October 16, 2025
Written By
Michael Minh Le
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If you’re looking up the Meharry Medical College acceptance rate, you’re probably somewhere between hopeful and overwhelmed. Maybe you’re wondering if you even have a shot, or you just want to know how you can stand out. Figuring out exactly what Meharry Medical College is looking for in an application can feel like a puzzle.
That’s why we created this guide. We’ll break down exactly how hard it is to get into Meharry. We’ll cover the latest GPA and MCAT averages, what the admissions committee is really looking for, tuition and financial aid, what makes Meharry unique. And most importantly, we’ll cover how you can stand out in every part of your application.
If you're serious about Meharry, your first step is to study what works. Our free Application Database gives you access to 8 full AMCAS applications that earned real acceptances, including to schools like UCLA and UCI. See exactly how successful students told their stories and structured their activities so you can reverse engineer what works.
Get your free resource here.
Meharry Medical College is extremely selective.
For the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, Meharry Medical College received 7,678 applications. Of those, only 113 students matriculated.
That makes the Meharry Medical College acceptance rate about 1.47%.
Yes, less than 2%. That kind of selectivity puts Meharry right up there with some of the most competitive med schools in the country.
Meharry does not appear to officially give a strong preference to Tennessee (in‑state) applicants over out‑of‑state ones. If anything, Meharry’s mission to serve underserved populations and historically underrepresented students suggests a more national or broad applicant pool, rather than a strong state‑based bias.
The average GPA for students who get into Meharry? Around 3.58. The average MCAT? 504.
But keep in mind that’s just the average. Some sources report medians closer to 3.65 GPA and 506 MCAT. Either way, Meharry’s incoming students are scoring close to the national average (which is ~3.77 GPA and 511.7 MCAT for all med school matriculants).
That said, Meharry doesn’t post strict cutoffs. If you’re under a 3.5 GPA or below a 500 MCAT, you still have a chance, but it may be an uphill battle.
To be eligible for Meharry Medical College, applicants must complete the following prerequisites:
In addition, Biochemistry is strongly recommended and often expected. Courses in Statistics or Calculus can also strengthen your application.
But to apply to Meharry Medical College, you’ll need more than just good grades and test scores.
Here’s what else is required:
For the 2024–2025 academic year, tuition and fees for the MD program at Meharry Medical College are about $66,366.
When factoring in the full cost of attendance (COA), including housing, transportation, books, and personal expenses, the estimated total for four years rises to about $394,097.
Meharry Medical College offers several financial aid options to help manage these costs. To be considered for aid, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year, using the school code G03506.
In addition, the Meharry Application for Student Financial Assistance (MAP) is required to qualify for institutional aid. Aid types include merit- and need-based scholarships such as the Honors Incentive Scholarship, which can cover up to full tuition for qualified incoming students. Students must meet academic performance standards to continue receiving aid in subsequent years.
The Office of Financial Aid also curates a list of external scholarships, giving students additional options to fund their education. Meharry also supports students through financial literacy and money management resources, offering guidance on budgeting, credit, and overall financial planning. In exceptional circumstances, students can request a COA adjustment by submitting proper documentation.
Founded in 1876, Meharry Medical College is more than a historic institution. It's a mission-driven leader in training physicians committed to serving the underserved. With a deep-rooted legacy in health equity and social justice, Meharry is preparing students for clinical excellence and shaping future change-makers in medicine.
Here’s more about what truly sets Meharry apart from other medical schools:
Meharry was established to educate formerly enslaved individuals in the medical arts. That legacy still drives its mission today. The college prioritizes service to underserved and marginalized communities and instills a deep sense of social responsibility in its students.
Meharry is consistently recognized as one of the top producers of African American physicians and dentists in the United States. It fosters a learning environment that values cultural competence, equity, and inclusion. The student body is diverse not only in ethnicity and background but also in perspective, creating a collaborative, mission-aligned academic culture.
Meharry invests in future healthcare leaders long before they enter medical school. Through pre-medical summer programs, pipeline initiatives, and mentorship opportunities for K–12 and college students, the college helps nurture talent from historically underrepresented communities. These programs reflect Meharry’s commitment to generational impact in medicine.
