MD Schools That Accept Lower Science GPAs

2026 Strategic Guide: Navigating Competitive "Floors" and Residency Bias.

If your Science (BCPM) GPA is below the national matriculant average of 3.73, you must be surgical with your school list. Many MD programs utilize Holistic Review, prioritizing mission-fit and clinical maturity over raw metrics.

⚠️ The Residency Reality Check

A 3.2 GPA might be competitive at a state school for a local resident, but that same school may automatically filter out out-of-state (OOS) applicants with the same score. Use our guide below to find OOS-friendly options.

2026 MD School "Competitive Floors"

The 10th Percentile represents the academic "floor." If your BCPM GPA from our calculator is at or above this number, you are academically similar to the bottom 10% of their accepted class.

MD Program BCPM Floor (10th%) OOS Friendly? Primary Mission
Meharry Medical (TN)3.07⭐⭐⭐⭐Underserved Populations
Howard University (DC)3.20⭐⭐⭐⭐Social Justice / HBCU
Tulane University (LA)3.35⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Clinical Depth & Service
Drexel University (PA)3.35⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Non-Traditional Careers
Albany Medical (NY)3.35⭐⭐⭐⭐Holistic Life Journey
Brody (ECU)3.30⭐NC Residents Only
Univ. of New Mexico3.20⭐NM Residents Only

Legend: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = High OOS acceptance. ⭐ = Strictly In-State focus.

Strategic Recovery Checklist

1
Audit Your Upward Trend: Use our calculator to check your Junior/Senior year GPA. A 3.9 in your last 30 credits can negate a rocky start.
2
Maximize MCAT: A 512+ MCAT is the best "offset" for a GPA below 3.4. It proves you can handle medical board exams.
3
Broaden to DO Programs: Osteopathic schools often have floors around 3.0-3.2 and are excellent options for clinical-first applicants.

Calculate Your Official Science GPA

Enter your coursework once and get your 2026 AMCAS-verified breakdown.

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