Is there a more dreaded phrase than “MCAT?” A high GPA and MCAT score are important — arguably the most important — medical school requirements. Mathematically, how important are these scores? The AAMC crunched some numbers and determined how the GPA and MCAT were determining admissions factors. If you have been asking, “what are my chances of getting into medical school”, below are some figures to consider.

Chances of acceptance by GPA and MCAT

Do not give up hope if your chances aren’t as high as you’d like them to be! There is always hope, particularly if medical school is your passion. Your scores are crucial and you should do your best to get the highest MCAT score and GPA possible, there are other factors that contribute to medical school acceptance. Here are a few tips for getting into med school, even if your scores are on the low side.

Re-taking the MCAT

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Keep in mind that you do not want to take your MCAT more than two times, as any more attempts will look bad on your med school application. That being said if you are fairly confident that you can improve upon the score by all means take it again! (Study hard, get a good night’s sleep and arrive prepared)

Other Medical School Admissions Criteria

If you can get your MCAT and GPA into the right range you have still only won half the battle: You now must submit your applications along with great letters of recommendation and your personal statement. Your grades, MCAT score, experiences, personal statement, and letters of recommendation will push you past the first hurdle and right up to the finish line, which is your interview.

It is important to ask yourself, “what are my chances of getting into medical school” before you get deep into the application process. Learn all you can about the specific requirements of your preferred school and even ask yourself if there are any schools with lower requirements you could consider.

What’s Next? – Take a Self-Assessment and Learn Your Chances

Take an easy self-assessment now called “What Are My Chances?” The assessment gives you the best indication of where you are now, and where you need to be if you want to get into medical school.