Unlike many other medical schools that prioritize research or specialization, Meharry’s curriculum emphasizes primary care. This aligns with national healthcare needs and opens doors for students passionate about family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and community health. Graduates often serve in medically underserved areas, including rural and inner-city communities.
Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Meharry benefits from both a rich cultural setting and access to major healthcare institutions. Students train at Meharry’s own clinical facilities as well as through partnerships with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville General Hospital, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. These affiliations broaden students’ clinical exposure and expand residency placement opportunities.
Getting into Meharry Medical College means more than checking boxes and hitting numbers. It means telling a story that proves you're ready to serve. Meharry is built on a legacy of equity and community, and they want future doctors who live that mission every day. This isn’t just about your GPA and MCAT; it’s about who you are, who you’ve helped, and why medicine is your calling.
Meharry Medical College participates in the AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) system for its primary MD applications.
Meharry reviews applications on a rolling admissions basis, so the earlier you submit a complete application, the better your chances, since seats may start filling well before the final deadlines.
Be sure to stay on top of this application timeline:
Your personal statement for Meharry Medical College is your narrative. It’s where you show who you are, what you care about, and the type of doctor you're becoming. But be careful. It’s not a summary of your résumé. It’s your story.
And your experiences are your proof.
If you say you care about underserved communities, then you should show experiences in free clinics and public health outreach. Meharry’s mission is rooted in service and health equity, so your statement should echo that with real receipts.
The secondary essays give AdComs insight into how you think, how you respond to adversity, and whether your goals and background match the mission of their school.
Below are the actual prompts from the most recent cycle at Meharry, along with strategic advice on how to approach them.
1. “Why do you wish to attend Meharry Medical College School of Medicine?”
In this prompt, the admissions committee wants to see genuine alignment between your values, goals, and Meharry’s mission of serving underserved and disadvantaged communities. Don’t just list generic reasons like “strong curriculum.”
Connect your past experiences (community work, leadership, exposure to health disparities) to how Meharry’s emphasis on primary care, holistic care, and serving underserved populations resonates with your vision. Demonstrate that you understand what makes Meharry unique and how you will contribute to and benefit from that environment.
2. “Please describe a personal situation of failure, significant challenge or a major obstacle that you have overcome. Include a description of your coping skills and lessons you learned from that situation.”
Here, don’t shy away from showing vulnerability. Pick a moment that truly tested you (academically, personally, or in your service efforts). Focus less on what went wrong and more on how you responded: what steps you took, what resources you used, how you stayed resilient, and what you learned.
The lessons should tie back to how they make you a better future physician (e.g. perseverance, adaptability, empathy). Avoid making it sound like a “sob story.” Keep it authentic, reflective, and forward-looking.
At Meharry, your letters of recommendation are a critical piece of your application. The school is pretty clear on what they expect and what they require. You can’t just send random letters and hope they make an impact.
What Meharry requires / allows
If you choose the three-letter route, two of those letters must come from people who can evaluate your performance in science coursework (i.e. science professors).
There is no indication that Meharry allows more than three or a cap beyond that. The guidance from the school frames it as “one committee/advisor letter or three individual letters.”
Meharry uses a traditional, mission‑focused interview format. You won’t face MMI stations here. You can expect two separate 30‑minute, one‑on‑one interviews with faculty or community physicians.
Your interview will be open‑file. That means the interviewers will have your full application, including essays and experiences, in front of them. They expect you to be ready to discuss anything you submitted: research, volunteering, challenges, and growth.
Because Meharry leans heavily on its mission to serve underserved communities and advance health equity, you should expect probing questions about structural health disparities, your lived experiences in community service, systems change, and how you envision contributing to Meharry’s goals.
No medical school is perfect for everyone. You want a school whose mission, strengths, culture, and resources align with your values and career goals. Below are some ways Meharry might be a great fit and where it might not.
If you’re still unsure whether your stats or story are enough for Meharry, or any med school, don’t waste time guessing. The truth is, most premeds have no idea what a strong application actually looks like until it’s too late.
That’s why we made the free Application Database. These aren’t mock applications. It’s 8 full, successful AMCAS applications that earned real acceptances, including to top schools like UCLA and UCI. You’ll see exactly how these applicants structured their activities, told their stories, and stood out.
Get your free resource here.
