FAQs: Intent to Apply File

This page is designed to assist Pre-Health Professions applicants and those looking to apply to professional schools with the required items for the Intent to Apply application and file. If you have a question that has not been addressed below, please email it to hpadvising@fullerton.edu and we’ll add it to the list.

Letters of Recommendation (LOR)

  1. What if I am unable to obtain a letter of recommendation from a Health Professional before the due date (2/2/12)?
  2. Where should my letter writers send my letters of recommendation (LOR)?
  3. I’m interested in opening an Intent to Apply file for the sole purpose of having the HPO forward my letters to the professional schools to which I am applying. Is this acceptable?
  4. How should my letter writer address my letter of recommendation?
  5. I would like to have my letters of recommendation forwarded to the Professional Schools without a committee letter. What do I need to submit?
  6. Will the letters in my file be sent directly to the Health Professions program to which I am applying?
  7. Is it important to provide my letter writers with the Reference Request Guide and Form?
  8. How many letters of recommendation do you suggest?
  9. Who should I ask to compose a letter on my behalf?
  10. When is an appropriate time to follow up with my letter writer if they haven’t submitted the letter by the stated deadline?
  11. What if I have old letters of recommendation on file, do you require Reference Request Forms from each letter writer?
  12. Can I specify what schools will receive which letters?
  13. What is the difference between a letter packet and a committee packet?
  14. When should the HPO upload my letter packet/committee packet?
  15. If the HPO plans to upload/mail my packet to the program I am applying to, should I have my letter writers submit a copy of my letters to the professional school also?
  16. I’m applying to Osteopathic medical schools and one school that I’m applying to, Michigan State University, doesn’t allowed my letters to be transmitted digitally. What is their policy?

Health Professions Committee (HPC)

  1. When is the Intent to Apply deadline?
  2. What happens if I don’t receive a committee letter?
  3. I am submitting my application to CASPA and I indicate that I received a Committee letter of support, how should I go about sending them my information?
  4. I am applying to CASPA and I would like a letter packet to be sent from the office, how do I go about doing so?
  5. I am applying to AADSAS and it asks about a committee letter of recommendation. Am I able to submit a committee letter plus additional letters of recommendations?
  6. Do you recommend that I try to obtain a Health Professions committee letter?
  7. I’m applying to a foreign medical school, how do I ensure that my letter/committee packet will be received by the foreign medical school?

Transcripts

  1. I am an official Post Baccalaureate student, am I able to roll over my transcripts from my Post Baccalaureate file for my Intent to Apply file?
  2. Will I need to submit a transcript from CSUF and all institutions attended since the completion of my GED/high school? What if the grades are already listed on another transcript, which your office has, do I still need to submit a copy?
  3. Should I submit official copies of my transcripts to the HPO?
  4. How should I submit my unofficial transcript to your office?
  5. Does the HPO forward my transcripts to the Professional Schools?

