How to Apply

Our program is for career changers, that is, individuals who decide to pursue medicine or dentistry after completing their undergraduate education and who have completed little or no premedical coursework.

Our students are typically new to the sciences rather than applicants seeking to strengthen an existing premedical academic record. Applicants who have already taken the MCAT are not eligible for admission.

To learn more about the different types of postbaccalaureate programs available nationwide, please see the Association of American Medical Colleges guide to postbaccalaureate premedical programs.

Undergraduate seniors are welcome to apply whenever they feel their application best reflects their academic preparation and experiences. While many students choose to apply after receiving their fall-semester grades, this is not required. 

In some cases, the Admissions Committee may defer review of an application until additional grades, coursework, or experiences become available.

Our Admissions Committee reviews applications holistically, considering academic achievement alongside professional experience, service, leadership, and an applicant's motivation for pursuing a career in medicine or dentistry.

Competitive applicants typically demonstrate:

• Strong academic performance in high school, college, and (if applicable) graduate study
• A college GPA of approximately 3.3 (B+) or higher
• Standardized test scores that are consistent with their academic record
• A thoughtful and well-developed commitment to medicine or dentistry
• Meaningful professional, volunteer, leadership, or healthcare-related experiences
• Strong letters of recommendation

Because applicants come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences, no single factor determines admission. We encourage applicants to present a complete picture of their academic preparation, professional accomplishments, and path to medicine or dentistry.

In addition to completing the Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information sections of PostbacCAS, applicants must submit the following materials through the Program Materials section. 

1. Supplemental Application Fee ($40) The supplemental application fee is paid through PostbacCAS and is separate from any fees charged by PostbacCAS.
2. Letters of Recommendation: Submit two or three letters of recommendation.
   1. At least one letter must come from a former professor, instructor, or academic advisor who can speak to the applicant's academic abilities in college or graduate school. A letter from a professor or instructor is strongly preferred. We accept a maximum of three letters of recommendation.
3. CV or Résumé: Your résumé should include employment history, healthcare-related experiences, community service activities, extracurricular involvement, and leadership experiences. The résumé supplements, but does not replace, the Experiences section of the PostbacCAS application.
4. High School Transcript(s): Please submit transcripts from all high schools attended. Unofficial copies are acceptable.
5. ACT or SAT Scores: Because applicants come from a wide range of educational backgrounds and institutions, ACT and SAT scores help provide an additional measure of academic preparation. 
   1. If you have not taken the ACT or SAT Applicants who have never taken the ACT or SAT should upload a brief statement explaining why they do not have test scores. This statement should be uploaded in place of a test-score report.
   2. Archived score reports must be ordered even if scores appear on a high school transcript.
   3. Applicants may send an official score report from a single test date and upload screenshots of additional score reports through PostbacCAS.
   4. Reporting AP and IB scores is optional.
   5. GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and other standardized test scores may be submitted but will not substitute for ACT or SAT scores.
6. Optional Additional Essay: Applicants who wish to share information not fully addressed elsewhere in the application may submit an optional additional essay. This can be an opportunity to discuss significant experiences, personal circumstances, or aspects of your background that have influenced your path toward medicine or dentistry. Maximum length: 5,300 characters (including spaces).

Extensive Non-U.S. Coursework or Degree

Applicants who completed substantial coursework or earned a degree outside the United States must obtain a transcript evaluation through World Education Services (WES) and submit it through PostbacCAS.

Within the "Academic History" section of the PostbacCAS application, select "Order WES Evaluation" for each non-U.S. institution attended. Coursework completed at non-U.S. institutions should not be manually entered into the coursework section of PostbacCAS.

Study Abroad Through a U.S. Institution

If you completed one or two semesters, or a summer, studying abroad through a U.S. institution—or if your study abroad coursework and grades appear on your home institution transcript—you should:

• Mark the coursework as "Study Abroad" during Transcript Review in PostbacCAS
• Arrange for transcripts to be sent directly to PostbacCAS

Study Abroad Through a Non-U.S. Institution

If you completed one or two semesters, or a summer, at a non-U.S. institution:

• Report attendance at the foreign institution in the "Academic History" section of PostbacCAS
• Do not enter individual courses taken at the institution
• Do not submit a transcript or transcript evaluation

Applicants will have an opportunity within the Bryn Mawr application to provide information about grades earned during their study abroad experience.

The Admissions Committee recognizes that applicants come from a wide variety of academic, professional, and personal backgrounds. We evaluate each application within the context of an applicant's individual experiences and opportunities.

We encourage applicants to present an authentic and thoughtful account of their preparation for a career in medicine or dentistry, including the experiences that have shaped their goals and commitment to healthcare.

Our program participates in the Postbaccalaureate Centralized Application Service (PostbacCAS) where we review your application and supporting materials. Following this initial screening, you may be invited to interview.

If you are invited to interview, we want to help you decide whether Bryn Mawr is the right choice for you. On your interview day, you’ll participate in an information session given by the director of the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program, a one-to-one meeting with a member of our Admissions Committee, and speak with current students. We will also provide you with an academic plan for classes, based on your academic history. Finally, two to four weeks after your interview day, the Admissions Committee will send its decision.

Thank you for your interest in the Bryn Mawr College Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program. We look forward to learning more about your aspirations for a career in healthcare.

Our program is for career changers, that is, individuals who decide to pursue medicine or dentistry after completing their undergraduate education and who have completed little or no premedical coursework.

Our students are typically new to the sciences rather than applicants seeking to strengthen an existing premedical academic record. Applicants who have already taken the MCAT are not eligible for admission.

