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The key to medical school admissions success is planning based on correct information. Research the schools in which you are interested. What are their admissions requirements? And, keep in close contact with your pre-med advisor. Are you taking the proper classes now?

By knowing all of the information before hand, you will avoid the extra scrambling and aggravation upon finding out that you do not meet all of the necessary prerequisites.

Required Coursework
Most schools agree on the basic elements for pre-medical education. Minimum course requirements for most U.S. medical schools include one year of each:

Biology
General (inorganic) chemistry
Organic chemistry
Physics
Related lab work for each science course

In addition, many schools require English and math courses.

KAPLAN QUICK TIP: The best sources for admissions requirements for specific medical schools are the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) and the College Information Booklet.

Selecting a Major
While science majors are certainly more common, medical schools stress their interest in well-rounded students with broad-based undergraduate backgrounds. In fact, regardless of your major, your undergraduate transcript is a vital part of the admissions decision.

If you are not majoring in a science, your work in both science and non-science courses will be evaluated. However, with fewer courses on which to judge your science ability, your grades in the core science subjects will take on greater importance.

Bottom line? Don't choose a major because you think it will get you accepted to medical school. Choose a major in a subject in which you are really interested. You will probably get better grades.

The MCAT
For nearly all schools, the MCAT carries significant weight in the admissions process. Administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges, the MCAT is a relatively objective way by which admissions committees can compare you with other applicants. Medical schools use MCAT scores to assess whether you have the foundation upon which to build a successful medical career.

Health Care Experience
According to a recent survey of medical schools, knowledge of health care issues and commitment to health care were among the top five variables considered very important to student selection (the other four were med school interview ratings, GPA, MCAT scores, and letters of recommendation).

You should consider being active in health care activities as much as possible as a premed student. If nothing else, these experiences will help you articulate in your personal statements and interviews why you want to pursue a career in medicine.

More Information
Learn more about med school admissions at www.kaptest.com/premed.
Learn about Kaplan's MCAT programs at www.kaptest.com/mcat.
Enroll in a Kaplan course at www.kaptest.com/enroll.

Copyright ©2001 by Kaplan Inc. Medical College Admissions Test and MCAT are registered service marks of the Association of American Medical Colleges, which is not affiliated with this site.