BU Chobanian & Avedisian

Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine Boston, MA · Private · MD

Average MCAT: 517
Average GPA: 3.76
Class size: 138 (11,484 applicants)
Tuition: $74,078 (per year)
Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Nov. 1, 2026
Secondary deadline: Dec. 1, 2026

Essays

Gap years (300 words)

Do you hope to attend medical school immediately after earning your undergraduate degree? If no, describe how you've spent your time leading up to applying to medical school. This may include attending a post-baccalaureate program or other education, gap year activities such as employment or travel, or other relevant pursuits.

Educational journey (optional) (300 words)

Provide a timeline or narrative highlighting any notable aspects of your educational journey that you believe are especially relevant or significant to us better understanding who you are. Section not required but...this is an opportunity to describe any learning experience(s) that are not covered in other sections of your supplemental application or AMCAS application. For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own? Worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Do you have advanced training in art, music, or sports, etc.?

Why BU and the safety-net setting (300 words)

Why BU Chobanian & Avedisian SOM? Boston Medical Center is the largest safety net hospital in New England, serving primarily people who are publicly insured, people of color, immigrants, and low-income people in the Greater Boston Area. Why are you specifically interested in beginning your medical education in this environment, and how do you feel that your previous experiences will prepare you for this unique learning environment?

Additional information (optional) (300 words)

Use this space to provide any additional information you feel will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine. Do not include information already provided in your AMCAS application or other sections of the supplemental application. Most students leave this blank.

Reapplicants (optional) (300 words)

Use this space to highlight aspects of your application that have changed since your last application.

Editor's notes

Everyone gets the BU secondary, so getting one means nothing. What matters is the order of operations: you can't submit until AMCAS verifies you, and your file sits until every letter you listed arrives on letterhead with a signature. Chase your letter writers early.
BU requires Casper and you have to retake it every cycle, even if you took it last year. The last accepted test date is Oct. 28, 2026. Book it when you submit AMCAS, not when the secondary arrives.
Read BU's secondary as one argument about Boston Medical Center. The why-BU essay asks how your past prepares you for a safety-net hospital, and the school has students in clinics from week one. If your service work has been with low-income or immigrant patients, that's the thread.
The profile says 16% of the 2025 class was underrepresented in medicine, 89% bilingual, and 30+ held master's degrees. A nontraditional path isn't a weakness here. Use the optional educational journey box to explain it, especially any community college or pass/fail prerequisites.