Lowest GPA Accepted to Harvard Medical School

Last Updated on December 15, 2022 by Omoyeni Adeniyi

This article is aimed at people who are self-conscious about their GPA or who were not able to get into medical school with a high GPA, but are trying to change that. This is for competitive applicants who have already been accepted to numbers of other schools. Here are some excerpts from the articles below:

Collegelearners discusses up-to-date information about Lowest GPA Accepted To Harvard Medical School as well as information on Harvard medical school requirements GPA, how to get into Harvard medical school from Philippines, Harvard medical school admissions, Harvard medical school notable alumni, Harvard medical school requirements for international students. You can also get more information on Collegelearners.

How to Get into Harvard Medical School with a Low GPA

Harvard Medical School uses a special algorithm to limit the number of students it accepts who have a high GPA and strong MCAT, as such students will already be heavily recruited by other top medical schools.

Study abroad students looking for information about Lowest GPA Accepted To Harvard Medical School are on the Internet. However, the Internet does not always provide the information you need. If you want to learn more about Lowest GPA Accepted To Harvard Medical School, we have all the details you need.

The average GPA of an accepted Harvard applicant is 3.8. Unless your cumulative GPA is above 3.6, you probably don’t have a good shot. You MCAT also needs to be more than just 30 or higher, especially to help out with that GPA. You need at least a 34, and that’s if your GPA was good (3.8).

To even be considered for entrance in their medical school, Harvard requires you to have both a high GPA and MCAT score. Remember, accepted students have an amazing 3.9 GPA average and a 519.06 MCAT average.

Don’t worry though, because among the total accepted students the total GPA can actually range from 3.74 to 4.0 with an MCAT score from 513 to 525.

Breaking down the MCAT into its four sections, the Harvard Medical School class of 2022 had an average score of 130.10 in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section, 128.84 in Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, 129.90 in Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior and 129.99 in Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.

Harvard Medical School more than “prefers” its applicants have accomplished research. As 99 percent of Harvard’s students had already completed some research, it’s understood that research experience is a virtual requirement for admission.

It’s not sufficient to have simply conducted research, however. You must have accomplished something that makes you stand out among the crowd. For example, you could have authored a published research journal or have been involved in an original research project during your undergraduate years.

When you apply for admission to Harvard Medical School, you’ll choose either the traditional Pathways track or the HST track, or maybe even both. Pathways focuses more on clinical studies, while HST focuses on academic medicine and research in addition to the clinical core.

Eighty percent of Harvard medical students choose the Pathways program, which involves case-based study, advanced science courses, clinical experiences beginning the first few weeks of the first semester, and a research project.

Only about 20 percent of Harvard medical students select the HST program, which involves the study of basic sciences and biotechnology, consistent biomedical research, later clinical experiences beginning around the second semester of the second year, and a required thesis prior to graduation.

Whichever path you choose, it’s recommended that you participate in some clinical experience during your undergraduate years, either by volunteering or by applying for clinical jobs.

Does Harvard University Require Test Scores

Harvard University requires that you either take the SAT or ACT. See the table below for how Harvard University’s accepted students have performed on both tests. You may be wondering how many test scores should you submit. Generally, don’t freak out about taking the test too often. Industry consensus is that you can submit up to 6 tests as a reasonable limit.

Harvard Medical School Acceptance Rate

3.9

While helpful, these statistics don’t fully answer everyone’s favorite question: “How hard is it to get into Harvard Medical School?” To get a better sense of that, let’s review the academic data among accepted students: Average GPA: 3.9. Average MCAT score: 519.46.

Harvard Medical School Requirements

The curriculum at Harvard Medical School consists of two tracks, and students choose the one that best aligns with their interests and career goals when applying. The first, called Pathways, is most akin to the “traditional” medical school track. Students in the Pathways track will study the foundational building blocks of medicine in Year 1. However, lectures are uncommon. Instead, students are taught through an interactive pedagogy that HMS calls “Case-Based Learning,” which employs a flipped-classroom model. The goal is for most of the content transfer to occur before class in small group study sessions held in the afternoon and evening. When students meet for class with faculty in the morning, they are tasked with integrating the content through application, critical thinking, and problem-solving in teams.

