What kinda numbers are we looking at?

I know many pre-meds are concerned with their competitiveness for medical school. I know I was one of them! In order to help alleviate some of your anxiety (or possibly add to it) let me dispel the common myth that you need a 4.0 GPA in order to get into medical school. Granted, a high GPA will help your application, but it is not necessarily required. Medical schools look at a variety of factors in order to determine competitiveness for admission. GPA is only one piece of the puzzle. So, generally, in order to be competitive at a US medical school, I would say you NEED a GPA of 3.0 or greater. I would say that if your GPA is less than this, I would take additional coursework to raise it above a 3.0. Now, your chances are better the higher your GPA. In reality, a GPA of 3.5 to 3.6 is more like what you should shoot for in order to be competitive to MOST med schools. Here's a breakdown from what I remember when I was applying:

Harvard Medical School 3.8
Washington University 3.8
Georgetown University 3.6
Saint Louis University 3.6

Most state schools 3.5 (University of Illinois, Missouri, etc.)

Osteopathic Schools 3.3 - 3.5 (Des Moines, OUCOM, NSUCOM, CCOM, etc.)

Caribbean Schools 3.0-3.2 (St. George's, ROSS, AUC, SABA, etc.)

This is to give you some idea of what different schools had for AVERAGE GPAs on admission.


Because GPAs only make up roughly 33% of your application, you want it as high as possible, but don't fret if yours isn't stellar. Your MCATs can save you if your GPA is on the lower side. For most private MD schools, a MCAT of 30 or greater is usually necessary to get an interview. Most state MD schools like to see MCAT scores in the 26-30+ range. Osteopathic schools, known for accepting more non-traditional students, will accept a wider range - 24-30+. And finally, the Caribbean school have the widest variation. These school are "for profit". That means they'll give you a chance if your marks aren't high enough for a US MD or DO school. St. George's in Grenada (www.sgu.edu) has the highest reported MCATs, averaging around 25 (but again there is a WIDE range). Ross and others require the MCAT but typically they will accept students with lower MCAT scores as long as they've proven they can handle the work.

Other important parts of your application is your personal statement. I won't go into that here. I may save that for another time. And finally, letters of recommendation are key. I'd get letters from physicians, professors, state representatives, basically anybody with any kind of clout! Trust me...it helps. If you are applying to DO schools, I'd make sure you have a letter from a DO and shadow them a couple times just to see for yourself - they aren't all about voodoo magic and wizardry! I promise. Please make sure you've shadowed or gained some clinical exposure with the attending physician BEFORE you ask for a LOR. Just a friendly reminder.