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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 31 | Jan | Apply for Fee Assistance for MCAT or DAT if applicable. (learn about MCAT and MCAT prep fee assistance and apply in January for a partial fee waiver for the DAT). |
| Nov/Dec | Varies | Attend (or watch recording of) Mandatory Meeting for Applicants see Applying to Schools page for details. |
| Sept 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. |
| Mar/Apr | Varies | Prepare for, schedule, and take PREview Exam. |
| April | Varies | Locate the Letters Email Address on Applying to Schools page (letters are preferred by May 31). |
Varies
| Apr 30
| 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 15 | 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 | Aug 1 | Begin the online application for AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS/TMDSAS. |
| May 31 | Jul 15 | All supporting letters of recommendation sent to PreHealth Letters email address (this is a flexible deadline - letters needed by the time primary application is submitted). |
| late-May | mid-Jul | Through Registrar’s Office, send UMass e-transcript to AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS/TMDSAS after spring grades are posted. If you took classes at other colleges, send a transcript from those as well. Do this early as it can take a month to link a paper transcript to your account. |
| May/June | Aug 1* | Submit online application through AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS/TMDSAS. |
| Jun 30 | Sept 15 | Complete secondary applications. Complete Casper and/or PREview exams if required by your prospective schools. |
| May | Aug 1* | Have all items for committee letter: self-assessment completed, all letters of recommendation (signed and on letterhead) sent (by author) to PreHealth Letters email, primary application submitted, official MCAT or DAT score posted to application, and transcripts received by AMCAS/AADSAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS. |
*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