The medical centers with the highest average MCAT scores tend to be the ones at the top of the rankings. The schools in this range are all fantastic and you have no reason to go anywhere else if you are accepted by one.
College students set their sights on med school in an effort to become physicians. These students will need a good score on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in order to get into a top medical school. But what exactly is a good MCAT score? Are your scores good enough? Are you a competitive applicant?
We often come across false information on the internet when looking for the right one. Not to worry though, as the article below brings you the right information on what’s considered a good mcat score. It is possible for you to find more information about what is considered a good mcat score, by knowing the mcat percentiles and how md programs calculate mcat scores on collegelearners. Read on to discover the latest information on lowest mcat score accepted into med school.
Average MCAT Scores By School
US medical schools use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) as their application service for first year entry students who want to apply to medical school.
Students may send their application to:
AMCAS, 655 K Street
N.W. Suite 100
Washington, D.C. 20001-2399.
AMCAS can be reached through phone number 202-828-0690 or this email address: amcas@aamc.org
Meanwhile, the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) is the application service used by medical, dental and veterinary schools in the state of Texas.
Students may send their application to:
TMDSAS, 210 W
6th Street, Room # B.140E
Austin, Texas 78701.
TMDSAS can be reached through phone number 512-499-4785 or this email address: info@tmdsas.com
Average MCAT scores and GPA required by US medical schools
The following are the US medical schools and their required MCAT test scores and GPA as of 2017. To view the latest information, click here: MCAT Scores for Medical School Admissions
Alabama
Colorado
Georgia
Iowa
Maryland
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Carolina
Oregon
South Carolina
Utah
West Virginia
Arizona
Connecticut
Hawaii
Kansas
Massachusetts
Missouri
New Jersey
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Vermont
Wisconsin
Arkansas
District Columbia
Illinois
Kentucky
Michigan
Nebraska
New Mexico
Ohio
Puerto Rico
Tennessee
Virginia
California
Florida
Indiana
Louisiana
Minnesota
Nevada
New York
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Texas
Washington
US MEDICAL SCHOOLS AVERAGE GPA MCAT Score
ALABAMA
University of Alabama School of Medicine 3.79 Old MCAT Minimum ? 24
Old MCAT Average ? 30
New MCAT Minimum ? 495
New MCAT Average ? 508
University of South Alabama College of Medicine
3.8 Old MCAT Minimum ? 25 (instate) and 31 (out of state)
New MCAT Minimum ? 500 (instate) and 509 (out of state)
New MCAT Average ? 507 (instate)
ARIZONA
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson Minimum ? 3
Average ? 3.67 Old MCAT Average ? 30
New MCAT Minimum ? 498
New MCAT Average ? 506
University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix
3.82 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 505
ARKANSAS
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine
3.82 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT – 506
CALIFORNIA
California Northstate University College of Medicine 3.58 New MCAT – 513
Drew/UCLA Joint Medical Program Drew University of Medicine and Science 3 Old MCAT ? 24
New MCAT ? 498
Loma Linda University School of Medicine 3.86 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 508
University of California – Davis School of Medicine 3.72 Old MCAT – 30 (79th percentile rank)
New MCAT ? 509
Stanford University School of Medicine
3.89 Old MCAT ? 36
New MCAT ? 518
University of California – Irvine School of Medicine 3.82 Old MCAT ? 33
New MCAT ? 512
University of California-Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine 3.79 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 508
University of California – Riverside School of Medicine 3.74 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 508
University of California – San Diego School of Medicine 3.84 Old MCAT ? 33
New MCAT ? 517
University of California – San Francisco School of Medicine 3.84 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 516
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine 3.76 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 515
COLORADO
University of Colorado School of Medicine
3.79 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT ? 512
CONNECTICUT
Quinnipiac University Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine
3.68 Old MCAT Minimum ? 24
Old MCAT Average ? 32
New MCAT Minimum ? 499
New MCAT Average ? 512
University of Connecticut School of Medicine 3.82 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 511
Yale School of Medicine 3.87 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT – 518
DISTRICT COLUMBIA
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 3.72 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 511
Georgetown University School of Medicine 3.74 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 512
Howard University College of Medicine
3.42 Old MCAT Minimum ? 22
New MCAT Minimum ? 494
New MCAT Average ? 502
FLORIDA
Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine 3.76 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 512
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine 3.71 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 510
Florida State University College of Medicine 3.74 Old MCAT ? 27
New MCAT ? 505
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
3.76 Old MCAT Average ? 32.5
New MCAT Minimum ? 500
New MCAT Average ? 510
University of Florida College of Medicine 3.86 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 514
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine 3.8 Old MCAT ? 33.9
New MCAT ? 513
University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine
3.68 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT ? 514
