Pre-Med/Pre-Health: Application Timeline
Candidates who wish to enter most health professional schools begin the application process 14–20 months prior to matriculation, with medical and dental schools starting in August.
Detailed timeline and instructions for applying
The following document offers step-by-step instructions for applying to medical and dental schools. It reviews (1) how to become a competitive applicant, (2) when to apply, (3) how to gather letters of recommendation, (4) the details of the application process, and (5) a detailed application checklist.
Important dates
Suggested Deadline |
Formal Deadline |
Notes |
---|---|---|
Mid-Oct. |
Varies |
Register for the MCAT or DAT if not yet complete. (If applicable, learn about MCAT and MCAT prep fee assistance and apply in January for a partial fee waiver for the DAT.) |
Jan. 30 |
Nov. / Dec. |
Attend mandatory meeting for applicants announced through pre-health email list. |
Jan. 30 |
Mar. 31 |
Take MCAT if not already complete. Score being used for this cycle must be posted by April 30 unless prior arrangements have been made with Pre-Health Advising. |
Jan. 30 |
April 1 Apr. - Jun.
|
Set up veCollect account. Take DAT if not already complete. Score being used for this cycle must be available by April 30 unless prior arrangements have been made with Pre-Health Advising. |
Apr. 1 |
May 1 |
Compete the Self-Assessment and Waiver forms on the Pre-Health Applying to Schools webpage. Do not submit until you have your MCAT or DAT score. |
Early May |
Jul. 1 |
Begin the online application fro AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS. |
May 31 |
Jun. 15 |
Have all letters of recommendation on file with veCollect. |
Jun. 1 |
Jul. 1 |
Through Registrar’s Office, send UMass e-transcript to AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS after spring grades are posted. If you took classes at another college, send a transcript from that college as well. Do this early as AMCAS can take a month to link a paper transcript to your account. |
Early June |
Aug. 1* |
Submit online application through AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS. |
Jun. 30 |
Sept 1 |
Complete secondary applications. Complete Casper if required by your prospective schools. |
May 31 |
Aug. 1* |
Have all items for committee letter: self-assessment completed, all letters of recommendation (signed and on letterhead) in veCollect, application submitted, official MCAT or DAT score posted to application, and transcripts received by online application portal. |
*This item must be completed before a committee letter can be written.
Sample four-year timelines
The following timelines are general ideas for how one might structure required course work and activities. The main goal, however, is to get into medical or dental school; there is no prize for sticking to a certain timeline. Candidates should be flexible and let their experiences and instincts guide them in developing a timeline that sets them up for success.
Medical school common plan with no gap year
Medical school common plan with gap year(s)
Dental school common plan with no gap year