Howard

Howard University College of Medicine Washington, DC · Private · MD

Average MCAT: 505
Average GPA: 3.61
Class size: 130
Tuition: $58,608 (per year)
Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Dec. 15, 2026
Secondary deadline: Jan. 15, 2027

Essays

Why Howard (2,500 characters)

Why Howard University College of Medicine?

Lived in an underserved community (250 words)

Have you lived in communities which are medically underserved, or where the majority of the population is economically and/or educationally disadvantaged? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

Worked with underserved populations (250 words)

Have you worked (volunteer or paid employment) with medically underserved, economically disadvantaged and/or educationally disadvantaged populations? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

Plan to practice in an underserved area (250 words)

After residency, do you plan to practice medicine in an underserved or disadvantaged community? (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

Worked 20+ hours a week (Yes/No)

Did you work at least 20 hours a week for at least one academic year during your undergraduate/graduate program? (Y/N) - no explanation.

SAT/ACT scores (Short answer)

What were your SAT and/or ACT scores? (Please respond providing your total score on the 400-1600 scale or the 200-800 scale depending on whether you took the old SATs versus the new SATs AND/OR the ACT Composite score on a 1-36 scale) Please indicate below or type N/A if you did not take either.

COVID-19 impact (250 words)

Did COVID-19 impact you preparing your AMCAS application for fall 2027? (i.e. volunteer/work experience, financially, course registration, MCAT testing, etc.) [Please respond Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less, indicate N/A if not applicable]

Additional information (250 words)

Please provide below any additional information you believe is important in evaluating your application (e.g. additional coursework, problems with academic record; disadvantaged, etc.) (Please indicate, Yes or No and then explain/describe briefly in 250 words or less)

Editor's notes

Howard's secondary is built around one theme: medically underserved communities. Three of its questions ask whether you've lived there, worked there and plan to practice there. If your AMCAS activities don't already show that work, the secondary will make the gap obvious. Get the hours before you apply, not after.
The Dec. 15 AMCAS deadline is late, but it isn't a strategy. Secondaries start around Aug. 15 and interviews run from late summer. Howard interviews about 400 people for a class of 130, and it says plainly that applying early is encouraged.
Check your MCAT against the new floor. Starting this cycle, Howard won't consider a total below 497 for an interview. The matriculating class mean is 505, so a 497 gets you read, not admitted.
Know the accreditation facts before interview day. The college remains fully accredited with probationary status and close monitoring until a February 2028 review. Read Howard's own statement so you can ask a sensible question if it comes up.