GEORGIA
Emory University School of Medicine 3.79 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT ? 515
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University 3.79 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 510
Mercer University School of Medicine 3.72 New MCAT ? 507
Morehouse School of Medicine
3.61 Old MCAT ? 27
New MCAT ? 503
HAWAII
University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine
3.76 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT – 510
ILLINOIS
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science 3.62 New MCAT – 511
Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine 3.71 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 507
Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine 3.9 Old MCAT ? 36
New MCAT ? 519
Rush Medical College of Rush University 3.73 Old MCAT Minimum ? 27
Old MCAT Average – 31
New MCAT Minimum ? 503
New MCAT Average ? 512
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
3.8 New MCAT Minimum ? 498
New MCAT Average ? 507
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine 3.9 Old MCAT – 37
New MCAT ? 520
University of Illinois College of Medicine 3.73 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 512
INDIANA
Indiana University School of Medicine
3.82 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 510
IOWA
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
3.85 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 512
KANSAS
University of Kansas School of Medicine
Minimum – 3
Average – 3.83 New MCAT – 507
KENTUCKY
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
3.82 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 512
University of Louisville School of Medicine
3.81 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT ? 508
LOUISIANA
Louisiana State University-New Orleans School of Medicine 3.73 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 509
Louisiana State University-Shreveport School of Medicine 3.77 Old MCAT ? 30
MCAT ? 503
Tulane University School of Medicine
3.62 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 511
MARYLAND
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 3.92 Old MCAT – 36
New MCAT ? 519
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine
3.71 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 512
University of Maryland School of Medicine 3.82 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 512
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston University School of Medicine 3.81 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 517
Harvard Medical School 3.92 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 518
Tufts University School of Medicine
3.74 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 513
University of Massachusetts Medical School 3.77 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT – 512
MICHIGAN
Central Michigan University College of Medicine 3.7 Old MCAT Minimum ? 24
Old MCAT Average ? 28
New MCAT Minimum ? 498
New MCAT Average ? 504
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine 3.71 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 507
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine 3.79 Old MCAT Minimum ? 24
Old MCAT Average ? 31
New MCAT Minimum ? 495
New MCAT Average ? 507
University of Michigan Medical School 3.86 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 516
Wayne State University School of Medicine 3.76 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT – 508
Western Michigan University School of Medicine
Minimum ? 3
Average ? 3.7 Old MCAT Minimum ? 25
Old MCAT Average ? 32
New MCAT Minimum ? 41st percentile rank
New MCAT Average ? 514
MINNESOTA
Mayo Medical School 3.85 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT ? 513
University of Minnesota Medical School ? Twin Cities
3.8 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 509
University of Minnesota Medical School ? Duluth
3.65 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT – 503
MISSISSIPPI
University of Mississippi School of Medicine
3.79 Old MCAT ? 28
New MCAT ? 502
MISSOURI
University of Missouri – Columbia School of Medicine Minimum ? 3
Average ? 3.85 Old MCAT Minimum ? 22
Old MCAT Average ? 30
New MCAT Minimum ? 495
New MCAT Average – 509
Saint Louis University School of Medicine 3.87 Old MCAT ? 33
New MCAT – 512
University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine Minimum ? 3
Average – 3.83 Old MCAT Minimum ? 24
Old MCAT Average – 30
New MCAT Minimum ? 500
New MCAT Average – 509
Washington University School of Medicine 3.89 Old MCAT ? 37
New MCAT – 521
NEBRASKA
Creighton University School of Medicine 3.81 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 510
University of Nebraska College of Medicine 3.83 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 509
NEVADA
University of Nevada School of Medicine 3.75 Old MCAT Minimum ? 25
Old MCAT Average ? 30
New MCAT Minimum – 500
New MCAT Average ? 509
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth 3.78 Old MCAT – 34
New MCAT – 515
NEW JERSEY
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University 3.69 Old MCAT ? 24
New MCAT – 507
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School 3.79 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT – 512
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Minimum ? 3
Average ? 3.7 Old MCAT Minimum ? 22
Old MCAT Average ? 32
New MCAT Minimum ? 494
New MCAT Average – 511
NEW MEXICO
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
3.77 Old MCAT Minimum ? 22
Old MCAT Average ? 28
New MCAT Minimum ? 491
New MCAT Average – 504
NEW YORK
Albany Medical College 3.6 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 510
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University 3.83 Old MCAT ? 33
New MCAT – 516
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons 3.87 Old MCAT ? 39
New MCAT ? 519
Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine 3.78 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT ? 516
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 3.84 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 519
