Applicant Resources

Applying to a health professional program is an exciting milestone—but it’s important to ensure the timing is right for you. This readiness flowchart is designed to help you reflect on your preparedness across multiple domains: academic metrics, experiential preparation, and more. This tool is not prescriptive, nor is it a checklist to rush through. Rather, it’s a guide to help you determine when you are most likely to be a competitive AND confident applicant.

If you answered “Yes” to all items on the flowchart: 

Congratulations!

You may be ready to apply to your health graduate school.

You are encouraged to participate in our Application Readiness Program and, if applicable, Letter Packet service.

If you answered “No” to any item on the flowchart:

You may be a stronger applicant if you take additional time to address areas for improvement before applying.
While it can feel discouraging to wait, please know that deferring your application is not a setback—it’s often a strategic decision. Our office does not recommend deferring lightly. We recognize your eagerness to move forward in your career and are here to support you in making the best decision for your long-term success.

Applying to health graduate programs is a demanding process—emotionally, financially, and logistically. In our experience, the most successful applicants are those who have taken time to reflect, prepare thoroughly, and meet the readiness guidelines.

At Northeastern, the vast majority of our applicants—over 85%—take at least one gap year between graduation and starting a health professional program. Nationally, the average age of matriculants to health graduate programs is in the mid-twenties.

Taking time before applying can allow you to:

• Strengthen your academic record

• Gain meaningful clinical, research, or service experiences

• Clarify your motivations and career goals

• Position yourself for a confident and competitive application

To explore your options, visit our Gap Year webpage.

And remember—you don’t have to make this decision alone. The Northeastern PreMed and PreHealth Advising Team provides lifelong advising support. Whether you plan to apply immediately after graduation or years later, we are here to help you create a timeline, prepare strong materials, and feel confident in your next steps.

If you plan to apply to a health professional program within the next year, you are eligible to attend Applicant Drop-In appointments.

These are brief, 10-minute advising sessions intended to support technical or logistical questions related to your application.

Please note:

• Drop-Ins are exclusively for candidates applying in the current application cycle.

• Applicant Drop-Ins are available annually from September through July. While Drop-Ins are not offered in August, regular advising appointments remain available year-round.

• You may meet with any PreHealth Advisor, regardless of your assigned caseload.

• Each session is limited to 10 minutes.

If you are looking for individualized guidance on your overall PreHealth Pathway or application readiness, we encourage you to schedule a 30-minute appointment with your assigned PreHealth Advisor.

If you graduated or completed your post-bacc certificate program more than one year ago (and no longer have access to EAB Navigate), please contact your individual PreHealth Advisor directly to schedule an appointment.

Book an Applicant Drop-In Appointment!

The table below outlines application opening months for the health professional programs we advise, as well as recommended timelines to apply, and links to the centralized application services and help guides.