What is a Strategy Appointment?
Using the MyPreHealth system, you will work on self-assessment materials to help prepare and guide you into discovering and articulating your unique narrative. Once you have completed your Assessment questions, your personal statement, and your activities section, you will schedule a strategy appointment with your PreHealth Advisor. During this meeting, you will discuss your readiness to apply. Please Note: You must schedule your appointment well in advance of the April 1st deadline. You will also need to upload your materials at least 1-2 weeks in advance so that your advisor is prepared for your meeting.
What if I Miss the April 1 Deadline for Completing My MyPreHealth Strategy Appointment?
Juniors who do not complete their materials and meet with their advisor by the deadline are not eligible for an institutional letter of endorsement (cover letter). *Please note: materials are due for some advisors up to 2 weeks prior to the appointment; students must factor this into their planning. Our experience is that juniors who have not crafted a personal narrative and completed their MyPreHealth Strategy Appointment benefit from more preparation time before they apply. We urge you to complete your appointment in your senior year, apply at graduation, and make plans for a gap year.
Seniors who miss the deadline may be granted an extension* but we still strongly urge you to take more time to be fully prepared to apply, even if this will mean two gap years. This advice is based on data (below).
In 2018-2019, we endorsed 47 first time A&S applicants who were not admitted to medical school. 19 of those applicants had a science gpa below 3.2 or an MCAT below 500. Of the remaining 28 with with BCPM > 3.2 and MCAT > 500, 13 or almost half had incomplete materials at the deadline. 80% of the first-time applicants we endorse are admitted, but having incomplete materials by late spring poses a significant risk factor for non-admittance and is best avoided.
*Extensions will not be granted past the end of May. Applicants who have not completed a MyPreHealth Strategy appointment by the end of May are not eligible for a cover letter.
Should I apply this Cycle?
The application process is best summed up as one of finding the right fit for the school and for you so that a match can be made. As you go into the application process, it is important to examine, critically and reflectively, not only your scores and experience but also what they mean to you and to the schools to which you apply.
Well-prepared candidates have found the aspects here to be significant to their applications. Consider the degree to which each statement represents your own readiness for the current cycle.
If, after considering your readiness in these regards, you think a gap year might be in your best interest, your pre-health advisor, as well as the pre-health advisors in the Career Center, are happy to help you generate options.
What if I Have to Reapply?
Many successful physicians applied to medical school more than once! The AAMC encourages reapplication after thoughtful reflection. If reapplication is part of your path to medicine, that’s ok, and we want to help. Some medical schools will give applicants feedback on their applications, so it is definitely worth investigating whether this option is available to you. After carefully assessing your prior application using these reflection questions, discuss your responses with your prehealth advisor, who can help you with a strategy for next steps.
