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Pre-Professional Program

Western Carolina University's Pre-Professional Program helps prepare students for application and admission to professional schools.

If you’re attending the university to prepare for admission into a professional school, WCU’s Pre-Professional Program provides you with a variety of options for the programs you may pursue:

  • Pre-Dental
  • Pre-Law
  • Pre-Medicine
  • Pre-Optometry
  • Pre-Pharmacy
  • Pre-Physical Therapy
  • Pre-Physician's Assistant
  • Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Pre-Professional Preparation

  • Western Carolina University's Pre-Professional Program helps prepare students for application and admission to professional schools.
  • The pre-professional program features include:
    • Declaring a concentration (i.e. pre-health);
    • Advising services to ensure that professional school pre-requisite coursework requirements are met;
    • Advice about, and guidance through, the application timeline(s) and processes
  • It is crucial that you make decisions early in your undergraduate career regarding preparation for professional school. To learn more about a professional program, prerequisite courses, and/or selecting a major, schedule an appointment with Emily Sharpe for Pre-Law or Pre-Health information.
  • Open to all WCU students, this service addresses the following important questions (also see Preprofessional FAQ’s):
    • What do professional schools seek in an applicant?
    • What is a good major for acceptance into professional school?
    • What is the best mix of undergraduate courses for professional school?
    • What are the required entrance exams and when are they offered?
    • What can undergraduates do now to improve chances of admission to professional school?

Resources

  • American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Service (AACOMAS): aacom.org
  • American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS): aamc.org
  • Associated American Dental Schools Application Services (AADSAS): portal.aadsasweb.org
  • Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA): caspaonline.org
  • Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS): aavmc.org
  • Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS): aacp.org
  • Optometry Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS): optomcas.org
  • American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPMAS): e-aacpmas.org
  • Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS): ptcas.org
  • Law School Admission Council (LSAC): lsac.org

Note: There is no centralized application service for applying to Occupational Therapy programs and deadlines vary for each school. The chiropractic centralized application service (ChiroCAS) is coming in summer 2010.

Pre-Professional Top 5 FAQs

You can major in virtually any subject and go on to a professional school. The key is to achieve a high GPA in whatever major you choose. Many pre-health professional students choose to major in Biology or Chemistry because most of their professional school pre-requisite courses are built into these traditional science majors.

Browse the PP Information Sheets (Word documents):

All deadlines are set by individual schools. Submit materials as early as possible to avoid processing delays and missed deadlines.

Professional schools want to see that you have done some shadowing and/or have some experiential knowledge of the profession you are seeking to enter. Candidates with community service and volunteerism are also sought after. Activities that capitalize on your leadership skills and your ability to work with a team are also encouraged. Research is important as well.

There are plenty of test prep courses out there, but the key is to start studying early and take practice tests. You can do just as well by getting a book(s) and creating a study plan for yourself. Those who can afford expensive test prep courses are not at an advantage over those who study on their own if they are diligent and devoted.

Related Information

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