Nothing best describes the medical school admissions process except that it is extremely hard and competitive. It is meant to be difficult so that med schools are able to determine whether a student can handle the painstaking stress and pressure that the school imposes.
Given this fact, they are able to cherry-pick the applicants through a number of factors – one of these is your GPA.
Now, this begs the question, what is a good GPA for med school? Stick around to the end of this post to find out more!
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Does Your GPA Matter In Medical School?
The most important aspects of an application that med schools put significant weight on are the personal statements, community service, recommendation letters, MCAT scores, and the science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math) and cumulative GPAs.
Your science and cumulative GPAs top the list of weight-bearing factors that will determine your chances of receiving an invitation to be interviewed or an acceptance letter.
Admission officials are always on the lookout for strong candidates that can withstand the physical and mental ordeals of med school. Your GPA for med school matters a bunch because this serves as an indicator that if you did well during your undergraduate years, you will also do well in med school.
After all, med school is not for everyone.
Admission officials often put extreme emphasis on your science GPA, though you still have to maintain a high non-science GPA. So whether you are a science major or not, they will still look into your performance in medical school prerequisite courses.
If you are currently in your pre-med years, you may want to know how to study faster in med school and get better grades. Check out our video below on you can do so! If you have found the video below insightful, you can keep up with similar content by hitting the subscribe button on our Youtube channel!
What Is A Good GPA For Med School?
The AAMC’s latest report on MCAT and GPA for med school of applicants and matriculants to U.S. medical schools by primary undergraduate major for the years 2020 – 2021 indicates the mean MCAT score, science GPA, non-science GPA, and total GPA of all applicants and matriculants.
| Applicants | Matriculants | |
| Science GPA | 3.49 | 3.66 |
| Non-Science GPA | 3.74 | 3.82 |
| Total GPA | 3.6 | 3.73 |
| Total MCAT* | 506.4 | 511.5 |
*Additional
Source: Association of American Medical Colleges
Keep in mind that these values are just averages, meaning that there are students with MCAT scores and GPAs below this threshold that got accepted into med schools.
While it would be best for all your GPAs to reach these averages, also take note that the unofficial standard GPA for med school from a national standpoint is 3.5. Therefore, you still have a relatively fair chance of being accepted as long as other areas of your application stand out.
Moreover, it’s still best to look into the average GPA of each school that you are applying for to set your expectations in the right place.
Shemmassian Academic Consulting crafted a table on the average GPA and MCAT score for every medical school in the U.S. Check it out here if you want to know more!
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FAQs About GPA For Med School
Do You Need All A’s To Get Into Med School?
Not everyone that has near-perfect GPA for med school is accepted. Admission officials are also taking into account your other requirements such as personal statements, community service, recommendation letters, and MCAT scores.
If you’re taking your MCAT soon and want the highest score you can get, check out the 10 best MCAT practice tests and the best prep courses for MCAT.
Some med schools are not just looking for those that excel in their academics, but also their extracurricular activities.
You may want to invest time in extending help to communities in need as this will exhibit your dedication to helping others and determine whether you are suitable for this career path.
Those with relatively lower GPA may have excelled in their extracurriculars or have other requirements that are of high quality which catapulted them into acceptance.
You also don’t entirely need to have all A’s but it would benefit you if you have aced your science courses more than your non-science GPA. You may have been enrolled in a notoriously difficult and challenging major like Physics which pulled down your GPA for med school, but remember that admission officials are always on the lookout for students who love to challenge themselves.
If this is the case, try to increase the quality of other aspects of your application in order to prove that you are capable of surviving and thriving in med school.
Bonus: Want a full library of free medical school eBooks, video courses, and training? Click here to get access to your free med school advice library!
Can I Become A Doctor With Bad Grades?
While your GPA definitely bears a lot of weight in your application, it isn’t the only basis of your acceptance into the schools you are applying for.
If in any case your science and cumulative GPAs are relatively less competitive, you may want to increase your chances of being accepted by
- gaining academic research experience,
- increasing your exposure to the healthcare field by volunteering in hospitals, clinics, and local communities,
- gaining a high MCAT score (you may want to check out this blog post we have crafted to help you get into med school with a low MCAT score),
- and demonstrating suitable personal skills and qualities needed in pursuing this profession.
Your chances of acceptance also depend on the school, as the average GPA for med school of applicants and matriculants vary – some with lower or higher average GPA requirements. Hence, you have to weigh out which schools you should be prioritizing.
Here’s a step-by-step process on how to get into medical school with a low GPA.
Bonus: Want to learn how to study twice as fast? Click here to get access to our free step-by-step study course!
What Is The Easiest Medical School To Get Into?
This majorly depends on the degree type – whether you are applying for MD or DO schools. The easiest MD school to get into based on an average GPA of 3.5 is Meharry Medical College in Tennessee.
Other least competitive MD schools based on their median GPA are listed in the table below.
| School | Average GPA |
| Meharry Medical College, TN | 3.5 |
| Howard University College of Medicine, DC | 3.52 |
| University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, TX | 3.58 |
| Virginia Tech Carillion School of Medicine, VI | 3.62 |
| New York Medical College, NY | 3.64 |
| TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, TX | 3.64 |
| Morehouse School of Medicine, GA | 3.65 |
| Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine, PR | 3.65 |
| Tulane University School of Medicine, LA | 3.65 |
| San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, PR | 3.65 |
| Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, CT | 3.67 |
| Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, MO | 3.68 |
| California University of Science and Medicine-School of Medicine, CA | 3.69 |
| California Northstate University School of Medicine, CA | 3.69 |
| Mercer University School of Medicine, GA | 3.69 |
Source: Bemo Academic Consulting
On the other hand, the easiest DO schools to get into based on an average GPA of 3.4 are Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), and Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – New York (TouroCOM-NY).
Other least competitive DO schools based on their median GPA are listed in the table below.
| School | Average GPA |
| Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine | 3.4 |
| New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) | 3.4 |
| Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – New York (TouroCOM-NY) | 3.4 |
| Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU – DCOM) | 3.43 |
| Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (PNWU – COM) | 3.43 |
| Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University (AZCOM / MWU) | 3.48 |
| Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University (CCOM / MWU) | 3.48 |
| Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine | 3.5 |
| Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) | 3.5 |
| Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine | 3.5 |
Source: Bemo Academic Consulting
In contrast, you may find our full breakdown of the hardest medical schools to get into interesting to check out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-BLk0SXcng
I hope that this blog post has served its purpose of informing you about what is a good GPA for med school and help you get into the medical school of your dreams. Good luck!
If you have enjoyed this post, how about checking out some of our other blog posts for more great content?
- Get Better Grades With These Med School Exam Tips
- Medical School Timeline: Full Year By Year Breakdown
- Best Pre-Med Majors To Get Into Med School [Full Guide]
- Interviewing For Medical School (Tips, Samples And More)
- Med School Rankings Revealed (2021 Update)
- Medical School Personal Statement Examples And Tips
- Here’s How I Got A 3.9 GPA In Med School [Most Effective Study Strategies]
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Until next time my friend…