New York Medical College 3.65 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 512
New York University School of Medicine 3.9 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 520
SUNY – Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine 3.78 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 514
SUNY – Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences 3.78 Old MCAT ? 32
New MCAT ? 511
SUNY – Upstate Medical University 3.75 New MCAT ? 512
Stony Brook University School of Medicine 3.8 Old MCAT ? 86th percentile rank
New MCAT ? 514
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry 3.79 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT – 515
Weill Cornell Medical College 3.87 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 519
NORTH CAROLINA
Duke University School of Medicine 3.85 Old MCAT ? 36
New MCAT – 516
East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine 3.7 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 506
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
3.75 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 512
Wake Forest School of Medicine 3.69 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT – 511
NORTH DAKOTA
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences 3.79 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT ? 503
OHIO
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 3.81 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 517
Northeast Ohio Medical University 3.78 Old MCAT Minimum – 24
New MCAT Minimum – 500
New MCAT Average – 505
The Ohio State University College of Medicine 3.83 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT ? 515
The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences 3.73 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 511
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine 3.86 Old MCAT ? 33
New MCAT ? 515
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
3.74 Old MCAT Minimum ? 23
Old MCAT Average ? 28
New MCAT Minimum ? 495
New MCAT Average – 508
OKLAHOMA
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine 3.82 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 507
OREGON
Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
3.73 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT – 510
PENNSYLVANIA
Drexel University College of Medicine 3.73 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 511
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
3.72 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 510
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine 3.82 New MCAT ? 509
Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania 3.87 Old MCAT ? 38
New MCAT – 518
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University 3.75 Old MCAT – 32
New MCAT ? 512
Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
3.79 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 512
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 3.85 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 515
PUERTO RICO
Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences 3.68 Old MCAT Minimum ? 21
New MCAT Minimum ? 494
New MCAT Average – 499
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine Minimum – 2.75
Average – 3.65 Old MCAT Minimum – 20
New MCAT Minimum – 492
New MCAT Average ? 496
Universidad Central Del Caribe School of Medicine 3.67 New MCAT Minimum ? 490
New MCAT Average – 495
University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
3.74 New MCAT Minimum – 490
New MCAT Average – 502
RHODE ISLAND
Brown University The Warren Alpert Medical School
3.79 New MCAT ? 515
SOUTH CAROLINA
Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine 3.74 Old MCAT Minimum – 21
Old MCAT Average ? 30
New MCAT Minimum – 493
New MCAT Average ? 509
University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Columbia
3.78 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT ? 506
University of South Carolina School of Medicine ? Greenville
3.76 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT ? 507
SOUTH DAKOTA
University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine
Minimum – 3.1
Average – 3.86 New MCAT Minimum – 496
New MCAT Average – 509
TENNESSEE
East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine 3.82 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT ? 506
Meharry Medical College School of Medicine 3.52 Old MCAT ? 24
New MCAT Minimum – 495
New MCAT Average – 499
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine 3.79 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 510
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
3.9 Old MCAT ? 36
New MCAT ? 520
TEXAS
Baylor College of Medicine 3.89 Old MCAT ? 35
New MCAT ? 515
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine 3.8 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 510
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine 3.82 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT ? 507
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine – Lubbock 3.8 Old MCAT ? 33
New MCAT ? 508
University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School 3.88 New MCAT ? 512
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine 3.92 Old MCAT ? 30
New MCAT ? 508
University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston 3.84 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 511
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine 3.64 New MCAT ? 504
University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio 3.82 New MCAT – 509
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
3.89 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT ? 514
UTAH
University of Utah School of Medicine
Minimum – 3.2
Average – 3.75 Old MCAT Minimum ? 21
Old MCAT Average ? 30
New MCAT Minimum ? 492
New MCAT Average – 510
VERMONT
However, subjective criteria which is communicated through your medical school personal statement, AMCAS work and activities, secondary essays, and letters of recommendation, also impact interview and admissions outcomes.
