The Elements of Competitive & Compelling

When you ask most people what makes a competitive applicant, they usually say high GPA or exam scores are most essential. And while strong academic performance is certainly important, becoming a competitive and compelling applicant takes more than that. The health professions schools' and careers in health care fields have expectations made up from several competency areas.

Pre-Health students are continuously cultivating these competencies, whether they are in the classroom, volunteering in the community, getting involved on campus, or engaging with professionals in their chosen fields. As the elements at the top of the table, these four main goals directly inform most Pre-Health students' approaches to preparing to apply to their desired health professions programs.

But there isn't just one way to develop each of the competencies. In fact, most experiences along Pre-Health pathways develop students' proficiencies across multiple competencies. Being Pre-Health at Texas Tech University means you are always preparing for the next step on your journey to becoming a healthcare professional. The Elements of Competitive & Compelling are just one of the many available resources as you build a competitive and compelling profile and a successful health professions program application.