To learn more about the different types of postbaccalaureate programs available nationwide, please see the Association of American Medical Colleges guide to postbaccalaureate premedical programs.

Yes, we do consider international applicants for our program. However, our program is not a gateway to medical school; we strongly encourage international applicants to be informed of the facts surrounding international applicants to medical schools prior to applying to our program.

Please see the AAMC website for more information about Applying to Medical School as an International Applicant.

Extensive Non-U.S. Coursework or Degree

Applicants who completed substantial coursework or earned a degree outside the United States must obtain a transcript evaluation through World Education Services (WES) and submit it through PostbacCAS.

Within the "Academic History" section of the PostbacCAS application, select "Order WES Evaluation" for each non-U.S. institution attended. Coursework completed at non-U.S. institutions should not be manually entered into the coursework section of PostbacCAS.

Study Abroad Through a U.S. Institution

If you completed one or two semesters, or a summer, studying abroad through a U.S. institution—or if your study abroad coursework and grades appear on your home institution transcript—you should:

• Mark the coursework as "Study Abroad" during Transcript Review in PostbacCAS
• Arrange for transcripts to be sent directly to PostbacCAS

Study Abroad Through a Non-U.S. Institution

If you completed one or two semesters, or a summer, at a non-U.S. institution:

• Report attendance at the foreign institution in the "Academic History" section of PostbacCAS
• Do not enter individual courses taken at the institution
• Do not submit a transcript or transcript evaluation

Applicants will have an opportunity within the Bryn Mawr application to provide information about grades earned during their study abroad experience.

The postbac program is designed for individuals who have not taken the prerequisite science courses for admission to medical school. The core science requirements for medical school are one year of General Chemistry, one year of Biology, one year of Physics, and one year of Organic Chemistry (all with labs). 

Although Bryn Mawr may consider an applicant who has completed up to half of these requirements, applicants are generally not advanced to interview for the program if they have completed all or a majority of these courses within the past 5 years. If an applicant has completed up to half of these requirements within five years of their prospective start at Bryn Mawr, they would not be a good fit for our program.

No. Individuals who have taken the MCAT are not eligible for Bryn Mawr's program, regardless of when they have taken the MCAT.

We understand that our applicants have varied experiences and may not have taken the ACT or SAT. If you have not taken the ACT or SAT, you must provide a brief statement explaining why and upload that document as your Test Score Report when submitting your application in PostbacCAS.

Other test scores (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc.) may be submitted but not as a substitute for the ACT or SAT. We do not encourage applicants to take standardized exams for graduate or professional school for the sole purpose of applying to our program.

You may apply to the program at any time. While in the past, we recommended that seniors wait until the mid-point of their senior year to apply, we have decided to relax this approach. Please feel free to apply whenever you believe your application is strongest. Our Admissions Committee will determine if there is sufficient information to be able to move an application forward. If a senior applies during the fall and the Committee believes that an additional semester of grades and/or experience will be helpful to have, a senior's application may be placed on hold.

Our Admissions Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution is required.
• Strong academic record at both the high school and college levels—at least a B+ (3.3) average (and graduate school, if applicable).
• ACT or SAT scores consistent with that level of academic performance. If you have not taken the ACT or SAT, you must provide a brief statement explaining why and upload that document as your Test Score Report.
• Clearly articulated depth of motivation for going into medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine
• Career history, volunteer activities, and any experience in health care
• Two strong letters of recommendation—no more than 3—and at least one must be written by a former professor, instructor, or advisor who is familiar with your academic abilities at the college or graduate school level.

If you have taken the GRE, or another graduate-level standardized test, you are welcome to send us those scores in addition to, but not as a substitution for, your ACT or SAT scores.

Although there is no single "right" answer to this question, you should demonstrate that you have carefully thought about your motivation for a career change as well as your commitment to a medical career. Meaningful experiences in healthcare or social services settings, either professionally or through volunteer roles, can help you demonstrate this commitment.

Admission to the Bryn Mawr postbac program is very competitive. Your application must demonstrate your ability to handle an academically rigorous course load in the sciences as well as a strong commitment to, and understanding of, medicine.

Our application requires one personal statement (maximum of 5300 characters, including spaces) about your reasons for pursuing a career in healthcare.

Applicants can write a second, optional essay if there are further experiences not included in their Personal Statement, or elsewhere in the application, that they would like to share with the Admissions Committee (maximum of 5300 characters with spaces).

Your transcripts must be submitted through PostbacCAS. Do not send transcripts directly to Bryn Mawr College. Please refer to the PostbacCAS Applicant Help Center for instructions regarding ordering your transcripts. 

You must arrange to have two (2) letters of recommendation submitted on your behalf. At least one letter must come from a former professor, instructor, or academic advisor who can speak to your academic abilities in college or graduate school. A letter from a professor or instructor is strongly preferred. We accept a maximum of three letters of recommendation.

We understand that it may be challenging to obtain an academic recommendation if you have been out of school for a few years. Please try as best you can, given that when you apply to medical school, you may be required to provide similar letters. 

Please refer to the PostbacCAS Applicant Help Center for instructions regarding how to request letters of recommendation.

Once your application is marked "complete," we are able to begin the review process. It can take up to three weeks from the time we receive and review your completed application materials until the time we contact you to inform you if you will be invited for an interview.

Following an interview, it can take four to six weeks before we notify you of the decision by the Admissions Committee.

We recommend that you check your PostbacCAS account to track your application status. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the timely arrival of all supporting materials.