Pre-professional Advising Office

Pre-health Advising

Pre-health advisors are available to provide comprehensive guidance to Boston University undergraduates and alumni from our undergraduate schools and colleges who aspire to enter careers in a broad range of health-related professions including dentistry, medicine, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physician assistant, podiatry, veterinary medicine, and other fields. Advisors are available to discuss a wide range of topics so that you can make informed decisions about your future career path. We encourage you to schedule a meeting with a pre-health advisor each semester to receive ongoing feedback about the manner in which you are developing your academic and non-academic portfolios for application to health professions schools. During appointments, topics of discussion may include:

Completing the academic prerequisites of health profession schools
Taking advantage of opportunities at BU and in the city of Boston, including clinical experiences, volunteer activities, internships, research, and study abroad
Exploring summer opportunities and enrichment programs
Preparing for standardized tests
Requesting letters of recommendation
Navigating the application process

In addition to providing individualized advising, pre-health advisors coordinate an exciting schedule of events that includes general informational meetings and workshops, sessions with representatives from health profession schools, sessions with BU pre-health alumni, and a year-long series on exploring opportunities beyond the fields of medicine and dentistry. These sessions complement and reinforce information you gain through individual advising appointments and help you broaden your perspective of the health professions.

Pre-Law Advising

617-353-4867

Students considering law school and law-related careers are encouraged to engage with the resources, services, and programs available through prelaw advising. General informational meetings and programs are held each year, and individual advising appointments may be scheduled with prelaw advisors throughout the year. During individual appointments, students may receive guidance and advice on a range of topics such as curricular choices, opportunities to explore the profession, standardized test preparation, and the application process.

Boston University does not offer a specific prelaw major. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and most law schools state specifically that a prelaw curriculum is not particularly advantageous or even desirable. Students are encouraged to pursue an academic program based on their interest in the subject matter and their ability to do well. Prelaw students are also advised to develop skills that are most likely to be utilized in law school and in the practice of law, such as critical reading, research, written and oral communication, organization, and knowledge of current political and social issues. Many departments within the University offer courses related to law, legal thinking, and the legal process. These courses may be particularly helpful to students in the decision-making process. Additionally, many options available through Boston University Global Programs: Study Abroad allow students to explore their interest in law through a combination of academic coursework and an internship.

Through our range of programming and one-on-one advising, we support our students as they explore interests, prepare for the application process, navigate law school admissions, and make critical decisions about their future.