August 7, 2025
Written By
Michael Minh Le
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SUNY Upstate Medical University is a solid choice with a reputable program, strong match list, and stats that seem doable. But year after year, qualified applicants still get rejected. So what does it really take to get in?
This guide breaks down the SUNY Upstate Medical University acceptance rate, average GPA and MCAT scores, key admissions requirements, tuition and financial aid, and exactly how to build a stand-out application. We’ll walk you through the deadlines, essays, letters of recommendation, and interview prep for this school specifically.
The best way to understand what works? Look at what already has. At Premed Catalyst, we created an Application Database that gives you access to 8 full AMCAS applications that earned real acceptances to top schools like UCLA and UCSF. And we made it completely free.
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For the 2025 entering class, SUNY Upstate Medical University received 6,635 applications. Of those, only 172 students matriculated.
That makes the SUNY Upstate Medical University acceptance rate about 2.59%.
But here’s the kicker: if you’re a New York resident, your chances are way better. Roughly 90% of matriculants are in-state applicants. Upstate is part of the SUNY system, so it’s heavily geared toward serving New York residents. That means if you’re applying from out of state, you’re competing for just a fraction of the available seats.
Now let’s look at the stats. Here’s what the most recent class brought to the table:
Compare that to national averages: around 3.77 GPA and 511.7 MCAT. Translation? SUNY Upstate students are coming in above the curve, and if you want to get in, so do you.
That being said, there’s no official GPA or MCAT cutoff, but realistically, applicants with a GPA below 3.3 or MCAT section scores under 125 are going to have a hard time getting through the door.
Before matriculating, accepted applicants must complete the following:
You can apply before all prerequisites are finished, but if accepted, you'll need to complete any outstanding course(s) with a grade of at least “C” before enrolling.
While not required, it’s a good idea to take these too: Genetics, Physiology, Cell Biology, Social Sciences.
And beyond academics, you’ll need to meet all the following criteria:
Tuition at SUNY Upstate Medical University varies by residency status. For the 2024–2025 academic year, in-state students can expect to pay approximately $47,251 in annual tuition for the MD program, while out-of-state students are charged about $70,721.
When accounting for additional expenses such as housing, meals, transportation, books, and personal costs, the total estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) rises to $79,531 for New York residents and $103,001 for non-residents.
But don’t run yet. SUNY Upstate’s Office of Financial Aid provides options to help students manage these costs.
All applicants are encouraged to submit the FAFSA using the school code 002840, ideally by March 1 for fall entry or November 1 for spring. The university participates in multiple aid programs, including federal and state grants, low-interest student loans, work-study opportunities, and institutional scholarships. Eligible in-state students may also benefit from New York State financial assistance programs like TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) and the Excelsior Scholarship.
And to help students plan ahead, the university offers an online Net Price Calculator for estimating post-aid costs. For those who prefer more flexible payment options, a Monthly Payment Plan is available for students enrolled in at least nine credits, allowing tuition to be spread across the semester with a modest service fee.
SUNY Upstate Medical University isn’t just another dot on a med school list. It’s the heartbeat of healthcare in Central New York. So, what makes it stand out?
SUNY Upstate holds a unique position as the sole academic medical center in Central New York, anchoring healthcare, education, and research for a vast region. This distinction means that students benefit from unrivaled clinical exposure, scholarship, and community engagement locally.
Forget the anonymous lectures. SUNY Upstate runs lean on purpose. Small class sizes mean your professors know your name, your goals, and when you’re struggling. You get direct mentorship from faculty who are not just brilliant but invested. And since it’s an upper-division and graduate-focused school, you’re surrounded by people who are just as serious and specialized as you are.
This isn’t preclinical purgatory. From the jump, you’re learning inside major institutions like Upstate University Hospital, Golisano Children’s Hospital, and the region’s only Level I trauma center. You’ll walk the same halls as trauma teams, surgical specialists, and pediatric oncology experts. You’re not just observing. You’re contributing, learning from real cases, and building the kind of confidence that only comes from showing up when it counts.
From neuroscience to cancer biology, from stroke outcomes to underserved community health, the work here is doing something. And the best part? You won’t be elbowing through a crowd of 50 to get a foot in the door. You’ll have real access and ownership. You’ll be part of something that actually moves the needle.
“Community-focused” sounds nice in a brochure. But at Upstate, it’s lived. This school is the region’s largest employer, a major economic driver, and a cornerstone of public health efforts in Central New York.
The mission here—education, care, research, and service—isn’t something they frame on a wall. It shows up in student-run clinics, in mobile health initiatives, in the hours faculty and students spend serving their neighbors. If you believe medicine is about more than prestige, this is the kind of place that will keep you grounded and growing.
Getting into SUNY Upstate Medical University takes more than just hitting the right GPA and MCAT numbers. You need to know your story and communicate it with clarity and confidence. That’s what separates the applicants who check boxes and get rejected from the ones who get accepted.
In the sections below, we’ll cover exactly how to stand out: from building a personal statement that actually sounds like you, to crafting secondary essays that connect with what SUNY Upstate really values.
