| School | State | Acceptance Rate | Avg GPA | Avg MCAT | In-State Bias |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Univ of North Dakota | ND | 17-20% | 3.86 | 508 | Very High |
| Univ of Mississippi | MS | 12-15% | 3.9 | 505 | 100% In-State |
| University of New Mexico | NM | 10-13% | 3.79 | 505 | High |
| LSU Shreveport | LA | 11-12% | 3.82 | 507 | High |
| Mercer Univ | GA | 10-12% | 3.79 | 503 | 100% In-State |
| Meharry Med College | TN | 10-12% | 3.65 | 506 | None |
| *Data from MSAR 2026 + MedEdits admissions database. Update annually.* | |||||
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When reviewing the data available to determine which medical schools are the easiest to gain accepted to, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Many medical schools that have the lowest median GPA and MCAT scores for accepted students are state schools that either accept very few, or no, out of state applicants. Therefore, these state medical schools might be "easiest" to gain acceptance to as an in state applicant but extremely difficult, or impossible, to gain admission to as an out of state applicant.
Since all med schools have a finite number of interview slots each year, they have to be careful about how they fill those interview slots. For this reason, a medical school with a median MCAT of 509 is not likely to interview a student with a 525 on the MCAT. Why? The medical school admissions committee might assume that a student with an MCAT that is so much higher than the school's average for accepted students will be unlikely to attend. Therefore, they might decide not to "waste" an interview slot for such an exceptional applicant. By the same token, a school with a median GPA of 3.5 may not interview someone with a GPA of 4.0.
The DO schools below tend to have lower average MCAT scores (around 504) and can be good options for applicants with lower stats who still want to practice medicine in the U.S.
As a medical school applicant, you have worked your hardest to write the best medical school personal statement, get great letters of recommendation, and complete the medical school requirements and do everything "right." But, you know that when it comes to medical school admissions, there is no such thing as an "easy" medical school to get in to or a "safety school." The vast majority of medical school applicants rarely have safety schools on their medical school lists as they did when they applied to for college.
Since only less than 50% of medical school applicants, on average, are accepted to medical school each year, getting in to any allopathic (MD-granting) medical school in the United States is difficult and competitive. However, there are some strategies you can employ and medical schools that are "easier" to get in to than others. Therefore, making a strategic school list is one of the key things you can do to ensure your success in this process. In fact, one of the most common reasons applicants are not accepted to medical school the first time they apply is because they do not compose a well-balanced school list.
Think of your medical school list as a mix of easier and more competitive programs: you need enough realistic options on your list, not just famous names.
In this article, based on the most current data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, we will help you increase your odds of medical school acceptance by outlining how to make and balance your medical school list and by identifying the ‘easiest’ public and private medical schools. When deciding which medical schools you should apply to, there are many factors to consider including your overall competitiveness, school prestige, geography, and cost. Accurately gauging your overall competitiveness is key when deciding where to apply to medical school.
This guide walks you step‑by‑step through how to make a realistic medical school list and shows you which medical schools are statistically easier to get into for 2026 applicants
Here are some questions we will answer:
Many students prefer to attend medical school in a particular area of the country. Here are some questions to answer:
There are many personal factors that will impact your decision about where you would like to attend medical school. Also keep in mind that many students end up doing their residency training where they attended medical school or at their medical school's affiliated hospitals. Applicants who are very competitive can sometimes have the luxury of choosing where they would like to attend school; however, those who are less competitive often cannot be this choosy.
However, one of the biggest reasons that geography is so important is because your state residency will often determine what medical schools you are most likely to get accepted to. Why? Public or state schools offer preference to in state residents. By the same token, as an out of state resident you will have a very difficult time getting accepted to some public medical schools.
For example, let's say you are a Connecticut resident and you have a 505 on the MCAT. You see that The University of Mississippi has an average MCAT of 504 and decide to apply. This is not a great idea because Mississippi accepts no out of state residents. Therefore, you have zero shot of getting in there.
Many medical schools that have the lowest median GPA and MCAT scores for accepted students are state schools that either accept very few, or no, out of state applicants. Therefore, these state medical schools might be "easiest" to gain acceptance to as an in state applicant but extremely difficult, or impossible, to gain admission to as an out of state applicant.
