Average GPA and MCAT for Medical School Applicants and Matriculants
The bottom line is that premeds are a driven, smart, and intense bunch of people and many of those who start out as pre med in college end up dropping it. We have all heard of weeder classes and they do serve a purpose!
Therefore, when it comes time to apply, you are left with the most driven and outstanding students all applying to the same limited number of medical schools in the United States.
When applying to medical school it is important to look at the average MCAT and GPA of the schools you are most interested in, but it is also important to know national averages.
Below are the most recent average GPAs and MCAT for medical school MATRICULANTS (2023):
National Average Total Total GPA |
National Average Science GPA |
National Average Non-Science GPA |
National Average MCAT |
3.75 |
3.64 |
3.84 |
511.9 |
So, to be a competitive medical school applicant, we recommend your metrics be close to these national averages.
For reference, and to understand that perhaps some students who are not competitive for medical school admission apply anyway, let’s look at the average data for medical school applicants.
Below are the most recent average GPAs and MCAT for medical school APPLICANTS (2023):
National Average Total Total GPA |
National Average Science GPA |
National Average Non-Science GPA |
National Average MCAT |
3.62 |
3.52 |
3.76 |
506.5 |
Making Time for Everything You Need Before Applying to Medical School
The most difficult part of the medical school admissions process based on what we have seen during the 15+ years we have been advising students, is that it takes a lot of time to gain all the experiences necessary to be a competitive applicant while earning a high GPA and making time to prepare for the MCAT.
This is why making a strategic medical school application timeline is essential. Be realistic about what you can accomplish based on your goals.
A higher percentage of students every year are taking at least one gap year between college and medical school for the simple reason that it is so hard to fit in everything necessary to get in! Most premeds find they need this time to gain the experiences they need to present a compelling application and candidacy.
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Medical School Strategy Questions
- Should I take a gap year to improve my chances? How many medical school applicants take a gap year?
Based on the most recent Medical Student Questionnaire issued by the Association of American Medical Colleges, 70% of first year medical students had taken at least one gap year.
Most students find that gap years allow them to delve more deeply into experiences that may distinguish them, have more MCAT preparation time, and more medical school application time by taking at least one gap year.
2. How many medical schools should I apply to?
There is not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question and so much depends on how competitive you are, what your goals are, and what state you are from and if you would be happy attending those state medical schools.
On average, students apply to 25-30 medical schools but this number can be higher or lower depending on a student’s individual circumstances.
3. When in the admissions cycle should I apply to medical school?
Applying to medical school when the application system opens in late May is an absolute necessity to be the most competitive.
We often advise students to postpone an application to the following year if they cannot submit an application by early July at the latest.
4. If I attend an elite college, won’t that help me get into medical school?
This is disappointing to many but where you go or went to college has little impact, in and of itself, in the medical school admissions process.
You won’t get into medical school because of where you went to undergraduate college; you will get in because you excelled at that college and took advantage of the opportunities available to you.