April 15, 2024
Written By
Michael Minh Le
Subscribe to the Premed Catalyst Newsletter
So you want to get into NYU Medical School, but you’re not sure if you even have a chance. Maybe your GPA isn’t perfect, your MCAT isn’t a 528, or you’ve heard NYU is just for students with connections or flawless stats.
In this guide, we’ll break down the NYU medical school acceptance rate and exactly how to get in. You’ll see the real GPA and MCAT numbers of admitted students, understand how NYU’s curriculum is different (and what that means for your application), and get insider tips tailored specifically for cracking this school.
If you want an even clearer picture, download our free resource: eight real AMCAS applications that earned acceptances to top med schools like UCLA. You’ll see everything from activities to essays so you can compare your app to ones that actually made AdComs take notice.
Get your free resource here.
For the 2025 entering class, NYU Grossman School of Medicine received more than 8,000 applications. Out of those, fewer than 120 students were accepted into the MD program.
That puts NYU’s acceptance rate under 2%.
To put it in perspective: that means out of 100 applicants, only 2 get in.
Let’s cut to the chase: NYU Grossman isn’t messing around when it comes to academics. The average GPA for accepted students? A near-perfect 3.96. The average MCAT? A brutal 523.
For comparison, the national averages for med school matriculants are around a 3.77 GPA and a 511.7 MCAT.
So yes, NYU students are operating on another level. Now, NYU doesn’t technically have a minimum GPA or MCAT cutoff. But let’s be real: if your GPA is below 3.5 or any of your MCAT section scores are scraping the 125 mark, it’s going to be an uphill battle.
There are several key aspects of NYU Med School admissions, including:
NYU Medical School welcomes applications from international students who hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in either the United States or Canada.
NYU Grossman School of Medicine does not require prerequisite courses but suggests the following premedical coursework:
While courses taken at dental, nursing, veterinary, or pharmacy schools are considered during the application review, credit is not awarded for these courses.
The MD program at NYU Medical School is designed to integrate basic science education with clinical training from the start. The program is divided into four stages.
NYU Medical School also offers an accelerated, three-year MD program with a residency match. You can also apply to a variety of dual MD/master's degrees and the MD/PhD program.
NYU Grossman School of Medicine has been known for its innovative approaches to medical education, including offering full-tuition scholarships to all enrolled students in the MD degree program to alleviate the financial burden of medical education. This may impact the competitiveness and diversity of the applicant pool.
Nevertheless, the cost of living in New York City is estimated to be $22,836, while educational expenses are approximately $1,166. Including all the fees mentioned, the total estimated cost of attendance amounts to $28,153.
Getting into NYU Grossman is no small feat. With one of the lowest acceptance rates in the country, a free tuition policy that draws tens of thousands of applicants, and sky-high academic standards, this school is looking for more than just smart students.
So what does it take to stand out in a sea of 8,000+ applicants?
Your personal statement isn’t just a 5,300-character essay. It’s your narrative. It's how NYU figures out who you are, what you care about, and why medicine is the right path for you.
And here’s the catch: words aren’t enough. If you say you care about underserved communities, your activities better back that up. That means more than just a line on your resume. Have you organized community health fairs? Volunteered at free clinics? Fought for healthcare equity on your campus?
If not, it’s time to reflect. Because at NYU, they don’t just want to hear your values. They want to see proof of them.
Once you’ve hit submit on your AMCAS application, the real storytelling begins. NYU Grossman’s secondary essays are designed to dig deeper into your values, your lived experiences, and the impact you’re already making.
1. Academic Fluctuations
Prompt: “If applicable, please comment on significant fluctuations in your academic record.”
Approach: Own it. Briefly explain any dips, but don’t make excuses. Show how you responded. Focus on the lessons learned and the upward trajectory since. Frame the story to highlight resilience and growth.
2. Time Off (“Gap years or withdrawals”)
Prompt: “If you have taken any time off from your studies… describe what you did and why.”
Approach: Use it to your advantage. Explain thoughtfully: pursuing research, international experiences, caregiving, whatever it was, show that you maximized your time and it brought clarity and maturity or reinforced your dedication to medicine.