When trying to determine how competitive you are for any medical school, the first thing to consider is your MCAT and GPA. Most medical schools will not publish the minimum GPA and MCAT required for consideration. You should review the admissions statistics for matriculated and accepted applicants at all medical schools to determine where to apply. This information can be found in the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR®) book published and available in an online version from the AAMC® and the online version of US News and World Report. Next consider a medical program's acceptance rate, if the medical school is a public (state) or private school, and the number of applications received and percentage of applicants interviewed. You can view that data on our website.
The easiest medical schools to get into are usually in‑state public schools with lower median MCAT and GPA and very strong in‑state preference, plus a subset of mid‑range private MD and DO schools with more flexible stats
When deciding what the easiest med schools are to get into, you must first differentiate what schools you are talking about. For example, if you are a resident of Georgia, then you will be considered in state at Mercer Medical School which is one of the easiest med schools to get accepted to. However, if you are out of state, Mercer will be unattainable as they do not accept out of state students. We will break down the easiest public medical schools to get accepted to (that offer in state preference) and the easiest private med schools to get accepted to. Keep in mind that when thinking about the easiest medical schools to get into you must differentiate between allopathic or MD-granting medical schools and osteopathic or DO-granting medical schools. Osteopathic or DO-granting medical schools have lower average admissions metrics with average MCAT scores hovering around 504 which makes them, as a group, easier to get into than allopathic medical schools. A
What are the Easiest Allopathic Public and State Medical Schools to get Into (2026)?
Let's review the allopathic public American medical colleges that are the easiest to get in to. With this data, we will include the percentage of out of state matriculants to offer an idea of how competitive that medical school is for out of state applicants. For medical schools with very low out of state matriculation rates (less than 15%) the medical school usually only accept out of state students that have an association with the state in some capacity such as having lived there previously or if the applicant attended undergraduate college in the state. All of the schools on this are public except for Mercer University School of Medicine in Georgia which is private, but, only accepts Georgia residents. You will also see that these schools accept mostly state residents.
The schools below are among the statistically easiest MD programs to get into for in‑state residents based on MCAT, GPA, and low out‑of‑state acceptance rates.
Use this ‘easiest medical schools to get into’ data to identify realistic options, then plug them into your safest/target/reach categories using the formula below
| School Name | Type | MCAT | GPA | Percent of Out of State Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University | Public | 511 | 3.73 | 0 |
| East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine | Public | 511 | 3.8 | 12.5% |
| Florida State University College of Medicine | Public | 510 | 3.77 | 1% |
| Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport | Public | 510 | 3.76 | 3% |
| Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine | Public | 505 | 3.74 | 22% |
| Michigan State University College of Human Medicine | Public | 509 | 3.71 | 28% |
| Mercer University School of Medicine | Private | 503 | 3.68 | 0 |
| Northeast Ohio Medical University | Public | 514 | 3.82 | 6% |
| Southern Illinois University School of Medicine | Public | 508 | 3.77 | 0 |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine | Public | 508 | 3.83 | 7.5% |
| University of Arizona College of Medicine | Public | 511 | 3.72 | 26% |
| University of Kansas School of Medicine | Public | 510 | 3.82 | 11% |
| University of Kentucky College of Medicine | Public | 507 | 3.79 | 10% |
| University of Mississippi School of Medicine | Public | 505 | 3.77 | 0 |
| University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine | Public | 510 | 3.82 | 5% (Does not include BS/MD matriculants) |
| University of New Mexico School of Medicine | Public | 505 | 3.8 | 10% |
| University of South Alabama | Public | 508 | 3.85 | 6.7% |
| University of Texas Rio Grande | Public | 510 | 3.58 | 7.4% |
| University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences | Public | 508 | 3.82 | 38% |
| University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine | Public | 504 | 3.8 | 2% |
In contrast to public state medical schools, private medical schools have less preference and obligation to in state applicants. For this reason, they are least competitive for both in state and out of state applicants.