However, for the purposes of this article we will focus on the objective criteria, or med school admission stats, that impact success.
In the medical school admissions process, your MCAT and GPA serve as the foundational building blocks for every student’s candidacy. Sometimes applicants have a difficult time hearing this fact: no matter how exceptional an applicant’s background, it is often impossible to overcome low medical school statistics.
Below you will find a complete list of U.S. medical schools, including the average GPA and average MCAT scores by school.
Note: It is not always simple to find out a medical school’s average MCAT score and GPAs for accepted students since the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) only lists MEDIAN (or middle) statistics and not MEAN (or average) statistics for accepted students. However, some medical schools, but not all, post this data on their websites. Understanding the numerical criteria that influence an applicant’s success in the process will allow premedical students to set goals. It also enables medical school applicants to gauge how competitive they are in general, and for specific medical schools in which they are interested.
Finally, it is important to review medical school acceptance rates to get an idea of each medical school’s competitiveness. The lower the medical school acceptance rate, the more competitive the medical school. And, the higher a medical school acceptance rate, the less competitive the medical school.
Related: Where to Apply to Medical School & Easiest Medical Schools to Get Into (2021-2022)
Based on decades of medical school admissions committee experience.
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Table of Contents
Part 1: Average GPA, MCAT Score and Acceptance Rate for Every Medical School in 2021 (M.D.)
Part 2: Medical School Acceptance Rates
Part 3: Which medical schools receive the most applications?
Part 4: Average GPA, MCAT Score and Acceptance Rate for Every Osteopathic Medical School in 2021
Part 5: Average MCAT Score (2021)
Part 6: Which medical schools have some of the lowest median MCAT scores for accepted students?
Part 7: Which medical schools have some of the highest median MCAT scores for med school applicants?
Part 8: What are the Best Medical Schools in the U.S.?
Part 9: Average GPA for Medical School
Part 10: Which medical schools have some of the lowest mean GPAs for accepted students?
Part 11: Which medical schools have some of the highest mean GPAs for accepted students?
Part 1: Average GPA, MCAT Score and Acceptance Rate for Every Medical School in 2021 (M.D.)
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Medical School Median GPA Median MCAT Medical School Acceptance Rate Total Applicants Total Interviewed Total Accepted Total Enrolled
Albany Medical College 3.7 511 N/A 10247 793 N/A 139
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University 3.7 510 12% 3074 558 372 233
Baylor College of Medicine 3.93 518 4.9% 6689 840 329 186
Boston University 3.75 517 6.5% 7771 1019 503 174
Brown University (Alpert) 3.77 514 3% 9995 380 276 144
California Northstate University 3.69 512 N/A 4184 357 N/A 96
Case Western Reserve University 3.81 518 7% 7556 1083 530 214
Central Michigan University 3.74 506 N/A 5393 423 N/A 103
Columbia University 3.9 521 3.5% 8258 1073 278 140
Cornell University (Weill) 3.88 515 5.1% 6385 798 323 106
Showing 1 to 10 of 145 entriesPreviousNext
Part 2: Medical School Acceptance Rates
When deciding where to apply to medical school, a student must research each medical school’s average acceptance rate. By understanding school of medicine acceptance rates, applicants can understand for what medical schools they are most competitive. However, many medical schools do not disclose how many applicants they actually accept.
Medical schools may only publish how many applications they receive, the number of applicants they interview and how many actually matriculate. Therefore, it isn’t always possible to know what percentage of applicants interviewed are ultimately accepted.
Typically, the more competitive the medical school, the lower the acceptance rate. There are some medical schools that one might not think are very competitive based on the average GPAs and MCATs of accepted students. However, some of these “less competitive” schools receive a very large numbers of applications and interview a small percentage of applicants making them quite competitive.
