Deciding where to apply to medical school is an extremely important and challenging part of the application process. It is also time-consuming and can be expensive. You have to decide which schools will be the best fit for you. Using the strategies below will help you develop a solid list of schools to which you will apply. While it may be tempting only to apply to “top” medical schools, you need to develop a diverse and appropriate list of medical schools in order to maximize your chances at admission. Generally, you should consider applying to at least 2 highly selective “reach” schools, 8-10 realistic schools where you are a strong candidate, and 2 schools where you are above the average applicant profile. Nationally, the average candidate applies to 14 schools. While some students apply to 30 or more schools, quantity does not give them an advantage. In fact, it can put them at a disadvantage, especially when they are trying to complete 30 secondary applications that may have up to 10 additional essay questions each. Applying to a large number of schools also becomes expensive, since the AMCAS fee for each school beyond the initial school ($160) is $30 plus individual schools charge fees for secondary applications. Remember…developing a sound strategy is far better than quantity in terms of your chance for admission. Applying to schools as an in-state candidate usually puts you at an advantage in the admissions process. Many state schools have less than 15% of their class come from outside of their state and some only admit out-of-state candidates in the single digits. In-state tuition also tends to be lower. Given these facts, it is a good idea to apply to your state schools that you feel would be a good fit. Some states that either do not have medical schools or who have very few have created special interstate agreements so that their residents still have in-state privileges. These include: WICHE – Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education operates an exchange program for students from 13 western states that gives them preference in admission and reduced tuition in selected out of state medical and other professional schools
WWAMI – The University of Washington School of Medicine serves as the public school for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho
FAME – Finance Authority of Maine’s Access to Medical Education Program, which gives Maine residents preferred access to Dartmouth, Vermont, and UNECOM
DIMER – Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research, which has Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia serve as Delaware’s medical school The following FAQs are adapted from answers on the Princeton Pre-Professional website and touch on some of the issues you may have questions about. If in doubt about the residency policies of specific states, it is best to check directly with the government offices of the state(s) in question or directly with the medical school(s). Out-of-State at a Public Medical School I’m putting together my list of medical schools to apply to in June, and I’ve heard that it’s harder to get into public medical schools when you’re out of state. It’s still OK to apply to them, though, isn’t it? How much harder is it exactly? Answer: That really depends on which public medical schools you’re talking about. U.S. allopathic medical schools are either private or public. As a rule, private schools do not prefer applicants from certain states. Public schools, however, do prefer applicants from the states in which they’re located. Many public medical schools – with class sizes between 100 and 200 – have less than 10 entering students who are out-of-state. If you are out-of-state, these schools would be a waste of your time, energy, and money. For instance, the public medical schools in California prefer Californians to such an extent that we usually do not recommend that non-Californians apply. The public medical schools in Texas are much the same. Michigan and Virginia are exceptions, letting in more non-residents than most state medical schools. Generally speaking, you should apply only to the public medical schools in your home state plus private schools nationwide. If you’re curious about a public medical school and you’re not from that state, consult the MSAR (Medical School Admissions Requirements) available in the Pre-Professional library—in particular, the chart called “Acceptance & Matriculation Data” which you can find in each school’s entry. The AAMC's website also has a section with great data/information where you can see the percentage of in-state versus out-of-state residents taken by different medical schools (http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/start.htm). Keeping Your In-State Residency Status Hi! I'm a senior applying to matriculate in 2011, taking one year off. I am currently a resident of CA, and would like to apply to some CA public medical schools. In my year off I hope to work in New York City for a year or even a little less. Will I still be considered an in-state resident for CA schools during the application process? Thank you! Answer: You will not lose your CA residency status as long as, in the most recent tax year a parent claimed you as a dependent on his/her tax return, and he/she resides in CA at your "home" address. Also, you still have a CA driver's license, correct? And you're registered to vote in CA? Do not alter any of these "markers" that the CA schools will use to