Committee Letter Application Process

What is a Committee Letter?

The Committee Letter is a multi-page document, signed by the Pre-Health Committee, that highlights an applicant's background and accomplishments, explains setbacks and outlines overall preparation and motivation for pursuing a career in medicine, dentistry or optometry.

The Committee Letter includes quotations from course evaluations and letters of recommendation, as well as impressions derived from the personal statement and your Committee Letter interview.

Strong letters of recommendation will be appended to your Committee Letter at the discretion of the Pre-Health Committee. A Committee Letter serves as the official endorsement of your application by the Pre-Health Committee at Hunter College.

How is a Letter Packet different from the Committee Letter?

The cover letter included with the Letter Packet does not summarize the candidate's qualifications, nor does the Letter Packet provide a level of endorsement of the candidate by the Pre-Health Committee at Hunter College.

For which health professions does the Pre-Health Office provide Committee Letters?

Committee Letters are provided to degree-seeking Hunter students who are applying to Medical, Dental and Optometry Schools. Students applying to Veterinary Schools may also apply for a Committee Letter.

The Pre-Health Office does NOT provide Committee Letters for the following health professions: Podiatric medical schools, Pharmacy schools, Physical Therapy programs, Occupational Therapy programs, and Physician Assistant programs.

The Pre-Health Office does NOT provide Committee Letters to:
—Non-Degree Students at Hunter College
—Students who graduate with a CUNY Baccalaureate BA
—Second degree students who will not complete a Hunter College degree

How do I qualify for a Committee Letter?

Committee Letter Requirements:

• Meet with a Pre-Health Advisor at least once per academic year while enrolled at Hunter College. Group Advising or Drop-In Advising sessions do not satisfy this requirement.

• Have an open and active Pre-Health File prior to submitting a Committee Letter Application.
• Attend PPAP 1003 Application Planning Seminars for the medical, dental or optometry track.
  • Register for all PPAP 1003 Seminars through our website under Upcoming Seminars and Events or through our Listserv.
  • Attend each seminar in full on Zoom, and submit the reflection statement assignment by the stated deadline.
• Attend the Committee Letter Application seminar in the Fall prior to the cycle in which you plan to apply.
• MCAT, DAT or OAT scores must be submitted to the Pre-Health Office by October 30th, prior to the Committee Letter Application Deadline of January 15.

Committee Letters will only be processed for students who have earned competitive test scores by October 30th prior to the cycle in which you plan to apply. Competitive test scores are:
—MCAT: 514 (Allopathic)
—MCAT: 507 (Osteopathic)
—DAT: 22
—OAT: 340
If you are unable to meet the competitive scoring metrics above, we strongly recommend that you postpone your application until the following cycle.

• Have a minimum 3.45 BCPM (Bio, Chem, Phys, Math) and cumulative 3.45 GPA at the time you apply for the Committee Letter.
• For second degree-seeking students, the minimum requirements are a 3.75 BCPM and cumulative GPA at Hunter, and a minimum 3.0 BCPM and cumulative GPA at your first degree institution. You must complete the Hunter second degree. You can only receive a Committee Letter after graduating from Hunter College.
• Have completed (or are in the process of completing) at least 38 BCPM credits including 4 labs at Hunter College. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 30 BCPM credits including 4 labs at Hunter College by the time the Committee Letter Application is submitted.
• Minimum of 14-16 evaluative documents in your Pre-Health file by January 15th of the year in which you plan to apply.
  • At least 6 letters of recommendation
    • Two (2) letters from science faculty members (if you have a recommendation from an ePermit course, one letter must also be from Hunter College Biology, Chemistry or Physics faculty)
    • One (1) letter from a clinical supervisor (letter from MD/DO, DDS, OD, DVM or DPM preferred)
    • One (1) letter from a PI or research supervisor (for dental, optometry and veterinary applicants: if you have no research experience, a third science faculty letter of recommendation is required). MD/PhD candidates must have letter from PI.
    • One (1) letter from a non-science faculty member
    • One (1) letter from a community service volunteering supervisor
  • 8-10 course evaluations (at least 3 course evaluations must be from biology, chemistry, physics instructors, TAs, lab or recitation instructors or professors)
  Submit an LoR/Evaluation

  Please do not submit a letter of recommendation and course evaluation from the same instructor for the same course.

  The Pre-Health Office will only process two Committee Letter Applications per student.

  A Hunter student or Hunter graduate who has previously received an offer of admission to medical school or other health professional school and has turned it down in order to apply again in a different cycle will NOT be eligible to receive a Committee Letter as a re-applicant.

  If you plan to take your entrance exam in May prior to the application cycle, you will automatically receive a Letter Packet.