STUDENT RESOURCES

Connect with the Health Professions Advising Office as early as possible in your preparation planning for graduate school in the Health Sciences.

We work with students through every step—from the earliest exploratory stages, to searching for programs, to compiling courses and identifying experiential learning opportunities, to assembling and submitting applications.

Career Exploration and Preparation

Start Your Research

There are several health professions organizations that provide information about the profession and links to graduate programs. These are good resources for beginning your search, learning more about graduate program preparation and helping you make an informed decision.

Attend Information Sessions

We host a variety of information sessions and events for students interested in the health professions. Speakers include admissions representatives and alumni in local health professions programs.

Get Connected

The HPA Blackboard site is the central location for current students to read announcements, schedule appointments, find forms and learn about events.

Current students, log into Blackboard with your Villanova credentials. Under "Available for Self Enrollment,” you’ll find the Villanova HPA course and should select "enroll."

Apply

The Health Professions Advising Office provides a comprehensive and detailed application guide on the HPA Blackboard site. Below are some highlights of the application process.

Complete an admission test: To enhance the advisory process, please release your scores to the Health Professions Advisor

• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
• Optometry Admission Test (OAT)
• Dental Admission Test (DAT)
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

Attend information sessions: The HPA Office will offer a series of helpful, and in some cases required, information sessions on topics including:

• Assessing your readiness to apply
• The application process and letters of recommendation

Transcripts and Letters of Recommendation:

• It is the student’s responsibility to have transcripts sent from the Registrar’s Office directly to the health professions application service.
• Depending upon the professional school application process, the HPA Office will collect up to five individual letters of evaluation/recommendation to be uploaded/mailed along with the letter packet in support of the candidate's application. Letters for some programs are submitted by the individual recommender directly to the application service.

Important Dates:

• Last Monday in February: Submit your portfolio to the HPA office for review and feedback.
• Late March-early fall: HPA Office provides guidance as students work on and submit their professional school applications.
• September 15: Absolute deadline for professional school application submission (ideal submission is in June/July).
  • Some exceptions may apply for programs with later application deadlines.