Are you looking forward to attending medical school? Worried you won’t get in? Building your application takes time and effort, and there are a lot of components that admissions offices look at. Here are some of the reasons why students don’t get into medical school to try and avoid.
Applying to too few schools
Approximately 10-20% of applicants actually get into medical school. To beat these odds, students must make their applications stand out and apply to more schools than just their first choice.
Your grades are too low
Most medical schools will not accept students with a GPA lower than 3.5. It is important for students who want to go to medical school to be thinking about their grades from the moment they enter post secondary – or even before. Improve your grades with study tools like Minute School’s pre-med courses.
No experience in the field
Medical schools look for students with experience volunteering and/or working in the field. If you have no experience, try and find a volunteer position at a local hospital or healthcare organization.
Poor reference letters
Medical schools want to see reference letters from people you have directly worked with that have valuable information to give about you that they can’t otherwise see in your application. Choose reference letters from your supervisors in your relevant jobs, professors you have been largely involved with, or someone else you have worked closely with.
Your interview goes poorly
Poor interview skills can harm your chances of getting into medical school. Although you should prepare and practice as much as possible, make sure to also show your interviewers your real personality!
Do your best to improve these areas of your medical school application process, and you’ll have a much better chance of getting in!