These private medical schools are generally easier to get into than many state flagships because they accept a higher percentage of out‑of‑state applicants and have mid‑range MCAT and GPA averages.
| School Name | Location | Type | MCAT | GPA | Percent of Out of State Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Medical College | Albany, NY | Private | 510 | 3.7 | 71% |
| Creighton University School of Medicine | Omaha, NE | Private | 511 | 3.78 | 94% |
| Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine | Private | 511 | 3.73 | 28% | |
| Hackensack-Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University | Nutley, NJ | Private | 511 | 3.73 | 50% |
| Howard University College of Medicine | Washington, DC | Private | 504 | 3.51 | 88% |
| Loma Linda University School of Medicine | Loma Linda, CA | Private | 509 | 3.88 | 50% |
| Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine | Maywood, IL | Private | 510 | 3.7 | 66% |
| Medical College of Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | Private | 510 | 3.74 | 43% |
| Meharry Medical College | Nashville, TN | Private | 502 | 3.54 | 76% |
| Morehouse School of Medicine | Atlanta, GA | Private | 506 | 3.69 | 37% |
| Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine | Davie, FL | Private | 511 | 3.71 | 45% |
| Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine | Hershey, PA | Private | 511 | 3.81 | 60% |
| Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine | Ponce, PR | Private | 500 | 3.65 | 29% |
| Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center | Chicago, IL | Private | 511 | 3.72 | 64% |
| San Juan Bautista School of Medicine | Caguas, PR | Private | 497 | 3.65 | 30% |
| Universidad Central del Caribe | Bayamon, PR | Private | 499 | 3.73 | 9% |
Medical school is expensive, and some students prefer to attend an in-state medical school to defray costs where tuition is lower. For example, let say you are from Massachusetts. The tuition cost to go to The University of Massachusetts is $38,346 versus $65,203 at Harvard Medical School. Now, let's look at the four year tuition costs.
To go to The University of Massachusetts, the four year tuition cost is $153,384.
To go to Harvard Medical School, the four year tuition cost is $260,812.
So, as a Massachusetts resident, you could save $107,428 by going to your state school. That is a lot money!
Regardless of where you go to medical school you will have to consider room and board (unless you can live at home) in to your overall costs as well.
Some medical schools also have large endowments and offer generous scholarships to some accepted applicants. It is also important to factor in cost of living which can be more in urban areas if medical schools don't offer housing options or most students live off campus. If you need to take out loans for medical school, calculate how much debt you might graduate with as you consider where to attend.
Read: Medical School Cost and Medical School Tuition
Outstanding medical schools have excellent departments in most disciplines, but, if you have a special interest in a particular field, be aware of what medical schools have programs that will allow you to explore and develop your niche. If you know you want to practice primary care in a community setting and have no interest in research, for example, attending a medical school with a research requirement where most students go on to subspecialize might be a poor choice.
Some medical school curriculums still use lectures and labs as primary teaching methods, but most have now moved towards small group, case based learning, which is also referred to as problem based learning (PBL). PBL encourages collaborative problem solving and peer education. Almost all schools now incorporate simulation learning into their curriculums, where students work on computerized mannequins to help them learn to diagnose and treat patients. Some schools have more sophisticated "sim centers" than others but don't be fooled; effective learning requires outstanding teachers and supportive educational environments, which does not always correlate with impressive facilities. Prestigious medical schools typically have the most progressive curriculums, and medical schools are now incorporating "longitudinal patient care experiences" through which medical students care for the same patients during a specified period.
The trend in undergraduate medical education is to blur the line between the preclinical (first and second years) and clinical years (third and fourth years) of medical school, a distinction that used to be well defined. This blurring is being accomplished in medical schools throughout the country by incorporating varying degrees of early patient exposure. Though I discourage students from considering curriculums in deciding where they should apply, variations in curriculums can be factored in if you have to choose between multiple medical schools. Also consider that most of your last two years are spent doing rotations at hospitals affiliated with the medical school you attend. Consider these environments, too, as you decide where to apply.
For some students grading systems are an important consideration with pass/fail as an attractive option. However, I discourage applicants from using this as a factor when deciding where to apply; this becomes more important if you are lucky to have multiple acceptances!
