Carefully read these Instructions and the instructions in the Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections. You must also read the “FAQs for Current Applicants” before completing the Portfolio.
You must be a current BU undergraduate student or an alumnus who has received a bachelor’s degree from BU and be applying to enter professional school in the fall of 2026 to submit the Portfolio.
2026 Applicants:
If this is your first time submitting a Portfolio or;
If you previously submitted a Portfolio but you have not yet hit your lifetime Comprehensive Advising Appointment limit
- Enroll in our Pre-Health 101 Blackboard page
- Go to the 2026 Applicants page found in the Pre-Health 101 Blackboard site and complete Module 1 of the 2026 Application Module. You can find more information about the 2026 Application Module here.
- Watch the recording of the 2026 Application Meeting if you did not attend it live.
- Review all the information below, the Instructions for Completing the Portfolio, and FAQs for Current Applicants.
- Submit the 2026 Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections by January 6, 2025, 5pm ET. Even individuals who have previously submitted a Portfolio must submit a 2026 Portfolio by the stated deadline.
Applicants who successfully submit the Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections by the deadline (January 6 by 5pm ET) will receive:
- A Comprehensive Advising Appointment for the 2026 cycle (taking place in February – April 2025) and follow up appointments to review updated materials (see appointment limits)
- A Letter Packet for the 2026 cycle (medical and dental applicants only)
- Access to the Interview Preparation Series for the 2026 cycle
Please note:
Individuals who wish to qualify for an early CAA must submit a Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections by November 15, 2024 5:00pm ET (optional early deadline). A limited amount of early CAAs will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
If you have previously submitted a portfolio & hit your lifetime Comprehensive Advising Appointment limit (i.e. you are no longer eligible to schedule a CAA):
- Enroll in our Pre-Health 101 Blackboard page
- Go to the 2026 Applicants page found in the Pre-Health 101 Blackboard site and complete Module 2 of the 2026 Application Module. You can find more information about the 2026 Application Module here.
- Watch the recording of the 2026 Application Meeting if you did not attend it live.
- Review all the information below, the Instructions for Completing the Portfolio, and FAQs for Current Applicants.
- Submit the 2026 Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections by January 31, 2025 by 5pm ET to begin meeting with a pre-health advisor in February – May. Even individuals who have previously submitted a Portfolio must submit a 2026 Portfolio by the stated deadline.
Applicants who successfully submit the Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections by the deadline (January 31 by 5pm ET) will receive:
- Regular appointments to review updated materials (beginning in February; see appointment limits)
- A Letter Packet for the 2026 cycle (medical and dental applicants only)
- Access to the Interview Preparation Series for the 2026 cycle
Please note:
To begin meeting with a pre-health advisor to discuss your updated application materials in December or January, you must submit the PAR by the optional early deadline of November, 15, 2024.
To begin meeting with a pre-health advisor to discuss your updated application materials in January, you must submit the PAR by the January 6, 2025 deadline.
2025 Applicants:
If you were a 2024 applicant to health profession school and missed the 2025 portfolio deadline, please email preprof@bu.edu with your name, BU ID, and confirmation that you were a 2024 applicant to receive access to the 2025 Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections.
The Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections (PAR) will provide applicants with an excellent opportunity to thoughtfully reflect upon their accomplishments and organize much of the material required for primary (and some secondary/supplemental) applications. It will also provide pre-health advisors with important information that will help them assess individuals’ preparedness for the application process.
Before completing the Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections, you may find it useful to use our Reflection Template as a guide to help you thoughtfully convey your narrative.
Deadlines
See above for relevant deadlines.
All letters of recommendation to be included in a Letter Packet must be received by the Preprofessional Advising Office by June 10, 2025 11:59pm ET.
It is your responsibility to be sure that your completed PAR is submitted and received by the Preprofessional Advising Office on or before the stated deadlines. The deadlines for the submission of the PAR are firm!
Only individuals who have submitted an application(s) to enter health profession school in the fall of 2025 may request to waive the deadline.
Personal Data
Provide the identifying information requested in the PAR. It is critical that you inform the Preprofessional Advising Office of any changes to your contact information to ensure that you receive updated information about the application process during the spring and summer.
