MDadmit: Medical Admissions Advice from a Harvard/Stanford MD

Medical School Admissions: Money

We start this journey discussing an unmentionable – money!  Getting into medical school takes more than top-tier grades, cutting-edge research, and saving-the-world community service. The medical school admission process is obscenely expensive (as is medical school itself), and I want to ensure that you have the appropriate amount of cash (or credit or government loans) available before proceeding with the process. Applying to medical school will cost you anywhere for $2000-$10,000. When you take into account the cost of a MCAT course/books, the AMCAS application, about $75 for each secondary application, interview travel, interview clothes, and the possible use of an admission consultant, you can rack up a large bill quickly.  Given that you will likely spend over $200,000 attending medical school (not to mention the opportunity cost of not working during that time), the money is a drop in the bucket. If you want to be a physician, do not let the cost of applying dissuade you. But be an educated consumer and set aside the appropriate amount of savings before you start applying.