Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do I need to maintain a certain GPA or get a certain grades in courses to be a Health Science major?

A. Requirements vary among the concentrations. The majors of Athletic Training, Health Services Administration and Dietetics have specific GPA requirements. You should check with the Coordinator of those programs for specific information.

Q. How do I know what courses I need to take to graduate?

A. Read your catalog under the General Education section, Degree Requirements section, Health Sciences and Concentration section, and the Pre-Professional course listings section. Look for the check list provided in the folder for your concentration.

Q. What if I failed a required course?

A. You may retake the course under the repeat-forgiveness rule. When you register for the course the second time, indicate you are taking it repeat-forgive. You are allowed two repeat-forgive opportunities at JMU. This means you will have the first grade taken out of your GPA calculations with the second grade replacing it in the GPA. The first grade will remain on the transcript. You may repeat more courses beyond the two repeat-forgiveness options but the first grade will remain in the GPA as well as the second.

Q. Can I take a course repeat-forgive at another university?

A. No, you must repeat the course at JMU. You do not have to retake the same professor if there is more than one option.

Q. Can I get transfer credit for courses taken at other universities?

A. Yes, although you must obtain permission from the Registrar’s Office prior to taking the course from another institution. There is a form to obtain permission and certain restrictions apply for General Education credits and the number of credits that you may transfer. Refer to your catalog or the Registrar’s website for further information.

Q. If I complete the listed courses under the pre-professional program listed in the catalog am I sure to get into my professional program of choice?

A. There are no guarantees; requirements for professional schools will vary. It is best to research individual schools for specific requirements that must be met.

Q. Is Health Science the best major for a career in health professions?

A. The choice of major is not a major factor for the health professions program. If you do not want to major in a science, it may be in your best interest not to do so. Select a major which you would enjoy while in college; if you are enjoying what you are studying, your grades should reflect it. The better your grades, the better the candidate.

Q. Where should I get specific information about preparing for professional programs of study?

A. Check with the IIHHS for the contact person for the professional program of interest. This person is the primary resource for information in specific professional areas.
Pre-Professional Program Information
http://www.hhs.jmu.edu/documents/prehealth_advisement.pdf
http://www.iihhs.jmu.edu/prehealth_programs.htm

Q. What do I need to do to make myself a strong candidate for professional or graduate schools?

A. Applications to the health professions programs are evaluated on the following points:
GPA. For medical school, a GPA of 3.4 or higher is generally competitive.
Standardized test scores. A 9+ on each section of the MCAT, 18+ on the DAT, 300+ on the OAT.
Knowledge of the profession. Volunteer work in the area is a must; it is their way of evaluating whether the applicant has a realistic picture of the profession.
Service commitment. Demonstration of a desire to help others is very valuable, if not mandatory.
Involvement in activities. Demonstration of commitment is important as is leadership.
(The last two can be combined by involvement in community service organizations.)

Q. How should I prepare for the standardized test?

A. There are a variety of methods to prepare for the standardized tests (MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE). The tests do vary so the answer to the question will vary considerably for each.
For the MCAT, there are several options. The student must weigh the options carefully and decide what is best for them. They may elect to take a commercial prep course, but these are very expensive ($1100 or more). They may elect to review on their own using materials available in many bookstores. They may participate in the review which is done on campus, free of charge. However, what appears to be the most important facet to the preparation is working on sample items and taking full-length practice tests. This familiarizes the student with the nature of the exam and the timing necessary. The practice test can point out to the student the areas of weakness and on what to review. One student commented: "I would emphasize to people to NOT take the .... class. I don't think they are necessary, as long as you commit yourself to spending the time studying. The same themes are covered in the $60 book as are in the much more expensive class." The student's MCAT score was over 10+ on each section. Another student who had trouble with the Verbal Reasoning section commented: "In order to prepare for the section, I took several tests, starting with what I considered to be 'easy tests and passages' and worked my way up to the difficult ones. ... Then after the test, I would do each passage again but this time slowly to see if I would have selected the same answer and why or why not. Once I became accustomed to both the question types and my timing, I tried to better my time to 8 to 9 minutes per passage. After this was achieved (which was surprisingly easy to do), I moved onto more difficult passages. I practiced skimming the passage and trying to remember important details and their location so as to limit the number of times I'd refer back to the passage. What also helped, or so I think, is that I tried to immerse myself in complex readings in English, Philosophy, Art and History in order to improve comprehension." The student's VR score increased 4 points. I believe this strongly suggests that practice items are significant factors in the preparation. Exam strategy and reading comprehension are also important. These can not be gained from a commercial test preparation course.

For the DAT and the OAT, there are relatively inexpensive software packages available from Scholarware. Student reports on the DAT package have been favorable, but nothing has been reported on the OAT package.