Academic Summary
If you have not yet taken the MCAT, DAT, GRE, or other required standardized test(s), indicate the month during which you intend to take the standardized test. Please be sure to release your scores to the Preprofessional Advising Office when you register for the exam and submit the required standardized test scores to us as soon as they become available.
Sections A - F
Individuals who are current 2025 applicants to health profession school or who have previously applied to health profession school may choose to upload ONE .pdf file of their previous verified health profession school application in lieu of submitting a .pdf file of sections (a)-(f) of the Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections. If you choose not to upload a .pdf of your previous application, then you MUST complete sections (a)-(f) of the Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections in the required format.
If you applied to multiple application services (example: AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS), please only choose ONE application to upload.
Your description and reflection for each activity must not exceed 700 characters combined.
If you’re applying to allopathic medical schools through AMCAS, please designate your 3 most meaningful experiences in your activity section. You should state “most meaningful” after listing your position title. For your 3 most meaningful experiences, in addition to the 700 characters for the experience description, you have an additional 1325 characters for your most meaningful experience remarks (i.e. you will have 2025 characters total for your three most meaningful experiences). Your description and reflection must not exceed these character limits and you may only designate 3 of your activities as “most meaningful.”
A. Honors
In chronological order (newest to oldest), list any honors you received. Include the date and the accomplishments for which you were honored. Do not include honors you received in high school.
B. Employment
Beginning with the summer before college, in chronological order (newest to oldest), list your paid employment positions (excluding clinical and research experiences). Include the dates (months and years) during which you were employed, describe your role and responsibilities within each organization, and include thoughtful reflections of your experiences.
C. School-Related Extracurricular Activities
In chronological order (newest to oldest), list your school-related extracurricular activities (clubs, projects, community service, positions in student government, student organizations, committees, etc.). Describe your role in each organization (e.g. if you list a community service program, state what you did in the program), and include thoughtful reflections of your experiences.
D. Non-School-Related Extracurricular Activities
In chronological order (newest to oldest), list your non-school-related extracurricular activities (social, fraternal, religious, community, political organization, etc.). Describe your role in each organization, and include thoughtful reflections of your experiences.
E. Clinical Experiences
In chronological order (newest to oldest), list any clinical experiences you have had in the medical, dental, veterinary, or other fields. Describe your responsibilities and accomplishments for each experience, and include thoughtful reflections of your experiences. Indicate whether these positions are paid or volunteer.
F. Research Experiences
In chronological order (newest to oldest), list any research experiences you have had. Explain the goals of the research and the responsibilities assigned to you. Indicate whether these positions are paid or volunteer, and include thoughtful reflections of your experiences.
Institutional Action
As part of the application process to health profession schools, you are required to report any institutional action resulting from unacceptable academic performance or conduct violations. For example, the AMCAS application has previously asked, “Were you ever the recipient of any institutional action by any college or medical school for unacceptable academic performance or conduct violation, even though such action may not have interrupted your enrollment or required you to withdraw?” And it further states, “You must answer ‘Yes’ even if the action does not appear on or has been deleted or expunged from your official transcripts due to institutional policy or personal petition.”
If you were the recipient of any institutional action by Boston University for a conduct violation, you must submit a sanction letter from the Office of Judicial Affairs to the Preprofessional Advising Office. Allow sufficient time (2-3 weeks) to receive the letter, so you can upload it to your Portfolio. To submit a request for a sanction letter, complete a Judicial Affairs Records Release Form and a copy of a photo ID to Judicial Affairs judws@bu.edu. If you do not receive the letter in time to upload it, you may submit the letter directly to the Preprofessional Advising Office.
If you were the recipient of any institutional action by Boston University for a violation of the Academic Conduct Code or unacceptable academic performance leading to a grade penalty, probation, suspension, or expulsion, you must submit documentation from the appropriate school/college to the Preprofessional Advising Office. Allow sufficient time (2-3 weeks) to receive the letter, so you can upload it to your Portfolio. If you took courses or attended another college/university other than Boston University and were the recipient of any institutional action by said institution (e.g. any conduct violation or academic misconduct), you must submit documentation from the appropriate college/university to the Preprofessional Advising Office. Allow sufficient time (2-3 weeks) to receive the documentation so you can upload it to your Portfolio.
