Steps to a Successful Application
- Meet with a premed adviser to discuss your credentials
- Review the MSAR guide
- Identify your top-choice medical schools
- Set up your letters of recommendation file early
- Apply early!
1. Meet with a premed adviser to discuss your credentials
Schedule this meeting well in advance of the beginning of the application process, preferably in your sophomore year. Your premed adviser will help you assess your academic and non-academic preparation and readiness for the application process.
Take a look at our Applying to Medical School handout to help familiarize yourself with the application process and timeline.
The UAAC workshops can also help you with planning the timing and direction of your application. Check out our calendar for upcoming events.
2. Review the MSAR guide
The Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) guide is published annually and includes information on requirements and on selection factors for individual medical schools. It's most helpful to know your science gpa (includes biology, chemistry, physics and math grades) and your MCAT score to determine how competitive you may be for specific medical schools.
Copies are available for review and/or check-out at UAAC, first floor reception area or can be ordered online.
3. Identify your top-choice medical schools
Completing secondary applications takes time, so think carefully about the number of schools to which you will apply.
Keep the following factors in mind when you identify schools:
- Public schools in your home state typically will give you preference as in-state resident
- For most private schools, state residency is not a factor in admissions but there are exceptions. The MSAR's Acceptance/Matriculation table will be helpful to look at for this information.
- The secondary application questions from the previous application cycle may provide information about what is important to a specific school.
Initiate contact with the Recommendation File Service and ask professors for your letters of recommendation in the winter/spring quarter prior to starting the application process in May/June.
Aim to submit your primary application between the first week of June to mid-July. Because most schools are on rolling admissions and start interviewing in the early fall, the timing of your application can be an important factor in admissions.
