If you are looking for medical school acceptance rates, you've come to the right place. Whether you are applying to DO vs MD programs or looking for the easiest medical schools to get into, you need to know what you are up against before you start working on your medical school applications. Scroll down to see each school's overall acceptance rates, in-state acceptance rate, out-of-state acceptance rate, average accepted GPA, as well as average accepted MCAT scores.


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List of Medical School Acceptance Rates FAQs

Medical School Acceptance Rates

FAQs

1. What are the key factors medical schools consider in the application process?

Medical schools typically consider a combination of your GPA, MCAT scores, medical school personal statement, letters of recommendation for medical school, clinical experience, and extracurricular activities. Each component plays a critical role in demonstrating your suitability for a career in medicine.

“MCAT and GPA are important as screening tools. They won’t be the end all for you to get in or be rejected from a school, but they are often that first look … However, the other pieces of your application are what differentiate you from a crowd and will ultimately be why a school chooses to accept you.” - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine

2. How important is the MCAT in the application process?

The MCAT is a crucial component as it assesses your problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science concepts. A strong MCAT score can significantly enhance your application, especially at more competitive schools.

“The first [MCAT] was a 497 so not too hot but then when I took it [again] I took some time off and I studied for a longer time; I was able to jump 13 points to a 510 … I had [my score] about two to three weeks prior to sending in applications, which impacted my school list a bit.” – Kannan, BeMo student, current student at the Western University of Health Sciences

 

“I initially felt overwhelmed by the complexity of MCAT concepts. Dr. Henry's exceptional ability to use visual aids played a crucial role in simplifying intricate topics. He meticulously broke down complex ideas into manageable components, facilitating a clearer understanding. What sets him apart is his unwavering patience and willingness to revisit basic concepts without judgment. Dr. Henry's tutoring sessions have been transformative for me; within just one week, my MCAT score in the tutored section increased by a remarkable 4 points.” – Sunny, BeMo student.

3. Can I apply to medical school with a lower GPA?

Yes, you can still apply, but it's important to compensate with a strong MCAT score, excellent letters of recommendation, and substantial clinical hours for medical school. Some schools also value an upward trend in your GPA and post-baccalaureate programs or graduate coursework.

“I read online about how important the personal statement and the working activities and also like writing the secondaries for; making sure they're really polished and so that's when I decided to get like some professional help … because at a certain point, stats, you know they can get you so far but making sure you can present yourself a certain way ultimately helps you land the interview … I also had more than 150 clinical hours and over 100 non-clinical volunteer hours like through my freshman year and my beginning of my sophomore year of college so that also helped quite a bit.” – Kannan, BeMo student, current student at the Western University of Health Sciences

4. How many medical schools should I apply to?

A good number of schools to apply to is around 15-20. Applying to too few schools can lead to not receiving interviews, while applying to too many can make it very difficult to complete secondary applications in a timely and effective manner.

“MSAR was a great resource as I built a list. I utilized the GPA and MCAT ranges to make sure my statistics were within the 25th-75th percentiles. I also noted the number of volunteer, work, and research experiences that accepted applicants had and focused on schools that had averages that matched my numbers.” - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine

5. There are quite a few schools where my GPA and MCAT score are below the median. Should I apply anyway?

Out of the 15-20 schools you apply to, perhaps 3-4 can be “reach” schools. These are schools that you really wish to attend but their GPA or MCAT score averages are slightly out of your reach. However, you should still choose these schools carefully and be close to the medians, as applying to schools you are not a good fit for will not end up favorably for you.

“I used MSAR, which is what has the stats for every med school, so I used that to kind of classify schools into reaches, about mid-tier and also lower-tier … And also I applied to about five or six DO schools … the [reach schools] would be like anything like 516-515 median [MCAT] so UCLA, UCI and whatnot and then the ones that were more targets [for me] were closer to the 511-512 or anything around that I would apply.”- Kannan, BeMo student, current student at the Western University of Health Sciences

6. If a school has a high acceptance rate, does it mean it’s not as good?

No, it does not. All MD and DO schools in the US are accredited and meet a very high standard of educating future physicians. You will receive a great education no matter which medical school you attend. You must also keep in mind that for future residency matching, what matters most is what you do during medical school and not the competitiveness of the school you attend.

7. What are acceptance rates like for joint MD degree programs?

If your plan is to apply to BS/MD programsMD-PhDMD-MPHMD-MBA or another combined MD program, be aware that not every medical school offers these types of joint degrees. Acceptance rates for these programs tend to be just as competitive, if not more so, than MD and DO programs. The admissions statistics and application requirements may be different from the MD program offered by the same institution, so evaluate any joint degree programs separately.

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

Disclaimer: although we have made every effort to provide the most accurate information, admissions information changes frequently. Therefore, we encourage you to verify these details with the official university admissions office. You are responsible for your own results. BeMo does not endorse nor affiliate with any official universities, colleges, or test administrators and vice versa. If you see an error here, please notify us with the updated information, and we’ll send you a FREE copy of a BeMo ebook of your choosing! You can receive our Ultimate Guide to Med School Admissions, our Ultimate Guide to MMI Prep, our Ultimate Guide to Medical School Personal Statements & Secondary Essays or our Ultimate Guide to CASPer Prep! Please email us at [email protected] with any corrections, and we’ll arrange to send you your free ebook upon confirming the information.


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4 Comments

Bert Ching

Hi there. A semantic correction I believe is warranted to your % acceptance rates. What you may be showing is the % of applicants that matriculated, which is different than the % of applicants that were accepted (as schools admit many more than the # that matriculate)

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BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Bert! Thanks so much for your comment! Great insight! You are right that many schools offer acceptances to a bigger number of students than the class size because some do not accept their offers. However, we calculate acceptance rates based on available spots, i.e., we divide available spots by the number of applicants. Plus, most schools do not divulge how many offers they make, only how many applicants matriculate.

BeMo Academic Consulting

Bert Ching, you are the winner of our weekly draw. Please email us by the end of the day tomorrow (May 15th) at content[at]bemoacademicconsulting.com from the same email address you used to leave your comment to claim your prize!

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Steven Hull

This is a helpful post. Thanks for sharing!

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BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello Steven! Thanks for your comment. Glad you found this helpful!

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Victor Chen

My father is a doctor. Does it count if I do clinical research with him and get a publication with him? Will it backfire on me?

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BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello Victor! Thanks for your question. While you should not pass on these opportunities, make sure to work with other physicians and publish other research. This way, you will demonstrate that you accomplished these requirements not only under the guidance of your father but also independently.

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Aidan Hernacki

What is success rate exactly?

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BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Aidan! Thanks for your question. Success rate is the percentage of students who get accepted out of the students who apply to medical school.

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