identify you as in-state. If you made the mistake of changing your license to NY state then it might get complicated, so keep everything CA-based. You'll be fine. Note: Other states tend to have similar guidelines for maintaining in-state status. If you're ever in doubt about how a change of locale might affect your in-state status with the public medical school in a particular state, call the Admissions office and they will direct you to someone who can help. If you're not sure whether a certain medical school is public or private (private schools do not give preference to in-state applicants, but public ones do), then consult the MSAR (Medical School Admissions Requirements) available in the Pre-Professional office. California I have a question regarding medical schools' state residency policies. I'm a senior and am currently a Pennsylvania resident. I am interested in going to med school in California but realize that my chances of getting in to a California state med school aren't very good as an out-of-state applicant. I'm hoping to move to California shortly after graduation and work there. I understand that I can get my California state residency after one year of living and supporting myself there. This means that I could be a California resident by the time I began med school (I'm taking one year off). However, I'll still be a Pennsylvania resident at the point that I apply. Do you know how the California state med schools consider such situations? Would I still be considered as an out-of-state applicant? Thank you so much. Answer: California is one of the tougher states in which to gain residency. You would not be considered a California resident until after you had worked (not attended school) one year in California. You would have to get a California driver’s license and register to vote at the very beginning of that first year, too. Thus, you could not call yourself a California resident while applying in 2004 even if you were living and working in the state. Your odds of acceptance at a state medical school would improve if you had a job of two year’s duration: you would be a California resident while applying during the second year of that job. While the California schools are an attractive option because of the price, there are more Californians applying to medical school than residents of any other state. The competition would be very tough even if you became a “real” resident. This is a long way of saying that it might be wiser to retain your residency in Pennsylvania, which you could still do even if you were working a year or two in California unless, of course, love or money intervenes (as they often do). State Residency I am a member of the Class of 2010, applying to enter medical school for that fall (10). I have an option of switching my residence from State X to State Y. Do you know whether this would be beneficial for the medical school application process in that I would then be considered an in-state resident for Medical School X instead of Medical School Y? Also, from a timing perspective, if I make the change now, will my application be treated as in-state in X, Y, or neither? Answer: We receive many questions concerning state residency, and the first thing to let sink in is, in terms of residency rules, states differ. In fact, public medical schools within the same state sometimes vary in terms of these rules. Your first step when considering a change in residency is to contact a residency official at the medical schools in question. Sometimes these officers are found in the Registrar's office, sometimes the Admissions office, sometimes in a "residency" office all by themselves; usually the Admissions office can direct you. Other things to remember:
- You can only be a resident of one state. The state you list as your home state on your AMCAS application is the state that medical schools will consider your choice.
- If you are included as a dependent on either parent's tax return, then you are a resident of their state. If you are considering switching states and you're still enrolled as a college student, then most likely it is because one or both parents are moving. If this is the case, then make sure you change your driver's license and voter registration on your own, to match your parents' address.
- If you have graduated and are claiming residency in a new state, then you should not only have a permanent address, driver's license, and voter registration card in that state, but you should also plan to work in that state and file state taxes. Some public medical schools require this last item.
- The Medical School Admissions Requirements, or "MSAR," published by the AAMC, is available at Pre-Professional Office. In each school's listing the numbers of "resident" and "non-resident" applicants, interviewees, and matriculants are provided. You'd be wise to look at this data for your schools in States X and Y before making your decision. Also, remember that State Y has three public medical schools while State X has only one. Sometimes you may increase your chances of admission to a medical school when you're lucky enough to have more than one public university in your state.
- Lastly, let us emphasize again that residency rules vary from state to state, and HOW residents and non-residents are defined by an Admissions committee varies from school to school. Each year, the Association of American Medical Colleges publishes the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR). 
