Pre-Health Science Program

Academic Considerations

For a successful application to a professional school, you should be prepared to take the appropriate Professional School Application Test by the end of your junior year if you wish to attend the professional school immediately after graduating from Wagner College.
To apply to medical schools the exam you will take is the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), for dental school the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and for veterinary school the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).

The choice of major is typically not an important factor for admission to a professional school, and should be chosen based upon a subject you enjoy. Medical and veterinary schools look for students who excel in both the sciences and humanities.

The Pre–Professional Health Program at Wagner College requires you to take the following classes to be considered a pre–medical student:

Note that these classes should be completed by the end of your junior year.

The Pre–Professional Health Program at Wagner College requires you to take the following classes to be considered a pre–veterinary student.

Note that individual veterinary schools may require additional biology/microbiology courses to be taken. Make sure you have the correct prerequisites for the schools to which you intend to apply.

The Pre–Professional Health Program at Wagner College requires you to take the following classes to be considered a pre–dental student:

Note that individual dental schools may require additional courses to be taken.
For a successful application to a professional school you will need to have a high grade point average in both the science courses and humanities. Extracurricular activities such as volunteer work and summer internships will also strengthen your application and you will gain some of these through the Wagner Plan.

It is recommended that all students consider taking a comprehensive preparation course before taking the various admissions tests, such as Kaplan™ or Princeton Review™. You will have a tremendous advantage when taking the actual test if you have taken one of these courses.

All required classes should be taken during the regular semester since professional schools prefer not to see them taken during summer school. If for some reason you have to take a class during summer school, it is advantageous to take it at Wagner College over some other school.

Above all, keep in mind that admission to a professional school is difficult and very competitive. The majority of those who apply are not admitted. You will have to work hard and make many sacrifices if you wish to succeed. Do not take this task lightly. You must be committed and prepared to achieve your goal.