Early Assurance Medical Programs

*Applicants accepted from any college with restrictions.

Medical School Early Assurance Program

An increasing number of medical schools are offering conditional early acceptances to undergraduates. An Early Assurance Program allows applicants to be accepted early without even taking the MCAT. Read more for details.

An early assurance program (EAP) is a way for a student to guarantee a spot in medical school early on in his or her undergraduate career. Typical medical school applicants apply after their third or fourth years. But to be considered for an EAP, students must apply at the end of their second year or at the beginning of their junior year.

The EAP is a great option for highly qualified students who are already dedicated to a career in medicine. It is an opportunity for students who have excelled academically during their first and second years in college to be guaranteed a seat in certain medical schools usually without having to worry about the MCAT or applying to multiple medical schools. In addition, students who apply and are accepted do not have to worry as much about maintaining a high GPA, allowing them to pursue other extracurricular and academic interests. They can take classes they normally would not take because of the risk of lowering their GPA.

Although the requirements for applying to EAPs differ from school to school, if you are interested in applying to a typical EAP, you must finish at least five premedical courses by the end of your sophomore year. Your academic performance during your first two years of college is crucial to being admitted. In addition, admissions committees are looking for a commitment to a career in medicine through your personal statement, supplementary essays, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. Schools may ask for your high school transcript and/or SAT or ACT scores. Some schools only offer the EAP to their undergraduate students or undergraduates from linked programs. Other medical schools accept applicants from any four-year university.

If you are accepted via an EAP, you are not bound to an unbreakable contract. Most schools give you until the beginning of your senior year to decide whether you want to fully commit to the school. If you decide to back out, you can still apply to medical schools the traditional way. Since each school’s EAP differs, it is important to know the details of the specific EAP you want to apply to.

Here are all the schools that offer the EAP that we could find as of 2021:

–Open Only for Their Undergraduates or Linked Schools–

Brody School of Medicine	Greenville, North Carolina
Dartmouth University Geisel School of Medicine	Hanover, New Hampshire
Drexel University College of Medicine	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Georgetown University School of Medicine	Washington, D.C.
Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Loyola University Chicago – Stritch School of Medicine	Chicago, Illinois
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine	East Lansing, Michigan
Penn State College of Medicine	Hershey, Pennsylvania
Tufts University School of Medicine	Boston, Massachusetts
University of Kentucky College of Medicine	Lexington, Kentucky
University of Rochester School of Medicine	Rochester, New York
Wake Forest School of Medicine	Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine	Dayton, Ohio

–Open to all applicants–

Albany Medical College	Albany, New York
Boston University School of Medicine	Boston, Massachusetts
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai	New York City, New York
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine	Chicago, Illinois
SUNY Upstate Medical University	Syracuse, New York
University at Buffalo SUNY School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences	Buffalo, New York
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine	Cincinnati, Ohio
University of Florida Medical Honors Program	Gainesville, Florida
UC Riverside School of Medicine	Riverside, California
University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences	Toledo, Ohio

*Applicants accepted from any college with restrictions.

Early Assurance Programs for Medical School

What are early assurance programs for med school and how competitive are they? Learn how to decide whether an EAP is right for you, plus a complete list of schools that offer early assurance programs

Part 1: Introduction to early assurance programs

Part 2: What is an early assurance program?

Part 3: Pros and cons of early assurance programs

Part 4: Frequently asked questions about early assurance programs for medical school

Appendix: Complete list of schools with early assurance programs

Part 1: Introduction to early assurance programs

For most med school hopefuls, acceptance into medical school represents the culmination of a long, grueling process that is expected to end with a promising career in medicine. After years of hard work in high school and undergrad, being accepted into medical school is a huge milestone that provides validation for their efforts. Usually, the act of applying to medical schools takes place after the third or fourth year of undergrad, and students can begin preparing for the next chapter in their journey.

Some ambitious students show their dedication and commitment to a career in medicine early on. These high-achieving students know exactly what they want to do with their lives and are ready to commit to medical school even before graduating from undergrad or taking the MCAT. For these students, early assurance programs (EAPs) provide a way for them to become accepted into med school, freeing up their time and energy to stay focused on their studies. While there are no shortcuts to the physician pathway, early assurance programs can reduce the stress of getting in/lessen a premed’s worries about acceptance.

Part 2: What is an early assurance program?

