Applying Pre-Health
Whether you've simply heard about it from others or you're in the process of completing your college applications, you probably know that colleges want to know everything about you. Even more, they want a general idea of where you see yourself in the future.
You're probably thinking that this is ridiculous, right? How are you supposed to know what you want to do with the rest of your life while you're still in high school? Thankfully, this isn't exactly the question colleges want you to answer.
They want to know which of your interests you'd consider pursuing or turning into a career. So, when it comes to deciding on your "major" as an incoming freshman, keep in mind that this isn't your final decision; you can always change this once you get to school, and you'll have plenty of time to finalize your plans (typically, colleges like to see students declare a major by the end of their sophomore year). Again, whatever major you apply to is not set in stone, as 75% of incoming students actually end up changing their major before declaring.
If you already know which major best suits you, that's great! If not, try to really hone in on your interests: notice how you like to spend your time, what interests you most, and what you feel is worth your time. If you're still having trouble with choosing a major, you can always apply "undecided".
Surprisingly, a large number of students apply to colleges already having a general idea of what they want to do after graduation (but, as stated above, this usually does change). Many of these students decide early on that they want to pursue careers in a professional health field, more of which we'll get into below.
The term "pre-health" seems pretty vague, so let's start there. The pre-health track covers a large span of career choices, including the following:
Medicine
Dentistry
Pharmacy
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Optometry
Veterinary Medicine
Physician Assistant
Even if you're not considering a career related to the ones listed above, it's in your best interest to keep in mind the advice we share here.
Your scores. You guessed it! Your standardized test scores are definitely an important part of your application (that being said, remember that they are not the only component of your application). Although there is no score that can guarantee your admission to a particular school, there are benchmarks to keep in mind. The minimum score you should aim for on the SAT is a 1400, or a 32 for the ACT.
Letters of recommendation. This might be one of the most underrated portions of a high school student's college application. A strong letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well can set you apart from other applicants. This person should writes your LOR should speak about your distinguishing features, how you'll succeed at the potential college, and why you would fit in well at the school.
Your extracurriculars. The way in which you spend your time outside of school is something that colleges are very interested in. They want to know what you're passionate about and that you're dedicated to what you do. The best way to show that you're interested in the health field is by working or volunteering at a hospital or doctor's office!
Patient interaction. If you're applying to a pre-med program or college, they're going to want to know that you can work well with patients. Exposing yourself to all kinds of patients is a great way to introduce yourself to the field, and a great way to show schools that you've had plenty of exposure to similar work.
Need help deciding on a major? Meet with our college guidance experts to discuss how we can work together.