Academic Services

It depends. Schools vary in their AP policies; some accept them, some only accept them for certain courses, and some won’t accept them at all. A good rule of thumb is this: If you have AP credit for a core science prerequisite (like Chemistry or Biology), you should plan to take additional intermediate/advanced coursework (with lab if applicable) in the same or similar discipline. For example, if you place out of chemistry, you should plan on taking an additional chemistry or biochemistry class beyond what’s already required.

We generally advise students to avoid taking required science courses in the summer if at all possible. This is because admission committees do not always view them as equal in rigor to fall or spring term courses. Members of admission committees sometimes view the grading of summer courses as easier than fall or spring courses. The concern here is for the strength of your academic program: you want to show admission committees that you can consistently do the work full semester course load (16 credits at Brandeis) and that you are not trying to avoid hard courses by taking them in the summer. 

Of course, sometimes you might need to use the summer for a required course, e.g. to fit in all the courses before graduating, or if you started your pre-health track later than other students. This can be okay if you have otherwise done well in your science courses and overall.

If you do take summer courses keep the following in mind:

• Don’t split sequences. For example, don’t take first semester organic chemistry elsewhere and second semester at Brandeis. There will inevitably be gaps or overlaps in the material.
• Admission committees generally prefer coursework taken at four-year colleges/universities.
• When the time comes to apply, you will need to obtain official transcripts from all colleges/universities at which you have taken courses. These courses will be factored into the grade point averages created for you by the various common/centralized applications (e.g., AMCAS, AACOMAS, CASPA, AADSAS, et al.)

No!  Many students need some time to adjust to college-level academics. If you show consistent improvement going forward, it will assuage concerns about your ability to handle coursework in the professional program. With that said, if you’ve struggled with your courses early on be sure to seek help. Keep in mind that doing well in college requires strong study skills and time management. Make use of office hours, tutoring, the Roosevelt Fellows, and the many other resources at Brandeis! 

And, remember this: health profession schools seek applicants who demonstrate a commitment to learning and growth as well as resilience and adaptability. These “soft” skills are integral to the Association of American Medical Colleges Competencies for Entering Medical students. While created specifically for medical school, these competencies apply to all health professions.

Many medical schools recommend calculus, but most no longer require it.  Calculus is also not required for physics at Brandeis.  The following schools require calculus:

• Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
• University of California - Riverside
• Johns Hopkins University (will accept Statistics in lieu of calculus)
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School (will accept Statistics in lieu of calculus)
• Washington University - St. Louis
• Virginia Techn Carilion

Admissions committees are very wary of these sorts of trips, because many times students do things they aren’t legally or ethically able to do in the U.S. Committees have told us that this can actually hurt rather than help your application. If you want to gain clinical experience, they would rather have you gain that experience in the U.S., since you’ll be primarily practicing here. If your goal is just to spend time abroad, meet with Study Abroad to discuss your options. It’s definitely possible to fit it in!

Yes. Non-US citizens/Non-US permanent residents face significant challenges. Not all medical schools accept international students and those that do generally do not admit very many. In the 2019-2020 cycle, 18% of international students were admitted compared to 44% of US citizens/permanent residents nationally.) Other health professions are more accessible, such as pharmacy and dentistry.

No. 80-90% of Brandeis applicants take at least one year off before starting their programs. This coincides with the national trend as well. The average age of a first year medical student is 24. You’re always more competitive if you take a glide year, because you have more time to gain experience.

Examples of what our alumni have done:

• Medical Scribe
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Americorps
• Fulbright Fellowship
• Sexual Health Counselor
• Medical Assistant
• EMT
• Health Educator

Most health profession programs require at least two English or writing classes through the following options at Brandeis:

• University Writing Seminar (UWS)
• Any course in the English department
• Any course with the title “X & Literature”
• Any course designed as writing intensive in the English language outside of the sciences

Although only some medical schools require sociology as a prerequisite, the material for intro sociology is tested on the “Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior Section” on the MCAT. Soc 1A is a class at Brandeis that would cover the MCAT tested topics and is a recommended course for science majors.

If you are planning to major or minor in HSSP, or take multiple sociology courses, then this coursework may cover the tested material. You may review the sociology content of What’s on the MCAT to compare to your coursework.

Physiology is not required, but is recommended for medical schools. Some students have reported taking physiology is helpful for taking the MCAT, however it has not been shown to improve MCAT scores. Physiology is a good option for elective credit for science majors.