If you do not have anything to report in this section, you must indicate “Not Applicable.”
Individuals who schedule appointments with advisors to discuss their application materials should be prepared to discuss these types of violations during their appointment(s). It is in your best interest to meet with a pre-health advisor to discuss any institutional actions you may have incurred, even if you consider them to be minor violations.
Felonies and Misdemeanors
Please disclose and explain any felonies or misdemeanors that may appear on your record.
If you do not have anything to report in this section, you must indicate “Not Applicable.”
Individuals who schedule a CAA should be prepared to discuss these types of violations during their CAA. If you are not eligible for a CAA for any reason, In addition, we strongly encourage you to meet with a pre-health advisor to discuss any institutional actions you may have incurred, even if you consider them to be minor violations.
Personal Statement
Submit a personal statement no greater than the allotted number of characters (characters include spaces and punctuation).
Dental Minimum 4000; Maximum 4500
Medical Minimum 4800; Maximum 5300
Optometry Minimum 4000; Maximum 4500
Physician Assistant Minimum 4500; Maximum 5000
Podiatry Minimum 4500; Maximum 5000
Veterinary Minimum 2500; Maximum 3000
Other Minimum 2500; Maximum 5300
If you previously submitted a portfolio and/or applied to health profession school and chose to upload a copy of a previously verified health profession school application, you still must submit an UPDATED version of your personal statement. You may use the prompts in the Portfolio as a guide.
Please be aware that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a federal law, requires that the Preprofessional Advising Office report to the University’s Title IX Coordinator any form of sexual misconduct that advisors learn about through discussion with or from written material provided by students who have been targets of sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct includes, but is not limited to, incidents of rape, sexual assault, coercion, harassment, domestic and dating violence, and stalking.
Additional Information
Academic Information: Provide an explanation of any significant fluctuations in your academic record.
Breaks in Education: Other than vacation breaks, has your education been continuous (e.g. have you taken a leave of absence, gap year, etc.)? If it has not been continuous, please describe what you have done during your time away from school.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you?
Other Impactful Experiences: This question is only visible to applicants applying to allopathic medical schools.
Each question may be no greater than 1,000 characters (including spaces and punctuation).
Transcripts
Upload transcripts from Boston University and all other institutions at which you have taken college courses (even if the credits have been transferred to Boston University or the courses were taken as part of a high school program). You do not need to submit official copies of your transcripts but we recommend you order an official copy for yourself that you will use when entering your coursework into the central application service(s). If you must order official transcripts via postal mail, allow sufficient time (3-5 weeks) to receive the transcripts and to upload them to your Portfolio.
Science GPA Calculator
Download and follow the instructions for our GPA calculator. Complete the GPA calculator for the appropriate central application service(s) and then upload your GPA calculator excel spreadsheet to your Portfolio.
Letters of Recommendation
In order to qualify for a Letter Packet, applicants must submit their completed Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections.
If this is your first time submitting a Portfolio or;
If you previously submitted a Portfolio but you have not hit your lifetime Comprehensive Advising Appointment (CAA) limit
To qualify for a Letter Packet, submit the 2026 Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections by January 6, 2025, 5pm ET. Even individuals who have previously submitted a Portfolio must submit a 2026 Portfolio by the stated deadline.
All letters of recommendation to be included in a Letter Packet must be received by June 10, 2025 11:59pm ET.
You may find more information on selecting individuals to write your letters of recommendation here.
If you have previously submitted a Portfolio & hit your lifetime Comprehensive Advising Appointment limit (i.e. you are no longer eligible to schedule a CAA)
To qualify for a Letter Packet, submit the 2026 Portfolio of Accomplishments and Reflections by January 31, 2025 by 5pm ET. Even individuals who have previously submitted a Portfolio must submit a 2026 Portfolio by the stated deadline.
All letters of recommendation to be included in a Letter Packet must be received by June 10, 2025 11:59pm ET.
You may find more information on selecting individuals to write your letters of recommendation here.
Signature
The PAR must be signed electronically before submitting it to the Preprofessional Advising Office.