School Reviews

UCLA Medical School Acceptance Rate | Requirements & Admissions

Published on November 4, 2022

Are you looking to know UCLA Medical School acceptance rate and some other requirements to secure admission into the school?

One of the top-ranked and well-known medical schools in the country is UCLA Medical School, also known as the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM at UCLA). Additionally, due to the low UCLA Medical School acceptance rate, it is very competitive.

Even the best candidates have historically struggled to win admission to the college, with an acceptance rate of fewer than 3%.

Nevertheless, medicine is a very significant branch of science that deals with human health, making it a very challenging professional path. Hence, the reason for the low UCLA Medical School acceptance rate.

You must fulfill the entry demands and pass a number of exams in order to be accepted into a medical school.

In order to determine your chances of admission to UCLA’s medical school, we will examine the UCLA Medical School acceptance rate and its standard in this post.

Read on to find out more about applying to UCLA’s medical school and the UCLA Medical School acceptance rate if you want to be one of the fortunate few to graduate with an MD from there.

What to know about UCLA Medical School?

One of the smaller medical schools in the United States is UCLA Medical School, which was founded in 1951.

It is the second medical school at the University of California. Because of its institutional accomplishments, the school has a distinguished international reputation.

There are roughly 713 full-time students at this medical school. At UCLA College of Medicine, there are approximately 120 students enrolled in the MD program each year, and there are 2723 full-time professors. This results in a student-to-professor ratio of 3.8:1.

One of the 21 linked hospitals in the area, including Kaiser, UCLA Medical Center, and Cedars-Sinai, is where medical students receive their training.

The Big Sib Little Sib program is the school’s freshman program, on the other hand. With shared interests and pastimes, this program creates small families among the first, second, third, and fourth years.

The curriculum also links all classes and acts as a comprehensive support system at the beginning of the Faculty of Medicine.

The school offers new students annual activities such as second-year banquets, fourth-year banquets, and annual talent showcases in addition to the Big Sib Lil Sib program. Some of the main programs offered at this school are listed below.

Thoracic Cardiosurgery
Urology
Neurosurgery
Pediatric Pathology
Dermatology
Research
Psychiatry
Neurology
Anesthesiology

What Is UCLA Medical School Acceptance Rate in 2024?

The University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine offers more than 400 undergraduate degrees to local residents and students from other countries.

Additionally, you must satisfy the admissions standards before enrolling as an undergraduate student, however, admittance is not guaranteed by doing so.

Although the admittance rate for UCLA’s undergraduate medical program is very low, if you show a high level of excellence, you stand a strong chance of getting in.

The following information, according to MSAR, sheds more light on the range of UCLA students’ GPAs and MCAT scores:

GPA range overall: 3.56 (10th%) to 3.96 (90th%)
GPA range for science: 3.42 (10th%) to 4.00 (90th%)
508 to 524 (90th%ile) on the MCAT

UCLA’s 2.1% acceptance rate for undergraduate medical students is competitive. Additionally, due to the low UCLA Medical School acceptance rate, it is very competitive.

UCLA Medical School Transfer Acceptance Rate in 2024

You should be aware of UCLA’s acceptance rate for out-of-state students if you are applying as an international or out-of-state applicant.

Before, international or out-of-state students believed that UCLA Medical School gave preference to residents of California. Due to the low UCLA Medical School acceptance rate, it is very competitive.

Actually, the school doesn’t; it’s only that Californians make up most of their candidate pool. Because UCLA is a long shot for any candidate, you have a chance if you’re an out-of-state student.

It’s interesting to note that out-of-state medical students have the option of pursuing a dual degree, such as an M.D./Ph.D. or an M.D./M.B.A. through the Medical Scientist Training Program.

There isn’t much of a distinction between in-state and out-of-state students at UCLA’s medical school (citizens and international students).

The only distinction is that they typically charge more, which is reasonable. Apart from that, everything else, including the acceptance rate, is essentially the same.

In conclusion, UCLA medical school is quite competitive with a 2% acceptance rate for immigrant students.

UCLA Medical School GPA Requirements in 2024

The UCLA Medical School does not have a minimum GPA requirement, but you should strive to do your best in your classes. Your GPA will be one factor that the admissions committee considers, but it is not the only factor. They will also look at your MCAT score, your extracurricular activities, your letters of recommendation, and your personal statement. If you are out of school and are currently in a postbaccalaureate program, continue to do well in your classes. Your postbac GPA will also be considered by the admissions committee.

If you are in school and your GPA was not as strong in your freshman year, but you have improved your grades in subsequent years, the admissions committee will take this into account. They will look for an upward trend in your grades.The admissions process at the David Geffen School of Medicine is holistic, which means that they will consider all of the elements of your application. Your GPA is important, but it is not the only factor that will determine whether you are accepted.

Is It Difficult to Get Into UCLA Medical School?

The UCLA Medical School acceptance rate is 2.8% which is incredibly choosy. The following are some UCLA Medical School admissions data for the class of 2024:

11,778 applications
Admissions: 175

UCLA hasn’t disclosed the average GPA or MCAT score for its most recent incoming class, but given the school’s low acceptance rate, it’s safe to assume that the majority of admitted students will have outstanding academic records.

The fact that UCLA announced in 2019 that it would raise its GPA and MCAT cutoff scores to 3.4 and 512, respectively, speaks something about its academic standing.

This announcement brought about discussion, and it appears that the cutoffs were never formally put into effect. Despite this, we may expect that the average accepted student will have stats that are markedly higher than these numbers.

