What is a realistic GPA for med school?
Asked by: Dr. Shania Corwin | Last update: December 20, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (59 votes)
The medical school admissions process is extraordinarily competitive, and selectivity has intensified due to a pandemic-related surge of interest in the medical field. Premed undergraduates should strive to achieve a GPA of 3.5 or higher to get accepted into a top-tier med school, admissions officials say.
What is considered a good GPA for med school?
A competitive GPA for medical school is generally 3.6 or higher. On average, successful matriculants — students who are accepted and enroll — have higher GPAs than other applicants.
Is a 3.7 GPA bad for med school?
If you complete the premed requirements, then a 3.7 is sufficiently to get a student accepted into a very good medical school, and is very close to the average for all students accepted to medical school in the USA. Of course they will also need to have medical experience and good references.
Is a 3.8 GPA bad for med school?
3.8 is a great GPA, period. However, a 3.8 GPA is relatively low in terms of med school given how competitive it is. It's not to say that students can't get into med school with a 3.8, but the average GPA for U of T is 3.96 and 3.88 for Mac, so a 3.8 is definitely on the low side.
Is a 3.6 too low for med school?
In other words, 70% of applicants who have a GPA between 3.4 and 3.6 do not get into a single medical school. For those who have a GPA between 3.6 and 3.8, the chances of getting into a medical school increase to 47%. About 66% of applicants with a GPA greater or equal to 3.8 get accepted into medical school.
LOW GPA/MCAT REVEAL - accepted into medical school
Is a 3.4 bad for med school?
The typical cutoff for DO programs is around a 3.4 GPA, while most MD programs require at least a 3.7 GPA. Another option is to consider attending a school that has a higher acceptance rate.
Is a 3.63 GPA bad?
In general, a 3.0 GPA or higher is widely accepted by college advisors, internship programs, and potential employers. Anything above a 3.5 is often considered outstanding and may lead to honors designations at graduation and special distinctions/designations on your actual diploma.
Can I get into Harvard Med with a 3.8 GPA?
Harvard Medical School obviously has the luxury of selecting students from an outstanding pool of applicants. If your MCAT and GPA are excellent (517 and 3.8 or higher) or there are other extenuating circumstances about your background that distinguish you, try applying.
Is 300 research hours enough for med school?
There are no 'requirements' for a minimum number of research hours that you need to apply to most medical programs. However, if you're considering research-focused medical schools, 400 hours is a great place to start. MD-PhD applicants should aim to get 1,500 or more.
How many BS are acceptable for med school?
I would say to have a competitive chance at most medical schools you probably want to have a GPA above 3.5 So a B or two per semester is probably OK but do you want to make sure you get mostly A's or A- in your science and math courses.
What is the lowest GPA med schools will accept?
A GPA of 3.0 or higher is generally considered to be the minimum requirement for medical schools. Some schools may have a lower minimum requirement, such as a 2.5 or 2.75, but these are less common.
Is a 3.7 GPA good for the Ivy League?
While 3.6-3.7 is a good unweighted GPA, it's below the average reported at Ivy League schools. However, this doesn't mean acceptance is impossible! A well-rounded profile, compelling essays, and special talents and interests can help you stand out.
Is a C+ good enough for med school?
Getting a C+ is not a red flag for medical school.
An F could be a potential red flag.
Is 3.7 GPA low for med school?
Admissions experts advise aspiring medical school students to aim for a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
What is a B+ GPA?
A+ = 4.00. A = 4.00. A- = 3.67. B+ = 3.33.
What is the average GPA for Harvard medical school?
HMS is highly selective, so getting in is no easy task—it's one of the country's hardest medical schools to get into. The average GPA of matriculants is 3.9, evidencing that high-achieving students have the best shot at admission.
Can I get into med school with a 3.85 GPA?
Generally, a GPA of 3.5 or higher is ideal. You are still considered competitive if your GPA is within 0.1 points of the medical school's average. However, it may be considered low if your GPA is more than 0.3 points below the average (or in the school's 75th or 80th percentile).
How many clinical hours is impressive for med school?
How Many Clinical Hours for Medical School Are Required? At least 100 to 150 hours of clinical experience is considered competitive when applying to medical school. There is no specific number of clinical hours for medical school that will be universally applicable to all programs.
Is 510 mcat good?
508-510 are all fine, and if you don't get accepted with a score in that range, it's not because of your MCAT score. Anything that's 510 and above will help you. This is going to discourage a lot of people because they may only be getting a 504 or 505.
What is a 491 MCAT score?
If you scored a 491 on the MCAT, this means you performed in the 20 percentile according to most recent AAMC statistics, and are 20 points away from a competitive 511.
Is 3.5 a bad GPA for medical school?
Most medical schools seek applicants with an overall GPA of at least 3.5. Top-tier schools often expect an average closer to 3.7 or above.
What is the hardest med school to get into?
With an astonishingly low acceptance rate of about 1.4%, Stanford is the country's hardest medical school to get into. They admit students who not only boast impressive academic records but also showcase a deep passion for leadership, community involvement, and pushing the boundaries of medical knowledge.
Is 3.9 GPA impressive?
Assuming an unweighted GPA, a 3.9 means that you're doing exceptionally well. This GPA indicates that you've earned all As on average across all of your classes. If you've been taking high level classes, this is all the more impressive.
Is a 3.6 good for PhD?
GPA. Your GPA in undergrad is the single most important factor in PhD admissions. If your GPA is too low your application will be dismissed out of hand. While there are no hard limits, we suggest a minimum GPA of 3.5 for serious contention, especially at top schools.
Is a 3.6 GPA bad for law school?
A low GPA for law schools will entirely depend on your goals. If your GPA is at or below a school's 25th percentile, your GPA will be considered low for that school. So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low.