Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate FAQ

Admission into our post-baccalaureate program requires a B.A., B.S. or B.F.A. from a regionally accredited college or university and a minimum GPA of 2.5 for the bachelor's degree, or for the last 60 semester-units or 90 quarter-units of coursework taken. However, due to the limited number of seats available in each track, GPAs considerably above the minimum are usually needed to gain an admission offer.

Find out How to Apply.

In brief, we require you to complete the Cal State Apply application, which includes answering essay questions, listing your prior science coursework, uploading copies of your unofficial transcripts and arranging for two letters of reference from instructors and/or supervisors.

As an official certificate-granting program, applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher overall or in their last 60 semester or 90 quarter units to be eligible to apply. Because we receive more applications than student spaces, students who enter our program generally have undergraduate GPAs that are well higher than the minimum. Students with low GPAs have distinguished themselves with substantial upward trends in their science GPA.

For qualified applicants, the GPA values we look most closely at are cumulative science and math GPA and recent science and math GPA (the most recent five to six courses taken). If an applicant has not already exhibited an upward trend in their science GPA, we recommend that they do so to become a more qualified applicant to our program.

We do not require any standardized test score to be admitted into the program. However, if you have taken a standardized test (GRE, MCAT, DAT, etc.) we ask that you list it on the application.

CCT (career-changer) applicants typically have little or no prior experience taking college-level science courses. AET (academic enhancer) applicants were often science majors that have shown promise based on previous academic performance, clinical experience and standardized tests but that need to strengthen their records to become stronger health-profession school applicants or reapplicants. There are some students who are hybrids of the two categories. These students have often started taking their science prerequisites during their undergraduate career but need to complete the remaining courses before submitting their application to graduate health professions schools.

Career Changers (CCT) who need to take/retake General Chemistry I should apply for summer entry. Career changers who have completed some prerequisite courses such as General Chemistry I and Calculus, should consult the career changer curriculum, and email our admissions team, listing each of the prerequisites they have completed to gain advice for which semester would be the most appropriate entry point.

Academic Enhancers (AET) are advised to apply for any semester. Please note that entering in the spring semester is especially advantageous for many academic enhancer students because it allows them to complete three consecutive semesters of coursework and then prepare for and take the MCAT, DAT, etc. in the following spring, directly before applying. Please note that the length of time for which an academic enhancer should take courses depends on their academic record. Academic enhancers typically take three to four semesters of coursework in close consultation with their advisor.

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