The Official Application

The number of applications you submit is totally up to you! Some applicants apply to only a couple of schools; others have been known to apply to as many as 30 or more! There is no single, correct number.

The national average for medical schools (allopathic and/or osteopathic) is about eleven or twelve applications per person.

Unless you are very confident, you should apply to a range of schools.  Based upon the national average, we suggest you apply to between ten and twelve schools divided across a range of schools: 1/3 “reach,” 1/3 “good match,” and 1/3 “safety.” More than twelve may be advisable if you are a marginal candidate, but more than twenty is probably unnecessary and expensive. You must estimate your own chances and act accordingly.

Yes, we assess a one time processing fee of $50.00.  This applies to all programs, even if you split your applications across different health professions school/programs (e.g., allopathic and osteopathic medical schools; medical and podiatric schools, medical schools and postbac programs, etc.).

Consider enrolling in a postbaccalaureate program if there is a problem with academic preparation (GPA, admissions test scores, course selection). These programs include: traditional postbac programs, science enhancement programs, special master’s programs, and special programs for non-traditional, minority and/or disadvantaged students.

• Traditional Postbac Programs: Programs designed to provide applicants with medical school prerequisite coursework with additional opportunities for clinical activities, research, and/or community service. Many of these programs also offer preparation programs for admissions tests and other workshops and programs for improving one’s application.

• Science Enhancement Programs: These postbac programs are designed to improve your previous poor performance in the sciences. These programs are not designed to fill in missing science pre-requisites but to “retake” or build upon those science courses that have already been taken.

• Special Master’s Programs: Postbaccalaureate programs typically offered through medical or other health professions schools; students often enroll in the same courses as the successfully matriculated health professions school student.

• Special Programs for Non-Traditional, Disadvantaged/Minority Students: These programs may vary in length from summer to yearlong and are designed to provide intensive experiences designed to meet the needs of the non-traditional student.

For more information concerning postbaccalaureate programs consult the AAMC’s Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs.