Current students and alumni who plan to apply to medical, dental, optometry, or podiatry schools in 2025 for matriculation in 2026 and who want a committee letter must attend a Pre-Health Evaluation Committee orientation session. Students can attend one of two sessions offered on November 4th at 5 pm (in person) or November 7th at 7 pm (via ZOOM). Current students should plan to attend the in-person session, if possible, and should register via Handshake. Alumni who wish to attend should email prehealthadvising@syr.edu to RSVP, after which they will receive the Zoom link.

FALL SEMESTER 2024

October 7, 2024 – “Am I Ready to Apply” – optional event designed to help you assess your readiness.

7-8 pm – Zoom RSVP

STEP #1

Attend Mandatory Pre-Health Evaluation Committee Orientation (RSVP on Handshake or prehealthadvising@syr.edu – email for alumni only)

Monday, November 4, 5-6 pm, Hall of Languages room 500 RSVP

Thursday, November 7, 7-8 pm, Zoom RSVP

STEP #2

December 13, 2024: Deadline to complete the “Intent, Consent, and Waiver” form and “Self- Assessment” form.

Once the forms are received, all students will receive an email with further instructions.

SPRING SEMESTER 2025

STEP #3

January 31, 2025 Materials Deadline

Complete and submit CV

Complete and submit BCPM worksheet. Include Fall 2024 grades and planned Spring 2025 coursework.

Register for MCAT, DAT, or OAT exam and provide proof to Pre-Health Advising. An exam date no later than May is recommended. You must take the test no later than June 30th to qualify for the committee letter.

Complete and submit Applicant Information and Preparation file

MD/DO applicants ONLY- Complete and submit score from full-length practice MCAT. There is a free full-length practice MCAT available in the AAMC MCAT Test Prep Hub.

Students may be contacted by a pre-health advisor to discuss any of these submitted materials. If requested, this meeting is MANDATORY.

February 15, 2025: Last day to submit a petition to participate in the committee process.

This is a firm deadline. No exceptions. This applies to reapplicants and alumni as well.

STEP #4

February 21, 2025: Deadline to submit 2-4 “Requests for Evaluation”

Pre-Health Advising will contact recommenders within five (5) business days of receiving requests.

Students who have a minimum of two (2) Syracuse University affiliated requests and a maximum of four (4) requests submitted by this date will be interviewed by Pre-Health Advising beginning in February 2025.

STEP #5

February – May 2025: Interview with Pre-Health Advising

Students will be contacted by pre-health advising to schedule an interview time on a rolling basis – some students may schedule their interview before others have been contacted by an advisor.

An earlier interview does not correlate with the time of release of your committee letter.

May 9, 2025: Letters of Recommendation are due to Pre-Health Advising

Pre-Health Advising will keep you updated on the status of your letters.

Letters received after this due date will delay the preparation and transmission of a student’s committee letter.

STEP #6

AMCAS, AACOMAS, and AADSAS cycles open in May.

AMCAS, AACOMAS, and AADSAS primary applications and MCAT/DAT scores must be submitted by July 31, 2025.

OptomCAS cycle opens at the end of June.

OptomCAS primary application and OAT score must be submitted by July 31, 2025.

AACPMAS cycle opens in the beginning of August.

AACPMAS primary application and MCAT score must be submitted by August 31, 2025.

Provide a copy of your officially submitted application and letter request form/email to hpapplicants@syr.edu

Committee Letters will be sent on a rolling basis to professional schools as officially submitted applications and test scores are received by Pre-Health Advising.

Committee Evaluation Policies

Eligibility

Students must have a cumulative and science GPA of 3.0 to participate in the committee letter process.

Committee Evaluation Alumni Policy

Undergraduate alumni are eligible to participate in the Committee Process for four years post-graduation. This timeline refers to the four years from your undergraduate graduation to your medical/dental school matriculation.

Alumni who graduated in December 2021, May 2022, or any time after are eligible for a Committee Letter if planning to matriculate in 2026.

Alumni who graduated in May 2021 or earlier are ineligible for a Committee Letter if planning to matriculate in 2026.

Reapplicants who graduated in May 2021 or earlier are ineligible for a Committee Letter if planning to matriculate in 2026.

Reapplicant Policy

Students who participated in a past Committee Evaluation Cycle and plan to reapply to a future cycle must restart the process and meet all deadlines and requirements of participation for the cycle they are applying. Pre-Health Advising does not reuse applicant materials, letters of recommendation, or previous committee letters.