Prehealth

Newsletter

June 3, 2020

Welcome!

Dear Readers,

To better be able to serve you during the summer, we are switching to sending out these newsletters bi-weekly during the summer months. This is the last edition that will be sent out weekly. We will still be bringing you relevant information, but will do so a little less frequently. You can still schedule meetings with us.

Committee Letter Updates

Beginning June 1 – the Health Preprofessional Evaluation Committee Letter process is being modified.

As of June 1st, we have discontinued a composite form of a Committee Letter that would summarize an applicant’s background, their college activities and academic work – this is information the applicants already provide on their applications. 

We are providing a committee cover letter that is a “non-evaluating form of  Committee Letter”.  This is not new to AMCAS or AACOMAS or AADSAS or OPTOMCAS, and should not negatively affect your candidacy. 

Our letter has two main parts;

a] The first part addresses the spring 2020 alternative grade system at Penn State – which we have to tell the professional  schools about, and

b] a second, short segment describing our change of letter prep from previous years, but that it will still include the appended, separate set of supporting letters by faculty, mentors and others most familiar with the applicant’s talents.  The appended letters elaborate on the competencies and skill set of the applicant for admission to the health professions school.

This means the “Committee Letter” spot on veCollect will be filled more quickly to help move the quiver set to the schools faster.

We will continue to provide the opportunity to schedule an optional mock interview to discuss an applicant’s preparation, address questions and provide guidance on this process.  Declining a mock interview does NOT compromise the committee cover letter for applicants – it will still be uploaded to veCollect. We will also continue to provide guidance on primary and secondary applications as we always have.

We encourage you to join our Applicant Networking Canvas page for more resources, important announcements, and faster responses to questions you may have.

Appointment slots will still be made via our main office staff:  814-865-7620.

Stay Connected!

We have set up 2 new Canvas modules for current students and alumni to be able to stay connected with one another during the application process, and to allow you to watch our pre-recorded group advising sessions.

Join our Health Professions School Applicants Networking Space to ask & answer questions about any part of the application process. We want this to be  a safe place for our Penn State applicants to have open and honest discussions about their candidacy. We will begin using this platform to send out important application and exam announcements.

Join our PreHealth Group Advising module to learn about preparing for a career in your chosen health profession, and gain access to the pre-health advising team.

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