3. Unique Qualities & Lived Experiences
Prompt: “What unique qualities do you bring…? How have your experiences shaped your values and leadership?” (2500 chars)
Approach: This is your “why NYU fits you personally” essay. Pick 1–2 defining experiences (clinical, research, personal). Show how they shaped your core values and how those align with NYU’s mission of patient‑centered care, innovation, and equity. Use concrete anecdotes and reflection.
4. Choose One (2500 chars each)
4a. Non‑academic accomplishment: Highlight something deeply meaningful—whether it’s starting a health initiative or overcoming adversity. Explain why it matters and what it says about your character.
4b. Defining respect: Share a brief conflict where respect was tested. Show how you navigated differing viewpoints, especially in diverse environments, and how it made you a more empathetic communicator.
4c. Team conflict resolution: Describe a real challenge working collaboratively: what happened, your role in resolving it, and how you grew. Empathetic leadership and adaptability are key.
5. Specialty Interests (Not binding)
Prompt: “Select up to three residency specialties of interest… not binding.”
Approach: Be honest and intentional. Even if undecided, shortlist fields along with 1–2 sentences on why they fascinate you (e.g., global health aspects of Emergency Medicine, patient relationships in Internal Medicine). Show genuine curiosity.
6. Upload CV
Prompt: Latest CV with updated publications, presentations, and abstracts.
Approach: This isn’t just a formality. NYU is research‑driven. Include tangible outputs: poster titles, journal citations, and conference dates. Make it easy to see your scholarly impact at a glance.
Applicants can submit either:
For nontraditional applicants, NYU Medical School encourages the submission of two letters of recommendation from colleagues with whom you have had a close working relationship. Applicants should choose letters they believe will best support their application.
NYU Grossman uses a hybrid Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format where you’ll rotate through eight virtual stations, each about seven minutes long. Most are classic MMI-style scenarios that test your ethical reasoning, communication skills, empathy, and how you navigate ambiguity.
Think tough dilemmas, team conflicts, or patient interactions. One station is an “open” interview, where you’ll have a more traditional conversation about your path to medicine, your goals, and why NYU.
If you’re applying to NYU Long Island (LISOM), there’s an added twist: a team-based activity where you collaborate with other applicants on a group challenge. It’s meant to be a window into how you think and work with others.
All interviews are conducted virtually, typically between late September and December. Admissions committees want to see how you think on your feet, communicate under pressure, and whether your values align with NYU’s—leadership, equity, innovation, and patient-centered care.
The application timeline for the 2024-2025 academic year hasn't been published yet, but we can consider last year's timeline as a guide to what you can expect.
Let’s be honest: NYU Grossman isn’t for everyone. It’s not just about the prestige or the full-tuition scholarship (though those are hard to ignore).
NYU is fast-paced, research-heavy, and deeply invested in training future leaders in medicine. If you're the kind of applicant who thrives in high-stakes environments, who’s ready to take initiative, and who values innovation and health equity, you’ll feel right at home. But if you’re still figuring out your “why” for medicine or aren’t ready to push the limits of your own potential, you might find NYU’s environment overwhelming.
NYU also attracts students with a strong vision for their careers, whether that’s academic medicine, healthcare policy, biomedical research, or community health. And with the option to complete your MD in just three years, it’s tailor-made for focused, driven applicants who know where they’re headed and want to get there fast.
While NYU Grossman may be one of the most competitive and well-known, it's far from your only option in the Empire State. Whether you're looking for a research-intensive environment, a strong primary care focus, or opportunities to serve diverse urban and rural populations, there’s a wide range of medical schools in New York to explore.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Knowing the stats and strategies is one thing, but actually putting it all together into an application that works? That’s where most premeds get stuck.
At Premed Catalyst, we’ve helped hundreds of students break into top-tier med schools, including NYU Grossman. If you want a clearer picture of what a successful application actually looks like, download our free resource: eight full AMCAS applications that earned acceptances to elite programs like UCLA.
You can get your free application database here.