What tips do you have for reducing the cost of applying to medical school?
The first tip is to prepare carefully to maximize your chances of success on the first try. Only take the MCAT once; only apply once. The financial, time, and emotional cost of having to retake an exam or a class, or reapply to medical school, is significant.
The two most expensive parts of applying are the MCAT and the applications themselves. Most students will spend at least $750 on test prep materials and test registration. To apply to 25 schools (about the Princeton average), it’ll cost almost $3,000.
We have seen more than one student worried about the strength of their candidacy, who applied to 50+ schools, hoping someone would take a chance on them. The cost for 50 applications will likely end up around $7000, money that would be better spent on taking some postbac courses to improve academic metrics, or supplement income to allow an applicant to accrue more volunteer hours, or otherwise be used to bring their candidacy to a more competitive level before applying.
There are ways to help mitigate the expenses along the way. Students from low-income backgrounds can apply to the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP; similar fee assistance is available for dental school applications and the DAT, which reduces some application costs. The FAP lasts for two years and provides a lot of benefits, including free MCAT prep materials, access to the MSAR (which is critical for school selection), and a number of free applications. Shopping consignment, outlets, and discount stores can reduce clothing costs (suits are most often on sale in January and July as the seasons change).
See our HPA Financing Applications Expenses guide for more tips.
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