Howard University College of Medicine
District of Columbia · Less selective by the numbers · Founded 1868
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Admissions statistics
- Median MCAT
- 507
- MCAT range (25–75)
- 503–511
- Median GPA
- 3.67
- GPA range (25–75)
- 3.49–3.79
- Science GPA
- 3.66
- Acceptance rate
- 3.9%
- Interview rate
- 4.7%
Median MCAT by section (estimated)
- Chem / Phys
- 127
- CARS
- 126
- Bio / Biochem
- 127
- Psych / Soc
- 128
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
- ~10.2%
- Out-of-state applicants
- ~3.9%
- Overall (reported)
- 3.9%
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 -4.8 (nat. 511.8), GPA -0.14 (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 | 497.9 | 500.9 | 508.1 | 512.1 |
| In-state | 499.9 | 501.9 | 518.1 | 519.1 |
| Out-of-state | 499.9 | 502.9 | 511.1 | 516.2 |
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
- 115
- Public / Private
- Private
- Setting
- Not reported
- % Out-of-state
- Not reported
- Orientation
- Service-oriented
Research vs. service orientation
Service-oriented (22/100) — Mission-driven HBCU for underserved-community care; U.S. News stronger in Primary Care (Tier 2) than Research (Tier 3); modest NIH funding (mainly via GHUCCTS c
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
- $99,787
- Avg. graduate debt
- $207,024
- Secondary fee
- $75
- % receiving aid
- 88%
Tuition & cost of attendance verified against the school's official site (official source, 2025-2026). 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)
Mission focus: Howard University College of Medicine provides students of high academic potential with a medical education of exceptional quality and prepares physicians and other health care professionals to serve the underserved. Particular focus is on the education of disadvantaged students for careers in medicine. Special attention is directed to teaching and research activities that address health care disparities.
Secondary essay prompts (2024-2025)
⚠ Crowdsourced & anecdotal — secondary prompts change every cycle and may be incomplete. Always confirm on the school's own secondary application.
- Have you lived in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? (Yes or No, then explain/describe briefly) · 250 words
- Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? (Yes or No, then explain/describe briefly) · 250 words
- After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? (Yes or No, then explain/describe briefly) · 250 words
- Please provide any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record, disadvantaged, etc.) · 250 words
- Why Howard University College of Medicine? (2500 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: Hybrid
Traditional one-on-one, mostly open-file interviews conducted virtually; SDN reports ~1 interview averaging ~36 minutes, generally friendly and rated average stress. Interview day includes dean welcome, curriculum/financial-aid presentations, student visits, and a tour.
Questions applicants report
- What steps would you recommend to someone for becoming successful?
- What do you think is the biggest problem facing healthcare in the US today?
- What is altruism? Give an example of a time you were altruistic.
- Why Howard University College of Medicine?
- Why medicine?
Key facts
- Degree
- MD
- Type
- Private
- Location
- District of Columbia
- Region
- South
- Interview format
- Hybrid
- Preclinical grading
- Not reported
- Licensing exam
- USMLE
- Oldest MCAT accepted
- January 2023
- International applicants
- Considered
- DACA applicants
- Considered
- Early Decision
- Not 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 Howard?
Howard University College of Medicine has a median MCAT of 507 (typical accepted range about 503–511). At or above the median is most competitive; below the 25th percentile (503) is a reach without other strengths.
What GPA does Howard require?
The median accepted GPA is about 3.67 (roughly 3.49–3.79). There's no hard cutoff, but below the median you'll want to be strong elsewhere.
What are the prerequisites for Howard?
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 Howard hard to get into?
Its acceptance rate is approximately 3.9% — less selective by the numbers for US MD programs.
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