Advisors As Navigators

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• Facing the American Idol
  Syndrome Advising the
  Under-Qualified Pre-Health Student

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American Idol Syndrome

• Why cant their friends or their parents tell
  them they cant sing before they ever get on TV?
• Human beings have an extraordinary capacity for
  self deception.
• Under-qualified pre-health applicants need
  advisors who can be truth-tellers without
  crushing their individual spirit.

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Dr. Charles MattisDean of the First-Year
Program and Director of University Academic
AdvisingAbilene Christian University
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Private Selective Four Year Residential Compre
hensive
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4,800 Students 49 States 60 Nations 117
Undergraduate Programs 35 Graduate Programs
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Texas Medical School Applicants and First-Year
Enrollees
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Texas Dental School Applicants and First-Year
Enrollees
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Texas Medical School Final Statistics 2006
Entering Class

• Average Overall GPA 3.66
• Average MCAT 28.9

Texas Dental School Final Statistics 2006
Entering Class

• Average Overall GPA 3.57
• Average DAT (Academic Average) 19.2

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Pre-Health Advising Goal

• The goal in advising any pre-health applicant is
  that by the time they are ready to apply to
  professional school (usually early summer after
  their junior year), they have either become a
  qualified applicant in the process, or they have
  self-selected out of pre-health earlier, and are
  comfortably pursuing another confirmed
  major/career.

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Orientation First-Year

• First-year is the most important.
• Everyone begins on equal footing, but it helps to
  begin early to delineate and articulate what a
  qualified applicant looks like.
• Create a sense of connected community which
  fosters open and honest dialogue.

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Body Soul

• 3.4 GPA
• 16 science hours
  
  

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Orientation First-Year

• Set expectations early and often (GPA,
  extra-curricular/ co-curricular, pre-health club,
  shadowing, relationship with departments, faculty
  and advisors).
• Frequent contact (orientation, mid-term group
  advising, frequent emails).
• Require assessment instruments to review
  strengths and confirm interest.
• Require a plan B (gives the freedom to actually
  think about something else)

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Strengths Quest

• Gallup organization
• Identifies 34 themes of strengths
• Good way to being the discussion of strengths in
  academics and careers.
• www.strengthsquest.com

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TypeFocus

• The TypeFocus Careers Program! begins with
  personality types (mini Myers-Briggs).
• Assists with decision making styles and careers.
• http//careers.typefocus.com

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Career Liftoff Interest Inventory

• Two page graphic profile report (visual reference
  points).
• Detailed narrative profile report in rank order.
• Based on John Hollands Theory of Careers.
• Not necessarily definitive, but provides and
  additional perspective

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First-Year

• Frequent exposure to successful upper division
  pre-health students (peer leaders, student panel,
  pre-health club officers).
• Alumni visit from those who are currently in
  professional school.

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Require exposure to the field of interest for
freshmen, offer opportunities for sophomores.
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Encourage volunteer health service efforts.
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First-Year

• Fill out an actual application
• Write a personal statement
• Honestly evaluate progress after fall and spring
  grades are posted (GPA what if analysis).

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Second Year

• By the end of the first year, students who are in
  the program should have exhibited the motivation,
  scholarship, and aptitude to be a successful
  applicant.

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Second Year

• Continue first-year strategies (frequent contact,
  stress expectations often, applicant pool
  characteristics, health professions club).
• Health Professional School site visit.
• Continue to encourage service and leadership.

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Second Year

• On campus practice MCAT/DAT in April.
• Spring Health Professions Committee Review.
• Formal letter from committee with recommendations
  for the third year.

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Third Year

• Ongoing strategies from first two years.
• Required MCAT/DAT preparation plan and time
  chart.
• Required individual appointments with faculty who
  are writing letters of reference.

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Third Year

• Spring Health Professions Committee Review and
  recommendation (GPA, MCAT/DAT score, service
  activities, personal statement, mock interview).

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Fourth Year
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Discussion
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Dr. Charles W. Mattis

• mattis_at_acu.edu
• http//www.acu.edu/academics/cas/healthprofessions