, an official MCAT/DAT score is required to schedule your committee/advisor interview as there is an MCAT minimum requirement for each of these options. 

If you meet the minimum requirements for an Advisor Letter Packet but are a few points away from the Committee Letter Packet requirements and believe you have a strong application, you may submit a petition in order for our committee to consider your application as a whole. Once they have done so, they will inform you if you will or will not be granted a committee interview. If you do not meet the minimum requirements for advisor or committee, we will still submit your letters of recommendation in the form of an individual letter packet. This letter packet option does not require the submission of all supplemental documents and does not involve an interview. You can read more about our letter packet service options on our website hereLinks to an external site.. 

The availability of our interviews is variable and will depend on our demand at the time of your request. Usually, we will be able to schedule your interview within a week of your request. Typical processing time for uploading Committee or Advisor Letter Packets is about two weeks from the day of your interview. We appreciate your understanding that there are multiple requests our office receives. Requests are processed in the order they are received.

Most professional programs require three letters of recommendation from faculty members that have taught you in a 3+ credit course (2 of these must be from a science faculty member; the third can be from a science or non-science faculty member). Most programs also limit students to a maximum of 6 letters of recommendation of which the remaining letters can come from physicians, research mentors, volunteering coordinators, etc. However, these requirements differ between programs and some might additionally require a letter of recommendation from a professional in the field you are applying to (i.e. a physician, a dentist, etc.). We highly suggest you look into your specific programs of interest for more information as it is the student's responsibility to ensure they meet all requirements. You can view what the AAMC classifies as a science vs a non-science course here.

The AAMC has created a course classification guide that medical schools use to determine which classes fall under which category and this is the same guide that our office uses. You can find the AAMC Course Classification Guide here. The science letters of recommendation must be written by professors who taught you a science lecture course in order for it to fit the requirement. A letter of recommendation written by a science professor for whom you were never a student will not fulfill this requirement. The same applies for the non-science letter of recommendation.

Yes, you can submit your primary application before your letter packet is uploaded. This will expedite the process as your primary application will begin to be verified. Make sure that you have created the letter request for our office prior to submitting in order for us to then have access to uploading on your behalf later on. 

• As a reapplicant who has gone through our committee/advisor process, you will have the opportunity to schedule a reapplicant interview where you can re-submit any new and updated documents such as a new MCAT score, personal statement, Personal History Questionnaire, updated letters of recommendation, and a new letter request form.
• Students are highly encouraged to submit updated documents as your interview will cover any changes and improvements you have made to your application in order to become a more competitive applicant. 

• You can expect your committee interview to be a mock interview for your professional programs. You will be interviewed by a panel of faculty and advisors who will later write a cover letter in support of your application with a ranking, where you will be compared to all other students who have applied through the application process. While you will be scheduled for a 60 minute interview, your interview will run for 30-45 minutes and the remaining time will be spent providing you feedback and discussing how you can strengthen your interview skills.
• You will be asked questions pertaining to your personal background, academic background, extracurriculars, hobbies, and other relevant topics. 

• You can expect your advisor interview to be a mock interview for your professional programs. You will be interviewed by a pre-health advisor who will write a cover letter in support of your application without a ranking. While you will be scheduled for a 60 minute interview, your interview will run for 30-45 minutes and the remaining time will be spent providing you feedback and discussing how you can strengthen your interview skills.
• You will be asked questions pertaining to your personal background, academic background, extracurriculars, hobbies, and other relevant topics.

You should dress in formal attire for your interview, making sure that you are not wearing any distracting garments and/or any distracting jewelry and makeup.

• Our interviews for the interview process will be held virtually through Zoom.

If you do not qualify for either the Committee or Advisor letter packet, you will be able to request a Regular Letter Packet which has no minimum qualifications or deadlines. 

Once you have all your letters of recommendation submitted to your file and you are not expecting any more to come in, you can officially request your letter packet here only if you have not previously filled out the form (first-time applicant).