Early Assurance Programs (EAP)
EAP Full list of Important Dates and Deadlines for 2026 admission - All four programs: Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MD), Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Wayne State University School of Medicine. For a quick overview of deadlines, see the chart below.
Grand Valley also has a Preferred Relationship with Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine that allows GVSU students to apply to the WMedStart Early Decision Program, which has different criteria and a slightly different admission process than the EAPs. Please carefully review the WMedStart Early Decision Program page for details and deadlines.
Students who are interested in/plan to apply for an EAP program to start medical school in 2026 are REQUIRED TO ATTEND one of the following Self-Assessment workshops:
- Thursday, November 21st from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. - Click here to register for the Nov. 21st session
- Friday, November 22nd from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. - Click here to register for the Nov. 22nd session
If you missed, or would like to watch again, the recent EAP school presentations, they are all posted at the link below!
November 2024 EAP Med School Presentations
For general questions about the Early Assurance Process, please see our Frequently Asked Questions. You are also encouraged to schedule an appointment with a premed advisor.
2024-2025 Early Assurance Program Timeline for 2026 Admission to Medical School
Timeline |
GVSU Endorsement App |
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (M.D.) |
Central Michigan University College of Medicine |
Wayne State University School of Medicine |
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EAP Application available for students to complete/submit |
12/1/2024 |
11/25/2024 |
12/01/2024 |
12/02/2024 |
Fall 2024 |
EAP Schools' Application Deadline, |
Sunday, 2/2/2025 by 11:59PM |
Friday, 1/31/2025 |
Friday, 1/31/2025 |
Tuesday, 2/4/2025 |
AACOMAS PDF copy submitted to the GVSU endorsement application by 2/2/2025 |
Medical School Interview Dates |
N/A |
Must accept interview invite by 3/7/2025 Virtual Interviews take place 3/18/2025 and 3/19/2025 |
Virtual Interviews: 04/11/2025 |
Virtual Interviews: mid-April 2025 |
Virtual Interviews: mid-March 2025 |
Medical School Last Date to take the MCAT for EAP Applicants |
N/A |
6/14/2025 |
6/14/2025 |
6/14/2025 |
6/14/2025 |
CASPer or AAMC PREview Exam Deadline |
N/A |
CASPer or PREview is required June date deadline to be determined |
Not Required |
Not Required |
Not Required |
Application Links & Information
GVSU Early Assurance Endorsement Application
Will Open December 1, 2024 for students applying to start medical school in 2026.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE Sunday, 02/02/2025 by 11:59 p.m.
The above application is required as part of the Early Assurance application process. You can start, save, and come back to the application as you work on it. Within the GVSU application, you will be required to:
- Digitally sign a waiver
- Upload a photo/headshot (optional)
- Complete a questionnaire
- Upload your Self-Assessment PDF after meeting with a pre-med advisor
- MSU COM Applicants only: Upload a copy of completed AACOMAS application (but do not submit/pay for AACOMAS) and your AACOMAS Transcript receipt (showing you submitted your transcripts)
- Request your letters of evaluation (which will be sent to the EAP schools you apply to) – a minimum of 3 are required (max of 6)
- Download the GPA Calculator (.xlsx) to input your courses, credits and grades to calculate your overall and BCPM (science/math) GPAs. Be sure to read the directions carefully! Upload the spreadsheet to the Endorsement Application.
The below links will bring you to the EAP Applications for each medical school. To be considered for admission, applicants must complete both the EAP Endorsement Application AND the application(s) of the respective program.
Central Michigan University Application
Will open 12/1/2024 for students starting medical school in 2026.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
Friday, 1/31/2025 by 11:59 p.m.
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Application
To apply:
1. Complete AACOMAS* and DO NOT submit/pay until notified to do so
2. Upload a PDF copy of AACOMAS to the GVSU Endorsement App by 2/2/2025
3. Endorsed applicants must submit/pay for AACOMAS by 2/21/2025 to remain in consideration
MSU College of Human Medicine (MD) EAP Application
Will open 12/1/2024 for students starting medical school in 2026.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
Friday, 1/31/2025 by 11:59 p.m.
More Info on MSU CHM EAP
Wayne State University Application
Will open 12/1/2024 for students starting medical school in 2026.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
Tuesday, 2/4/2025 by 11:59 p.m.
Applicants to Early Assurance Programs (EAPs) are strongly encouraged to meet with a Preprofessional advisor to discuss the process. In the meantime, here are some answers to some common EAP questions.
Early Assurance Programs Frequently Asked Questions
- Central Michigan University (CMU), Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU CHM), MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSU COM), and Wayne State University (WSU)
- GVSU also has a Preferred Relationship with Western Michigan University, which allows GVSU students to apply through the WMedStart Program. While this program is not an EAP, it follows a similar timeline.
