Preparing yourself as early as you can is the key to getting accepted into med school.
Best Pre-Med Schools in Massachusetts
1. Tufts University
| Location: | Medford, MA |
| National University Rank: | 28 |
| Average SAT score: | 1465 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 15% |
| Tuition: | $63,000 |
| Private/Public | Private |
As with many selective schools, there is no official pre-med major at Tufts: pre-med, pre-vet, pre-health, etc. are “career choices, not majors.” Having said that, Tufts pre-health/pre-med has a reputation for being very difficult – maybe even too difficult, if you believe some online discussion.
This might be because Tufts also has a very selective medical school, and Tufts sophomores can apply two years before their peers at other schools (the Early Assurance Program – 10-15 students per year). Additionally, Tufts offers a five-year combined bachelor’s/masters in Public Health.
Tufts has two pre-health advisors in the Office of Undergraduate Education, and they provide guidance, lectures, programs, newsletters, and a website for undergrad pre-health students. Tufts students are also allowed to attend lectures and programs at the medical school.
A 12-member faculty panel conducts interviews and provides letters of recommendation for those students applying to medical school.
It is possible to get clinical, research, and volunteer hours through Tufts’ many internships and community service programs. The Healthcare Career Community features internships and opportunities curated specifically for pre-health interests, in addition to providing resources for networking and researching employers.
In terms of student affinity groups, Tufts has a Premed Society, a Public Health Society, and a Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS).
[For perspective and reference, Tufts Medical School accepted only 4.92% (210 students) of applicants in 2020-2021.]
Check out the video below for more info on pre-med life at Tufts…
Details
- Name: Tufts University
- Location: 419 Boston Ave., Medford, MA 02155
- Phone: (617) 628-2000
- Website: admissions.tufts.edu
2. Northeastern University
| Location: | Boston, MA |
| National University Rank: | 49 |
| Average SAT score: | 1465 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 18.1% |
| Tuition: | $73,236 |
| Private/Public | Private |
Northeastern University has both PreMed and PreHealth programs with some serious resources.
All PreMed/PreHealth students have access to the Medical Applicant Portal, an invaluable online resource only for NU students that provides information, helps scheduling, and assists in assembling portfolios and application materials. While it is not a medical school application, it does help students document in one place all the courses, clinical hours, and other requirements necessary for a medical school application.
There are many opportunities for experiential learning, clinical hours, and research at NU. The PreHealth advisors will help students schedule job shadowing, become an EMT, or arrange co-op positions to help differentiate themselves on applications. There are also plenty of chances to volunteer and intern through the university at organizations such as Boston Children’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Center.
Northeastern has many student affinity groups to help pre-med students find a supportive community. Among others, the NU American Medical Student Association provides seminars and speakers to help guide your journey, and the American Medical Women’s Association helps to improve and advance women’s health through developing leadership and advocacy.
The video below shows more on what life can be like as a pre-med at Northeastern…
Details
- Name: Northeastern University
- Location: 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
- Phone: (617) 373-2000
- Website: undergraduate.northeastern.edu/prehealth
3. Mount Holyoke College
| Location: | South Hadley, MA |
| National University Rank: | #30 in Best National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Average SAT score: | [not required] |
| Acceptance Rate: | 38.2% |
| Tuition: | $56,518 |
| Private/Public | Private (women) |
Mount Holyoke College (MHC) is a highly selective women’s liberal arts college. While their aim is to provide a well-rounded liberal arts education, they do have robust Pre-Health programs and a particularly active and supportive alumnae network.
MHC has an Office of Pre-Health Programs that coordinates all group and 1-on-1 advising, speakers, career exploration, extracurricular preparation, and graduate school applications. The Committee on the Health Care Professions provides both formal and informal guidance on health care professions and MHC’s alignment with graduate school expectations, as well as the important “Committee Letter” of recommendation.
Another invaluable aspect of studying Pre-Health at MHC is access to the “Five College Schedule.” Holyoke students can take any class at Hampshire College, Amherst College, Smith College, and UMass Amherst for free through the five colleges’ agreement and cross-registration system.
