Application and Admissions Procedures

Application Procedures

The following information is for all applicants to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree program.

1. Prospective students are encouraged to submit an application online clicking www.palmer.edu/apply. Submit the application to the Office Admissions/ Enrollment, along with a non-refundable application fee of $100. Checks should be made payable to Palmer College of Chiropractic. Although not required, we recommend that interested students should apply at least one year in advance. Upon receipt, an Admissions Counselor will contact the applicant to discuss term availability and application process.
2. Applicants are encouraged to submit their application in a timely manner. All applicants must review the Key Points Documentation prior to submitting an application. Applications are reviewed on an individual basis. Timely applications will assist us with meeting the preferred term request. Availability of space in upcoming terms may be limited. An official offer of acceptance is a written letter sent directly from the Office of Admissions/Enrollment to the applicant.
3. All official college and university transcripts must be sent directly by the institution to:
   Palmer College of Chiropractic Office of Admissions/Enrollment
   1000 Brady Street Davenport, Iowa, IA 52803
   Email: admissions@palmer.edu
   Fax: (563) 884-5414

   Applicants still attending other colleges should have official transcripts forwarded as soon as they are available. Pre-professional credits must be earned at institutions accredited at the college level by an agency that has been nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, which provides a complete list of National Accrediting Agencies at: https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg3.html#RegionalInstitutional

4. A typewritten essay, no longer than two pages but no less than one page, covering the development of the applicant’s interest in chiropractic, career goals and reason for choosing Palmer College is required.
5. An interview is required. Interviews are often held in conjunction with the campus visit program or may be conducted via phone or video conference.
6. All applicants must consent to a criminal background check during the admissions process. The cost of obtaining such information is included in the application fee.

   The existence of a conviction does not necessarily mean that an applicant will be denied admission to the College and/or its clinical programs. Each case will be evaluated on its facts. Further, at the student’s expense, the College may require additional criminal background checks as a condition of continued enrollment.

   Any applicant who matriculates into the program has a continuing duty to notify the College if the applicant is convicted of, pleads guilty or no contest to, or forfeits bail for any criminal conduct excluding any minor traffic violations.

7. A nonrefundable $200 tuition deposit is required in order to be officially admitted. The deposit is applied in full toward the first term’s tuition. The balance of the first academic term tuition is due on the tenth day of class. (See Academic Calendar section.)
8. Letters of recommendation (either from a doctor of chiropractic and/or a college faculty) are beneficial, but not required. If submitted, letters of recommendation should be on letterhead.

Note: If a prospective student has not filed an official application, the Office of Admissions/Enrollment will hold the application documents in an active file for 60 days.

If a prospective student has filed an official application but does not matriculate at the College in the academic term requested, and the Office of Admissions/Enrollment is unable to make contact, the applicant’s file will be withdrawn. The applicant has up to one year from the date of withdrawal to reactivate the file. After one year, the applicant must reapply.

Applicants at their discretion are allowed to defer up to one year if space permits. The applicant must notify the Office of Enrollment/Admissions in writing of such deferral.

Applicants wishing to defer may be required to speak with the Campus Enrollment Director prior to being approved.

Admission Procedures

After the application for admission to the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree Program has been received by the Office of Admissions/Enrollment, the applicants will be contacted by his or her assigned Admissions Representative.

Normal processing time for the evaluation of all undergraduate transcripts is two weeks following the date received by the Office of Admissions/Enrollment. However, this process may be longer during high-volume periods, which normally occur one month before a new term begins. This includes terms beginning on both campuses. It is strongly suggested that prospective students apply one year before their anticipated entry term and submit the required documentation as early as possible to avoid experiencing any detrimental processing delays.

Acceptable Levels

Upon receipt and review of official credentials and required documentation, applicants may be accepted as follows:

1. Early acceptance*
2. Official acceptance
3. Admit status

Alternative Admissions Track Plan (AATP) students may be required to go to review prior to receiving official acceptance.

*Early Acceptance may be awarded under specific guidelines. Contact your Admissions Representative for further information. However, admit status cannot be granted until the applicant has completed all requirements for admission.

Please note: No student will be allowed to matriculate into the D.C. program without having achieved admit status.