Each year, most medical schools receive far more applications than they could ever accept. To be one of the lucky few accepted, there are certain hints and tips you should know. There are also things you should avoid doing.

You chances of being admitted to medical school are not good if you are late taking your MCAT. You should never wait until right before applying to take the exam. Give yourself plenty of time to take the exam before applying. If you have a total MCAT score of less than 28, you do not stand a very good chance of being accepted into medical school. Nor do you stand a good chance if your individual MCAT score is less than 9. The importance of doing well on the MCAT cannot be over stated.

Many students make the mistake of applying to schools outside of their home state or schools that are very competitive. Of course, you want to receive the best education possible, but it is better to get into medical school than be refused by one of the best. If possible, you should have contact with doctors and hospitals through shadowing, volunteering, or working. You should also be taking at least two science courses each semester. Many students make the mistake of only taking the minimum number of science courses to fulfill their premed requisites and that is a mistake. You should take as many as possible to make your application stand out among others, making sure you maintain a grade point average of at least a 3.1 on a 4.0 scale.

Students who apply to medical school at the end of their senior year almost always have a stronger record; therefore will have a better chance of admittance. Twenty-five is the average age of first year medical students. Most take the year after graduating to work in a medical field to gain experience. Experience as well as a good grade point average looks good on the medical school application.