The Office of Pre-Health can help students find clinical and research experiences, including shadowing and clinical hours at Baystate Health and the Holyoke Medical Center.
MHC offers a wide range of student organizations, including the Pre-Health Club, Medical Emergency Response Team, and Biology and Chemistry clubs.
Check out the video below for an awesome campus tour…
Details
- Name: Mount Holyoke
- Location: 50 College St., South Hadley, MA 01075
- Phone: (413) 538-2000
- Website: mtholyoke.edu/prehealth
4. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
| Location: | North Dartmouth, MA |
| National University Rank: | 227 |
| Average SAT score: | 1093 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 74.8% |
| Tuition: | $31,777 |
| Private/Public | Public |
The University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (be careful not to confuse this with Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire) offers Pre-Med/Pre-Health as a career path, and as a part of the UMass system, UMD has a special relationship to its sister campus, the UMass Medical School (UMMS) in Worcester.
Once students identify themselves as Pre-Med/Pre-Health, they are assigned an advisor and are assisted with course selection, portfolio building, and the application process. Joining the Pre-Med/Pre-Health Professions Student Organization will provide access to additional programs, information, and support from like-minded students.
One unique aspect of UMass Dartmouth is that it offers a Pre-Health Professions Certificate for those students who already have a four-year degree but need more science coursework before applying to professional schools. Another valuable program offered by UMD is the Medical School Preparation Program for underrepresented backgrounds, a four-week summer program.
UMD offers summer research programs through UMMS. The advisors can help you apply, as well as provide opportunities for job shadowing, clinical hours, and volunteer experience to build your credentials for applying to schools.
You can get a nice overview of UMASS Dartmouth in the video below…
Details
- Name: UMass Dartmouth
- Location: 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747
- Phone: (508) 999-8000
- Website: umassd.edu/premed
Related Questions
Is It Important To Attend A Good Pre-Med School In Massachusetts?
Having a reputable school on your med school application can look good. Performing well during undergrad, at any of the colleges recommended above, is a strong indicator you’ll fit in studying medicine.
How much an individual school actually contributes to your chances of becoming a doctor is open for debate, however.
The biggest factors, in terms of competitiveness, are your GPA score, your clinical experience (shadowing, working, etc), and extracurriculars, and how well you present yourself in application essays and interviews.
To say the strength of your candidacy comes solely down to where you studied for pre-med would be a stretch!
What College In MA Has The Best Medical Program?
The best medical school in the state, according to U.S. News Ranking, is The Medical School at Harvard University. You’ll need an average GPA of 3.92 and an average MCAT of 518.
Related: How Hard Is It To Get Into Harvard Medical School? (Explained!)
How To Improve Your Medicine Application As A Pre-Med In School In MA
A great way to make your med school application as competitive as possible is through extracurriculars.
In Massachusetts, you have a lot of clinically relevant medical/hospital volunteering opportunities to take advantage of.
These positions are organized and very useful for obtaining letters of recommendation (LOR’s), shadowing, and other important networking connections.
You can also look into relevant pre-med jobs like scribing, EMT, and phlebotomy available in the state for extra clinical experience.
What Is The Hardest/Easiest College In Massachusetts To Get Into For Pre-Med?
Based on the data above, UMASS Dartmouth appears easiest to gain admission into as an undergrad. Their admission rate is one of the highest and the SAT average is fairly achievable.
Tufts University appears the most competitive.
What Major Should I Choose As A Pre-Med?
The standard advice is to choose a major you feel you can do well in. Your GPA will be possibly the biggest differentiator between you and other pre-med candidates.
Here’s what you should consider:
- How motivated you’ll be to study (choose something you’ll enjoy)
- How “suitable” you are to the subject (maximize your chance of a high GPA)
Related: Is MIT Good For Pre-Med In 2022?
If you did well in a particular subject in high school, or find something relatively easy to get good grades in, that could make for a good pick.
Something else to think about is the MCAT. Sometimes life science subjects can be a good fit as they’ll help you in the preparation for this key med school exam. They also may cover many of the prerequisites.
Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.