“Timing is everything.”  Upperclassmen (Juniors, Seniors and Postbaccalaureate Students) who will be applying next year need to concern themselves with the timing of their HP Interview and applications.

Applicants for the 2008 entering class must request a prequalifying review.  An advisor will review the your file and will inform you of any areas of weakness. In this way, you will have time to strengthen your file before you schedule your interview. While it is mandatory that you prequalify before your interview, the two need not be done back to back.

For those who qualify, HP interviews will run from March 15 through May 31st for 2008 applicants who have already taken the MCAT or who will be taking the MCAT prior to June 2007. There will be very few interviews granted in the month of June because the staff are already booked for that month. Students who will be taking a later MCAT may not schedule an interview before July 1st.

Whether or not you prequalify, before an interview will be granted, a student must have a completed file ( click on the tab to our handbook for details).

The autobiography should be submitted by February 1st — regardless of when you would like to schedule your interview. Many students find it cumbersome (too time consuming) to write while class is in session, so you may wish to consider writing it over winter break.

Before submitting your application, make sure that there are no holds on your transcript. It will delay the processing of everything. So be sure to pay any fines/tickets early. You will want to settle any grade disputes or T-grades far in advance of your application because they may take a while to change.

Stay out of trouble, a disciplinary/academic dishonesty problem can be devastating to your application.

Ideal HP Timeline for 2008 Applicants who have taken the MCAT prior to June '07:

January — Write your autobiography.

February to March —schedule a prequalifying appointment with one of the health professions advisors.

April  to May  — schedule your Health Professions Interview

June  — submit your application to AMCAS

August  and on — interviews with admissions officers.

(When you consider that many schools have rolling admissions, you can see from these timelines, that it truly is in an applicant’s best interest to take the MCAT before the August prior to their senior year.)

Ideal HP Timeline for 2008 Applicants who will be taking the MCAT in June or later:

January —Write your autobiography (you will be too busy during the term and you will be too busy while preparing for the MCAT).

February to August —schedule a prequalifying appointment with one of the health professions advisors.

June  to August —submit your application to AMCAS. It is important to get your application in before school begins in September.

July  to September — schedule your Health Professions Interview.

October  and on—interviews with medical/dental school admissions officers.