Application for Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences
Two applications are required for admission to the Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences: one for VCU Undergraduate Admissions and one for the Honors College Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences. Both of these applications are available online. Completed Guaranteed Admission applications and VCU Common Applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 1, 2024 and official transcripts must be received by November 1, 2024. Reference letters must be uploaded by the reference writer to your Guaranteed Admission application by 11:59 p.m. EST on November 1, 2024. Reference writers will be prompted via email with instructions for uploading their letters to your application once you have submitted your Guaranteed Admission Program application online. We will be unable to consider your application if any components are received after this deadline.
The Guaranteed Admission Program application is also your application for the Honors College. Applicants will only be considered for Guaranteed Admission if they are first accepted to the Honors College. Do not complete both an Honors College application and a Guaranteed Admission application.
It is important that you follow directions carefully and make sure that our office and the Undergraduate Admissions Office receive all pertinent materials on time. The Honors College will not contact candidates to confirm a completed application, so you are responsible for checking to ensure your file is complete.
To be eligible to apply for the Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences, you must have a minimum of a 1330 combined SAT score from critical reading and mathematics from one test administration on your SAT or a 29 ACT composite score. In addition, applicants must have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent.
All applicants should be aware that acceptance decisions are not made on the basis of academic performance alone. The Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences has many more qualified applicants than it can possibly accept and the stated academic criteria of GPA and SAT scores merely indicate the baseline each applicant must attain for consideration for the program.
The same noncognitive qualities used in health science professional program acceptance are taken into consideration for the Honors College Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences. These include, but are not limited to, interpersonal skills, maturity, personal motivation, written and oral communication skills, letters of recommendation, evidence of commitment to health care, experience in related healthcare fields, compassion, and level of community service.
The Selection Committee convenes in late January to review complete applications and all applicants are notified later that month by email whether they’ve been invited for interviews.
Admission decisions are made based on a ranking of all potential students utilizing each committee member’s assessment of the criteria. Since many factors are considered for acceptance, occasionally individuals with lower GPAs or SAT scores are ranked for an admission offer ahead of individuals with higher GPAs or SAT scores.
The Honors College considers your application an important part of the selection process. Once you have completed the application online, proofread it carefully before submitting. Do not provide the requested information in any format other than that of the application itself. The application can be saved before submission, allowing you to work on the application over several sittings. The following information is helpful as you prepare to begin your application:
- The Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences application is due November 1, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. EST. Reference letters must also be uploaded by this time. We therefore encourage you to submit early in order to provide ample time for reference writers to upload their letters to the application.
- Once the application has been submitted, it cannot be modified or retrieved. After your application has been submitted, you will be directed to a confirmation page, indicating that your submission has been received. A confirmation email will also be sent to the email provided in your application.
- You may track the status of your supporting documents by logging into our status page. Please refer to your email confirmation for instructions on how to visit the status page. The Honors College will retrieve your test scores as well as your official high school transcript from your VCU Common Application sent into the Office of Admissions. You do not need to send separate copies to the Honors College.
- SAT scores of at least 1330 (critical reading and math; all in one sitting) or a 29 ACT composite score must be received by the November 1 deadline. November SAT or ACT scores of the year of application will not be considered. The SAT code for VCU is 5570, and the ACT code for VCU is 4379. Please note: Submission of test scores remains a requirement for all Guaranteed Admission Programs.
- The Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences application opens in early August.
- A completed application must include a minimum of two, and a maximum of four, letters of recommendation. We suggest that one of these letters come from your school counselor and, if you have volunteer and/or paid work in a healthcare environment, one from your supervisor. These letters should include, but are not limited to, statements about your ability as a student, potential as a health professional, and extracurricular activities in your school and community.You must include your reference writers’ email addresses and names on your application. They will be prompted via email to compose a letter and will be given information on how to upload it into your Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences application. The Honors College will not retrieve reference letters sent in with the VCU Common Application. Only letters submitted through the Honors College online submission system will be included with your Guaranteed Admission Program application.
- There are two short essays on the application. Each essay is limited to 250 words.
- Comment on your motivation for, and interest in, Medical Laboratory Sciences
- Discuss one thing about you that is unique, and that has not been addressed anywhere else in this application.
- The application will also collect additional information such as previous healthcare experiences, extracurricular activities, community service activities, leadership roles and any paid employment.
- The Honors College will only accept one application per Guaranteed Admission for Medical Laboratory Sciences candidate. If you submit an incomplete application, it will not be considered. The application cannot be altered once submitted. If you have questions or concerns about this, please contact the Honors College at honors@vcu.edu.
- Guaranteed admission candidates must also complete the VCU Common Application and submit supporting documents by November 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EST. For more information on the VCU Common Application, please visit the VCU Office of Admissions.
Applications must be submitted and official transcripts received by November 1, 2024. Letters of reference must be uploaded by the reference writer to your Guaranteed Admission Program for Medical Laboratory Sciences application by November 1, 2024. There are no exceptions to this deadline. It is your responsibility to make certain that materials are received by the stated deadline date. Be sure to apply early and check your Honors College application status page in advance of the deadline to make sure all required information is in your file.
Any questions about the process or the status of your Honors College Guaranteed Admission Program application should be directed to the Honors College at (804) 828-1803 or honors@vcu.edu. Contact the VCU Office of Admissions with questions about your VCU undergraduate application.