Found this web page on UCB’s pre-med advising web pages:
https://career.berkeley.edu/Medical/AppCost
Looks like it has not been updated since 2014, but it says that the cost of applying to medical school was $7,520 then.
Was that a realistic estimate then, and how does it compare to now?
Seems like if it is that much, that is another barrier against students from low income backgrounds to going to medical school.
My lad is in his second year now, so applied in 2016 if I’m doing the math correctly - might not be considering my brain hasn’t fully woken up… but nonetheless after 2014. If he’d needed $7520 for his applications methinks we’d have been hearing from him that he needed funds. We never did. I don’t know how much it all cost him though. My guess would be in the 3-4K range (which is still a barrier for low income backgrounds).
The UCB links lists items included. That seems correct, except the Primary app fee changed from $36 to $39 this year. Of course some students take MCAT classes and some don’t take. Also for eligible students primary and secondary fees are waived, that should reduce the burden. But interview cost is a big ticket item, though current students host in most of the college (BIG thank you to all current students).
The approx cost looks about right.
Travel costs are the biggest ticket item and most variable. It depends where you live and if you applied more locally or more nationally. Transcontinental travel (which is more or less required for Western applicants) isn’t inexpensive.
Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) for 2017 reports–
[quote]
The Median Number of Secondary/Supplemental Applications Rose to 15 Applications in 2017.
In 2017, the median number of secondary/supplemental applications completed rose from 14 applications in 2016 to 15 applications in 2017. Furthermore, nearly 18 percent (17.5 percent) of MSQ respondents indicated submitting 25 or more secondary/supplemental applications. When asked, in total, how much was spent on secondary/supplemental applications, the median cost reported by MSQ participants was $1,100. The median number of interviews offered was four, while the median number of interviews attended by MSQ respondents was three interviews. The median cost reported for attending those interviews rose to $700 in 2017. Additionally, over 20 percent (23.2 percent) of MSQ respondents reported spending $2,000 or more on interviews during the medical school application process.{/quote]
Ah yes. Those secondaries. I think it is horrible that schools request secondaries when they never have and never will accept students outside their region. OR require very high admission stats for consideration.
I mean really…University of Washington, for example, very seldom accepts students from outside their defined region, have plenty of well qualified applicants, and still request these secondary applications…and the required fees. Sort of a cash cow, I guess.
Perhaps there is an advantage to attending a college with a pre-med committee that weeds out (through non-support) pre-meds before they apply. Those with low chances of getting into medical school may be disappointed, but they are basically told that they should not waste $7,520 or whatever it costs now.
California has a high cost because a percentage of Californians end up attending OOS schools which means they will be traveling a lot. Someone living in Texas and applying primarily in Texas may end up spending 2-3k at most. D applied nationwide and flew from California across the country at least 7 times but she attended all Texas interviews traveling from home (mostly driving and over night stay costs). I can easily see 7k embedded in all those travels.
We estimated that when D applied to medical schools in 2014, it cost approximately $10,000. A very unfair disadvantage for students without means. We were fortunate that we could afford it.
Having to travel for interviews, especially to far flung med schools is definitely a significant cost that needs to be considered prior to applying. Flights add up and often interviews are not arranged in a manner best for applicants, which can have them flying back and forth to different regions of the country.