SUNY Upstate Medical University participates in the AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service), and admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. That means if you submit late, you’re fighting over what’s left.
Below is an overview of the application timeline you need to follow to stay competitive:
Your personal statement is your chance to show who you are, what drives you, and the kind of doctor you're becoming. It’s your narrative, not your resume. But nothing you say holds any weight unless you back it up. Your experiences are your proof.
If you claim to value community health, then your story better include time spent serving real communities and learning from real patients. Random, disjointed experiences are exactly what get good applicants rejected.
These secondary essays give the AdCom insight into how you think, what you value, and how you’ll contribute to their community.
Below are the prompts from the 2025-2026 application cycle and advice on how to approach each one.
1. Which medical specialty do you currently plan to pursue?
Be honest but reflective. Show you’ve thought about fit and purpose, not just prestige. Acknowledge curiosity and openness to growth as you clarify your current direction.
2. Are there any areas of weakness in your application that you would like to clarify for the Admissions Committee? If yes, please describe.
Own your story. Frame any weakness with context, reflection, and action. This isn’t about making excuses. It’s about demonstrating resilience and that you’ve learned and grown from it.
3. What experiences have you had with underserved communities/populations? What have you learned from these experiences?
Tell a human story. Highlight meaningful, real moments and what they taught you about equity, empathy, and the role of medicine beyond the clinic.
4. Describe any ties or meaningful experiences you have had related to Central New York or SUNY Upstate Medical University.
You don’t need to be from Syracuse, but talk about places, people, or values that connect you to Upstate NY or rural health, and how understanding community shapes care.
5. How will you contribute to the diversity of your medical school class and The Norton College of Medicine?
Don’t just list identity markers. Reflect on perspective, lived experience, and how those shape the way you’ll learn and serve.
6. The Norton College of Medicine is committed to improving the healthcare of Central New York. How do your career plans advance this mission?
Link your ambitions to the region. Show genuine alignment by talking about service, rural or community-focused goals, and how you envision making an impact there.
You say you’re ready for medical school. SUNY Upstate expects to hear the same thing from your recommenders.
If you’re a current undergrad, they want one letter of recommendation from your Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) or pre‑health advisor. Don’t have one? Then submit two faculty letters, from different departments, and be sure one is from a science faculty.
For current graduate students in a degree‑granting program: on top of that HPAC or advisor letter, you also need a letter of recommendation from your graduate advisor or department chair. If you just started your grad program, a “letter of good standing” will do. But if you’re just taking a few grad-level classes to boost your GPA or complete prereqs, you don’t have to worry about this extra letter.
If you’re a non‑traditional applicant (graduated more than five years ago and now working full‑time): then submit one science faculty letter from someone you took a prereq course with and one letter from your current supervisor.
For MD/PhD applicants, it’s more intense: you need your HPAC/ pre‑health advisor evaluation plus three additional letters. Those three must come from people who know your academic story, your research prowess, and why you're MD/PhD material.
They must be full letters on official letterhead, signed, and clearly identified in your supplemental application. If some are tucked inside a committee letter, that’s fine, just make sure they're the full letters, signed, and flagged accordingly.
The interview day is your chance to show who you are and why you’re ready for SUNY.
Expect a traditional, personal interview structure. No MMI here. You'll have one-on-one interviews, typically two in total. One will be with a faculty member and another with a current medical student. Each interview lasts about 30 minutes.
The format is conversational but focused. Expect questions about your motivation for medicine, your understanding of Upstate’s mission, and how you’ve handled challenges. Ethical scenarios may come up, especially those tied to underserved care and rural health.
The interview day starts with a group orientation, followed by your scheduled interviews, a campus tour, and time with current students.
Not every school is right for every student. A good fit means the school supports your learning style, career goals, and personal values. So, ask yourself, “Is SUNY Upstate Medical University really right for me?”
SUNY Upstate Medical University is a good fit if you…
SUNY Upstate Medical University may not be a good fit if you…
SUNY Upstate is just one part of a much larger network. Across New York, the SUNY (State University of New York) system trains future physicians in a variety of settings, from urban trauma centers to research-heavy academic hospitals. If you're exploring your options or just want to see how other campuses compare, we’ve put together in-depth guides on each of the SUNY medical schools below.
Jacobs School of Medicine
If you're looking at SUNY Upstate Medical University, you're probably serious about staying in New York for med school. There are several other medical schools in New York that could be the right fit for you, depending on your stats, story, and goals.
Below are other in-depth guides on medical schools you can choose from in the Empire State.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Every year, thousands of smart, qualified applicants get rejected from SUNY Upstate Medical University. Why? Because they didn’t know if what they were doing was enough. They didn’t know what really worked. They didn’t have a strategy.
That’s why at Premed Catalyst, we created a free resource that gives you insider access to 8 full AMCAS applications that led to acceptances at top-tier schools like UCLA and UCSF. These aren’t cherry-picked samples. They're real apps from real students who got in. Model your app after what already worked.
Get your free resource here.