Required Items for your Intent to Apply File

  1. I was informed that we are able to do our interview for the committee letter with other members of the committee. I am interested in interviewing with another committee member. How do I go about arranging this? Do I proceed as usual through the appointment center that is on the Health Professions Advising’s website?
  2. Do we have to have our Intent to Apply application completed and with us on the day of the interview for the committee letter? Is the interview going to be similar to what a medical school interview would be like, or is it more of an advising interview helping suggest changes to my application or letter of recommendation choices?
  3. Where should I list my SI leadership experience on the Intent to Apply application?
  4. What goes into my science GPA?
  5. Are updates allowed once my Intent to Apply application has been submitted?
  6. Do character limits on the Intent to Apply application include spaces?
  7. For our interview for the committee letter, does our application need to be complete by the time I meet with the adviser?
  8. May I submit a CV in place of a resume?
  9. On the Intent to Apply application, it requires me to insert my signature, how do I do so using Adobe reader?
  10. Where can I download Adobe Acrobat reader to complete the Intent to Apply application?
  11. What method of payment do you accept?
  12. Can I verbally provide you with my admissions test scores?
  13. Allopathic Applicants Only - How can I print my completed AMCAS application to include in my Intent to Apply file?
  14. Which form should I complete if I would like to start submitting items to the HPO?
  15. What is required to submit to have my file go forth to the HPC for review?
  16. Can anyone have an Intent to Apply file open in the HPO?
  17. What should I speak about in my autobiography?
  18. I want to reopen a file, how do I do that?
  19. How do I calculate my science GPA?
  20. Can I provide you with a print out from my application that lists the schools I applied to?
  21. What kind of photograph would you prefer me to submit?
  22. What format can I digitally submit documents as?
  23. What is the fee payment used for?
  24. What are the differences in fees?
  25. What if I recently graduated, am I still required to pay the $100 fee?
  26. How can I track the progress of my file?
  27. What happens to the items in my file that I opened last year?
  28. What happens to my letters of recommendation (LORs) that were on file from previous years?
  29. What are the consequences of not waiving FERPA rights to see my LORs?
  30. Who do I address is the payee on my check for my file fee?
  31. How can I print out my official MCAT score report to submit to the office? (AMCAS applicants ONLY)

 Professional Program Application

  1. What information do I use for the author of the "Committee Letter"?
  2. Should I grant the Health Professions Advising office permission for access to application-related information for my professional school application?
  3. I would like to call and speak with a customer service from the application service that I am applying to, what is their contact information?

What if I am unable to obtain a letter of recommendation from a Health Professional before the due date (2/2/12)?
For the 2012/2013 application cycle, a minimum of 50 documented hours in a CCE program or similar program will subsitute for a Health Professional's letter of recommendation.

Where should my letter writers send my letters of recommendation (LOR)?
Please provide your letter writers with the Reference Request Guide and Form, and learn more about requesting letters of recommendation on our Everything you need to know about letters of recommendation page. The Reference Request Guide and Form states our email and mailing address. Please ask your letter writers to submit a letter of recommendation to hpadvising@fullerton.edu along with page 2 of the Reference Request Guide and Form. They can also fax the letter and Reference Request Guide and Form to (657-278-5888) or mail the letter to:

CSUF
Health Professions Advising University Hall (UH) 223
P.O. Box 6848
800 N. State College Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92834-6848

I'm interested in opening an Intent to Apply file for the sole purpose of having the HPO forward my letters to the professional schools to which I am applying. Is this acceptable?
If you missed the application deadline or wish to have your letters of recommendation forwarded in the form of a packet, you’re more than welcome to utilize our services. The committee kindly requests that you schedule a meeting to speak with Dr. Goode before the office uploads your packet. You can schedule a meeting to speak with the adviser by visiting: hpadvising.genbook.com.

How should my letter writer address my letter of recommendation?
Per the Health Professions Admissions Committees (HPC) guidelines, please ask your letter writers to address your letter of recommendation as “Dear Admissions Committee Members:”.

I would like to have my letters of recommendation forwarded to the Professional Schools without a committee letter. What do I need to submit?
If you would like the Health Professions Advising Office (HPO) to forward your letters of recommendation to the professional schools, please refer to our helpful "How to Obtain a Letter Packet" flowchart.

Will the letters in my file be sent directly to the Health Professions program to which I am applying?
Yes, please make sure to notify the HPO once you are ready to submit your letter/committee packet to the professional schools you are applying to. Please be sure that all of the necessary documents have been submitted before requesting the office to upload/mail your packet.

Is it important to provide my letter writers with the Reference Request Guide and Form?
Yes, it is absolutely essential. We ask that you please provide your letter writers with a digital or paper copy of the Reference Request Guide and Form. Details on how to format your letter and the content of the letter can be found there, along with instructions on where to submit the letter of recommendation. Letter writers will be asked to complete page two of the Reference Request Guide and Form and submit it with your letter of recommendation.

