In most cases you will want to apply to more than
one professional school. They all require at least three recommendations
so you have a portfolio prepared and used for all schools.
When you get ready to apply for professional school
(1 to 1-1/2 years before actually going to the institution) do the
following:
1. Start by visiting the pre-professional secretary, Mary
Saunders, in Foster Hall, Room 205. She will explain
the procedure in detail. She will give you evaluation sheets to
take to at least three professors. (Usually: 1 chemistry, 1 biology,
and 1 other, as a minimum for all schools).
NOTE: Make sure you get to know the professors
well enough to get a decent recommendation from them. There is
a place for "Don't know the student well enough to make a
good judgment." If the professor who evaluates you selects
this category too often, the evaluation does not enhance your
candidacy.
2. Encourage the professors to get the evaluations forms back
to Mary as soon as possible. You must sign the forms indicating
whether you want to review them or not and, generally, it is better
to trust the professor without checking it. The pre-professional
secretary will summarize these evaluations into one report, copying
all statements written by professor, etc.
3. Then you need to set up a time to meet with both Dr. Banks
and Dr. Kline, together, to make sure everything is in order.
It has been good for both advisors and applicants to uncover things
that need to be done, and it is a good practice for the interview
which you hope to get at the school.
4. Ask Dr. Banks or Dr. Kline, to write an Advisor's Evaluation.
If Dr. Banks is used as a professor, Dr. Kline will be the Advisor.
Such things as attendance in class as well as Chem-Med Club, activity within the department and
anything else we think will help your candidacy will be considered.
5. Prepare for the interview - Dr. Jackson has agreed to sit
down and help you to know how to carry yourself, dress, ask and
answer questions, and prepare for the interview process. Several
students have used her and come back from their interview and
told us how much they were helped in that short session with her.
6. Please tell Dr. Kline or Dr. Banks when you get into professional
school so we can keep a record of your/TTU's successes. Some schools
will send us a list of TTU students who have been admitted, but
others will not. Most students will be heard up and down the halls
after being accepted - it really is a celebration!
RECOMMENDATIONS: Read "Writing the Medical School
application ESSAY: Problems and Cures" by Sandra Nagy, Academic
Associate, Across the Curriculum, Arizona State University.
Some relatively new preparations for MCAT: Columbia Review, Princeton
Review, Kaplan. Cambridge.
We can have a practice MCAT written and scored by KAPLAN in early
January if there is any interest. Come to Chemical Medical Sciences
Club to sign up.
We have an arrangement with KAPLAN to get some money for the
Chem-Med Club and you get some discount from as a club member.
CHEM-MEDICAL SCIENCES CLUB - that is the place
where you will learn who else is planning on going into the health
professions and can start interacting with them. You can begin
to learn about the different professions as different speakers
come share with us about their specialties. We must answer the
question on the Advisor's Evaluation Form as to your involvement
in the pre-professional club on campus. Attendance is kept and
summarized in the final Advisor. Evaluation to the professional
school. If you can't make the meetings, we have several other
events and activities, and you are encouraged to join and try to
make some of those events.
