Oftentimes, the limiting factor to whether or not you should apply to medical school is your GPA. If you don’t have a high GPA but you want to go to an allopathic medical school, you should consider these 15 med schools that traditionally accept students with low GPAs.
Med Schools with Low GPAs
1. Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tennessee)
Meharry is a historically black academic health science center but you don’t have to be a person of color to apply here. They provide opportunities, especially for people of color and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. They do accept others, regardless of race or ethnicity, to receive excellent education and training in the health sciences. Meharry Medical College is one of the many med schools that accept students with low GPAs
Median GPA – 3.46
Median MCAT – 503
2. Howard University College of Medicine (Washington, District of Columbia)
Similar to Meharry, Howard University strives to address the special healthcare needs of medically underserved communities. Their goal is to produce a significant number of the nation’s minority physicians. Howard University College of Medicine, is a med school that traditionally accepts students with low GPAs
Median GPA – 3.61
Median MCAT – 507
3. Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (Roanoke, Virginia)
Virginia Tech currently uses multiple-mini interviews to interview its applicants. In the last cycle, they interviewed 246 applicants.
Median GPA – 3.61
Median MCAT – 512
4. Tulane University School of Medicine (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Median GPA – 3.65
Median MCAT – 510
5. Hofstra North Shore – Zucker School of Medicine (Hempstead, New York)
Median GPA – 3.84
Median MCAT – 519
6. University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine (Kansas City, Missouri)
One unique aspect of UMKC is that every week, for three-and-a-half years, students spend a half day assisting in outpatient care at its two continuing care clinics. This allows for early clinical experience and continuity.
Median GPA – 3.85
Median MCAT – 510
7. Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine (Huntington, West Virginia)
Because Marshall is a state-assisted medical school, Marshall gives preference to West Virginia residents. Nevertheless, some positions are available to well-qualified nonresidents from states adjoining West Virginia and nonresidents who have strong ties to West Virginia. Students who have been introduced to the school through the out-of-state recruitment pipeline and outreach programs are also encouraged to apply.
Median GPA – 3.76
Median MCAT – 505
8. Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta, Georgia)
Morehouse places a strong emphasis on their social mission, which is to serve people of color and the underserved urban and rural populations in Georgia, the nation, and the world. They are ranked #1 in social mission and #16 in primary care. 63% of their alumni go into primary care. Morehouse School of Medicine traditionally accepts students with low GPAs.
Median GPA – 3.68
Median MCAT – 506
9. Albany Medical College (Albany, New York)
Median GPA – 3.73
Median MCAT – 510
10. Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk, Virginia)
Median GPA – 3.72
Median MCAT – 513
11. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Scranton, Pennsylvania)
Median GPA – 3.8
Median MCAT – 513
12. Uniformed Services University – F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine (Bethesda, Maryland)
Herbert School of Medicine is essentially the military’s medical school. Their curriculum includes military and public health medicine to better prepare physicians for military service. Although 60% of their accepted students have no prior military experience, after being accepted into the program, all students must commission into the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Public Health Service prior to matriculation.
Median GPA – 3.77
Median MCAT – 511
13. Mercer University School of Medicine (Macon, Georgia)
This school’s focus is to serve the medically underserved population in Georgia. Therefore, in order to apply here, you need to be a legal resident of the state of Georgia at the time of submitting the application.
Median GPA – 3.71
Median MCAT – 505
14. New York Medical College (Valhalla, New York)
Median GPA – 3.7
Median MCAT – 514
15. Drexel University College of Medicine (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Median GPA – 3.79
Median MCAT – 512
Having a lower-than-average GPA when applying to med school sets you back. It’s imperative the rest of your medical school application is up to par in order to receive that acceptance you’ve long awaited for.
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