How many letters of recommendation do you suggest?
We ask that you follow the guidelines for the program(s) that you are applying to in regards to how many letters of recommendations they accept. We suggest that you speak with an advisor as to what kinds of letters you should send and how many our advisor recommends.

Listed below are the maximum letters of recommendation that programs accept:
AMCAS: 10
AACOMAS: Varies, please see the professional schools you’re applying to.
AADSAS: 4; committee packet + 1
OptomCAS: 4; committee packet + 1
PharmCAS: 4
CASPA: 3
VMCAS: 6

Who should I ask to compose a letter on my behalf?
You should speak with the programs that you are applying to and what they prefer to receive, in general you should strive to receive letters from the following fields:

• Health Professional
• Science Faculty
• Supervisor
• Volunteer Coordinator
• Non-science Faculty
• Extra Curricular Supervisor

When is an appropriate time to follow up with my letter writer if they haven't submitted the letter by the stated deadline?
If you originally requested for a letter to be sent by a certain date and you confirmed with our office that it has not yet arrived, please follow up after one week. If the HPO still has not received the letter after another week, please contact our office and ask that we contact your letter writer.

What if I have old letters of recommendation on file, do you require Reference Request Forms from each letter writer?
No, the Reference Request Guide and Form will not be required for letters of recommendation received before the publication of this document. It is only if a student requests an updated letter of recommendation that we'll require that their letter writer submit the Reference Request Guide and Form.

Can I specify what schools will receive which letters?
Due to most centralized application services sending one packet to most/all schools, we are only able to create one packet to mail/upload to the professional schools. Please note, AAMC has their own process and by utilizing the Letter ID feature, you’re able to specify what school receives what letters.

What is the difference between a letter packet and a committee packet?
A letter packet contains all of your letters of recommendation collected in your Intent to Apply file. This packet is sent to the professional programs to which you have applied. A committee packet is composed of a committee letter of recommendation along with your other letters of recommendation. For most professional programs, we suggest that you indicate Dr. Christina Goode as the individual who is going to upload/mail your packet. Please use the HPO’s information when requested for Dr. Goode.

When should the HPO upload my letter packet/committee packet?
Once you submit your professional application, please notify the HPO and we will upload your packet. If you submit your Intent to Apply application and materials, the HPO will upload your packet by June 1, 2012, if requested.

If the HPO plans to upload/mail my packet to the program I am applying to, should I have my letter writers submit a copy of my letters to the professional school also?
No, if the HPO uploads the letters of recommendation, there is no need for your letter writer to upload their letter. Also, if you indicate Dr. Goode as your only letter writer (which is suggested), the system won’t recognize letters from other writers.

I'm applying to Osteopathic medical schools and one school that I'm applying to, Michigan State University, doesn't allowed my letters to be transmitted digitally. What is their policy?
Michigan State University doesn’t accept mailed packets from the Health Professions office. Michigan State requests the letters to come individually from the evaluators. In addition, they only accept two letters of recommendation. Michigan State also requires a form to be completed by each letter writer and submitted with each letter of recommendation. Please contact Michigan State to obtain further instructions on how to transmit your letters to them.

When is the Intent to Apply deadline?
The Intent to Apply deadline is 5 PM on February 2, 2012 for the 2012/2013 application cycle. If you’re applying for this application cycle, you’ll need to complete the entire application and submit the necessary documents by the due date. Failure to do so will result in the loss of a committee letter.

What happens if I don't receive a committee letter?
If you’re not able to meet the deadline, your letters of recommendation will be forwarded to the professional schools as a packet. We encourage you to speak with an advisor before completing your professional school application, even if you’re using our office simply as a letter forwarding service.

I am submitting my application to CASPA and I indicate that I received a Committee letter of support, how should I go about sending them my information?
The HPO is not allowed to digitally upload your committee packet, only paper versions are to be sent to CASPA. Please submit a reference request form to the HPO from your committee letter. Please have your letter writers submit letters of recommendation along with a paper reference request form to our office. We will mail the packet to CASPA along with all of the reference request forms from your letter writers.

