Is med school becoming less competitive?

While the massive application surge during the pandemic has subsided, making overall acceptance rates slightly better than their peak, medical school remains highly competitive, with increasing applicant numbers, higher GPA/MCAT expectations, and a growing pool of well-prepared candidates, meaning it's arguably harder to get in now than in recent years before COVID. The competition is fierce, with many applicants and increasing demands for high scores and experiences, despite the overall number of spots increasing.

Are medical school admissions declining?

In fact, 2024-2025 had about 51,946 MD applicants, the lowest since 2017-2018. This marks the third consecutive yearly decline in applicants – a 1.2% drop this year, on top of larger decreases of 4.7% and 11.6% in the prior two years.

Why is it harder to get into med school now?

But the demand to supply ratio is heavily skewed at the moment. Consider our growing population, increased costs of living, and prominent immigrant culture of persuading your kids to become a doctor, the competition to get in will surely get harder.

Are med school applicants increasing or decreasing?

The data also show that the total number of medical school applicants rose 5.3%, reversing a three-year decline. Other than a one-year increase in 2021-22 during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the largest gain since 2015-16. First-time applicants comprised 76.5% of all medical school applicants, an 8.4% increase.

Is med school very competitive?

Medical schools are highly competitive. The national acceptance rate is 43 percent. If you're wondering "How do I get into medical school?" use these top 10 tips from doctors and medical students to help you prepare for your pre-health professions program.

Am I Too Old for Medical School? | Ask Dr. Gray: Premed Q&A

How competitive is med school in 2025?

One trend regarding medical school acceptance rates is that they have been steadily decreasing over the past several years because medical school admissions is becoming increasingly more competitive. In 2025, 44.5 percent of applicants were accepted to allopathic (or MD-granting) medical schools.

Is a 3.7 GPA too low for med school?

No, a 3.7 GPA is not bad for medical school; it's generally considered competitive, often around the average or slightly below for highly selective MD programs, but strong enough for many schools, especially with an upward trend and a good MCAT score. A 3.7 combined with a strong BCPM (Science) GPA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math) and compelling extracurriculars makes you a viable applicant, though lower GPAs might need more exceptional scores or experiences to compensate. 

How many people don't get into med school first try?

What percentage of people get rejected from med school? Almost 60% of applicants get rejected from med school each year. If you are thinking about applying to medical school for the first time, you must make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. The applicants who were accepted were chosen for a reason.

How rare is a 525 mcat?

A 525 MCAT score is extremely rare and exceptional, placing you in the 100th percentile, meaning you scored better than 100% of test-takers in recent years (2022-2024) and are just 3 points shy of a perfect score (528). This score is considered a top-tier score for the most selective medical schools, putting you in a statistically tiny fraction of applicants, as scores above 520 represent the top 1-3%. 

Do med schools reject overqualified applicants?

It's important to note that most of the stories and rumors surrounding overqualified students getting rejected are anecdotal. No school has actually admitted to turning down students because they are overqualified.

What is the 32 hour rule in medical school?

The "32-hour rule" in medical school admissions refers to a policy where some medical schools focus on an applicant's GPA from their most recent 32 credit hours, often in science courses, instead of their entire undergraduate GPA, benefiting students with a strong upward trend or a solid post-baccalaureate performance. Schools like Wayne State University and LSU Health New Orleans use variations of this to give more weight to recent academic efforts, allowing strong performance in later coursework or post-bacc programs to shine. 

Can I realistically get into med school?

Overall, med school acceptance rates are higher than you might expect. Medical schools in the United States have an acceptance rate of around 41%. While these programs are hard to get into, medical school is an attainable goal for many people.

How common is it to fail med school?

Those entering medical schools who are committed to completing the program are 81.7 percent to 84.1 percent. So, what is the dropout rate for medical school? In a standard, single four-year program, that would put the medical school dropout rate at between 15.7 percent and 18.4 percent, confirms the AAMC.

Why is Gen Z not going to college?

Gen Z is questioning college due to skyrocketing costs, overwhelming student debt, and a perceived poor return on investment (ROI), especially with AI changing jobs and stronger alternatives like skilled trades emerging, leading many to seek faster, cheaper paths to financial stability and job security. They've seen Millennials' debt struggles, witness online success stories, and value hands-on training over traditional degrees, making college less of a guaranteed ticket to success.
 

Why are less people becoming doctors?

The American Medical Association (AMA), a professional body in the U.S., has cited increasing costs of higher education in the country as a barrier to adequate growth in physician supply.

What is the #1 hardest school to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as it changes slightly by year and criteria, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the top with extremely low acceptance rates (often 3-4%) and intense competition for spots, though other top global universities like Oxford and Tsinghua are also incredibly selective. Harvard is frequently cited as the hardest due to its high volume of applications and focus on global leadership potential, while Caltech is known for its extreme difficulty in STEM. 

What is a top 1% MCAT score?

A top 1% MCAT score generally falls around the 515-520+ range, though the exact score shifts slightly with each testing year's percentiles, with scores like 475-477 often representing the 1st percentile on the total score chart, but a 99th percentile is closer to 520+, requiring near-perfect section scores (131-132) for the highest ranks, with 528 being perfect. 

Should I retake the MCAT if I got a 505?

If you scored 499-505 your first time, you should probably retake the MCAT. If you scored 506-511, you may not need to retake, but you could if you know you'd score much higher — especially if you're applying to Ivy League schools.

Who took the MCAT 7 times?

Andy took the MCAT exam seven times and applied to medical school twice before getting one interview and acceptance. He reminds premeds to have faith in themselves and that perseverance and grit are important for a career in medicine.

Is applying to 40 med schools too many?

On the high end, we recommend you don't exceed 40 schools. However, it's not merely the size of your medical school list that matters, but also the specific programs. If your medical school list is too aggressive based on your stats, you'll want to apply to more schools to achieve the right balance.

How likely am I to get into medical school?

Chances of getting into medical school are competitive, with overall MD acceptance rates around 41-44%, meaning roughly half of applicants get in, but strong candidates with high GPAs (around 3.7+), strong MCAT scores (511+), extensive clinical/research experience, and compelling essays have much better odds, sometimes exceeding 60% for top applicants, while many schools accept less than 10% of applicants, with in-state status often helping at public schools.
 

What if you don't make it into med school?

Reapplying to medical school—whether to allopathic (MD) or osteopathic (DO) programs—is extremely common. In fact, about one-third of med school applicants each year are reapplicants, and second-time applicants have roughly the same acceptance rate as first-timers.

How do I increase my chances of getting into medical school?

Gain Relevant Experience in Medicine Through Extracurriculars. While getting good grades and having strong academics is the key focus, extracurricular activities are equally important. For students striving to get into medical school, differentiation among applicants is important.

Am I doing enough for med school?

If you've shown that you can work hard enough, study hard enough, and grind hard enough. if you can put in the work to study and sacrifice, then you are doing what you need to do. You do not need to be a genius to get into medical school. You do not need to be a genius to get a good score on the MCAT.