Learn how the best liberal arts colleges prepare their students for med school and determine if this is the right premed education for you
Identifying the best liberal arts colleges for medical school can help set your child up for success as a premed
What You'll Learn
The Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Premed
How 20 top liberal arts colleges compare on medical school acceptance rates, with leaders like Washington and Lee (92%) and Middlebury (91%) far exceeding the 42% national average.
Colleges with Higher Admissions Rates
How hidden-gem liberal arts colleges, women's colleges, and HBCUs with more accessible admissions still produce strong medical school outcomes.
Liberal Arts College vs. University
How small seminar-style classes and close faculty mentorship compare with research universities, including the pros, the cons, and how to offset them.
Research, Clinical Experience & Advising
How premeds at liberal arts colleges find faculty research, build clinical experience away from major hospitals, and use consortiums, advisors, and committee letters.
BS/MD Programs at Liberal Arts Colleges
How BS/MD partnerships like Union College's program with Albany Medical College work, and the trade-offs of committing to a medical school early.
Medical School Selection Strategy
How to find medical schools that admit many humanities and social science majors, using tools like the MSAR.
Are liberal arts colleges good for premed?
The best liberal arts colleges for premed (2026 rankings)
Liberal arts colleges for premed with higher undergraduate admissions rates
Liberal arts college vs. university for premed
Research, clinical experience, and premed advising at liberal arts colleges
BS/MD programs at liberal arts colleges
Which medical schools should liberal arts graduates apply to?
FAQs about liberal arts colleges and premed
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Are liberal arts colleges good for premed?
Yes, liberal arts colleges are excellent for premed. Many top liberal arts colleges report medical school acceptance rates well above the national average of about 42%, including Washington and Lee (92%), Middlebury (91%), and Pomona (85%). Their small classes, close faculty mentorship, and personalized premed advising help students earn strong grades and standout letters of recommendation, which medical schools weigh heavily.
Top 5 liberal arts colleges by medical school acceptance rate
Below are the liberal arts colleges with the highest medical school acceptance rates in our top 20 list that have provided recent data on premed outcomes and that don’t specify “qualified applicants”:
| Liberal Arts College | |
|---|---|
| Washington and Lee University | |
| Middlebury College | |
| Pomona College | |
| Colby College | |
| Carleton College |
Medical school acceptance rates by undergraduate major (AAMC data)
Colleges today boast hundreds of majors, from astrobiology to comic art to theme park engineering and everything in between. With so much to choose from, some students with their sights set on becoming doctors may wonder if they must miss out on the veritable fairground of undergraduate studies.
The good news is that according to the AAMC, only 42% of entering medical students in 2025 held degrees in biological sciences. What did the other 58% major in? Some opted for the humanities, while many others went the route of physical and social sciences—all of which fall under the umbrella of a liberal arts education. Humanities majors were accepted at a 52% rate and math and statistics majors at 57%. In other words, the broad, discussion-based education liberal arts colleges are known for doesn't hold premeds back, and it can help them stand out.
| Acceptance Rates (%) to U.S. Medical Schools by Primary Undergraduate Major, Class of 2029 | |||
| Major | Total Applicants | Total Matriculants | Acceptance Rate (%) |
| Biological Sciences | 32,038 | 13,480 | 42% |
| Humanities | 1,453 | 755 | 52% |
| Math and Statistics | 335 | 192 | 57% |
| Physical Sciences | 4,243 | 2,175 | 51% |
| Social Sciences | 4,758 | 2,014 | 42% |
| Specialized Health Sciences | 2,584 | 1,041 | 40% |
| Other | 9,288 | 3,783 | 40% |
| All Majors | 54,699 | 23,440 | 42% |
In fact, when taken as a whole, students whose majors were outside of the biological sciences matriculated into medical school at a higher rate than students with biological science majors. So, there’s no need to worry if your premed child wants to study something along the lines of English, art history, psychology, or sociology.
You may have imagined premed students crammed together in huge lectures on anatomy and physiology. While those lectures are part of a premedical education, it’s equally legitimate for your child to choose a smaller campus where they can take seminars on non-medical or non-biological subjects.
At a liberal arts college they might still pursue a biological sciences major, supplementing it with humanities and social science courses in a way that may not be possible at a large research institution.
Want to know exactly what it takes to get into America's most selective colleges?
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The best liberal arts colleges for premed (2026 rankings)
Our 20 picks are listed in order of their U.S. News & World Report liberal arts college rankings, with each school's undergraduate acceptance rate, number of medical school applicants, and medical school acceptance rate. Keep in mind that the national medical school acceptance rate is about 42%, and that colleges calculate their rates differently. Some count only first-time applicants, or only applicants who meet minimum GPA and MCAT thresholds.