I am applying to CASPA and I would like a letter packet to be sent from the office, how do I go about doing so?
The HPO is not allowed to digitally upload your letter packet to CASPA, we are only allowed to mail it. Please request reference request forms from each of your letter writers and ask that they send the completed reference request forms along with their letter of recommendation to our office.

I am applying to AADSAS and it asks about a committee letter of recommendation. Am I able to submit a committee letter plus additional letters of recommendations?
ADEA AADSAS can accept up to four letters of evaluation or one Committee Report plus one additional letter of evaluation. ADEA notes on their web site "Dental school admission committees prefer committee letters if they are available, but consider applicants equally whether they submit a committee letter or four individual letters of evaluation."

Here at CSUF we use a committee report, which is composed by members of the HP advisory committee to which the individual letters of support are attached.

It is VERY important when you are completing your AADSAS application that, if you wish to have a committee report sent, you CLEARLY indicate that option on the form and use the HP Coordinator’s name and email address as the contact information. We will then be able to upload the committee report directly. You will also then have the option of having ONE additional letter.

Do you recommend that I try to obtain a Health Professions committee letter?
For those applying to Pharmacy, Optometry and Veterinary Schools, it is advised that you submit a letter from the director, rather than a committee letter, to the schools you are applying to. This applies to both Undergraduates and Post Baccalaureate students.

I'm applying to a foreign medical school, how do I ensure that my letter/committee packet will be received by the foreign medical school?
Please provide the HPO with one prepaid FEDEX envelope per foreign medical school. Packets can be mailed, same day, if delivered to the Health Professions Advising office before 1 PM.

I am an official Post Baccalaureate student, am I able to roll over my transcripts from my Post Baccalaureate file for my Intent to Apply file?
You are not required to submit unofficial transcripts as long as you have not taken additional course work at the institutions attended since applying to the Post Baccalaureate program. You will still be required to log onto your student portal and print your Titan Degree Audit (TDA) and submit it.

Since the office already has copies of your transcripts in your Post Bacc file, the staff will roll over the transcripts to your Intent to Apply file. In order to request this service, we ask that when you submit your Intent to Apply application, please include a note asking the staff to roll over your transcripts from your Post Baccalaureate file.

Just for clarification, if you have taken any new courses please be aware that you are still required to submit updated unofficial transcripts for those institutions only. Should you have any questions concerning this, please do not hesitate to contact the Health Professions Advising office.

Will I need to submit a transcript from CSUF and all institutions attended since the completion of my GED/high school? What if the grades are already listed on another transcript, which your office has, do I still need to submit a copy?
You will need to submit unofficial transcripts from every higher educational institution you attended after completing high school. If the grades from one institution are listed on another institution’s transcripts, you are NOT required to obtain unofficial transcripts, as long as the grades appear on another transcript that you submitted.

Should I submit official copies of my transcripts to the HPO?
Official copies of all your higher education transcripts are not required; although we ask that you please submit unofficial copies from every higher institution you attended.

How should I submit my unofficial transcript to your office?
If you submit a digital version of your transcript(s), the Health Professions Committee requires that you submit the documents in a .PDF format; otherwise the transcripts can be hand-delivered.

Does the HPO forward my transcripts to the Professional Schools?
No, official copies of your transcripts need to be ordered through Admissions and Records either online or in person at LH-114. Most professional programs have an additional form that you submit when requesting transcripts to send to the professional programs to which you are applying.

I was informed that we are able to do our interview for the committee letter with other members of the committee. I am interested in interviewing with another committee member. How do I go about arranging this? Do I proceed as usual through the appointment center that is on the Health Professions Advising’s website?
If you are interested in interviewing with another member of the committee, you’ll need to notify our office via email at hpadvising@fullerton.edu and inform us of the date, time and who you are meeting with. Appointments scheduled through the Health Professions Advising office’s website will be with Dr. Christina Goode.