Part 3: Which medical schools receive the most applications?
In 2021-2022 the following medical schools received more than 14,000 applications!
Georgetown
GW
Loyola – Stritch
In 2021 – 2022 the following medical schools received more than 10,000 applications!
Chicago Med – Rosalind Franklin
Tulane
Tufts
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple – Katz
Penn State
Albany
Rush
For the entering medical school class of 2020-2021, there were 53,030 medical school applicants applicants. In total, 22,239 applicants matriculated meaning 42% of medical school applicants matriculated.
Acceptance rates between medical schools varies significantly. For the most selective medical schools, such as Harvard Medical School, the acceptance rate is 3.8%. However, some medical schools have much higher acceptance rates. For example, the University of Tennessee has an acceptance rate of 13.8%. Average medical school acceptance rates are 7%.
With an increasing number of medical school applicants every year, acceptance rates continue to decrease especially at very popular or competitive medical schools.
Part 4: Average GPA, MCAT Score and Acceptance Rate for Every Osteopathic Medical School in 2021
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School Name Average MCAT Average GPA Average BCPM GPA Acceptance Rate
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine 501 3.4 3.3 10%
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicineof Midwestern University 508 3.54 3.48 NA
Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine 498 3.46 NA 25%
A.T. Still University of Health SciencesKirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine 503 3.61 3.53 NA
A.T. Still University of Health SciencesSchool of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona 504 3.48 3.37 NA
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicineat New Mexico State University NA NA NA NA
California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine NEW SCHOOL NEW SCHOOL NEW SCHOOL NEW SCHOOL
Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine 503 3.5 3.58 NA
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicineof Midwestern University 503 3.67 3.61 NA
Des Moines UniversityCollege of Osteopathic Medicine 506 3.63 NA 16%
Showing 1 to 10 of 41 entriesPreviousNext
Part 5: Average MCAT Score (2021)
In 2021, the average MCAT for students accepted to allopathic medical schools in the United States in 2020-2021 was 511.5 For reference purposes, know that the highest possible MCAT score is a 528 with with a 132 on each of the four sections. which is the same as the previous year. The typical MCAT score one needs to be competitive for medical school admission to allopathic medical schools in the United States is a 510.
MCAT scores of 507 or below are generally considered low and not competitive for allopathic medical school admissions. There are exceptions, however, to this rule. An MCAT score of 518 or above is considered exceptional. Most medical schools have MCAT cut off scores meaning that an applicant must earn above a specified score in order for the medical school admissions committee to review an application. Unfortunately, medical school do not always make this data public.
Earning the highest MCAT score possible with the lowest number of exam attempts is ideal for getting in to medical school. For example, the student who has taken the MCAT three times, earning scores of 503, 504, and 512, may be evaluated as a less competitive applicant than the applicant who took the exam once and earned a 512 on the first attempt. Medical schools see all exam results which is why one high score among several lower scores could be interpreted as an outlier.
Part 6: Which medical schools have some of the lowest median MCAT scores for accepted students?
Lowest Average MCAT Scores By School
Medical School MCAT Score
University of Mississippi 503
Louisiana State 504
Northeast Ohio 506
Central Michigan 506
Florida State University 506
Southern Illinois 506
Michigan State 507
Brody 508
Cooper 508
Loma Linda 508
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Part 7: Which medical schools have some of the highest median MCAT scores for med school applicants?
Highest Average MCAT Scores By School
Medical School MCAT Score
NYU 521
Vanderbilt 521
Washington University 521
Yale 521
Johns Hopkins 520
Northwestern 520
Perelman/University of Pennsylvania 520
Pritzker/University of Chicago 520
Harvard 519
Part 8: What are the Best Medical Schools in the U.S.?
Below are the best medical schools in the U.S. based on U.S. News medical school rankings for research and average MCAT scores.
Best Medical Schools in the U.S.
