The Office of Preprofessional Advising provides advising to students and alumni who are interested in pursuing graduate education in health care and legal professions. It is a resource center for information on summer internships and fellowships that give students the opportunity to work side-by-side with professionals in their field of choice.

Students interested in pursuing a health professions school must have a strong foundation in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics), highly developed communication skills, and a solid background in the social sciences and humanities. This is necessary in order to:

• Confirm your interest in and capacity for proceeding further in these fields;
• Enable professional schools to evaluate achievement and potential in these areas;
• Prepare for admission tests; and
• Meet the requirements of state laws governing licensing.

In addition to outstanding academic performance, professional schools also seek applicants who demonstrate superior personal attributes and qualities. Admissions committees will look for evidence of responsibility, leadership, social maturity, purpose, motivation, initiative, curiosity, perseverance, breadth of interest, interpersonal skills, and integrity. To prepare to be a competitive applicant, preprofessional students should initiate volunteer activities as early as possible in their undergraduate career, and consistently engage in them until graduation. Service to mankind is key in a preprofessional student's preparation to join a profession.

Many schools are seeking applicants who demonstrate diversity in their extracurricular activities. This can be demonstrated most effectively through nonacademic activities such as involvement in student organizations, volunteer experiences, and research/internship experiences.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Every month, health care and legal professionals from varied fields come to Lafayette to discuss their specific responsibilities and their profession.
• A tour of at least one health care school and one law school, including meeting with students and admissions representatives, is arranged per semester.
• Each year, prehealth and prelaw alumni dinners are held, during which alumni share their experiences in their respective professional schools and the paths they took to get there.
• Graduate-level practice tests (GRE, MAT, LSAT, MCAT, and DAT) are offered free of charge to students.

PREPROFESSIONAL ADVISERS

• Listen to concerns and questions, while maintaining confidentiality
• Assist students in monitoring degree progress
• Provide guidance in selection of classes and in setting goals
• Provide information about Lafayette regulations, policies, and procedures
• Refer students to appropriate campus resources
• Provide referrals for volunteer opportunities
• Assist with the application process

STAFF

Fellowship Advisory Committee: Ilan Peleg, chair (government and law), Howard N. Bodenhorn (economics and business); William H. Miles (chemistry), Kristen L. Sanford-Bernhardt (civil and environmental engineering), David A. Veshosky, acting chair (AB engineering/civil and environmental), Eric J. Ziolkowski (religion), ex officio members: Roger B. Clow (public information), Julia A. Goldberg (dean of the college office), Terese A. Heidenwolf (head, information services), Hannah Stewart-Gambino, (dean of the college office).

Health Professions Advisory Committee: Alan Childs, chair (psychology), James DeVault (economics and business), Charles Holliday (biology), David Husic (chemistry), Michael Jordan (foreign languages and literatures), Polly Piergiovanni (chemical engineering), ex officio members: Hannah Stewart-Gambino and Julia A. Goldberg (dean of the college office), and Alana Albus (career services).

Legal Professions Advisory Committee: Diane Elliott, chair (Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government), James Lennertz (government and law), George Panichas (philosophy), Michael Paolino (mechanical engineering), Deborah Rosen (history), and John Shaw (psychology), ex officio members: Hannah Stewart-Gambino and Julia Goldberg (dean of the college office), and Alana Albus (career services).

June A. Thompson, Preprofessional Advising Administrative Assistant
1 Markle Hall, (610) 330-5521, thompsoj@mail.lafayette.edu
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.