Early assurance programs allow current undergraduate students the opportunity to apply to medical school and secure their spot before completing their undergraduate degree program. EAPs aren’t the same as BS/MD programs , though they do offer a similar level of security. While most premeds apply to medical school following their third or fourth year of college, those applying to early assurance programs usually apply after their second year. Students must meet specific criteria before and after acceptance into an EAP, including completing prerequisite coursework. Additionally, though students generally apply to early assurance programs prior to taking the MCAT, in some cases, the MCAT isn’t required for acceptees.

Requirements for an early assurance program

Overall, requirements for acceptance into a school’s EAP vary. In most cases, you’ll need to have completed a specific number of prerequisite courses, and you usually need to have only two years left of undergrad. Additionally, medical schools will be looking for a demonstrated level of commitment to medicine. You can illustrate this dedication in your personal statement, extracurriculars, secondary application (supplemental essays and letters of recommendation), and interview. They’ll also be looking for high-achieving students, which means your GPA–particularly your science GPA–will be crucial. Most schools require a minimum GPA of 3.5. Finally, you may have to submit your SAT/ACT scores from high school, and the schools that require the MCAT typically allow for lower scores than traditional applicants. (Those that don’t require the MCAT normally require your SAT/ACT.)

It’s important to note that some schools only admit students from their own institution, so be sure to look into this when you’re researching schools.

Part 3: Pros and cons of early assurance programs

The idea of being able to apply to medical school early and have a guarantee for acceptance seems like a dream for many students—especially if the school doesn’t require the MCAT for acceptance. But, there are some things to keep in mind as you decide whether an EAP is right for you.

Pros:

• Relief: It goes without saying that acceptance into medical school through an early acceptance program provides an incredible amount of relief to students! Once the application process is behind you, you can sit back with ease knowing that your path to med school is paved and secured. This will enable you to focus on your studies and dive deeper into them, ensuring that you’re able to keep your grades up and finish undergrad with a high GPA.
• No/low MCAT requirement: The MCAT is known for being a long, arduous process that is very intense and causes a high level of stress. Being able to avoid it completely or knowing that the school’s required minimum is lower than if you were applying through the traditional route is a huge advantage. However, as enticing as this sounds, it’s not without its disadvantages, so be sure to read through the “cons” below.
• Experience applying to med school: The medical school application process is tough; there’s no way around that fact. Applying to medical school through an early assurance program provides experience with the overall med school application process. In the event you aren’t accepted through the EAP, you’re still eligible to apply to medical school through the traditional route, and you’ll have a much better understanding of what that involves.

Cons:

• No/low MCAT requirement: It may surprise you to see this listed as a con as well! After all, why would lower requirements—or none at all—seem like a bad thing? In most cases, this can be considered an advantage but it’s important to remember that if you decide to apply to another school later, you may not have time to improve your score.

Part 4: Frequently asked questions about early assurance programs for medical school

Are early assurance programs binding?

The answer to this question depends on the school. At some schools, acceptance into med school through their EAP is binding, and students who get in must attend that school. Other schools do not require a binding level of commitment and allow students to apply to other schools if desired. Be sure to check the guidelines for any school you’re interested in attending.

How competitive are early assurance programs?

Competition is high for early assurance programs. Students applying through an EAP are committed to attending medical school but are using fewer pieces of data (such as test scores or grades for completed courses) to ultimately convince admissions committees of their dedication to medicine. Furthermore, most EAPs only admit a limited number of applicants and those students must not only meet GPA minimums but also maintain a certain GPA throughout their undergraduate years.

Is the MCAT required for early assurance programs?

As noted above, the answer to this depends on the school. Some schools require it while others do not. Additionally, those that do usually have a lower minimum score requirement for entrance into their EAP than through their traditional route.

Final thoughts

Getting into medical school is typically a long process that involves years of preparation, excelling in school, and impressing adcoms with an amazing application. While there are no shortcuts to this process, early assurance programs can help secure your spot years before other students. As with anything, there are pros and cons to early assurance programs, but proper research and due diligence can help you determine whether an EAP is right for you.

Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world’s foremost experts on college admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.

Appendix: Complete list of schools with early assurance programs

As of December 2022, there are 18 schools in the United States that offer early assurance programs. An asterisk next to the school name indicates that the school requires the MCAT prior to matriculation.

California

District of Columbia

Illinois

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

North Carolina

New Hampshire

New York

• Albany Medical College
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• SUNY Upstate Medical University – Norton College of Medicine*
• University at Buffalo (SUNY) – Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
• University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Ohio