Admission Requirements for UCLA Medical School in 2024

As was previously said, UCLA Medical School will turn down the great majority of applicants. Fewer than half of the candidates are chosen to be among the 175 accepted.

So what can you do to improve your chances of becoming a member of that exclusive group?

Naturally, getting good grades is the first thing you can do to improve yourself. On average, candidates for medical school have a 3.8 GPA. To receive such a mark, students must score A’s in the vast majority of their courses, especially those in the School.

Particularly admissions advisors desire to see strong performance in key competency courses. Due to the low UCLA Medical School acceptance rate, it is very competitive.

A strong candidate will be knowledgeable in biochemistry, inorganic and organic chemistry, cellular and molecular biology, and other fundamental scientific concepts.

They must, however, be knowledgeable in both the humanities, notably literature, and mathematics, including biomathematics and matrix algebra.

Additionally, candidates accepted into UCLA Medical School typically score highly on standardized tests. The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), which evaluates the medical knowledge students acquired as undergraduates, is required for all applicants.

Students applying to UCLA Medical School have an average MCAT score of 517. Accordingly, 129 would be earned in the physical and chemical School, 128 in critical analysis, 130 in the biological and biochemical School, and 130 in the social and psychological School.

The basic admission requirements for UCLA Medical School include;

Records of bachelor’s degrees.
MCAT results.
Multiple mini-interviews with admissions committee members.
Letter of Recommendation.
Graduate Record, as appropriate.
Life experiences (Research, service projects, etc.)

Pre-Clinical Requirements

The prerequisites for pre-medical education vary depending on the school. You must; if you’re applying to UCLA Medical School’s pre-med program;

Possess strong writing and speaking English skills.
Possess quantitative thinking as shown by your command of science, math, and the scientific method.
Understanding of human behavior thought, and aspiration through the social School and humanities’ study of society.

MD Program Requirements

Here are the graduation requirements for the MD program that you must meet if you’re applying;

You must continue to do satisfactorily in your studies at the UCLA School of Medicine.
have the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Advancement make a proposal for promotion each year (CASPP).
USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Clinical Skills exams are required (CS).
must finish the specified four-year medical education program.

After completing the MD program, you should possess the following abilities: professionalism, patient care, and medical knowledge. The development of practice-based learning, interpersonal and communication skills.

How to Apply to UCLA Medical School

1. Fill out the AMCAS application form

The UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine has a rolling admissions process and tain AMCAS.

The AAMC’s consolidated medical school application processing service is called American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

For their first-year entering classes, the majority of American medical schools use AMCAS as their primary application process.

2. Send in your MCAT results

You must submit the MCAT as part of your application. The Medical College Admission Test must be taken no later than September of the year before admission to the School of Medicine, though it is advised that all applicants take it in the spring.

All test scores must be submitted with your application if more than one MCAT was taken.

Scores on the MCAT from January 2017 through September 1, 2022, will be taken into account. Contact mcat@aamc.org with any inquiries regarding test administration or registration.

3. Send in your recommendation letters.

There must be three to five letters of recommendation. Letters should come from people who have spent a lot of time getting to know the candidate, such as a mentor or PI. A committee letter from your pre-health advisory office will suffice to satisfy the one-letter requirement.

The fully completed AMCAS application must be accompanied by any required letters. Please be aware that only letters submitted via AMCAS will be considered.

4. Submit your certified grade-level transcripts

The completion of the Association of American Medical Colleges Professional Readiness Exam is required of Traditional MD Program Track applicants during the 2023 application cycle in order to better improve the full evaluation process (AAMC PREviewTM).

Scores will be taken into account as a part of our admissions process to better understand and evaluate the candidate as a whole. The other program tracks’ candidates won’t need to meet this prerequisite.

Conclusion

The UCLA Medical School acceptance rate is competitive when measured against those of other prestigious universities.

A lot of work must be put in to be chosen. Potential students must not only have great GPAs and MCAT scores, but also a solid application package, which should contain stellar recommendation letters and an impressive cover letter.

The actual job starts when you’ve been chosen and admitted to UCLA Medical School. Due to the low UCLA Medical School acceptance rate, it is very competitive.

You should still submit an application despite this because it is one of the top medical schools in the world and offers top-notch instruction.

If you have exceptional academic credentials, which is what the university searches for, you have a better chance of being accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Difficult Is It to Get into the UCLA Medical School?

With an acceptance rate of 1.5%, UCLA Medical School can be challenging to get into. However, you can greatly improve your chances of acceptance by being committed, and patient, and working with admissions advisors.

How many letters of recommendation will I need for UCLA Medical School?

For UCLA Medical School, you must submit 3-5 letters of recommendation. Letters are a required part of the AMCAS application process, and they should be written by academics or other experts who are familiar with you and your qualifications.

What Are the Prerequisites for UCLA Medical School?

There are no explicit required courses listed in the UCLA Medical School application criteria. However, you should be well-versed in the following topics:
The fields of biology and physiology
Physical Sciences, Chemistry, and Biochemistry
Humanities
Science and Mathematics
Additionally, you ought to have writing and communication skills, clinical experience, and research expertise.

What MCAT score must I obtain to apply to UCLA Medical School?

Although UCLA Medical School does not specify a minimum MCAT score requirement, it is a good idea to strive for a score of around or above 520. You will have an advantage over other applicants in several schools, including UCLA, as a result.