For many medical school applicants, a school's prestige is a very important factor when deciding where to apply. However, the majority of applicants should apply to a range of medical schools, not only the most prestigious institutions, since the process is not predictable and no one is a shoe-in for medical school admissions.
Related: Medical Schools in California including the easiest medical schools to get into in California.
It goes without saying. The more medical schools you apply to the greater your chances of getting in. Ultimately how many schools you apply to will depend on how competitive you are and how many reach schools you want to apply to. As a general rule, the more competitive you are, the fewer schools you should apply to, and, if you are less competitive, you should apply to more medical schools. So you don't exhaust yourself physically, emotionally, and financially, we recommend medical school applicants apply to approximately 25 medical schools, however, if you are a very competitive applicant, you might apply to more medical schools, and a less competitive applicant would apply to more.
Unlike other admissions processes, there is no such thing as a safety school in medicine! However, the "safest" schools are those where your GPA and MCAT are higher than the average for applicants accepted to any given medical school. Reach schools are those where your MCAT and GPA are lower than those of accepted students. Target schools are those medical schools where your GPA and MCAT match or close to the metrics for accepted students. When making up a school list, always apply to your state medical schools since those are often the "safest" medical schools for in-state applicants. By the same token, out of state students are not competitive for state medical schools that accept few to no out of state student regardless of how competitive the MCAT and GPA.
Here are the steps we suggest you take to determine your school list:
Making a balanced medical school list is one of the most important parts of the application process. A smart list includes schools where you are realistically competitive based on your GPA, MCAT, state residency, and overall fit, not just schools with the lowest average admissions statistics.
Even when applicants have strong essays, meaningful experiences, and excellent letters of recommendation, a poorly chosen school list can seriously hurt their chances of acceptance. The goal is to build a list with a healthy mix of safest, target, and reach schools so you maximize your odds without wasting time or money on schools that are unrealistic for your profile.
Your in-state public medical schools should usually be the first schools you evaluate. Many public schools strongly prefer in-state applicants, so these programs are often the most realistic options on your list if your GPA and MCAT are reasonably close to their averages.
Use the AAMC MSAR to review each medical school’s average GPA, average MCAT, acceptance rate, and percentage of out-of-state students. This is one of the best ways to determine whether a school is realistic for you and to avoid building a list based on guesswork or outdated online calculators.
Once you review the data, group every school into one of three categories:
If your GPA and MCAT place a school in different categories, always use the lower category. For example, if your GPA makes a school a target but your MCAT makes it a reach, you should consider that school a reach.
Do not assume a school is “easy” simply because its average MCAT or GPA looks lower. Some of the easiest medical schools to get into are only easier for in-state applicants and may be extremely difficult or impossible for out-of-state students to enter.
For example, a public medical school with a lower average MCAT may still be a poor choice if it accepts few or no out-of-state applicants. This is why your state residency matters so much when building a realistic medical school list.
As a general framework, many applicants should aim for a list of about 25 medical schools. A reasonable breakdown is:
Very strong applicants may have a more reach-heavy list, while less competitive applicants often need a more safest-heavy list. The key is balance: the best school list is not the most prestigious one, but the one that gives you the best chance of getting accepted.
Lists of the easiest medical schools to get into can be helpful, but they should only be one part of your strategy. Use these schools to identify realistic options for your safest and target categories, then narrow your choices based on in-state preference, mission fit, location, cost, and your overall competitiveness.
In other words, do not build your list by applying only to schools that seem easiest on paper. Build your list by applying to schools that are realistic for you.
When using this formula, if your MCAT and GPA put you in different categories for a given school, always use the lowest category. For example, let's say your GPA puts you in a "target" range for a given school, but, your MCAT score puts that school in the "reach" category. We advise to always consider the school a "reach" rather than a target school. Using the same logic, if your GPA makes the school a "target" school, but, your MCAT would put that you in the "safest" category, consider that school a "target."
When applying to medical schools, use this breakdown:
The above strategy is a great place to start, however, you must realize that many factors go in to making a school list such as your experiences, written documents, letters of reference, and background. Also, depending on your stats and other factors, we might recommend applying to more of less schools in the three categories. Repeating the rule of thumb stated earlier, the more competitive an applicant you are, the more "reach-heavy" your list might be, and, the less competitive, the more "safest-heavy" your list should be.