The MSAR contains admissions statistics including the school’s mean MCAT and the ranges of overall and science GPAs they accept, including the 10th percentile, average, and 90th percentile. Using this data, you can assess whether or not you will be a competitive candidate at a specific school. Some schools have a very tight range of GPAs (for overall GPA, Johns Hopkins has 3.7 as the 10th percentile, 3.9 as the average, and 4.0 as the 90th percentile) whereas others will have a wider range (for overall GPA, Boston University has a 3.3 as the 10th percentile, 3.7 as the average, and 4.0 as the 90th percentile). Again, you want to make sure you select a mix of schools where you are at or close to the average GPA and some schools where you may be above the average. You should take a similar approach for the MCAT. A 30-32 is a competitive score for a fair amount of schools but scores at highly selective schools are often 37 or above. Every year, there are several Johns Hopkins students who only apply to top ranked schools, do not gain acceptance, and then end up having to reapply to a more diverse groups of schools during the next cycle. Be careful about putting too much emphasis on rankings. The U.S. News and World Report ranking uses a methodology that may change year to year and may emphasize qualities that are not as important to you. You will be able to get a solid education at many medical schools so you need to think more about which schools will be the best fit for you. What is most important is not the “prestige” of the medical school you attend. Rather, it is selecting a school where you can thrive and be a leader. While you may think that all medical schools have the same basic mission of helping training compassionate physicians who are able to care for patients, mission statements can vary dramatically between schools. Some schools, like Loma Linda (owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church), emphasize Christian principles whereas others, like University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine, emphasize interdisciplinary scholarship and innovation for the betterment of humanity. While you can read each school’s mission statement in the MSAR, you should also explore the websites of your schools of interest. They often feature more in-depth information about the school’s philosophy. You want to identify schools whose mission parallels your professional goals and personal values. In looking at curriculums, you need to consider your learning style. In college, which classes did you learn best in? Were they lecture-based or more hands-on and interactive? Did you like group work or did you prefer to work on your own? These types of questions can help you establish whether medical schools with a more traditional, lecture format, a problem-based learning approach, or a combination of the two styles would be best for you. The Association of American Medical Colleges has a searchable database on their online curriculum guide (http://services.aamc.org/currdir/start.cfm). If you are interested in pursuing studies outside of the medical school, in public health for example, check to see whether this would be possible. Many schools are now giving students the option of taking a year off to do research, complete an MPH or other degree, or volunteer abroad. You should also take the grading policy of the school into account. Some schools rely entirely on a Pass/No Pass grading system because they feel it fosters a spirit of cooperation rather than competition between their students. Other schools use a letter grading system (A, B, etc.) beginning in your first year and continuing throughout your time in medical school. Medical school tuition varies greatly based on factors including residency, availability of scholarships, and others. While nearly all medical students graduate with some debt, the amount of that debt can range between a few thousand to upwards of $200,000. You have to consider what amount of debt you are willing to take on and where you might be able to get at least some scholarship money. The MSAR includes information on financial aid and you can also check directly with schools to see what their policies are. If you are fortunate enough to qualify for a scholarship to a medical school, you will need to weigh carefully the financial benefits against how well that school matches your needs.
Location – You will be spending four years of your life at medical school so you want to make sure it is in an environment you like. Where have you lived before and what did you like about those places? Are you a city person or do you prefer a more rural setting? What climate do you prefer? What is the cost of living like? Composition of Student Body – Do you prefer a smaller or a larger class? How diverse is the class? What is the male/female ratio? Think about your preferences in these areas when selecting schools. Personal Factors – Are you close to your family and want to be at a school near them? Do you have a significant other who needs to stay in a specific location? You will probably be too busy to travel great distances to be with loved ones and friends. You should consider whether any of these factors will shape your choice of schools. First, you should consider what type of research you are hoping to do and which faculty members you would like to work with. You should also look at the structure of the program. Do you do 3 years of your MD and then do your PhD and finish your last year of medical school after that or do you do your PhD first and then your MD? In the MSAR, you can see the number of MD/PhDs that matriculated to each school. Schools like Washington University in St. Louis have over 20 MD/PhDs matriculate each year whereas many schools will have no MD/PhDs. Make sure to apply to at least a few schools that have 5 or more MD/PhDs per year. When applying to osteopathic medical schools, you can utilize many of the same strategies as when applying to allopathic medical schools. You need to ask yourself similar questions about your background, the school’s mission statement and curriculum, cost, location, and others. Your best source of information about osteopathic medical schools is the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (http://www.aacom.org/Pages/default.aspx). They publish the Osteopathic Medical College Information Book, available in our library or for purchase on their website.
Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR)
The MSAR is a top source for:
• Application procedures and deadlines
• Selection factors such as MCAT & GPA data
• Medical school class profiles
• Costs and financial aid packages
• MD/PhD and other combined degrees
• Graduates' specialty choices
• Updated USMLE Policies
It can be purchased online for $25 through the Association of American Medical Colleges (http://www.aamc.org) or at http://www.amazon.com Association of American Medical Colleges Curriculum Guide – a free online resource
http://services.aamc.org/currdir/start.cfm Princeton Review’s Searchable Medical School Database – You can search for schools based on your GPA and MCAT score, geographic location, class size, and other factors. Please note that we do not endorse Princeton Review but we recognize this may be a useful tool for you.
http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/research/advsearch/match.asp
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