Medical School Ranking
Harvard Medical School 1
Johns Hopkins 2
Stanford University 3 (tie)
University of Pennsylvania (Perelman) 3 (tie)
University of California San Francisco 5
Columbia University (Vagelos) 6
University of California Los Angeles 6 (tie)
Washington University in St. Louis 8
Cornell University (Weill) 9 (tie)
Mayo School of Medicine (Alix) 9 (tie)
New York University (Lagnone) 9 (tie)
Part 9: Average GPA for Medical School
The most recent data shows that the average GPA for medical school matriculants in the United States in 2020-2021 were as follows:
Overall GPA: 3.73
BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, and math) GPA: 3.66
Non Science GPA: 3.82
A medical school applicant’s GPA is considered one of the most important admissions criteria when applying to medical school. A medical school applicant’s GPA is broken up in to three categories on AMCAS:
Overall GPA
BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, and math) GPA
Non Science GPA
An applicant’s GPA in all three categories is one of the most important factors in medical school admissions. Like the MCAT, many medical schools have minimum GPA cut offs they will consider. However, these cut offs are not always made public.
Keep in mind that these are average GPAs! There is a pretty big variation of matriculant GPAs from medical school to medical school. The typical GPA we advise students to have is a 3.5 across all subjects. However, we work with many students who have GPAs lower than this who are accepted. Grade trends are also important with an upward grade trend making you a more competitive applicant. The rigor of your academic classes and undergraduate college reputation can also impact how your grades are interpreted. We consider the range of competitive GPAs to be 3.4 – 3.5 or higher.
Part 10: Which medical schools have some of the lowest mean GPAs for accepted students?
Lowest Average Accepted GPA By School
Medical School GPA
Rosalind Franklin 3.62
New York Medical College 3.63
University of Texas Rio Grande 3.63
California State 3.64
Tulane 3.64
Virginia Tech 3.64
Geisinger/Commonwealth 3.66
Quinnipiac 3.66
Eastern Virginia 3.67
Part 11: Which medical schools have some of the highest mean GPAs for accepted students?
Highest Average Accepted GPA By School
Medical School GPA
Johns Hopkins 3.94
Baylor 3.92
Harvard 3.92
NYU 3.92
Mayo 3.91
Northwestern 3.91
Pritzker/University Chicago 3.91
Vanderbilt 3.91
University of Virginia 3.91
Washington University 3.91
Most Important Medical School Admissions Criteria
In summary, the most important criteria in the medical school admissions process are MCAT score(s) and GPA(s). These factors are the cornerstones of every applicant’s candidacy. If you are about to embark on your premedical journey, keep in mind that academic excellence should be a primary goal. If you are getting ready to apply to medical school, honestly assess your chances of medical school admission by objectively evaluating your stats together with medical school admissions rates to determine your competitiveness.
MedEdits Medical Admissions Founder and Chairwoman, Jessica Freedman, MD
JESSICA FREEDMAN, M.D., a former faculty member and admissions committee member at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is the founder and chair of MedEdits Medical Admissions and author of the MedEdits Guide to Medical Admissions and The Medical School Interview which you can find on Amazon. Follow Dr. Freedman and MedEdits on Facebook and YouTube.
The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine
3.82 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT – 512
VIRGINIA
Eastern Virginia Medical School 3.72 Old MCAT ? 31
New MCAT ? 512
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine 3.74 Old MCAT Minimum ? 26
Old MCAT Average ? 30
New MCAT Minimum ? 501
New MCAT Average ? 511
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute Minimum – 3
Average – 3.61 New MCAT – 513
University of Virginia School of Medicine
3.9 Old MCAT ? 34
New MCAT – 518
WASHINGTON
University of Washington School of Medicine
3.71 Old MCAT – 61st percentile rank
New MCAT – 507
WEST VIRGINIA
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine 3.68 Old MCAT Average – 28
New MCAT Minimum ? 498
New MCAT Average – 501
West Virginia University School of Medicine
3.79 Old MCAT ? 29
New MCAT ? 507
WISCONSIN
Medical College of Wisconsin 3.76 Old MCAT Minimum – 27
Old MCAT Average ? 33
New MCAT Minimum ? 503
New MCAT Average ? 510
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Minimum – 3
Average – 3.81 Old MCAT Minimum – 27
Old MCAT Average ? 33
New MCAT Minimum ? 503
New MCAT Average ? 512
Taking the Medical College Admission Test, known as the MCAT, is one of the first steps in applying to medical school. Among aspiring doctors who wanted to start their medical education in fall 2020, applicants to some medical schools could submit a score from either the old or new MCAT, though the majority submitted scores from the newer test introduced in 2015. At other medical schools, a score from the new MCAT is now mandatory. The maximum possible score is 528 under the current MCAT. Among the 43 medical schools with the highest MCAT scores, the median score among incoming students in 2020 was 517. Here are the 43 schools where students scored the highest on the updated exam.
