How to get into Harvard Medical School? Harvard Medical School Ranking: #1; Harvard Medical School Acceptance Rate: 2%; Average MCAT score: 519.46; Average GPA: 3.9. Tuition for Harvard Medical School: $66,284 per year.
Harvard Medical School(HMS) is the most famous and recognizable medical school in the world. It has the highest standard of education and the strictest requirements for admission. Getting into HMS is a dream shared by so many medical students. So, how to get into Harvard Medical School?
If you’re looking to attend a prestigious medical school, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a guide for how to get into Harvard Medical School and realize your medical dreams.
This guide covers an overview of the HMS, admissions requirements, acceptance rate, average MCAT score, GPA, and courses that you can study at HMS.
Harvard Medical School
Quick Review
Ranking
#1
AMCAS Application
Yes
Application Deadline
Oct. 15
Control
Private
not-for-profit
Faculty-Student Ratio
14.2:1
Faculty
9,954
The history of HMS dates back to 1782. In the beginning, the school had only 3 faculty members. Since then, it has become one of the most recognized and important medical schools in the country.
To date, students at the school have won a total of 10 Nobel prizes in the fields of Medicine or Physiology, and Peace.
HMS also currently has 152 alumni in the National Academy of Medicine and 80 in the National Academy of Science.
Harvard Medical School Mission Statement
The mission of HMS is to foster a diverse and inclusive community. HMS committees to alleviate suffering and improve the health and well-being of all people through excellent teaching and learning, discovery and academics, service, and leadership.
Harvard Medical School ranking
No doubt, HMS is ranked as the best medical school in the nation. Harvard Medical School is ranked #1 in the best medical schools (research) and #8 in the best medical schools (primary care).
Ranking (University)
#2
Ranking (Research)
#1
Ranking (Primary Care)
#8
Harvard Medical School also ranks well in the below medical field:
You might be interested in the ranking of Johns Hopkins Medical School.
The faculty-student ratio at HMS
TheHarvard Medical School has 9,954 full-time staff, the faculty-student ratio at HMS is 14.2:1.
Admissions requirements of Harvard Medical School
In addition to the high MCAT score and GPA, one of the key factors to success to apply for a medical school is to know more exactly the admissions info of the medical school. Then to make your choices.
So, if you are planning to apply for the HMS, keep reading the following important content.
Tuition and Admission Statistics ofHarvard Medical School
Resident Tuition
$66,284
Non-Resident Tuition
$66,284
Application Fee
$100
AVG MCAT
519.46AVG GPA
3.9Acceptance Rate
2%Harvard Medical School average MCAT score
Under the old MCAT system, a candidate needed an average of 35 points. This translates to 518 in the new system. The average MCAT score of the class of 2024 matriculated into HMS is 519.82. And the average MCAT score of the class of 2025 is 519.46.
Subjects | Class of 2024 | 2025 |
BBFL | 130.22 | 130.21 |
CARS | 128.89 | 128.98 |
CPBS | 130.29 | 130.01 |
PSBB | 130.41 | 130.26 |
Total MCAT Score | 519.82 | 519.46 |
In comparison, 500 is the average in the country, and 508 is what most medical schools require for admission.
Harvard Medical School average GPA
The average GPA to get into Harvard Med is 3.9.
The average GPA for top medical schools in the country is 3.8, which makes Harvard super competitive.
Harvard Medical School acceptance rate
6,708 applicants applied for the class of 2024. Of those, only 798 received a personal interview. In the end, only 168 were accepted. This means the acceptance rate of HMS of the class of 2024 is 2.5%.
According to the latest admission statistics of HMS, there were 8,002 applicants who applied for the HMS, and only 164 of them were accepted into the new class. This means the acceptance rate of theHarvard Medical School only is 2%.
Class of Year | 2024 | 2025 |
Number of Applications | 6,708 | 8,002 |
Number of Interviews | 798 | 851 |
Number of Accepted | 168 | 164 |
HMS Acceptance Rates | 2.5% | 2% |
Harvard Medical School tuition
The cost of attendance to HMS is made up of tuition, fees, and other expenses. The tuition of HMS is $64,984 (2020–2021).
Here you can see the cost of tuition as well as the total cost including insurance, Room & Board, and other expenses that are detailed on the university’s page.
Tuition | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
Total of Direct Costs | $64,984 | $64,984 | $64,984 | $64,984 | $8,400 |
Total Including Indirect Costs | $97,346 | $102,606 | $103,340 | $101,020 | $44,436 |
HMS spends an average of 37 billion dollars in financial aid for students that need it and meet the requirements. You can find more about it on their financial aid page.
Other admission requirements for Harvard Medical School
HMS has strict entry requirements, including these prerequisite courses:
Additionally, you should show through extracurricular activities or volunteering that you have strong cultural awareness, understanding of social behavior, and general social knowledge.
You can submit up to 6 letters of recommendation from different members of your university staff to support your application.
If accepted, you will progress to an interviewing stage where you will show your personality and competence.
Degrees and programs offered at HMS
The Doctor of Medicine at Harvard is one of the best five-year medical programs in the world. The doctor of Medicine program at HMS consists of two-course tracks, namely Pathways and Health Science and Technology (HST).
M.D. program teaches an understanding of the clinical, social, and population sciences. This is combined with critical thinking and inquiry to help you achieve your career goals far faster than other medical programs.
HMS offers the following Ph.D. programs:
All the students in the nine programs offered by HMS will also be enrolled in the Graduate School of Arts and Science.
HMS offers different post-graduate programs for professionals in the fields of research, medical care, and physicians.
The objective of this program is to help you achieve a better understanding of health sciences, which are always changing.
HMS offers two types of Master’s degrees.
The Master of Academic Discipline needs only 32 credits. The Master of Medical Sciences needs 64 credits for enrolment.
Both are competitive and allow you to complete advanced study in:
HMX Online is Harvard’s online platform for medical science education.
You can learn a foundation in medical and healthcare sciences, which can be used to progress further in your career. The online course has a strong basis in patient care and using knowledge in a practical way.
Final thoughts
HMS is the best medical school in the US and maybe the entire world. It is the highest-ranking in research, and one of the most competitive to get into.
Because of the strict entry requirements and the reputation of the university, you will need to excel in your application and study hard. If you are accepted, the school will reward you with outstanding education and practical experience. So, you might have an answer to how to get into Harvard Medical School.
If your dream is to expand your knowledge of medicine or to just achieve excellence in the medical community, then HMS is the right choice for you.