Least Competitive Schools Get More ApplicationsThere are many reasons for this. Remember, these schools are getting thousands of applications. In fact, the schools that are traditionally viewed as the “least competitive” or “safety schools” tend to get way more applications than a Harvard or Stanford. George Washington University for example (a great school anyway you slice it), gets over 10,000 applications. Same with Drexel Medical. The reason these schools get so many applications is that they publish lower MCAT and GPA scores, so applicants get excited and apply both as safety schools (for this with great stats) and as target schools (for those with lower stats).
So with these schools getting thousands upon thousands of applications, they end up actually having a lower acceptance rate and are actually quite competitive.
One important factor to remember is that just because your average GPA and MCAT is right on target for a given medical school, that does not mean you will get in, or even be competitive. If a school publishes their average MCAT as a 29, and average GPA as a 3.7, realize that they are rejecting far more candidates with those numbers than they are accepting. There may be over 4000 candidates with a 29 or above applying to their school, but they are only accepting a tiny fraction of those. So just because your average MCAT and GPA is aligned with a particular medical school you cannot be assured of getting in.
Also, keep in mind that those medical schools with lower GPA and MCAT requirements are often state schools with heavy state preferences for their applicants.
List of Private Medical Schools with Lowest Average MCAT & GPA
The question remains though, which are the least competitive medical schools? We like to rephrase that question and say which are the medical schools with the lowest average MCAT and GPA.
Keep in mind, all these schools are still great, but here is a small list of private medical schools (see the note above about state schools) which applicants with lower GPAs and MCATs should consider applying to.
There are more, but this is a basic list. Please keep in mind, each of these schools is exceptional and you will become a great doctor from any of them. Also remember that just because they look at applicants with lower GPAs and MCATs than other medical schools in the country, they are no less competitive.Schedule a Free Admissions Advising Consultation
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Harvard University
Boston, MA
in
Best Medical Schools: Research
The Medical School at Harvard University has an application deadline of Oct. 22. The application fee at Harvard… READ MORE »
TUITION
$64,984 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
700
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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New York University (Grossman)
New York, NY
in
Best Medical Schools: Research
The Grossman School of Medicine at New York University (Grossman) has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The… READ MORE »
TUITION
$0 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
417
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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Duke University
Durham, NC
in
Best Medical Schools: Research
The School of Medicine at Duke University has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The application fee at Duke… READ MORE »
TUITION
$61,170 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
502
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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Columbia University
New York, NY
in
Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
The College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The application… READ MORE »
TUITION
$64,868 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
585
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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Stanford University
Stanford, CA
in
Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
The School of Medicine at Stanford University has an application deadline of Oct. 1. The application fee at Stanford… READ MORE »
TUITION
$62,193 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
484
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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University of California–San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
in
Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
The School of Medicine at University of California–San Francisco has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The… READ MORE »
TUITION
$36,342 (in-state, full-time)
$48,587 (out-of-state, full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
664
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
in
Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
The School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The application fee at Johns… READ MORE »
TUITION
$56,500 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
477
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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University of Washington
Seattle, WA
in
Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
The School of Medicine at University of Washington has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The application fee at… READ MORE »
TUITION
$37,760 (in-state, full-time)
$69,186 (out-of-state, full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
1,123
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)
Philadelphia, PA
in
Best Medical Schools: Research
The Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania (Perelman) has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The… READ MORE »
TUITION
$59,910 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
616
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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Yale University
New Haven, CT
in
Best Medical Schools: Research
The School of Medicine at Yale University has an application deadline of Oct. 15. The application fee at Yale… READ MORE »
TUITION
$64,864 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
394
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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Mayo Clinic School of Medicine (Alix)
Rochester, MN
in
Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
The medical school at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine (Alix) has an application deadline of Oct. 1. The application fee… READ MORE »
TUITION
$58,900 (full-time)
ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)
420
MCAT TOTAL SCORE
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Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO