Application Process

Application Process

Overview of the Application Process

Here's a brief timeline of the application process. Please work closely with Mr. Tomas Varela and your academic advisor to ensure that you are on track. 

Junior Year
Winter Break
Complete personal statement for professional school; Register and study for admissions exam
January
Submit personal essay and tentative list of professionals schools to Health Professions Committee
February
Distribute Evaluation Form to faculty/mentors/employers who will be serving as your recommenders
March
Schedule an interview with Mr. Varela to discuss your application and list of professional schools
June
Take admissions exam; Begin online application process
August
Health Professions Committee letter completed and submitted to professional schools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Admission to professional schools is highly competitive! There are many factors that affect your application such as:

Residency Where you live is a major factor in the medical/professional school application and selection process.  Most professional schools receive financial support from the states in which they are located and legislatures demand that they serve their own residents first of all.  Overall 69.8% of first-year students entered schools within their own state.
Strong Academic Performance Nationally, the overall average of accepted students is 3.5.  Our experience at Rowan is that a B+ (3.4) is a solid basis for applying.  With a 3.0 to 3.3, one’s chances of admission depend a great deal on trends in the academic record, strength of science course grades, and your score on the MCAT.  A GPA below 3.0 makes the success of your application a long shot. 
High Scores on Admissions Tests Every field will require some form of admissions test (MCAT, GRE, DAT, OAT, etc.). It's typically best to take it the summer before your senior year. These are tests of knowledge so make sure to prepare!
Involvement in Extracurricular Activities Exposure to your field of interest is extremely important. Volunteering, shadowing, field experience, leadership experience, research experience etc. are the "extra" things that professional schools look for in a strong applicant. Rowan has a number of student organizations to help get you started.
Positive Letters of Recommendation Get to know your faculty/mentors/employers well so that they can write you a great letter of recommendation highlighting not only your academic achievements but your professional goals and motiviation for a career in the health professions. 
Well-prepared for the Interview Congratulations on getting an interview! Be sure to schedule as soon as possible because acceptances are sent out on a rolling basis. The purpose is to find out who you are and why you want to go into that field. Practice with a mock interview prior to the real thing.