Am I Ready to Apply to Medical School?
So, how do you know when you are ready? To a degree, this depends on your future goals. How competitive do you want to be for medical school? Do you have the time and possibly funds to invest to make yourself more competitive – if necessary? This is a very personal decision that only you can answer.
Additionally, because medical school admissions committees practice holistic review, determining whether or not you are ready requires someone with a knowledgeable eye to review all of your metrics and experience, but there are some criteria and qualitative measures we can look at when deciding whether or not you are ready.
- Metrics
What are your metrics and are they competitive for the medical schools, both specific schools as well as types of schools you are aiming for?
To get an ballpark sense of this, let’s review the average MCATs and GPAs for all three of the major medical school application systems:
2. Experiences
Medical school admissions committees don’t expect you to have extensive experience in every area considered important for premedical students. However, we recommend students have extensive involvement is at least two of these four medical school extracurricular categories that medical schools value most:
- Community service/volunteer work
- Medical/clinical community service/volunteer
- Medical/clinical paid employment
- Research
How many hours you have devoted to each experience will depend on your stage of education. For example, an applicant with two gap years will be expected to have a larger time commitment than a student who is a junior in college.
All premedical students should also have shadowing experience. We recommend students follow the 75-1-3 rule unless they have other significant clinical experience.
3. Letters of Recommendation
Do you know Professors and others who can write you strong letters of recommendation that can be submitted by early May?
Having the best letters of recommendation is key to success in this process. Sometimes students at larger colleges may need to wait until senior year to have smaller classes where they can really get to know their professors. Other students may not have realized the importance of getting to know their professors early in college and therefore may need senior year to nurture those relationships.
If you’re unsure about your letters, consider reaching out to a professor or mentor now to start building those relationships.
4. Time and Scheduling
Will your schedule allow you to devote the time you need to compose a thoughtful application that you can complete by early June?
All medical schools extend interview invitations on a rolling basis so devoting time to compose a thoughtful application is a must. Putting together a strong application takes time, reflection, and thought. Do not underestimate how important this is; your written application is what will earn you interviews. Also keep in mind that secondary essay writing usually takes place immediately after submitting the primary application. Block time out in your schedule to compose the best application possible.
Start planning your timeline a year or more in advance to avoid last-minute stress.
5. Finances
It’s important to be aware of the costs associated with applying to medical school and plan your finances accordingly
The 2025 AMCAS processing fee is $175, which includes one medical school designation. Additional medical school designations are $46 each.
AACOMAS charges $198 for the first program you apply to and $57 for each additional program.
Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) has a flat fee of $220.
Medical schools also have secondary application fees that range from $30 – $130 per medical school.
When deciding whether or not you are ready to apply to medical school, be honest with yourself. Do you need more time to work on improving your candidacy? Maybe you want more time to work in the “real world” before you dive into applications. Perhaps you want a slightly less stressful pace.
How Alex Used a Gap Year to give Himself more Time
Consider Alex, a junior in college, who realized he wanted more time to prepare for the MCAT. Taking a gap year not only offered Alex the luxury of time the summer after junior year to prep for the MCAT, but this gap time also strengthened Alex’s application since we was able to get more deeply involved in his experiences.
Melinda’s Journey to a Better MCAT and Niche Development
Melinda was planning on applying at the end of junior year but realized her extracurricular profile was not as strong as it needed to be to be competitive for the medical schools she was interested in. The extra time allowed Melinda to build her niche and experience profile through her senior and gap years.
Rajiv Decided no Gap Year was Necessary
Rajiv had an outstanding academic record and was able to earn a strong MCAT score and get the experiences necessary to make him a competitive applicant by the end of his junior year. He earned multiple acceptances.
In conclusion:
Consider all of the elements that make you a competitive applicant and think about your future goals and if you are positioned to achieve them – whatever they may be! Remember, there’s no single ‘right’ time to apply to medical school. The best time is when you feel confident, prepared, and aligned with your goals. With thoughtful planning and perseverance, you’ll be ready to take the next step toward becoming a physician.
JESSICA FREEDMAN, M.D., a former medical school and residency admissions officer at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is the founder and chair of MedEdits Medical Admissions and author of three top-selling books about the medical admissions process that you can find on Amazon.