MCAT Scoring
In 2015 the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) debuted a new version of the MCAT, making big changes to format, content, and (most notably for the purposes of this post) the MCAT score range.
On the old version of the MCAT, students were scored between 1-15 for each of the three sections, adding up to a perfect score of 45. With the addition of an entirely new fourth section on the revised MCAT, the AAMC chose to revamp the whole scoring system to avoid confusion (since a score in the 40’s certainly doesn’t mean the same thing now that you’re scoring out of 60).
The new system simply takes the old 15 point scale and adds 117 to each section. Now, instead of a 3-45 MCAT score range, students are scored between 118-132. So if you want a perfect score, you’ll be aiming for a 528.
Here’s a helpful graphic to help you visualize the new MCAT score range:
MCAT Percentiles
After taking the MCAT, you’ll be sent an MCAT score report, which will include not only your numeric score in each category, but also your score percentile.
MCAT score percentiles measure where your score falls on the bell curve of everyone who’s taken the MCAT over the course of the same year as you.
GPA is calculated by dividing the amount of grade points you earn in a course by the course’s number of credit hours. Your grade point average may range from 0.0 to a 4.0. However, at several colleges (including Stanford, Columbia, and Cornell) students are allowed to earn A+ grades, which are scored as a 4.3.
But don’t let this worry you! The admissions committees at medical schools are aware that grading policies vary between institutions, and so they’ve come up with two standardized processes used for calculating the GPA of med school applicants–one for MD programs and one for DO programs–and both of these GPA adjustments factor out the added 0.3 grade point associated with an A+.
How do MD Programs Calculate GPA?
Med schools that focus on allelopathic medicine are the most common type of medical training institution, and graduates from these programs receive MDs at the end of their course of study.
The American Medical College Applications Service (AMCAS) a service through which students apply to MD programs in the United States. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC):
“AMCAS will convert most standard undergraduate transcript grades to an AMCAS grades based on conversion information provided by the institutions. The AMCAS GPA provides the medical students with a standard way to compare each applicants background.”
AMCAS calculates two different GPAs (on a 4.0 scale) using the transcripts submitted by each applicant. The first is a cumulative GPA of all courses the applicant has taken. The second is a Science GPA–also called a BCPM GPA–which only counts grades from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math courses. Both GPAs are used when considering an applicant’s academic record.
How DO Programs Calculate GPA?
The second most common type of medical schools are DO programs, which focus on osteopathic medicine. Students can apply to schools that give DO degrees through the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS).
AACOMAS, like AMCAS, will recalculate applicants GPAs using a standardized 4.0 scale. Similar to AMCAS, AACOMAS calculates an overall GPA as well as a Science GPA–but the Science GPA does not include math classes, and does include more niche science classes such as zoology.
Unlike AMCAS, AACOMAS also calculates a GPA exclusively for non-science classes (though it does include courses in behavior science, such as psychology). In addition to this, AACOMAS calculates separate overall GPAs for each year of school applicants have attended on the undergraduate level or above, in order to track trends in students’ academic careers over time.
lowest mcat score accepted into med school
Keeping in mind that the MCAT’s cumulative score ranges between 472-528, you must achieve a score of 500 to be within the 50th percentile. A cumulative score of 510 is a borderline score, achieving a score above the 50th percentile but not necessarily competitive with other medical school applicants. While 510 is a borderline good score, your admission to a particular medical school would be dependent upon the score and attributes of other prospective students.
An MCAT exam score of 507 or below would be considered low for a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program, with some schools not even reviewing your application. Caribbean medical schools may be more flexible and open to accepting lower MCAT exam scores, but you may experience more difficulty in entering the United States healthcare industry upon completing your education.
Alternatively, DO programs, or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine programs, are more forgiving to low MCAT scores, reviewing and considering an applicant’s broader achievements. DO programs are generally possible with a minimum MCAT exam score of 500. Overall, you should achieve a score of 510 and above to be admitted into an MD program and a score of 505 and above to enter a DO program.
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