USC Keck

Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Private · MD

• Average MCAT: 517
• Average GPA: 3.85
• Tuition: $76,640 (per year)
• Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

• AMCAS deadline: Nov. 2, 2026
• Secondary deadline: Dec. 1, 2026

Essays

Question 1a (No limit stated)

What is the most fun you’ve had lately?

Question 1b (No limit stated)

If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be?

Question 1c (No limit stated)

What are three things you don't care about at all?

Question 1d (No limit stated)

Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved.

Question 1e (No limit stated)

What is your special talent?

Question 2 (200 words)

Is there anything else you would like us to know? Please respond in 200 words or less.

Reapplicant

Have you previously applied to or attended medical school (M.D. , D.O., international)? For example, if you submitted a primary application through AMCAS, this would be considered a submitted application. What do you think went wrong? What went right?

Editor's notes

• Check the 506 line before anything else. Keck invites only applicants at or above it to the supplemental, and says applicants below it generally aren't considered. If you're under it, a retake is worth more than a strong essay.
• Treat the supplemental as final when you hit submit. Keck reviews it immediately and accepts no updates or revisions afterward. With a Dec. 1 deadline there's no reason to rush, but submitting early still helps with rolling offers that start Oct. 15.
• The 1a to 1e questions are the whole personality section of the application. Don't turn them into mini personal statements. Short, specific, honest answers do the job, and the one serious question (something you felt you deserved) is where maturity shows.
• Follow the letter rule exactly: one committee letter, or two or three individual letters, never more than three individual ones. Keck's own wording is blunt: "Do not send more than 3 letters if you choose the individual letter option!"

Sources

1. Keck School of Medicine of USC, MD program admissions (application information and timeline)
2. Keck School of Medicine of USC, MD admissions frequently asked questions
3. USC Financial Aid, Cost of attendance (Keck M.D., 2026-2027 estimated cost of attendance)
4. Keck School of Medicine of USC, MD program home (Match Day 2026 by the numbers)
5. Keck News, USC's MD Class of 2026 gets a first look at their postgrad futures on Match Day
6. Keck School of Medicine of USC, Dual degrees
7. Keck School of Medicine of USC, Primary Care Program (PCP)
8. Keck School of Medicine of USC, Mission, vision and values