The Secret to Successfully Getting Into Medical School

If you are looking for advice on how to get into your dream medical school, you've come to the right place. Here are some tips for getting into medical school.

The average medical school has an acceptance rate of less than 5%. For top ranked schools, that number is often even lower.

Getting into medical isn't easy. That being said, the admissions process can be broken down into some basic steps.

All medical schools employ the same basic admissions process to assess applicants. As an applicant, you have to figure out how to construct your application to fit what these schools are looking for.

To read about how to get into your dream medical school, keep reading.

1. Work on the Numbers

Everyone knows that your GPA and MCAT score matter. Potential medical students have this fact drilled into them by college counselors, STEM professors, and basically every other person who remotely has anything to say about medical school.

It's true..but why?

A high GPA demonstrates commitment to academic achievement. A high MCAT score demonstrates the ability to critically assess and beat a standardized test. Neither of these data points mean that you're smarter than the other applicants, nor do they suggest that you'll be a better doctor.

GPA and MCAT provide objective measures of the ability to get the academic work and standardized testing aspects of medical school done successfully. Think of them as the minimum standards for admission.

You should shoot for the school's average GPA as well as their average MCAT score if you want a great chance at getting in. Setting aside ample time to study and prepare is crucial if you want to prove to your potential medical school that you're meant to be there.

However, there's more to the application than numbers. In fact, your GPA and MCAT score are only looked at during the initial screening process. In the era of electronic applications, it's easy to set minimum screening standards for applicants and ignore the rest using automated programs.

Once you've gotten past the initial screening, where the school checks if you've completed the prerequisites and other requirements, your grades and scores are hardly ever looked at again.

Although numbers are important, they aren't your entire application.

Don't think that a 4.0 can get you out of extracurriculars or research. Likewise, don't think that ten extracurriculars will get you out of having a 2.5.

It's a delicate balance, but realize that you don't have to be perfect. There is a little bit of room for a B here and there.

2. Build a Story

To balance your application, you need to build a story. The person on the other side of the application does not know you. The best way to introduce yourself is by telling a story.

Even if you think that your life is splattered everywhere, you have a line of cognitive thought somewhere in there.

You don't randomly do things. There may be seemingly disparate opportunities that twists and turns in your storyline, but choices you make typically have a reason behind them.

So, as you're writing your essays and bringing your entire application together, you need to build a story. Tell the admissions committee why a person with your background and experiences deserves to be at that school. Make them understand why you need to be a doctor.

With this, you need to have some confidence in what you're saying. Don't tell them that you took some classes, volunteered sometimes, and have an interest in helping people.

It's generic and - honestly - boring.

Get into the details and tell them why you did these things and how you juggled it all. Impress them. Make yourself sound like a genius who was able to juggle school, work, volunteering, research opportunities, extracurriculars, and more.

Most of all, bring your personal life into the application. If you had difficult circumstances throughout undergrad, tell the admission committee about how you managed them. If you had significant problems you've solved, tell the admission committee how you did that.

By sharing this personal side of you, you're showing the committee that you have a unique perspective that can help diversify the incoming class.

3. Express Your Interests

Overall, your application should focus on linearizing your path to medical school. Many, but not all, medical school applicants knew that they wanted to be a physician long before they applied to medical school. If you didn't, that's completely fine too-these are all great things to talk about during the interview.

Whether you're a career changer or a life-long premed, the many activities, experiences, and setbacks you've had should be connected to your overall path and goals. Even the most random activities can be marketed as skill builders that will help with your future career in medicine. As long as you're passionate about the activities, there are an infinite number of ways to portray that passion to the admissions committee in your interviews.

The interview is your opportunity to build upon the written application and provide the final selling points on what you can bring to the table.

Getting Into Medical School Using Medical School Admissions Consulting

If you're serious about getting into medical school, you should consider medical school admissions consulting. Specifically, you should consider Atlas Admissions. Any admissions consulting company has their employees undergo training, but our team at Atlas Admissions goes further.

We have the experience, talent, and genuine interest that the admissions process requires. We know how to write and edit killer essays. Plus, we know how you need to market yourself to different medical schools.

Our experts know how to help you show these medical schools how amazing you are. We highlight your skills and bring out the best in your application.

If you'd like to tap into this expertise, feel free to call us at 617-712-2261, email us at info@atlasadmissions.com, or get into contact with us on Facebook. We can't wait to get started!