How to Decide Which Schools you Should Apply to?

Please consider all of these points before deciding which school to apply to.

Your "best bet" is always the public state university/college where you legally reside because:

  • The school accepts mainly residents.
  • The student pays in-state tuition, which is generally significantly cheaper than out-of-state tuition.

Note: For private institutions, there is generally no difference between residents and non-resident tutition.

Look at the credentials of accepted applicants from that particular school:

  • What is the median GPA?
  • What is the median science GPA?
  • What is the median score of accepted applicants for each individual section of the standardized test?
  • What are the types of experience that most applicants possess for a particular school (community service/volunteer, medically-related work and research)?
  • What is the size of the freshman class?
  • What is the percentage of resident applicants who apply and then are invited for an interview? Of those resident applicants who are interviewed, what is the percentage of students who are offered admission?
  • What is the percentage of non-resident applicants who apply and then are invited for an interview? Of those non-resident applicants who are interviewed, what is the percentage of students who are offered admission?
  • What is the tuition for a non-resident?
  • Are there other prerequisite courses that you haven't taken?

** Data may be obtained from the particular school's website, Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR), Osteopathic Medical College Information Book, Official Guide to Dental Schools, and Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements.