Columbia College and Columbia Engineering
Premedical Advisory Committee Evaluation
Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions
Applications for Entrance in 2015
Preprofessional Advising
2920 Broadway, MC 1201
New York, NY 10027
Phone: (212) 854-6378
Fax: (212) 854-0042
www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/preprofessional
preprofessional@columbia.edu
Megan Rigney: mr2168@columbia.edu
Cindy Cogdill: cfc5@columbia.edu
Niki Cunningham: njc2001@columbia.edu
Rebecca Curtin Ugolnik: rdc2136@columbia.edu
Tara Maguire preprofessional@columbia.edu
To make an appointment, please go to http://studentaffairs.columbia.edu/csa/appointments
Table of Contents 3
Timeline for Students Applying to Schools of the Health Professions 4
Frequently Asked Questions 5
Questions related to Application to Health Professional Schools 7
Questions related to Admission Tests MCAT/DAT/GRE 12
Premedical Advisory Committee Application 14
Applicant Checklist 14
Guidelines for Recommendation Letters for Pre-Health Students 15
Preprofessional Advising Recommendation Waiver 17
Resources 18
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Timeline for Students Applying to Schools of the Health Professions
The timing of your application is extremely important and therefore your goal. There are several parts of an application and your goal must be to complete all application materials no later than mid-September of the year preceding your desired matriculation in the health professional school of your choice. In order for you to do this, your primary application must be submitted in the first part of this coming summer. The timetable below is designed to help you achieve this goal.
Course Work
All course work required for the admission test (MCAT/DAT) should be completed by the end of the year in
which you wish to submit your application. For example, if you wish to attend medical school immediately after completing your bachelor’s degree, you should complete all premed course work by the end of your junior year. Other courses not needed for the exam but for matriculation (i.e. Bio lab or Biochemistry) can be completed after you submit your application.
Application Process
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Fall preceding the year that you plan to apply to a health professional school:
1. Attend the mandatory Premedical Advisory Committee (PAC) Application Workshop in December.
2. Begin assembling letters of recommendation.
3. Begin preparation for MCAT or other entrance exams and register for exam.
4. Formulate preliminary list of schools to which you would like to apply.
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Winter Break: Work on your PAC Application for Committee Evaluation.
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Spring and summer of the year you are submitting your application to professional school is the most important time in the application process. Below are the steps that should be completed during this time period:
1. In January begin to prepare in earnest for the MCAT or other entrance exam. You may want to take a commercial preparation course or study on your own.
2. Complete your application for a Committee Evaluation by the Premedical Advisory Committee. All parts of the APPLICATION MUST BE COMPLETED BY FEBRUARY 17th, 2014. The PAC application is located at: http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/advising/preprofessional/pacapp. You will attach a photo and Part II of your application at the end of Part I and submit everything NO LATER THAN 5:00 p.m. on February 17, 2014. The completed application packet includes Part I (web form), Part II (submitted online), Photo (submitted online) and outside transcripts (if applicable, emailed to preprofessional@columbia.edu).
3. Schedule and complete an interview with the Premedical Advisory Committee. This is a required
portion of the Premedical Advisory Committee Evaluation. These interviews will be arranged by
the Center for Student Advising after the PAC Application has been submitted (instructions for signing up for interview will be sent sometime after the February 17th deadline).
4. Meet with a Preprofessional Advisor to discuss your preliminary list of schools and other issues or concerns.
6. If appropriate, obtain and complete a centralized application (AMCAS, AACOMAS, AADSAS, VMCAS, etc.) and submit it as early as possible. Most standardized applications may be submitted beginning on June 1. Apply in June – it really makes a difference!
7. June/July: Submit a copy in .pdf form of your submitted AMCAS application (or other centralized
applications) to the Office of Preprofessional Advising at preprofessional@columbia.edu. This is also a required portion of the Premedical Advisory Committee Application.
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