Application FAQs
Eligibility | Transcripts | Recommendations | Application Process | Admissions Process | For Parents| Technical Requirements
Eligibility
Should I apply if my GPA falls slightly below the minimum requirements?
Each program site considers a variety of factors during the admissions process. Students with a slightly lower than 2.5 GPA but who have demonstrated a strong interest in a health profession are encouraged to apply.
I am a high school student who has earned college credits. Can I apply?
SHPEP applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED at the time of their application submission to be eligible for the program.
Can I participate if I am a community college student?
Community college students are eligible for the program if they have not exceeded 60 earned college credits.
Can I participate in SHPEP if I am a junior or senior in college?
SHPEP is exclusively for freshman, sophomore, and junior college students (i.e. students with a maximum of 90 earned college credits at the time of their application submission). Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credits are not counted toward the 90 earned college credits. Please check our Other Opportunities page for other enrichment program opportunities if you are not eligible for SHPEP.
If I participated in SHPEP, can I also participate in MSIPI?
If you’ve already participated in SHPEP, you will not be eligible for MSIPI. Although SHPEP and MSIPI are separate programs with distinct approaches, our overarching goal is to maximize our reach and impact by providing opportunities to as many students as possible. Both programs share a commitment to broadening access to health professions for students from diverse backgrounds and ensuring more voices and perspectives are represented in healthcare. By offering these unique and culturally enriched experiences at different institutions, we can better support students from various communities and contribute to a more inclusive and diverse healthcare workforce. This approach allows us to offer tailored support and programming to new students, amplifying our collective impact on health professions education.
Can I participate in SHPEP more than once?
Students can only participate in the program once.
Transcripts
I am a freshman and have not received my grades yet. Can I submit my high school transcript?
High school transcripts are not accepted. If you are a freshman and have not received your first semester grades, please allow them to be finalized before submitting your transcripts.
Do I need to submit my transcripts again if I applied last year?
The SHPEP program requires current transcripts for each application year.
Although I have attended several colleges, all of my coursework appears on my transcript from my current college. Do I still need to send transcripts from all of my previous colleges?
Yes. An official transcript is required from each U.S., U.S. territorial, and Canadian institution at which you have attempted coursework.
Recommendations
Can the recommendation be submitted by a previous employer or high school teacher?
If a recommendation cannot be submitted by a prehealth advisor or college professor within your major, the National Program Office will accept one from an employer that is within a health professions field or from a science/math high school teacher.
Can a recommendation be written for me by a teaching assistant?
The National Program Office will accept a recommendation from your teaching assistant if they are acting as your instructor.
How can a prehealth advisor assist me?
A prehealth advisor can help you identify course requirements, help you seek enrichment programs and clinical experiences, prepare for application to a health professions school, write letters of recommendation, and assess the most appropriate career path for you. If you are unable to identify a pre-health advisor at your institution, contact the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.
Application Process
The certification and submission section prevents me from completing the application. What should I do?
Please review each section of the application to identify any required fields you may have missed. The Schools Attended section is typically where applicants fail to select a response to the degree question or do not select the “I have entered all the colleges I attended” statement.
How do I know if my materials have been received by the SHPEP National Program Office?
It can take up to 10 business days for the National Program Office to process application materials once they have been received. Please log into your application to check the Application Status for updates. However, the processing time is different if the application is submitted after the materials have been received. In this instance, it can take up to two business days to process materials and update the status in the application dashboard.
How do I know that the program site(s) I designated have received my application?
Program sites automatically receive applications once the National Program Office completes your application by processing all of your application materials.
How can I tell if I’ve successfully submitted my application?
The right side of your application dashboard will display the “Submitted” status.
Can I change my designated site(s) after my application is submitted?
Designated program sites cannot be changed once you submit your application.
My college/university does not calculate GPA. How do I complete the application?
All students must enter a GPA to proceed with the application. Please enter 2.50 for the GPA and email shpep@aamc.org once you have submitted your application. The SHPEP National Program Office will then inform your designated program(s) of your actual GPA status.
Admissions Process
How many students are accepted into the program each year?
Each program site selects approximately 80 applicants.
Will SHPEP help me prepare for the MCAT, DAT, or other standardized admissions tests?
SHPEP does not have an admissions test preparatory component. However, the program’s basic science curriculum covers content included in such tests.
For Parents
Can I call to obtain information regarding the application status of my son/daughter?
The National Program Office will only communicate with the student about their application.
What are the income qualifications (income guidelines) for the program? If I am unemployed, what should my son/daughter enter for my income? Should I provide proof?
All household income must be reported. If an applicant or parent is not currently employed, the applicant should indicate “Not applicable” in the application. The National Program Office will contact the applicant if additional information is needed.
Technical Requirements
What are the technical requirements for the application?
AAMC websites and applications have been designed to support the following modern desktop browsers unless noted otherwise. If you are not currently using a supported browser, it is strongly recommended that you download or upgrade to a supported browser. If you elect not to upgrade your desktop browser, your experience may not be optimal and you may not be able to use certain tools and applications.
In addition, we recommend that you enable JavaScript.
We currently support the following browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
I cannot view the application materials. Do I need to purchase special software to view and print these forms? You can download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader for free to access the editable PDF forms.
The application does not recognize my username and password. What should I do? The login screen will not allow access to the application unless the username and password are entered exactly as they were entered on the registration page. Applicants will encounter problems if they mistakenly enter a space behind the username or password. If you cannot identify the correct password, use the “Cannot remember your Username or Password?” option to receive an e-mail with your login information. Copy and paste the information into the login screen.