Basic Criteria: Are completely written; are fully developed; avoid clichés; demonstrate an interest in and understanding of health care as a human service.

Competitive Criteria: Demonstrate excellent, mature writing skills; the presence of a voice and personal writing style; critical thinking; ownership of the ideas presented; self-awareness; genuine interest in and connection to health care.

Basic Criteria: Demonstrates ability to identify local need for health care information, education or service and fill it with a self-initiated project.

Competitive Criteria: Demonstrates creative problem solving in identifying significant need to fill; proposal is well organized, practical and fills the need identified; proposed plan of action reveals sensitivity and understanding of the population to be served; reveals understanding of the self's role in working with others and seeing project through to fruition.

Basic Criteria: Strong transcript. Strong test scores.

Competitive Criteria: Overall, consistent academic strength. Student takes challenging courses and performs well.

Basic Criteria: Reveals some leadership and an above average level of energy for becoming involved in activities outside of the classroom, at least some of which are service oriented.

Competitive Criteria: Reveals leadership, a respect for service and a high level of energy; reveals a trend for participating in activities related to medicine and health care; initiative to create or seek out special activities or opportunities.

Basic Criteria: Rate candidate above average or excellent in most categories. Are generally positive.

Competitive Criteria: Rate candidate very strong, provide specific evidence of independence, initiative, ability to work with others, ability to accept and apply criticism, and strengths in areas relating to the life sciences, health care and/or human services.