Did you know thatpre-med is not considered an actual major by most universities in the United States?Most times, there isn’t even an official pre-med concentration available to students.
So what should you study if you want to go to medical school? We’ll explain what schools are really looking for, what pre-med tracks you can take, and where to find the best college for pre-med students.
What Med Schools are Really Looking For
It may surprise you to learn that yes, medical schools typically require one year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, general physics, and English, but majoring in science isn’t necessarily required or encouraged by many medical schools.
In fact, the Harvard Medical School Admissions page explicitly states:
“We adhere to the important principle that the college years are not, and should not be, designed primarily to prepare students for professional schools. Instead, the college years should be devoted to a creative engagement in the elements of a broad, intellectually expansive liberal arts education.”
So it’s not all about science– being well-rounded in many different subjects in addition to science makes for an attractive medical school candidate. Why? There’s more to being a doctor than knowing the causes of disease– doctors must have an appreciation of cultural nuance and human behavior in order to truly understand and treat their patients.
The Different Pre-Med Tracks
Because students have to fulfill the science requirements, many end up studying science as their primary major. Although as we explored above, the liberal arts route can be an attractive way to get a comprehensive understanding of all subjects, while fulfilling requirements. It’s really up to you!
Here are four popular pre-med majors:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Liberal Arts
All of the above are good majors for medical school– there isn’t a definite “right track” for getting into a good program. As long as you meet the course requirements and complete the MCAT, admissions staff are generally looking for well-rounded individuals who demonstrate a passion for medicine.
Where are the Best Schools for Pre-Med?
Because majoring in “pre-med” is not an option, we’ve listed out the top 10 best colleges for biology, chemistry, physics, and liberal arts — all common majors for those wanting to attend medical school.
The Top 10 Colleges for Biology
| RANK | College Name | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche* | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche* | Overall Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RANK1 | College NameHarvard University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1460 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | Overall Acceptance Rate5% |
RANK2 | College NameStanford University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1466 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*32 | Overall Acceptance Rate5% |
RANK3 | College NameYale University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1476 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | Overall Acceptance Rate6% |
RANK4 | College NameBrown University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1449 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | Overall Acceptance Rate9% |
RANK5 | College NameMassachusetts Institute of Technology | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1525 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*32 | Overall Acceptance Rate8% |
RANK6 | College NameDuke University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1469 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | Overall Acceptance Rate11% |
RANK7 | College NameWashington University in St. Louis | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1468 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | Overall Acceptance Rate17% |
RANK8 | College NameVanderbilt University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1466 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | Overall Acceptance Rate11% |
RANK9 | College NameJohns Hopkins University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1427 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | Overall Acceptance Rate13% |
RANK10 | College NameRice University | Avg. Biology Student SAT Score on Niche*1481 | Avg. Biology Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | Overall Acceptance Rate15% |
The Top 10 Colleges for Chemistry
| RANK | COLLEGE NAME | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche* | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche* | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RANK1 | COLLEGE NAMEHarvard University | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1531 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*35 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE5% |
RANK2 | COLLEGE NAMECalifornia Institute of Technology | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1560 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*N/A | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE8% |
RANK3 | COLLEGE NAMEMassachusetts Institute of Technology | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1466 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*35 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE8% |
RANK4 | COLLEGE NAMEYale University | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1502 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE6% |
RANK5 | COLLEGE NAMEPrinceton University | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1403 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE7% |
RANK6 | COLLEGE NAMEUniversity of Chicago | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1509 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE8% |
RANK7 | COLLEGE NAMEWashington University in St. Louis | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1447 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE17% |
RANK8 | COLLEGE NAMEDuke University | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1476 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE11% |
RANK9 | COLLEGE NAMENorthwestern University | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1486 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE11% |
RANK10 | COLLEGE NAMECarnegie Mellon University | Avg. Chemistry Student SAT Score on Niche*1482 | Avg. Chemistry Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE22% |
The Top 10 Colleges for Physics
| RANK | COLLEGE NAME | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche* | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche* | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RANK1 | COLLEGE NAMEMassachusetts Institute of Technology | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1438 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE8% |
RANK2 | COLLEGE NAMECalifornia Institute of Technology | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1557 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE8% |
RANK3 | COLLEGE NAMEHarvard University | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1534 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*35 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE5% |
RANK4 | COLLEGE NAMEYale University | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1509 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE6% |
RANK5 | COLLEGE NAMEStanford University | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1463 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*35 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE5% |
RANK6 | COLLEGE NAMEUniversity of Chicago | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1490 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE8% |
RANK7 | COLLEGE NAMEPrinceton University | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1527 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*31 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE7% |
RANK8 | COLLEGE NAMECornell University | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1498 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE14% |
RANK9 | COLLEGE NAMEColumbia University | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1479 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE7% |
RANK10 | COLLEGE NAMEBowdoin College | Avg. Physics Student SAT Score on Niche*1455 | Avg. Physics Student ACT Score on Niche*33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE15% |
The Top 10 Colleges for for Liberal Arts
| RANK | COLLEGE NAME | Average SAT Score | Average ACT Score | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RANK1 | COLLEGE NAMEPomona College | Average SAT Score1340-1540 | Average ACT Score31-34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE9% |
RANK2 | COLLEGE NAMEBowdoin College | Average SAT Score1360-1510 | Average ACT Score31-33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE15% |
RANK3 | COLLEGE NAMEAmherst College | Average SAT Score1360-1555 | Average ACT Score31-34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE14% |
RANK4 | COLLEGE NAMESwarthmore College | Average SAT Score1305-1530 | Average ACT Score30-34 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE13% |
RANK5 | COLLEGE NAMEUnited States Military Academy at West Point | Average SAT Score1180-1390 | Average ACT Score26-31 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE10% |
RANK6 | COLLEGE NAMEMiddlebury College | Average SAT Score1280-1495 | Average ACT Score30-33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE16% |
RANK7 | COLLEGE NAMEBarnard College | Average SAT Score1270-1470 | Average ACT Score29-33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE15% |
RANK8 | COLLEGE NAMECarleton College | Average SAT Score1320-1540 | Average ACT Score30-33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE23% |
RANK9 | COLLEGE NAME | Average SAT Score1320-1460 | Average ACT Score30-33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE24% |
RANK10 | COLLEGE NAMEWellesley College | Average SAT Score1310-1500 | Average ACT Score30-33 | OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE28% |
*Composite SAT/ACT scores are normalized to the same scale of students majoring in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at the school. Scores are self-reported by students on Niche.com.
Author: Alex Caffee
Former Marketing and Business Analyst at Niche. Dessert aficionado. Currently living and working in New York City.
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