Rather than studying one topic at a time through the first year, the “Case-Based Learning” model weaves in topics with recurrence and increasing depth throughout the first 14 months.
The Pathways curriculum continues into the Primary Clinical Experience (PCE) phase, which takes up the majority of Year 2 and the beginning of Year 3. During PCE, which occurs at a single hospital site, students engage in 4-12 week rotations. Clinical experience is supplemented by faculty mentoring and conferences. After PCE is complete, students then reengage in rigorous coursework, pursue scholarly research projects, and embark on their Advanced Clinical and Science Experience. During Year 3 and Year 4, there is flexibility for students to supplement their curriculum with electives available through programs across Harvard University, giving students the agency to tailor their learning to best prepare them for whichever aspect of the medical profession they have developed an interest in.
The second curricular track, Health Sciences & Technology (HST), admits 30 students a year (about 18% of the class) who are committed to pursuing a physician-scientist career upon matriculation. The HST program is in partnership with the Massachusetts Institue of Technology (MIT) and integrates science, medicine, and engineering. Its mission is to “cultivate leaders who will explore fundamental principles underlying disease and develop preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic innovations,” according to HMS.

The HST curriculum requires students to engage in classroom learning and research for their first two years, before their Principal Clinical Experience in Year 3 and their Anchoring Clinical Experience in Y4. Pretty much from the onset, HST students are engaged in independent research under the direction of a faculty member, and students are expected to present a thesis based on their research to graduate. Most students on this track take an extra year to finish the formal curriculum (Years 1 and 2) in order to make room for their research.
In addition to its two curriculum tracks for the MD, Harvard Medical School also has six dual-degree programs, some of which you can choose to pursue after matriculation.
Harvard-MIT MD-PhD Program: trains the next generation of physician-scientists. This program has a similar focus to that of the HST track of the main HMS curriculum, but it takes 8 years to complete, and students graduate with two degrees.

  • Harvard-MIT MD-PhD Program: trains the next generation of physician-scientists. This program has a similar focus to that of the HST track of the main HMS curriculum, but it takes 8 years to complete, and students graduate with two degrees. 
  • MD-MAD: students have the opportunity to complete a Master of Academic Discipline (MAD) degree, currently offered in the Master of Bioethics and Master of Biomedical Informatics programs. The curriculum for either degree is usually completed between the third and fourth years.
  • MD-MBA: a five-year program in partnership with Harvard Business School. The MD-MBA program is a good fit for students who are interested in leading a health service organization or working in the pharmaceutical or health product industries. 
  • MD-MMSc: students can complete a 56-credit Master of Medical Science course and a 32-credit research requirement between Year 3 and Year 4 to earn their Master of Medical Science degree in Clinical Investigation, Global Health Delivery, Immunology, or Medical Education
  • MD-MPH: offered in partnership with the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. Students can apply for admission to this program after enrolling in the MD program at HMS.
  • MD-MPP: this combined degree in Public Policy is in partnership with Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and may be a good fit for students interested in setting public policy on a local or federal level. 

HOW HAS HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL MADE AN IMPACT?

Harvard Medical School faculty have been associated with many hallmark discoveries and advancements in the medical field, including:

  • The first successful heart valve surgery
  • The first successful human kidney transplant
  • The first reattachment of a severed human limb
  • The discovery of genes that cause Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and Huntington’s Disease
  • The development of artificial skin for burn victims 
  • The development of the first successful chemotherapy for childhood leukemia
  • Introducing insulin for the treatment of diabetes in the U.S.
  • The first use of anesthesia for pain control
  • Laser treatment for the removal of tattoos

More recently, Harvard Medical School has been associated with:

  • 2000: identification of four brain abnormalities associated with childhood abuse and neglect
  • 2001: discovery into a circadian clock brain pathway that sends signals to control the body’s daily rhythms 
  • 2011: identification of two novel genetic markers that predict the risk of kidney failure in patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
  • 2017: discovery of more precise treatments for Rheumatoid arthritis

Harvard University SAT Requirements

Harvard University’s average SAT score is 1515 – this is the sum of the math and reading portions of the SAT (the 1600 scale). Check out the below table for a deeper look into how students performed – it’s also very interesting to look at the average test score over time. The trend over time helps give insight into whether Harvard University is getting more or less competitive.

25th Percentile75th PercentileAverage
Math720800760
Reading710800755
2019 Total143016001515
2018 Total
2017 Total
How to Get Into Harvard Medical School |Complete Student Guide 2021

Harvard University’s average SAT score is 1515. To be a competitive applicant for Harvard University your SAT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the 1430, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. To consider Harvard University a “target” school (one that you are likely to get into) you should aim for a score of 1600.

Harvard Medical School GPA

Founded in 1782, Harvard Medical School is a Private (not-for-profit) school located in Boston, MA. It is the graduate medical school at Harvard University. Harvard Medical School is ranked 12nd in Best Medical Schools, 8th in Highest MCAT Scores, and 3rd in Oldest Medical Schools. The following statements briefly introduce Harvard Medical School along with key academic facts.