Do we have to have our Intent to Apply application completed and with us on the day of the interview for the committee letter? Is the interview going to be similar to what a medical school interview would be like, or is it more of an advising interview helping suggest changes to my application or letter of recommendation choices?
No, you will not be required to bring in a copy of your Intent to Apply application to your meeting (unless you have specific questions pertaining to the application itself). You will have an opportunity to verbally convey the information on the application to Dr. Goode when you meet. Some of the topics that will be addressed in the meeting is your anticipated test date, science and undergraduate GPA, and your desired profession.

Where should I list my SI leadership experience on the Intent to Apply application?
Please list your leadership experience under the additional information section xi on the Intent to Apply application.

What goes into my science GPA? Specifically does Math 115, 125, 130, 150A and 150B count?
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math courses are included in your science GPA. Any course taken at CSUF that is considered a requirement for a science degree will be counted as part of your science GPA (To verify if a course is needed for a degree you should consult the catalog course description). Once you are ready to calculate your science GPA, please navigate to the following website address: http://www.fullerton.edu/aac/AAC_Resources/gpa_calculator.asp

Are updates allowed once my Intent to Apply application has been submitted?
No, updates are not allowed. If you are anticipating an activity (volunteer, shadowing, etc.), please note it on your Intent to Apply application before submission.

Do character limits on the Intent to Apply application include spaces?
The character limits on the Intent to Apply should be calculated without spaces.

For our interview for the committee letter, does our application need to be complete by the time I meet with the adviser?
The Intent to Apply application doesn’t need to be complete until February 2nd, but a good majority of it needs to be complete before you meet with the adviser, Dr. Goode. Please be sure to bring your Intent to Apply application (if you haven’t already submitted it) to your meeting.

May I submit a CV in place of a resume?
You are more than welcome to submit a CV in place of a resume.

On the Intent to Apply application, it requires me to insert my signature, how do I do so using Adobe reader?
Please follow the steps below to insert a signature into Adobe reader:

Start Acrobat
Go to the Advance Setting menu
Then to the Security Setting option
Click on Digital ID
Click on Add ID
Click on New Digital ID and select Next.
Select the option as per your requirement and click next
Enter the personal information
Click on Next
Select password and click on Finish.

Where can I download Adobe Acrobat reader to complete the Intent to Apply application?
You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Adobe website and clicking on download now. By clicking on the download now button, you have to acknowledge that you have read and agree to the Adobe Product Licensing Agreement

What method of payment do you accept?
We accept debit card, checks, digital check, cash, titan tender, money order or cashier's check. Online payments can be made here. All other payment methods can be taken directly to the Student Financial Services (SFS) window (UH-180) with this form.

Can I verbally provide you with my admissions test scores?
No, please provide us with a printed copy or screen shot of your score report.

Allopathic Applicants Only - How can I print my completed AMCAS application to include in my Intent to Apply file?
For AMCAS print your application from the main menu when logged into AMCAS. Click "Print application", click either html or .PDF.

Which form should I complete if I would like to start submitting items to the HPO?
We ask that if you had a file open in the past and you're considering allowing the HPO to play an integral part of your application process that you please complete an Intent to Apply application.

What is required to submit to have my file go forth to the HPC for review?
If you would like your file to go forth to the HPC for review, please submit the following items by 5 PM on February 2, 2012:

Can anyone have an Intent to Apply file open in the HPO?
Only current CSUF students and Alumni are able to have open an Intent to Apply file.

What should I speak about in my autobiography?
The HP Committee uses the autobiography in place of an interview. This document assists the committee with composing your committee letter. To learn more about composing your autobiography, please visit our helpful guideline page.

I want to reopen a file, how do I do that?
Submit the Intent to Apply document. If you’re applying for this upcoming application cycle, please complete the entire application if seeking a committee letter of support.

