Brandeis Pre-Health Advising Application Prep Program (PHA AppPrep)
PHA App Prep is an advisory and coaching process for students and recent alumni planning to apply for admission to health profession schools in the upcoming application cycle. This program is open to applicants for any health profession, including medical, dental, optometry, podiatry, and PA schools.
Applicants who participate in PHA AppPrep will:
- Assess their readiness for highly competitive admission processes based on their academic record, work and experiences, and admission exam scores (or preparation plan for such exams)
- Develop their application narrative through an advisory interview, essay workshops, individualized essay help, and other Pre-Health Program offerings.
- Gain knowledge of the process through webinars, workshops, and informational meetings.
- Collaborate with PHA staff for continuous support throughout the admission cycle, and to ensure that they have the strongest application possible.
PHA AppPrep begins with an on-line information session about the entire application cycle. After that, applicants complete a multi-step process that includes the following elements:
- A self-assessment meeting with the PHA Director. To prepare for this meeting, applicants will complete a series of self-assessment forms that include short essays, academic information, and a list of potential recommendation letter authors.
- The pre-application dossier. This includes preliminary versions of common elements of applications, including the personal statement, work and activities list, and short essays. Applicants also submit a resume, transcripts, and the final list of their letters of recommendation.
- The advisory interview. Each applicant will interview with a member of the PHA team. This interview is very similar to those given at many health profession schools and results in written feedback to help students/recent alumni with their applications.
- The letter packet. PHA collects each applicants’ letters and reviews them to ensure that they are accurate and include required elements, such as a signature, date, and letterhead. PHA composes a cover letter that includes brief summaries of the applicant’s strengths. PHA will also include helpful information in support of applicants whose full potential might not be evident from traditional measures, such as grades and test scores.
- Interview coaching. PHA will hold practice sessions for multiple mini interviews and also provide mock interviews for any applicant who feels that they need it. Other information, such as sample questions and an overview of interviewing best practices, will also be available.
- Guidance for decision-making. As applicants hear from the schools to which they applied, they often have questions or need further guidance. PHA is available to meet with applicants to discuss issues such as multiple acceptances, wait lists, whether to re-apply if not admitted, financial considerations, the military scholarship programs, or the National Health Service Corps.
The program includes virtual or in-person workshops on a variety of topic throughout the year. Among these are:
- Intro to the Application Cycle
- Getting Started on Your Personal Statement
- School Selection Workshop
- The Application Launch Webinar
- Building your Test-Prep Plan