In what should I major while in college?
The choice of major is not a major factor for the health professions program.  If you do not want to major in a science, it may be in your best interest not to do so.   Select a major which you would enjoy while in college; if you are enjoying what you are studying, your grades should reflect it.  The better your grades, the better the candidate.  Most students interested in the health professions select Biology as a major, but that is because of their interest.  Other popular majors are Comprehensive Science, Chemistry and Psychology.

What percent of Villanova students are accepted to professional school?
The percent tends to vary a bit from year to year.  (However, Villanova does not pre-screen students who wish to apply to professional school.)  Over the last several years, the percent of applicants accepted to medical school has been between 50% and 60%.  The acceptance rates for other health professions varies more widely, because the numbers of applicants for these programs vary.  Note that those who are strong candidates have an acceptance rate that exceeds 90%; see Question 3.

What do I need to do to make myself a strong candidate?
Applications to the health professions programs are evaluated on the following points:

• GPA.  For medical school, a GPA of 3.4 or higher is generally competitive.
• Standardized test scores.  A 9+ on each section of the MCAT, 18+ on the DAT, 300+ on the OAT.
• Knowledge of the profession.  Volunteer work in the area is a must; it is their way of evaluating whether the applicant has a realistic picture of the profession.
• Service commitment.  Demonstration of a desire to help others is very valuable, if not mandatory.
• Involvement in activities.  Demonstration of commitment is important as is leadership.
       (The last two can be combined by involvement in community service organizations.)

Where do Villanova students go for professional school?
Most attend schools in the Northeast, close to their homes.  Tuition for state residents at state schools is usually much lower, so that is the first choice.  Schools to which Villanova students have been accepted include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Medical school: Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Jefferson, Temple, MCP Hahnemann , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson, UMDNJ New Jersey Medical, UMDNJ New Jersey College of Osteopathic Medicine, SUNY Syracuse, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Stony Brook, New York University, Columbia, New York Medical College, NY College of Osteopathic Medicine, Vermont, UConn, Tufts, Pittsburgh, Loyola Chicago, Rush (Chicago), Nebraska, St. Louis, and Case Western.
   
• MD/PhD: Jefferson, Pennsylvania
   
• Dental school: Pennsylvania, Temple, Tufts
   
• Optometry: Pennsylvania College of Optometry, New England College of Optometry
   
• Physical Therapy: Duke
   
• Occupational Therapy: Boston
   
• Physician Assistant: Arcadia, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, MCP Hahnemann.

How should I prepare for the standardized test?
There are a variety of methods to prepare for the standardized tests (MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE).  The tests do vary so the answer to the question will vary considerably for each.

For the MCAT, there are several options.  The student must weigh the options carefully and decide what is best for them.  They may elect to take a commercial prep course, but these are very expensive ($1100 or more).  They may elect to review on their own using materials available in many bookstores.  They may participate in the review which is done on campus, free of charge.  However, what appears to be the most important facet to the preparation is working on sample items and taking full-length practice tests.  This familiarizes the student with the nature of the exam and the timing necessary.  The practice test can point out to the student the areas of weakness and on what to review.  One student commented: "I would emphasize to people to NOT take the .... class.  I don't think they are necessary, as long as you commit yourself to spending the time studying.  The same themes are covered in the $60 book as are in the much more expensive class."  The student's MCAT score was over 10+ on each section.  Another student who had trouble with the Verbal Reasoning section commented: "In order to prepare for the section, I took several tests, starting with what I considered to be 'easy tests and passages' and worked my way up to the difficult ones.  ... Then after the test, I would do each passage again but this time slowly to see if I would have selected the same answer and why or why not.  Once I became accustomed to both the question types and my timing, I tried to better my time to 8 to 9 minutes per passage.  After this was achieved (which was surprisingly easy to do), I moved onto more difficult passages.  I practiced skimming the passage and trying to remember important details and their location so as to limit the number of times I'd refer back to the passage.  What also helped, or so I think, is that I tried to immerse myself in complex readings in English, Philosophy, Art and History in order to improve comprehension."  The student's VR score increased 4 points.  I believe this strongly suggests that practice items are significant factors in the preparation.  Exam strategy and reading comprehension are also important.  These can not be gained from a commercial test preparation course.

For the DAT and the OAT, there are relatively inexpensive software packages available from Scholarware.  Student reports on the DAT package have been favorable, but nothing has been reported on the OAT package.