Navigation

Home

Health Profession Advising

Four Year Plan for Success

Freshman Year

  • Meet with your academic advisor before registration for each quarter. This could be your faculty advisor or one of the advisors in the CSM Advising Center.
  • Join a campus organization in an area of interest through the Cal Poly Clubs website.
  • Validate your major choice by reviewing the Career Exploration area of the Career Services website and their page on Career Planning Links.
  • Attend a Resume/Cover Letter Workshop given by Career Services.
  • Begin to work on your resume.
  • If interested in Study Abroad, plan to attend the Winter Quarter Study Abroad Fair or visit the Study Abroad Office in Building 38 for more information. Study Abroad website
  • Research and apply for a summer job or internship. Internship deadlines are usually in February and March, so start thinking about this early in winter quarter.

Sophmore Year

  • Meet with your academic advisor every quarter.
  • In fall quarter, plan your coursework for the coming year.
  • Meet with your career counselor to further define your goals.
  • Join a campus organization related to your major or your career goals, College of Science and Mathematics Student Organizations
  • Update your resume.
  • If you are interested in a career in research, become involved in a research experience in your major. Check with your department office to find out about opportunities.
  • If you are interested in a health profession, start gaining experience in your chosen field. Check out the Health Professions website.
  • Participate in a volunteer/community activity with Student Community Services.

Junior Year, Winter Quarter

  • Fulfill the Graduation Writing Requirement.
  • See Health Professions Advisor for health profession advising.
  • Begin soliciting letters of recommendation if interested in a health profession.
  • Apply for a summer job/internship/research fellowship or Co-op.
  • Meet with academic advisor to review six quarter plan to graduation.
  • If applicable, prepare (study) for health profession entrance exams.

Junior Year, Spring Quarter

  • Discuss graduate/professional school and career options with academic advisor/career counselor.
  • Begin working on personal statement if applying to professional school.
  • Find out requirements for senior project from your department and begin talking to faculty about possible projects.
  • Apply for a graduation evaluation four quarters before your expected graduation date (depending on major, may require the completion of concentration or restricted electives forms to include with request).
  • Schedule professional school entrance exams.
  • Take health profession entrance exams.

Junior Year, Summer Quarter

  • Participate in summer job / internship / research experience.
  • If career goal is health profession school, finalize application.
  • If interested in graduate school, begin researching possible schools to apply to.

Senior Year, Fall Quarter

  • Review graduation evaluation with an academic advisor and plan out remaining classes and requirements.
  • If interested in graduate school, take the Graduate Record Exam.
  • Here are some GRE on-line guides that might help you prepare for the exam.
  • Begin senior project.
  • If applying to graduate school, solicit letters of recommendation.
  • Apply to graduate school.
  • Health profession students, if you haven't already, schedule a mock interview with the Health Professions Committee (call 756-2615 for information).
  • Begin interviewing process for health profession schools.

Senior Year, Winter Quarter

  • Continue working on senior project.
  • Check with academic advisor during registration period for spring to insure all requirements for graduation are accounted for.
  • Update resume and cover letter.
  • Research employers, salaries and hiring trends for your major through Career Services.
  • Complete applications for graduate school if applicable.
  • Submit your resume to Mustang Jobs. Login to Mustang Jobs through the Cal Poly Portal.
  • Health professions students, continue interview process.
  • Prospective graduate students, schedule mock interview with Career Services counselor.

Senior Year, Spring Quarter, Graduation

  • Complete senior project and turn in to faculty advisor early enough to allow him/her to read the final paper before the end of the quarter.
  • Interview for appropriate jobs.
  • Check with academic advisor to insure that all paperwork is submitted for substitutions, etc.
  • Visit grad center at El Corral to prepare for graduation ceremony.

Summer Quarter, After Graduation

Remember: The graduation ceremony is just that -- a ceremony. You do not officially graduate until you have completed all requirements. After grades have been posted for spring quarter, you will receive notification from the University if you are missing some requirement to complete your degree. Once you have completed everything and your degree has been awarded, you have 60 days to contest any grades or mistakes on your transcript.