Students may apply during their junior or senior year at GVSU.
While students may apply to multiple EAPs, students are strongly encouraged to only apply to their top choice school(s) and must be able to articulate why they feel they are a good fit at each EAP school. Once admitted, students may only accept their admission at one EAP partner medical school and the decision is binding, meaning they are ineligible to apply to other medical schools through regular admission.
Competitive applicants to the EAP programs demonstrate a breadth and depth of experiences on their applications that demonstrate the AAMC Premed Competencies. Successful candidates will have experiences that include the following (#1 and #2 are weighed most heavily for EAP):
- Clinical Experience, including experiences that allow for both direct patient interaction/care and observation of physicians (these experiences can be paid or unpaid/volunteer). Students applying to MSU COM are encouraged to shadow osteopathic physicians (D.O.).
- Community Service – particularly with underserved populations
- Leadership and teamwork experiences
- Research experience, publications, posters, awards
- Experiences fostering cultural competence – working with people different from themselves
- Work experience and/or military experience
- Teaching and/or tutoring
- The number of EAP candidates fluctuates greatly each year, but it is a significantly smaller applicant pool than the regular admission cycle. In recent years there are typically around 30 GVSU candidates for all EAP programs.
- The GVSU Endorsement Committee endorses up to 10-12 applicants each year for each EAP school.
- For CMU, MSU CHM and MSU COM, the answer is no. Only current undergraduate GVSU students are eligible for the EAPs; post-baccalaureate and graduate students are ineligible.
- For Wayne State, students must either be currently enrolled or have graduated from GVSU within the past 6 months.
No. Applicants are ineligible for the Early Assurance Programs if they have applied through AMCAS and/or AACOMAS in the general cycle.
- GPAs for EAP applicants to the MD programs are calculated the same way the AMCAS GPA is calculated. Both a cumulative GPA and a BCPM (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math) GPA are calculated. The BCPM classes are determined based on the AMCAS Course Classification Guide.
- GPAs for EAP applicants to MSU COM are calculated the same way the AACOMAS GPA is calculated. Both a cumulative GPA and a BCP Science GPA are calculated. The BCP classes are determined based on the AACOMAS Course Subjects Guide.
- Applicants are encouraged to use this GPA calculator.
- EAP applicants who have previously taken the MCAT and scored below the minimum requirement are strongly encouraged to retake the MCAT, ideally prior to the January/February application deadline so the retake can be considered in endorsement decisions.
- At the very latest, the MCAT must be retaken by the stated EAP deadlines.
The only EAP school that requires one of these exams is MSU College of Human Medicine. You will need to take either the CASPer exam or the AAMC PREview by the designated deadline if you are applying to MSU CHM. You do not need to take both of these tests.
- CASPer is a situational judgement test and is taken online on a
specified date. It involves written responses to video and written
scenarios. To register and for more information, go to the CASPer website.
- When registering for CASPer, you will be asked for an AAMC ID if you are applying to MSU CHM. You can obtain an AAMC ID at www.aamc.org, click on “SIGN IN” in the upper-right, and then select the option to CREATE ACCOUNT if you haven't done so already - if you have registered for the MCAT, you should already have an AAMC account.
- AAMC PREview is a professional readiness exam and is in multiple choice format. To register and for more info, go to the AAMC PREview website.
- Letters of recommendation are requested through the EAP Endorsement
Application. These letters are downloaded and sent to the EAP
medical schools you have applied to by the CLAS Academic Advising
Center. You may request 3-5 letters. Typically, students should ask:
- 1-2 science professor(s) who have taught the student in class
- 1 non-science professor
- A practicing clinician whom you have worked with in a clinical setting
- It’s important to check the individual schools’ letter requirements.
- You will need to give the CLAS Academic Advising Center permission (within the EAP Endorsement Application) and we will send your unofficial GVSU transcripts to the EAP schools.
- If you are applying to MSU COM - you must send your official GVSU transcript to the AACOMAS application prior to the 2/2/2025 deadline. Please carefully review how to send your official transcripts to AACOMAS for instructions.
- The best way to determine if your high school(s) was considered a low-income school district is to look it up in the TCLI Directory. You can also call your high school(s) main office to ask them.
- To determine if you are from a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), you can look up your State and County in the HPSA Find database.
- Here are some examples of an underserved or disadvantaged
background:
- Qualifies for need-based scholarships or grants (i.e. Pell Grant)
- First generation college student (i.e. first in their family to earn a bachelor’s degree)
- Needing to work while in college (vs. choosing to work while in college)
- Significant physical or other health-related challenges during college
- Quality of K-12 education
- Other family stressors/difficulties (i.e. single parent household, English not spoken in the home, applicant caring for one’s own parent(s), applicant being responsible for a dependent(s))
Family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, and OB/GYN are considered high need medical specialties for the EAP programs.