Will Grades in High School Affect Your Med School Application?

Do medical schools look at high school grades? No, your high school performance won't affect your medical school application. In fact, medical schools usually don't ask for high school transcripts. College coursework provides a more recent glimpse into your academic capabilities and preparedness for medical school. Your college transcripts show medical schools how well you did in your pre-medical and other college courses.

Although high school grades don't impact your medical school application, they can impact your undergraduate college and scholarship options.

Do Your High School Transcripts Matter?

High school transcripts don't matter for the medical school admissions process. If you earned advanced placement (AP^®) credits in high school and want them to be recognized on applications submitted through the American Medical College Application Service^® (AMCAS^®), they should be listed on your postsecondary transcript.

Which Transcripts Are Evaluated During the Admissions Process?

The only transcripts medical school admissions teams want to see are those from postsecondary institutions like community colleges or four-year universities. At Ross University School of Medicine (Ross Med), we review transcripts of undergraduate courses you've completed within the last 10 years.

Med School Application Process

The medical school application process has many moving parts, but can be summarized in nine steps:

1. Decide when you'll apply to medical school.
2. Complete prerequisite courses and start studying for the Medical College Admission Test^® (MCAT^®).
3. Research potential colleges and narrow down your list.
4. Gain clinical and/or research experience.
5. Begin financial planning.
6. Take the MCAT.
7. Complete the primary application.
8. Complete the secondary application essay.
9. Attend medical school interviews.

Decide When You'll Apply to Medical School

While some students are eager to attend medical school immediately after undergrad, some may take a gap year. Knowing when you want to attend medical school can alter your application timeline.

If you want to attend immediately after undergrad, you should take the MCAT and start gathering the final materials for your application package in the spring of your junior year. The AMCAS application usually opens in the first week of May, but you can't submit it until the first week of June. If you're planning on applying through the Early Decision program, you have until August 1 to submit your application.

If you're taking a gap year between undergrad and medical school, you won't begin this process until the summer after you graduate.

Complete Prerequisite Courses and Study for the MCAT

These courses will be completed alongside a major and minor of your choice during undergrad. Although you don't have to finalize your college list in your first year of undergrad, we recommend at least researching the prerequisites for medical school. These often contain a mix of math, English, and science courses, but the exact list may vary by school.

Your pre-med courses alone won't be enough to prepare for the MCAT. Your pre-med studies focus mostly on building your scientific knowledge, but the MCAT measures how well you apply knowledge to unfamiliar concepts like psychology and sociology. It also tests how quickly you can process dense, complex information and draw logical conclusions.

Ideally, you should factor MCAT prep into your study plans around three to six months before your desired test date. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), you should plan to dedicate around 20 hours a week for three months to your MCAT studies. Make sure to take practice tests throughout your studies to ensure you're on track for your ideal MCAT score.

Research Potential Colleges and Narrow Your List

This can be done in between your college studies and can give you an idea of the MCAT score you need for a competitive application. You can research the average MCAT scores for accepted students at your potential colleges and aim to score within that range. It's also important to consider the overall admissions criteria of each school, as some may place more emphasis on other factors such as GPA, extracurricular activities, and personal essays.

The fastest way to compare medical schools is through the Medical School Admission Requirements^™ (MSAR^®).

Once you have a list of potential colleges, it's helpful to attend information sessions or visit the campuses to get a better understanding of their programs and atmosphere. This will not only help you finalize your choices, but also give you an opportunity to speak with current medical students and faculty members about their experiences.

Gain Clinical and/or Research Experience

Although you'll have plenty of opportunities to dabble in different medical specialties during your clinical rotations, this can serve as a prequel of sorts. We recommend gaining a broad range of clinical and research experience throughout your pre-medical studies. You can help instructors with research projects, shadow local physicians, volunteer in local hospitals, become a volunteer EMT, and more.

As you gain experience, maintain strong relationships with mentors, as they can be invaluable when you need recommendation letters. Make sure to also keep a journal of your thoughts, concerns, feelings, and accomplishments during this time, as this information will be invaluable when you start working on your personal statement.

Begin Financial Planning

The medical school application process isn't free. From paying to take the MCAT to flying out for interviews, it can be a costly process. The earlier you can start putting money aside and applying for scholarships or grants specifically for pre-med students, the less of a financial burden it can be for you.

The AAMC offers a Fee Assistance Program that can help cover the cost of the MCAT and medical school application through AMCAS.

Take the MCAT and Start Drafting Your Personal Statement

All your studying has prepared you for this moment. When picking the best date to take the MCAT, give yourself some wiggle room just in case you don't earn your preferred score the first time around. You can take the MCAT three times in one testing year, four times in two consecutive years, but no more than seven times in total.

While it's tempting to push your personal statement off until the last minute, the sooner you start brainstorming ideas, the better. Your personal statement is your chance to speak directly to the person reviewing your application package. This essay should show a side of you the admissions team hasn't seen before and leave a lasting impression long after they’ve moved on to other applications.

You can begin drafting your personal statement as you gain experience, but waiting until after you finalize your score can keep you from getting overwhelmed during what can be a very stressful time.

Complete the Primary Application

The primary application typically opens in May and will be submitted through a recognized platform like AMCAS. This application requires you to upload:

1. Background information
2. Transcripts
3. Work experience and extracurricular activities
4. Recommendation letters
5. Preferred medical schools
6. Personal statement
7. MCAT score and other test information

This application focuses mostly on why you've chosen to pursue medicine and what steps you've taken to make it a reality. You’ll send this application to every college that made it on your finalized list.

Complete the Secondary Essay

The timeline for when secondary essays are sent out can vary, but this generally happens within a month of a college reviewing your primary essay. Colleges that want to learn more about you after reviewing your primary application will reach out for a secondary, or supplemental, essay. These essays will dig deeper into why you applied to a specific school and how you could fit into their culture. They will be submitted directly to the school, with a much shorter deadline than the primary application. Make sure to highlight your interest in a specific program or institution, and how attending this school can benefit you as a future physician.

Attend Medical School Interviews

This is the final push in your medical school application process. While admissions teams are gauging how well you'll fit into their program, this is also a chance for you to determine if they're the right fit for you and your goals. To prepare for your medical school interview, thoroughly research the program, the curricula, and the faculty and staff members. Create a list of questions you have about the school, program, and faculty.

Research a list of commonly asked medical school interview questions and practice answering them in mock interviews with a friend, family member, mentor, or advisor. This can help you work through your nerves, clarify your thoughts, integrate relevant and memorable anecdotes into your answers, and leave a positive impression. Plan to dress professionally, and if you don't have the appropriate clothes, make sure to buy them well before the day of your interview.

Applicant Qualifications

At Ross Med, we take a holistic approach to the review process. We select students on their entire application rather than focusing entirely on grades and test scores. To be a strong applicant for Ross Med, we recommend completing your bachelor's degree, gaining as much clinical or research experience as possible, and submitting glowing recommendation letters alongside your application.

Unsure where you stand as a candidate for Ross Med's Doctor of Medicine (DM) program? Take our Admissions Assessment to find out!