Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Ohio · Highly competitive · Founded 1843
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Admissions statistics
- Median MCAT
- 518
- MCAT range (25–75)
- 516–520
- Median GPA
- 3.93
- GPA range (25–75)
- 3.86–3.98
- Science GPA (est.)
- 3.92
- Acceptance rate
- 4.9%
- Interview rate
- 9.1%
Median MCAT by section (estimated)
- Chem / Phys
- 129
- CARS
- 128
- Bio / Biochem
- 130
- Psych / Soc
- 130
Section medians are projected from the total using the publicly published national section distribution (CARS runs lowest, Psych/Soc highest). Schools rarely publish their own per-section medians, so this is an estimate; real values are shown when we've sourced them.
Acceptance rate by residency Premier estimate
- In-state applicants
- ~6.5%
- Out-of-state applicants
- ~4.7%
- Overall (reported)
- 4.9%
We split this school's overall acceptance rate into residency estimates using Premier's model of in-state vs. out-of-state selectivity and applicant mix, smoothed across schools. It reflects typical residency preference, not a guaranteed outcome — and it's an estimate, not an officially published in/out-of-state rate.
vs US MD matriculants: MCAT +6.2 (nat. 511.8), GPA +0.12 (nat. 3.81). MCAT 10/25/75/90 percentiles, median, and acceptance/interview rates are publicly sourced.
MCAT range by residency Premier estimate
| Matriculants | 10th | 25th | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combined | 513.4 | 516 | 520 | 522.3 |
| In-state | 514.9 | 516.9 | 521.1 | 523.5 |
| Out-of-state | 513.9 | 516.6 | 520.1 | 523.9 |
The box spans the 25th–75th percentile; the whiskers reach the 10th and 90th. We use this school's published 25–75 range as-is and model the hidden tails and the residency split — calibrated across every US MD program and validated to within ~1.5 points of reported figures. Estimates are shown to one decimal. How this works.
Class profile
- Entering class size
- 191
- Public / Private
- Private
- Setting
- Not reported
- % Out-of-state
- Not reported
- Orientation
- Research-oriented
Research vs. service orientation
Research-oriented (90/100) — Top-25 NIH funding (BRIMR ~$294M), U.S. News Tier 1 Research vs Tier 3 Primary Care, NIH-funded MSTP
Course exams
Core clerkship exams are NBME-standardized “shelf” subject exams — standardized nationally, so they're consistent across MD schools. Whether the preclinical years lean on in-house, NBME-based, or a mix of exams isn't something schools publish in one place — so we don't guess per school; confirm specifics with the school.
Cost & aid
- Cost of attendance
- $115,226
- Avg. graduate debt
- $228,497
- Secondary fee
- $100
- % receiving aid
- 77%
Tuition & cost of attendance verified against the school's official site (official source, 2026-2027 (cost); entering class of 2025 (MCAT/GPA)). Schools report "tuition" vs. "tuition & fees" differently and some (e.g. NYU Grossman, Kaiser early cohorts) award universal scholarships — always confirm on the official page. Debt & % receiving aid are compiled from publicly available figures.
Prerequisites & requirements
Typical for US MD programs — confirm this school's exact list.
- Biology
- 1 year with lab
- General Chemistry
- 1 year with lab
- Organic Chemistry
- 1 year with lab
- Biochemistry
- 1 semester (recommended/required)
- Physics
- 1 year with lab
- English / writing
- 1 year
- Math / statistics
- 1 semester–1 year (varies)
- Psychology & Sociology
- Recommended for the MCAT
Required tests
- MCAT — required
- CASPer: not required
- AAMC PREview: not required
Letters of recommendation
- A committee letter, or 3–5 individual letters
- Typically 2 science faculty + 1 non-science
- A letter from research/clinical mentors strengthens the file
Application timeline (AMCAS)
Most US programs admit on a rolling basis — applying early materially helps.
What this school weighs
- GPA & MCAT (academic readiness)
- Clinical experience & shadowing
- Research experience
- Community service & volunteering
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement & secondary essays
- Interview performance & mission fit
- State residency (especially at public schools)
Secondary essay prompts (2025-2026)
⚠ Crowdsourced & anecdotal — secondary prompts change every cycle and may be incomplete. Always confirm on the school's own secondary application.
- Greatest Challenge: Describe a significant personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape you as a person. Please include how you got through the experience, how you handled the uncertainty or stress, and what you learned about yourself as a result. (2,000 characters)
- Personal Growth: Based on your current maturity and wisdom, reflect upon an experience from the past few years that you would handle differently today. (1,000 characters)
- Context of Care: Describe an experience that has broadened your perspective or increased your understanding of people whose life experiences, backgrounds, or circumstances may differ from your own. How did this experience shape your views on health, healthcare access, and/or healthcare delivery? (1,500 characters)
- Research/Scholarly Work (optional): Reflect on the experience, including how you learned from it, what challenged you, and how it may have impacted you educationally and professionally. (2,500 characters)
- Additional Information (optional): Is there any further information that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee that may not be captured in the rest of your application? (2,000 characters)
Interview
⚠ Anecdotal — based on applicant-reported experiences (e.g. SDN). Format and questions vary year to year; treat as a guide, not a script.
Format: Traditional
Two interviews for the University Program: one with a faculty/health education professional (open-file) and one with a current medical student (closed-file); applicants describe the faculty interview as conversational and relaxed and the student interview as informal and informative.
Questions applicants report
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want to practice medicine?
- Why Case Western?
- Tell me about a time you worked in a small group in an academic setting.
- What is one thing on your application you think you could have done better?
- Tell me about a time you received criticism.
Key facts
- Degree
- MD
- Type
- Private
- Location
- Ohio
- Region
- Midwest
- Interview format
- Traditional
- Preclinical grading
- Not reported
- Licensing exam
- USMLE
- Oldest MCAT accepted
- January 2023
- International applicants
- Considered
- DACA applicants
- Considered
- Early Decision
- Offered
Stats from the school's published class profile and publicly available national data. Tuition, debt, secondary fee, oldest-MCAT, PREview, interview format, and mission are compiled from publicly available figures. Prerequisite, timeline, and letter guidance is typical for US MD programs and may differ at this school. Some figures are being verified. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the AAMC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What MCAT score do I need for Case Western?
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has a median MCAT of 518 (typical accepted range about 516–520). At or above the median is most competitive; below the 25th percentile (516) is a reach without other strengths.
What GPA does Case Western require?
The median accepted GPA is about 3.93 (roughly 3.86–3.98). There's no hard cutoff, but below the median you'll want to be strong elsewhere.
What are the prerequisites for Case Western?
Like most US MD programs, expect a year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics (all with labs), biochemistry, and English, plus math/statistics. Psychology and sociology are recommended for the MCAT. Always confirm the school's exact list.
Is Case Western hard to get into?
Its acceptance rate is approximately 4.9% — highly competitive for US MD programs.
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