“When do I take the test? When do I apply?” These are common questions pre-health students ask. While the application open dates and deadlines remain roughly the same from year to year, when a student chooses to apply is a very personal decision. There is not a right or wrong way to do it. We encourage students to discuss their plans with a HPA Staff Advisor before settling on a timeline.
Growth Year vs. Straight Through
Many students are interested in choosing to apply during the summer between their junior and senior years in order to start professional or graduate school immediately after graduation. Students may have various reasons for choosing to go straight-through, including internal and external expectations from themselves, family, peers, and others, as well as a desire to maintain academic momentum and transition into advanced study or the workforce as efficiently as possible.
What it looks like to apply straight through:
- Students pursuing a health professions program that requires a content-based standardized exam (e.g., MCAT, OAT, DAT) should complete the recommended prerequisite coursework before taking the exam. Typically, the exam is taken in the spring or summer between sophomore and junior year.
- GPA is strong and competitive
- Gained most relevant and meaningful experiences already
- Developed relationships with faculty and others who can provide strong letters of recommendation
While this approach may appeal to students, HPA encourages students to personalize their pathway to a health profession by thoughtfully considering whether a growth year could support their individual goals, readiness, and development. For many, a growth year can provide valuable opportunities to further develop academically, professionally, and personally, strengthen their application, and confirm their readiness for a health professional program.
Benefits of a growth year:
- An extra year of coursework towards your GPA
- An extra year to study, prepare, and take standardized exams. Also an extra year to spread out prerequisite coursework for content-based exams (e.g., MCAT, OAT, DAT, etc.)
- An extra year to gain experiences and build relationships with faculty for LORs
- Not missing classes to travel to interviews during your fourth year of college
- Not being overwhelmed about acceptances, financial aid, finding housing during your fourth year of college
- Working and earning money before starting your next step
Regardless of which pathway a student may choose (straight-through or growth year(s)), students are encouraged to consider their readiness by reflecting on the following questions:
- Are you ready academically, experientially, and personally?
- Are you confident and satisfied with your metrics and experiences?
- Have you demonstrated the attributes and competencies these schools are looking for?
- How have you distinguished yourself?
- Am you ready to jump into an academically rigorous program?
- Do you need a break?
- Are you financially prepared?
Additional Resources
Each health profession will have different deadlines for submission which can affect your application timeline. Some programs use a centralized application service (CAS) while other programs use their own graduate portals. To learn more about the centralized application cycles and when they open and close for each health profession, navigate to the Centralized Application Cycles Chart. Please keep in mind that the CAS close date may be different from a school’s deadline, and students should be submitting before the school’s deadline.
Students are also welcome to check out HPA’s General Application Timeline for a general overview of the application process. Typically, an application timeline begins a year and a half before the student matriculates into the health profession school which includes the process of studying for the standardized exam, writing personal statements, and selecting schools. Applicants formally begin applying during summer, one year prior to when they plan to matriculate but the process of preparing your application components starts before that. Please keep in mind that this general application timeline may vary by health professions, individual schools and programs, and matriculation start date.
To start planning out your own application timeline, feel free to use the HPA’s Health Application Timeline Worksheet. Students are encouraged to make both a straight through and gap year timeline.
More questions? Check out the frequently asked questions or schedule an appointment with an advisor.