Pre-Health Committee

The Seton Hall University Pre-Professional Advising Center offers a Pre-Health Committee review of all application documents and a letter collection service for Seton Hall University students and alumni who aspire to attend health professional/graduate schools. The Pre-Professional Advising Center is here to support every student with a dream of pursuing professional school.

The Pre-Health Committee consists of Seton Hall University Faculty, Administration, Staff, and Alumni. This committee is tasked in reviewing pre-health application packages, providing feedback and guidance throughout the application process and producing a Committee Letter of Evaluation.

Committee Members

Ms. Chantal Vergara	Director, Pre- Professional Advising Center and Co-Chair
Dr. Daniel Brian Nichols	Director, Pre-Health Professions and Co-Chair
Cosimo Antonacci, Ph.D.	College of Arts and Sciences
Robert Pallitto, Ph.D., J.D.	College of Arts and Sciences
Erie Morales, Ph.D.	College of Arts and Sciences
Wendiann Sethi, M.A.	College of Arts and Sciences
Branden Buehler, Ph.D.	College of Human Development Culture and Media
Anna Calka, Ph.D.	Office of the Provost
Dr. Abby Saunders	School of Health and Medical Sciences
Xiaoqing Eleanor Xu, Ph.D., CFA	Stillman School of Business
Ms. Nadia Sanon	Career Center
Dr. Chintha Ranasinghe	College of Arts and Sciences
CJ Urso, Ph.D.	College of Arts and Sciences
Nicole LaCapria, Ph.D.	Director of Assessment and Special Programs
David M. Frank	University Libraries
Dr. Kristi Stinson	College of Nursing
Michael Maloney, Ph.D.	College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Minsun Lee	College of Human Development Culture and Media
Ibiyemi Adesanya	Department of Public Safety
Lisa DeLuca	University Libraries

Committee Letter of Endorsement

What is a Committee Letter?

A committee letter written by the Pre-Health Committee is an endorsement letter on behalf of Seton Hall University that supports and endorses individuals applying to a health professional school. The letter highlights applicants in a multidimensional and holistic manner. It will tie together the applicant’s academic record and scholarly accomplishments, personal attributes, clinical experiences, working and volunteering in the community, and demonstrated commitment to healthcare. The letter will serve to introduce the student –holistically –to all members of Admissions Committees. This Committee letter will accompany students’ individual letters of recommendation to professional schools.

What are the requirements for a Committee Letter?

To be eligible for a committee letter students must meet the following requirements:

Currently enrolled degree-seeking undergraduate students (Juniors and Seniors)
Seton Hall University alumni
Transfer students with a minimum of 24 credits of sciences at Seton Hall University by the end of the spring semester of the application year;
Students who have completed the following required courses by the end of the spring semester of the application year with a minimum of 3.65 BCPM GPA (Bio, Chem, Phys, Math) and 3.65 cumulative GPA or higher:
- General Biology I (BIOL 1211) and General Biology II (BIOL 1222) with labs
- General Chemistry I (CHEM 1123) and General Chemistry II (CHEM 1124) with labs
- Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 2321) and Organic Chemistry II (CHEM 2322) with labs
- General Physics I (PHYS 170) and General Physics II (PHYS 1702) with labs (pre-dental students excluded as PHYS is not on the DAT, though this is still a requirement for many dental schools)
- Biochemistry of Metabolism (BIOL 3233) (pre-dental and pre-optometry students excluded as not tested on the DAT or OAT, though this is still a requirement for many dental and optometry schools)
  **Students who have repeated a pre-requisite course will not be eligible for a committee letter
Students who complete the appropriate admissions exam (MCAT/DAT/GRE/OAT) by May 1 of the year they are applying; the committee must receive your score by June 1.
- MCAT: 508 + (Allopathic)
- MCAT: 504 + (Osteopathic)
- DAT: 20
- OAT: 345
- GRE: 320
Active participation within the Pre-Professional Advising Center
- Meets with P-PAC at least twice for 1:1 advising to review application goals, options and timelines
- Attends at least 2 events hosted by the P-PAC to be best prepared for the application cycle
Submission of at least 3-5 letters of recommendation to the P-PAC. Most schools ask for at least three recommendations- two from science professors and one from a non-science professor or a supervisor of an extracurricular activity. Competitive applicants often send up to 4-5 letters in addition to the committee letter.
- Two (2) from science faculty
- One (1) from non-science faculty
- One (1) from clinical practicing health professional (MD, DO, RN, etc)
- One (1) from supervisor of an extracurricular activity (research, volunteer, work,etc)

How do students apply for a Pre-Health Committee Letter?

Students and alumni seeking a Committee Letter of Evaluation work closely with the Pre-Professional Advising Center Team throughout the academic year preceding their summer application to health professional schools. The steps that Seton Hall University applicants complete to receive a Committee Letter are popularly referred to as the "Committee Process":

Completion of the brief Pre-Health Application Cycle Registration Form by the end of February of the year you are applying
Solicitation of individual Recommendation Letters; received by May 1
Submission of your Pre-Health Committee Questionnaire packet by March 15
Participation in a Committee Interview
Submission of a primary application to health profession schools with our letter properly documented
Discussion of each applicant by members of the Committee
Pre- Health Committee uploads Committee Letter to application processing service (AMCAS or AACOMAS )

What if I do not qualify for a Committee Letter at the end of the semester?

If you do not meet the requirements for a committee letter that is completely fine – we'll merge your individual letters of recommendations for you and still upload them on your behalf. The Pre-Professional Advising Center supports, guides and helps every student applying to professional school.

Alternative Letter Packet

The Pre-Professional Advising Center supports, guides and helps every student applying to professional school. Seton Hall University applicants who are ineligible for a Committee Letter may request a “Letter Packet”. A “Letter Packet” is the packaging of individual evaluations/recommendation letters under the cover of the Preprofessional Advising Center. We will facilitate the submission of a "letter packet" without an adjoining evaluative Committee Letter. Applicants must request this service through P-PAC. To request, please write to preprofessional@shu.edu.