Most applicants should apply to around 25 medical schools, adjusting up or down based on how competitive they are and what their goals are.
The most recent AAMC data shows that, on average, each applicant submits 17 medical school applications. If you are an extremely competitive applicant for either your state schools or private schools, you might be able to apply to only 17 medical schools. However, since the process is so unpredictable and subjective, we recommend that that the more typical applicant apply to 25 medical schools or more.
The WedgeDawg SDN or WARS calculator is a system created by an Student Doctor Network user that determines your overall competitiveness and then offers guidance of how many schools in different tiers you should apply to. WARS predecessor is the LizzyM score which utilized a simpler formula (GPA*10) + MCAT. While LizzyM is a great tool to use to compare yourself to other applicants, WARS uses more data points which makes it a better tool in our opinion.
First, let's review the 11 factors that WARS has you input:
By inputting your data for these 11 categories, WARS will then calculate your level with a range of 0 – 121. You will then be put in one of 6 levels depending on your total score:
Finally, you will be guided, based on your level, how many schools to apply to in each of seven categories which are as follows:
For example, an "S" level applicant is advised to apply to 22 schools in total with the following percentages:
After using the WARS calculator with numerous different points, we can tell you that it is a decent tool to use as a very general guide. In MedEdits' experience, it is extremely rare that we recommend any applicant apply to only 22 medical schools. So, what this indicates is that the total number of medical schools WARS recommends you apply to is very conservative.
What are the downsides of the WARS calculator?
Again, we want to emphasize that WARS is a very effective tool to offer you a general idea of your overall competitiveness and the range of medical schools for which you will be competitive.
To make a medical school list, start by reviewing your GPA, MCAT, state residency, and overall competitiveness. Then use reliable admissions data to divide schools into safest, target, and reach categories and build a balanced list that includes realistic options.
Most applicants should consider applying to about 25 medical schools, although the right number depends on how competitive they are and what their goals are (MD versus DO, for example).. Stronger applicants may apply to fewer schools, while less competitive applicants often need a larger and more conservative list.
The easiest medical schools to get into are usually schools with lower average GPA and MCAT metrics, but that does not mean they are easy for everyone. Many public medical schools are only “easier” for in-state applicants, while some private MD and DO programs may be more realistic for out-of-state students.
No. Applying only to the easiest medical schools to get into is not a good strategy because “easiest” depends heavily on your own state residency, MCAT, GPA, and background. A stronger approach is to use those schools to identify realistic options while still building a balanced list of safest, target, and reach programs.
Public medical schools can be easier to get into for in-state residents because they often give strong preference to local applicants. For out-of-state students, however, many private medical schools are more realistic because they accept a much higher percentage of non-residents.
In general, osteopathic medical schools have lower average admissions metrics than allopathic medical schools, which can make them more accessible for some applicants. However, osteopathic schools are still competitive, and applicants should research each school carefully rather than assuming all DO programs are the same.
A safest school is one where your GPA or MCAT is comfortably above the school’s averages, a target school is one where your numbers are close to the averages, and a reach school is one where your GPA or MCAT falls meaningfully below the averages. If your GPA and MCAT place you in different categories, use the lower category when building your list.
As a general rule, about 15% to 20% of your medical school list can be reach schools. Most of your list should still be made up of target and safest schools so you maintain a realistic overall strategy.
Yes. State residency is one of the most important factors when building a medical school list because many public medical schools strongly prefer in-state applicants and accept few out-of-state students. A school that looks easier on paper may still be unrealistic if you are not a resident of that state.
One of the biggest mistakes applicants make is building a school list that is too top-heavy or unrealistic for their GPA, MCAT, and background. A well-balanced list usually gives applicants a much better chance of acceptance than applying only to prestigious or supposedly easier schools.
One of the biggest reasons medical school applicants are not accepted the first time they apply to medical school is because of a poorly chosen school list. While there are many nuances to the school list selection process, being realistic about your competitiveness and using the available data to your advantage will best position you to get into medical school the first (or second) time you apply. Keep in mind that you will receive a quality education at any U.S. medical school!
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