Step-By-Step Guide To
Medical School Admissions

Medical school admissions is getting more and more difficult. In just the last few years, total number of applicants is up, average MCAT score is up, average GPA is up, and number of rejected applicants is up. In other words it will be harder for you to get into school than the class above you. If you are big on admissions statistics, take a look at the newest statistics available here.

Despite admissions being harder than ever before, the mere fact that you are on this site means that you have a leg up on others who have not yet found it. Here we give you a step-by-step guide to the admissions process that will better your chances of getting in. PAY EXTRA ATTENTION to the strategy and timeline sections below. Every section has good information, but these two will grow your chances of acceptance by leaps and bounds. So, here we go, lets dive right in...

Medical School Admissions Strategy

The single best thing you can do to better your chances of medical school admissions, is to match the strengths of your application with schools that look for those specific strengths in their applicants. This can only be done through fantastic research on what each school looks for. Anything someone tells you, if it isn't someone at the school itself is just hear-say, which likely doesn't help you.

YOU MUST make yourself look great. What is the best way to do that? Find out what looks great in the eyes of the school you are applying to. Do they like variety or hard work in only medicine capacities? Do they like research or clinical experiences more? Do they look at GPA or MCAT more?

It makes a BIG difference, and you need to know where the schools are that like what you have to offer. Make sure to read more about this strategy and how you can use this site to kill your admissions process

Now, before you look at the actual application process, it is important to understand the requirements for entrance into medical school. Here are the requirements for medical schools in general, whereas school specific requirements will be found on the individual page of each school.

Timeline to Acceptance

While this is a general medical school admissions guide, a more comprehensive one is available here.

First two years: During Freshman and Sophomore year - make sure to get as well rounded an application as possible without sacrificing GPA. Here you need to find opportunities to work in the medical or science field. Keep in mind 2 basic things while doing this. First, keep your grades up. Second, look for mentors who like you, respect you, and give you the opportunity to work with them several times over the course of your pre-med years. This will lead to letters of recommendation that will turn heads, which, in turn, will lead to admissions acceptances that turn heads. Also, look for chances to serve the community. Oftentimes, this is pretty easy to do.

MCAT - Junior year: Study for and take the MCAT. This may be switched with step three based on your specific situation, but usually you will take the MCAT before doing the application online. Here you want to make sure to have taken all required course work for the MCAT material (physics, chemistry, biology), and spend time getting ready for this. Check out our MCAT study helps page to get more help with the MCAT.

Application - end of junior and senior year: Fill out your medical school admissions application online at the AMCAS, medical school admissions site, other application site exist for Texas schools, osteopathic schools, and Caribbean schools which we go over here.

Summer Junior Year: Finalize your application, including letters of recommendation. Click on the link for very good information about letters of recommendation. These are one of your best weapons of getting in.

Senior Year: The rest of the way is very simple. Schools look over your primary, if you make it through the first cut, you'll get a secondary. You fill that out and turn it in ASAP, then you wait for an interview request. After the interview, another one of the most important elements to getting in, you'll hear either accepted, denied, or wait listed. From this point, each school will let you know exactly what the next steps for your will be.

And that is it...you now have a good foundation for the admissions process. The links provided have good information on each aspect of the process. Make sure to refer back often.

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