Every year more and more students are applying to medical school. In 2021-22, according to the AAMC, more than 60,000 students applied to US MD schools with the dream of becoming a physician; that number doesn’t even take into account DO schools or international schools. Students carefully research potential programs that are within their academic standards and fit their personal goals. Students also want to ensure they receive the best medical education so they apply to the best-ranking medical schools. Unlike other professional programs, it is common for medical school applicants to apply to ten, fifteen, or even twenty schools in one cycle; this is due to the immense competition that students face. Statistically speaking, the more schools an applicant applies to, the higher chance that applicant has in obtaining admission into at least one medical school.
Below is a list of some of the most popular medical schools in the U.S., many of the medical schools in this list are also some of the best-ranking medical schools in the U.S.
1. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (16,825 applicants)
George Washington University Medical School has been the most applied to medical school for the last six years. About one-third of all medical school applicants in 2012 applied here. Its innovative facilities and its proximity to political figures make it extremely appealing for students. The George Washington Univesity School of Medicine and Health Sciences has an average GPA and MCAT of 3.7 and 512.
2. Drexel University College of Medicine (16,682 applicants)
Located in Philadelphia, Drexel University College of Medicine enrolls more students each year than any other private medical school. The school’s high enrollment coupled with its vast history makes it tough for students to not apply here. Notable alumni include Susan La Flesche Picotte, the first Native American physician, and Rebecca Cole, the second African-American female physician in the country. The Drexel University College of Medicine has an average GPA and MCAT of 3.66 and 511.
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3. Georgetown University School of Medicine (17,882 applicants)
Located in Washington D.C., Georgetown University School of Medicine is the closest medical school in proximity to the National Institutes of Health. Georgetown University School of Medicine is considered to be one of the most competitive medical schools in the country. The entering class at Georgetown University School of Medicine has an average GPA and MCAT of 3.63 and 512
4. Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine (12,007 applicants)
Its location and reputation make Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine an elite medical school. Founded in 1848, it was the first medical school to train female physicians. Furthermore, it is the first medical school to award an M.D. degree to an African-American male and female. The entering class at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine had an average GPA of 3.72 and a mean MCAT score of 517.
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5. New York Medical College (15,110 applicants)
Based in Valhalla, New York, New York Medical College is a leader in biomedical research with an endowment of over $47 million. The historic college has over 12,000 active alumni in the health field. Its notable alumni include Emily Stowe, the first female physician to practice in Canada, and Susan Steward, who was the first African-American female to practice in New York. The New York Medical College has an average GPA and MCAT of 3.6 and 514.
6. Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (14,587 applicants)
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University was founded in 1901. It was the first co-educational medical school in Pennsylvania. The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is world-renowned for training dedicated and compassionate physicians. The median GPA and MCAT at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is approximately 3.74 and 512.
7. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (14,195 applicants)
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is a private medical school located in North Chicago, Illinois. The school is named after Rosalind Franklin who had a huge role in the research of DNA. The average GPA and MCAT at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science were 3.69 and 511.
8. Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University (11,768 applicants)
Founded in 1824, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its notable alumni include Jacob Mendes Da Costa, a pioneer in internal medicine, and Robert Gallo, a co-discoverer of HIV. The average GPA and MCAT at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University for its 2022 class was 3.73 (BCPM) and 514.
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9. Tufts University School of Medicine (15,440 applicants)
Founded in 1893, Tufts University School of Medicine is located in Boston, Massachusetts. The Times Higher Education and Academic Ranking of World Universities consistently rank it as one of the leading medical research institutions. For its 2026 class, the Tufts University School of Medicine had an average GPA and MCAT of 3.74 and 514
10. Tulane University School of Medicine (17,225)
Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tulane University School of Medicine is a private institution founded in 1834. It is the second oldest medical school in the deep south. The Tulane University School of Medicine had an average GPA and MCAT of 510 and 3.58 for its 2026 class.
Considering the sheer competitiveness of medical school, you want to make sure you stand a good chance in matriculating into one of these programs. Check out MedSchoolCoach’s application support where actual physicians will help you craft your application competitively.
