It's important to know which central applications you should be submitting and when those applications open each year. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application early in the cycle.
| Profession | Application | Opening Date |
| Veterinary | VMCAS | Opens mid-January Can be submitted mid-May |
| Physician Assistant | CASPA | Opens late April |
| Medical | AMCAS (MD medical schools) AACOMAS (DO medical schools) | Both open first week of May AMCAS can be submitted late May/early June |
| Dental | AADSAS | Opens mid-May Can be submitted on or around June 1 |
| Optometry | OptomCAS | Opens on or around July 1 |
| Podiatry | AACPMAS | Opens early August |
| Chiropractic | Apply directly to each school | Timelines vary by school |
| International | Apply directly to each school | Timelines vary by school |
Secondary or supplemental applications from individual schools are very common. These can range from just a few short answers to multiple longer essays. You can also expect to be asked to pay a secondary application fee directly to each school.
You will also need to know which exam to take, if any, for your chosen profession. Regardless of what materials you choose to use to study, you should plan to take several months to prepare for your exam, including multiple timed and fully-scored practice tests. You can submit your application without having test scores, but refer to the application timeline above when planning your exam timing.
| Profession | Exam |
| Veterinary | GRE (if any) |
| Physician Assistant | GRE or PA-CAT (if any) |
| Medical | MCAT |
| Dental | DAT |
| Optometry | OAT |
| Podiatry | MCAT |
| Chiropractic | GRE (if any) |