FRESHMAN YEAR: Begin
the courses that will satisfy requirements for admission to
medical school along with the "core" courses
required for graduation. Attend the information meetings that
are held for incoming students. Learn early in your career to
keep up with the course work. Develop good study habits and
form friendships with serious, motivated students with whom
you can form study groups. Attend AED programs to hear from
practicing physicians, medical students, medical admissions
recruiters, and deans of admission. Make sure your academic
advisor knows that you are pre-med.
SOPHOMORE YEAR:
Continue taking those courses that are required both for
admission to medical school and for your degree. Register with the Office of
Pre-Professional Advising and begin soliciting letters of
evaluation from those faculty members who know you well and
can furnish supportive letters and ratings for your
credentials packet. Begin obtaining health care exposure. You
can get assistance from the Office of Community Service
Programs, (803) 777-5780.
JUNIOR YEAR: Attend
informational sessions. Complete
requirements for admission (and for subjects covered by the MCAT) during the year. Begin seriously preparing for the
MCAT. Register for and take the spring MCAT. Have letters of
evaluation on file by the end of the spring semester. Mock interviews
will be done as requested.
SUMMER AFTER THE JUNIOR
YEAR: Your AMCAS application should be submitted during
the summer, before beginning your senior year. If you apply
for admission under the Early Decision Program, the deadline
will be August 1. However, anyone waiting until the approach
of a deadline will be at a considerable disadvantage,
especially when applying under the Early Decision Program. If
spring MCAT scores are not competitive at the school of your
first choice, it will be necessary to retake this test. To
retake the MCAT without careful preparation may harm, not
better, your chances.
SENIOR YEAR:
Supplementary or secondary application materials must be
promptly completed and returned. You must provide our office
with a written request to send your credentials packet
(letters of evaluation and committee interview letter) to the
schools to which you are returning secondary applications.
Interviews will begin for those applying under regular
application procedures during the fall semester of the senior
year. Medical school interviews continue through the winter
and into the spring at a few schools. Soon after January 1,
you should apply for financial aid. It will be necessary for
you and your parents to submit a needs analysis form, which
requires photocopies of your income tax form for the previous
year. Both you and your parents should promptly file 1040
forms in order to complete this requirement. Acceptance
letters may arrive as early as mid-October, or as late as the
week or two after the start of the class (to replace
drop-outs). However, those accepted after April will in most
cases be from an Alternate List (also called a Wait List).
