Pre-Professional Programs

They will help ensure that you take the prerequisites you need to get into your professional school.

Get in contact with your advisor

If you don’t have just one in mind, look at several to get a better sense of what kinds of classes to take and opportunities to participate in.

• Conduct an informational interview with a professional in the field you’re interested in. This will give you a better sense of what the job entails and what you can expect from professional school.
• Build strong relationships with your professors, supervisors, mentors, and other professionals. If you do so, they can better express who you are and what you bring to a professional program in their letters of recommendation. Make sure your recommenders can talk about other aspects of your life outside of academics.

Most programs look for candidates with a GPA over a 3.0, and many often have incoming cohorts with minimum GPAs no lower than 3.5. 

• Take courses in a variety of areas. Professional schools prefer candidates who have a broad knowledge base, whether that include proficiency in communication, excellence in humanities and social science courses, thoughtful consideration of ethical issues in your profession, an awareness of current events in your profession, valuing lifelong learning, and integrity and strength of character.

Study for tests like the MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, or PCAT. Professional schools expect good scores on these tests.

You can do this as early as your senior year of undergrad.

• Gain some good life experiences. Professional schools want well-rounded candidates and not just those who excel academically. Volunteering, student or professional organization participation, study abroad, research projects, and other relevant hobbies and activities will all look good on your professional school application.
• Be yourself in interviews. Professional school isn’t just about being a student, it’s about being a good colleague to your professors and advisors, too. Stay true to your personality in interviews so that the interviewers get a better sense of who you are and what it would be like to work with you.
• Get feedback on your personal statement. You’ll need one for your application, and it should express why you’re interested in the profession, how you’ve prepared for it, and why you’re a great candidate. Let your personality shine through, and have peers, professors, and mentors check it to make sure everything flows.