  • The average MCAT Score of enrolled students at Harvard Medical School is 519 – the average MCAT score of U.S. medical schools is 511.
  • The average GPA of enrolled students at Harvard Medical School is 3.9 – the average GPA score of U.S. medical schools is 3.75.
  • The 2023 medical school tuition at Harvard Medical School is $69,511 – the average medical school tuition is $61,378.
  • The acceptance rate* at Harvard Medical School is 1.78% – the average acceptance rate of U.S. medical school is 6.30%.
  • Total 844 medical school students have enrolled to Harvard Medical School for academic year 2021-2022.

*The acceptance rate: percentage of applicants who are enrolled finally.

2023 Harvard Medical School Tuition & Fees

The 2023 tuition at Harvard Medical School is $69,511. The 2023 tuition & fees is increased by 2.04% compared to the previous year rate (2022). Harvard Medical School’s tuition is 10.51% higher than average tuition of U.S. medical schools and 0.1% lower than average tuition of Massachusetts medical schools.

The medical school tuition differs and more expensive than the regular undergraduate and graduate programs. The average undergraduate program tuition & fees at Harvard University is $55,587. The average graduate schools tuition & fees other than medical school is $52,170.

The average living costs including room & board and transportation costs is $19,265 and the personal miscellaneous expenses is $4,906.

Harvard Medical School Tuition & Fees$69,511
U.S. Private Medical School Average$62,900
Massachusetts Private Medical School Average$69,585
Living Costs$19,265
Miscellaneous expenses$4,906
Books & Supplies$3,247
Undergraduate Program$55,587
Graduate Program$52,170

4-Yeras MD Program Total Costs

The tuition for MD program varies by medical years depending on mandatory fees and required course works. The estimated COA (cost of attendance) for the standard four(4) years MD program at Harvard Medical School is $401,318 based on the current tuition rate. The COA includes the costs for tuition & fees, room & board, transportation, books & supplies, and other personal miscellaneous expenses. The next table summarizes medical school costs for four(4) years by year and cost item.

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 44 Years Estimation
Tuition & Fees$69,511$68,986$68,986$68,986$276,469
Room & Board / transportation$19,265$26,455$25,855$25,190$96,765
Books & Supplies$3,247$1,903$1,227$1,191$7,568
Miscellaneous Expenses$4,906$5,352$5,352$4,906$20,516
COA$96,929$102,696$101,420$100,273$401,318

MCAT & GPA Scores

The average MCAT score of enrolled students at Harvard Medical School is 519. Compared to the average MCAT of all medical schools, the MCAT score of Harvard Medical School is around average of U.S. medical schools (the average score is 512).

The average GPA is 3.9 and it is relatively higher (competitive score) compared to other medical schools (the average GPA is 3.73).

2022
MCAT – Harvard Medical School519
U.S. Medical Schools512
Massachusetts Medical Schools516
GPA – Harvard Medical School3.9
U.S. Medical Schools3.73
Massachusetts Medical Schools3.76

Acceptance Rate & Yield

The 2022 acceptance rate at Harvard Medical School is 1.78% where 9,195 applicants have applied to and 164 students have accepted and finally enrolled to school. The acceptance rate at Harvard Medical School is much lower (extremely difficult to get in) compared to other medical schools in united states (the average acceptance rate is 3.52%). Note that the acceptance rate means the percentage of applicants who are accepted and enrolled (not just accepted).

TotalResidencyGender
MassachusettsOther StateMenWomen
Applicants9,195680
(7.4%)
8,515
(92.6%)
4,450
(48.4%)
4,735
(51.5%)
Enrolled16422
(13.4%)
142
(86.6%)
80
(48.8%)
84
(51.2%)
Acceptance Rate1.78%3.23%1.67%1.80%1.77%
U.S. Medical Schools3.52%10.29%1.04%3.48%3.56%
Massachusetts Medical Schools1.86%4.42%1.33%1.64%2.03%

New Students and Total Enrollment

For the academic year 2021-2022, total 164 first-time students have enrolled in Harvard Medical School.By residency, 13.4% of new students is Massachusetts residents and 86.6% of enrolled students from other States. By gender, 51.2% of enrolled students is women and 48.8% is men students.

A total of 844 students have enrolled to Harvard Medical School. By gender, there are 391 male and 453 female students at Harvard Medical School.

2021
Total Enrollment844
Men Students391
Women Students453
First-time Students164

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