Sarah Lawrence College

Student Handbook

Preparation for Graduate Study

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The process of preparing a path to graduate school can begin as early as a student’s first year on campus. The critical thinking, independent primary research, experiential learning, and analytical skills at the heart of the Sarah Lawrence education are essential ingredients to one’s success as a graduate student. Still, because graduate school course requirements range from none to several specific prerequisites, it is important to know graduate program requirements. Students who begin exploring program options early in their college careers are in a better position to make informed course selections that provide the necessary foundation to become a competitive graduate school applicant. Students should seek the guidance of their dons, who can serve as an important resource for how best to research and approach their applications.

Sarah Lawrence College provides three preprofessional advising programs for continued study in education, health, and law to support students in their professional development.

The Office of Career Services can also assist with the application process through individual counseling and workshops.

Five-Year Programs

Undergraduate students can begin graduate work during their senior year and earn their master’s degree in their fifth year through four of Sarah Lawrence College’s unique graduate programs: The Art of Teaching (BA/MSEd), Child Development (BA/MA), Dance/Movement Therapy (BA/MS), and Health Advocacy (BA/MA). The Art of Teaching master’s program prepares students for the three exams necessary for New York State certification in Early Childhood/Childhood Education, providing them with the flexibility to work in preschools, elementary schools, and middle schools. The Dance/Movement Therapy master’s program prepares students to take the New York State licensing exam for creative arts therapists and to receive the R-DMT credential from the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) upon graduation.

Students apply in the early spring of their junior year, no later than March 1. Students studying abroad during their junior year are encouraged to apply early.

Students interested in applying to one of the five-year programs should attend a Five-Year Programs Info Session and speak with the program director before applying. Students’ applications will be reviewed by both the graduate program and by the Dean of Studies Office. Students should plan to complete at least 90 undergraduate credits before entering their senior year and the five-year program.

For more information, please contact the Graduate Studies Office at 914.395.2373 or at gradadministration@sarahlawrence.edu.

Prehealth Program

p>The Prehealth Program in the Dean of Studies Office strives to guide and support students each step of the way as they explore and pursue a career in the health professions. Through individual advising, group advising sessions, workshops, and programming, the Prehealth Program provides students with a rich array of academic and advising information and resources. The goal is for students to feel connected, integrated, and supported by our pre-health community of students, faculty, and staff.

The Prehealth Program partners with faculty and many campus offices to offer prehealth students academic guidance, and connect our students with clinical, research, and community opportunities. In addition, the program helps prepare students and alumni for application to health professional programs. Students and alumni have significant contact with the prehealth adviser to receive guidance and feedback.

To meet the course requisites for the majority of health professional schools in the United States, students supplement required courses in biology, chemistry, and physics with additional courses offered by the division, as well as courses in social sciences and the humanities. This coursework will also prepare students to successfully complete the standardized entrance exams (e.g., MCAT, DAT) required by medical and dental schools. In addition, conference work provides students with opportunities to develop original research projects, pursue independent learning, and critically examine professional literature—skills fundamental to future success in health professional programs.

The majority of medical and dental programs in the United States require/recommend applicants to successfully complete the following courses:

  • Two semesters of general chemistry with labs
  • Two semesters of organic chemistry with labs
  • One semester of biochemistry
  • Two semesters of general biology with labs
  • One to two semesters of upper-level biology (strongly recommended)
  • Two semesters of physics with labs
  • Two semesters of writing and/or English (may be satisfied by your First-Year Seminar, may use AP/IB credits)
  • One to two semesters of calculus and/or statistics (may use AP/IB credits)
  • One to two courses in social or behavioral sciences (strongly recommended)
  • One to two semesters of SLC EmbeddED (strongly recommended)

For students interested in pursuing veterinary medicine, physician assistant, nursing, or other allied health programs (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.), please consult with the Prehealth Program and the individual programs’ admissions websites as prerequisites may vary.

More information about academic preparation as well as all other aspects of the Prehealth Program can be found on the Prehealth Program MySLC site: https://my.slc.edu/ICS/Campus_Life/Departments/Dean_of_Studies/Pre-Health_Program/.

Programming

Each year, the Prehealth Program offers an array of workshops and programs to guide and support prehealth students and alumni. In August, the Prehealth Program hosts an orientation session for all incoming students. Each registration period, the program runs a Registration Support Process required for all prehealth students in an effort to support their registration for the science and math prerequisite courses. Each spring, we host our annual alumni event in partnership with the Office of Alumni Relations and Student Prehealth Alliance group. Throughout the year, students and alumni can partake in several workshops and programs geared toward exploring the health professions and preparing for their application to health professional programs.

Application to Health Professional Programs

Sarah Lawrence students and alumni will receive individualized guidance and support when applying to health professional programs. In addition, applicants to medical and dental schools are eligible to receive the College’s Committee Letter of Evaluation. This institutional letter is composed by our College’s Prehealth Advisory Committee, comprised of our science faculty and administrative deans, and serves to holistically assess an applicant’s level of preparedness and fit for entry into their desired health professional program. Our Committee Letter of Evaluation is highly valued by health professional schools’ admissions committees.

Applicants wishing to receive a Committee Letter of Evaluation must declare their intent to apply in the fall semester prior to the summer in which they plan to apply to medical or dental programs (for example, applicants wishing to apply to medical school in the summer of 2025 to matriculate in 2026 must inform the prehealth dean of their intent to apply in fall 2024). For more information, please contact the Prehealth Program at prehealthprogram@sarahlawrence.edu.

Join Our Program

Students wishing to join the Prehealth Program should visit the program’s website and complete the steps outlined in the Getting Started & Staying Connected checklist at https://my.slc.edu/ICS/Campus_Life/Departments/Dean_of_Studies/Pre-Health_Program/. This will also connect students with our program’s resources, including our weekly program newsletter. Students can email any questions to prehealthprogram@sarahlawrence.edu.

The Student Prehealth Alliance of SLC

The Prehealth Alliance, our College’s prehealth student organization, serves to promote a community for prehealth students to engage with one another. The Alliance is governed by a student board to encourage leadership and teamwork. The Alliance meets biweekly and engages in a variety of activities, such as study groups and workshops. In addition, they cosponsor an annual alumni program in the spring, open to the entire Sarah Lawrence community. The Alliance board members also serve as an advisory board to the Prehealth Program, advised by Dean Melinda Perlo Cohen. The advisory board ensures strong lines of communication between student leadership and the administration to meet the interests and needs of the student community. If you are interested in joining the Prehealth Alliance, please contact prehealthcommunity@gm.slc.edu.

Contact Information:

Dean Melinda Perlo Cohen, Prehealth Program Director Email: mcohen@sarahlawrence.edu Direct Phone: 914.323.6005 Office Location: Bates 320

Prelaw Program

This program offers a variety of panels to provide insight into the work of lawyers and the demands of a legal career, legal education, and anticipating law school. It offers individual advising and access to group meetings with programming that focuses on the law school admission process and the field of law in general. The prelaw advisers provide a full range of information and advising to help you launch your legal career: course selection, resume building, LSAT prep, and assistance in helping you explore your interest in a legal career.

Call or email to make an appointment with either of our prelaw advisers:

Angela Cherubini Director of Career Services 914.395.2566 acherubini@sarahlawrence.edu

Mark Shulman History Faculty Member 917.400.1879 mshulman@sarahlawrence.edu