How do I calculate my science GPA?
All math, chemistry, biology, physics and statistics courses taken during your Undergraduate and Post Baccalaureate coursework should be calculated. You can find a GPA calculator at http://www.fullerton.edu/aac/AAC_Resources/gpa_calculator.asp. Please note, we will require separate GPAs for both Undergraduate coursework and Post Baccalaureate to comply with the Professional Schools requests.

Can I provide you with a print out from my application that lists the schools I applied to?
No, please provide the HPO with the List of Schools form located on the Intent to Apply page. The format is created to assist with sending packets to the schools.

What kind of photograph would you prefer me to submit?
Please submit a headshot photograph as a low resolution .jpg.

What format can I digitally submit documents as?
We only accept .PDF, .DOC, .DOCX, .XLS, .XLSX, .JPG.

What is the fee payment used for?
The fee payment is used to cover the cost of uploading/mailing your committee or letter packet to the Professional Schools to which you are applying. You are allowed unlimited uploads/mailing for an entire application cycle.

What are the differences in fees?
Current students are required to pay $10 per professional programto which they apply, each cycle. Alumni, who graduated more than a year ago, pay a $100 flat fee for each application cycle.

What if I recently graduated, am I still required to pay the $100 fee?
No, if you recently graduated (within a year’s time) you can continue to utilize our office’s services at the reduced rate of $10 per professional program. If you choose to use our office’s services after that time (more than a year since graduating), you will pay $100.

How can I track the progress of my file?
You can track the progress of your file through the grade center on TITANium/Moodle. There are certain symbols that notate different items.  Items that are blank indicate that nothing has been submitted for that item and it still needs to be completed.  If there is a 10, that means that you successfully submitted the item and we have processed it.  

A green question mark notates that you have uploaded the document, but we still have not processed it.  Any other number less than 10 means that you still need to submit that number of items.  So, if under “letters of recommendation”, it says “5”, that means we still need 5 more letters of recommendation.  We also put an additional note, under certain items, to help keep track of what items need to be submitted.

What happens to the items in my file that I opened last year?
Items submitted from previous years are kept on file. Paper files will be discarded after five years of inactivity but a digital copy remains on record. You will be required to update your list of schools, resume, unofficial transcripts (if anything changed/updated since submission) admissions test results (if exam was taken again), a copy of your professional school application, Intent to Apply application, and fee payment.

What happens to my letters of recommendation (LORs) that were on file from previous years?
LORs will remain in your file. It is up to you and the programs to which you are applying to if an outdated LOR is acceptable. Sometimes it is nice to have your letter writer update the date on the letter. If you need assistance with requesting this from your letter writer, please notify our office.

What are the consequences of not waiving FERPA rights to see my LORs?
Your letter writer maychoose not to write a LOR, or may not be as forthcoming in their response.

Who do I address is the payee on my check for my file fee?
“California State University, Fullerton” should be put in the “payee” line.

How can I print out my official MCAT score report to submit to the office? (AMCAS applicants ONLY)
Please log onto the AAMC website. There is an option on there to “create and print my own official score report” button when viewing the MCAT score report.

How should I notate that I'm receiving either a committee packet or a letter packet on my application?
You should check with the Health Professions Programs that you are applying to as to how you should notate a letter packet or a committee packet. To contact the customer service representatives for each application service, please click here.

What information do I use for the author of the "Committee Letter"?
You will only record Dr. Christina Goode's name and contact information as our office will be the one submitting a committee packet on your behalf. You should EXCLUDE your other letter writers as if they are listed; the professional program will expect to receive letters from those individuals and may delay your file from moving forth (not including CASPA and VMCAS).

Should I grant the Health Professions Advising office permission for access to application-related information for my professional school application?
In providing the most thorough and efficient service to our pre-health students it is important that we have access to all of your records and application-related information. On your professional school application you will be asked if you give permission for your pre-health advisor to have access to on-line information for tracking your status at the various professional schools to which you applied (not all schools offer this service). We strongly recommend that you answer “yes” to this question and allow us to track the progress of your application.

I would like to call and speak with a customer service from the application service to which I am applying, what is their contact information?