After Transferring to NIU

Once You Arrive at NIU

Connect with your academic advisor after transferring to NIU. Your advisor will help you understand how your transfer credits apply toward your major and NIU degree requirements and help you develop your graduation plan.

Pre-health Professions staff work alongside your advisor, focusing specifically on helping you prepare for admission to professional school. After meeting with your advisor, contact Pre-health Professions to discuss:

• Your intended healthcare profession
• Previously completed prerequisite coursework
• Remaining professional school prerequisites
• Upper-level science coursework
• Academic preparation and competitiveness
• Entrance exam preparation and timing
• Clinical and patient-care experience
• Shadowing
• Research
• Service and leadership
• Professional school selection
• Your anticipated application timeline

Build a Strong Science Foundation at NIU

As a transfer student, it is a good idea to think beyond simply completing the minimum prerequisite courses. Once you arrive at NIU, strong performance in rigorous science coursework can provide additional evidence of your preparation for professional school. This can be particularly important if you completed much of your foundational science coursework at a community college.

Depending on your pathway and previous coursework, your plan may include upper-level biology, organic chemistry, biochemistry and other advanced science courses. Your individual plan will depend on your major, transfer coursework, intended healthcare profession and the professional schools you are considering.

Give Yourself Enough Time

Transfer students sometimes feel pressure to graduate and apply to professional school as quickly as possible. A faster timeline is not always a stronger timeline.

You may benefit from additional time to:

• Complete prerequisite science sequences
• Take upper-level sciences
• Strengthen your academic record
• Prepare for an entrance exam
• Develop meaningful clinical or patient care experience
• Shadow professionals in your intended field
• Participate in research, service and leadership
• Build relationships with NIU faculty
• Prepare a strong professional school application

Taking additional time before applying, including a gap year when appropriate, is common. The goal is to apply when you are prepared to be a competitive applicant, not to apply as quickly as possible.

Build Your Pre-health Experience at NIU

Professional schools evaluate much more than coursework and grades. Your time at NIU is an opportunity to develop experiences that demonstrate your understanding of healthcare and your preparation for your intended profession.

Transfer students are encouraged to become involved early in:

• Clinical and patient-care experiences
• Job shadowing
• Community service
• Research
• Leadership and campus involvement
• Pre-health student organizations
• Professional development
• Entrance exam and application preparation

You do not need to wait until you are preparing your professional school application to begin building these experiences.

Explore Your Pre-health Pathway

Course requirements and application expectations vary significantly by profession. Review the pathway that matches your career goal for more detailed information about preparing at NIU.