Williams College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 1
Location: Williamstown, MA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 9%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: Previously reported as 85–90% on average
Amherst College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 2
Location: Amherst, MA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 9%
Number of medical school applicants: 60
Medical school acceptance rate: Previously reported as 75–80% on average
Bowdoin College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 3 (tie)
Location: Brunswick, ME
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 7%
Number of medical school applicants: 54
Medical school acceptance rate: 80% average over the last 5 years
Pomona College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 3 (tie)
Location: Claremont, CA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 7%
Number of medical school applicants: 50
Medical school acceptance rate: Reported as 85% in 2025
Swarthmore College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 3 (tie)
Location: Swarthmore, PA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 8%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 75%
Wellesley College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 10
Location: Wellesley, MA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 15%
Number of medical school applicants: 55
Medical school acceptance rate: Previously reported as 72%
Vassar College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 12 (tie)
Location: Poughkeepsie, NY
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 21%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 78%
Washington and Lee University
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 12 (tie)
Location: Lexington, VA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 14%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 92%
Hamilton College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 14 (tie)
Location: Clinton, NY
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 14%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: Previously reported as 76–93%
Wesleyan University
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 14 (tie)
Location: Middletown, CT
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 16%
Number of medical school applicants: 59
Medical school acceptance rate: 68% average from 2023–2025
Carleton College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 16 (tie)
Location: Northfield, MN
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 22%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 82% average over the last 5 years
Davidson College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 16 (tie)
Location: Davidson, NC
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 13%
Number of medical school applicants: 59
Medical school acceptance rate: 79% of first time applicants get into medical, dental, or veterinary school
Grinnell College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 16 (tie)
Location: Grinnell, IA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 16%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 76% average from 2021–2025
Barnard College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 19 (tie)
Location: New York, NY
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 10%
Number of medical school applicants: 81
Medical school acceptance rate: 88% who have a 3.4+ GPA and 80th+ percentile MCAT
Middlebury College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 19 (tie)
Location: Middlebury, VT
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 13%
Number of medical school applicants: 62
Medical school acceptance rate: 91% average over the last 5 years
Colby College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 22 (tie)
Location: Waterville, ME
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 8%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 83%
Colgate University
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 22 (tie)
Location: Hamilton, NY
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 18%
Number of medical school applicants: 56
Medical school acceptance rate: 80%
Smith College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 22 (tie)
Location: Northampton, MA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 22%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 85% of “qualified applicants” over the last five years (applicants who graduated with GPAs of 3.7 or higher and MCAT scores of 512 or higher)
Bates College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 26 (tie)
Location: Lewiston, ME
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 15%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: Roughly 82%
Haverford College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 26 (tie)
Location: Haverford, PA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 13%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: Previously reported as 95%
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Liberal arts colleges for premed with higher undergraduate admissions rates
Your child doesn’t need to get into Williams or Amherst to find a liberal arts college with a strong track record of sending students to medical school. Many colleges admit a much larger share of applicants and still report medical school acceptance rates above the national average of about 42%. They also offer the small classes, close faculty mentorship, and personalized premed advising that make liberal arts colleges strong choices for pre-med.
When comparing these schools, look beyond the headline acceptance rate. Research how each college calculates its figure: some count every applicant, while others count only students who received a committee letter or met minimum GPA and MCAT thresholds.
Hidden-gem liberal arts colleges with strong medical school outcomes
College of the Holy Cross
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 22 (tie)
Location: Worcester, MA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 19%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 80% over the last 10 years
Macalester College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 28
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 28%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: Typically 62–67%
Kenyon College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 41 (tie)
Location: Gambier, OH
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 30%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: Reported as 100% in 2025
Juniata College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 91 (tie)
Location: Huntingdon, PA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 79%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: Reported as 71% in 2024
Ursinus College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 91 (tie)
Location: Collegeville, PA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 93%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 71%
Women's colleges with strong premed programs
Women's colleges have a long record of preparing students for careers in medicine and science. In addition to Wellesley, Barnard, and Smith (profiled above), consider:
Bryn Mawr College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 31 (tie)
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 28%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Medical school acceptance rate: 77.5%
Mount Holyoke College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 34 (tie)
Location: South Hadley, MA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 38%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
Liberal arts HBCUs with strong medical school pipelines
Historically Black colleges and universities play an outsized role in diversifying the physician workforce. Two liberal arts HBCUs stand out for premeds:
Spelman College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 34 (tie)
Location: Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 24%
Number of medical school applicants: 70
Morehouse College
U.S. News & World Report Rank (Liberal Arts Colleges): 83 (tie)
Location: Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate acceptance rate: 33%
Number of medical school applicants: <50
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Liberal arts college vs. university for premed
What is a liberal arts college?
When parents hear the term “liberal arts college,” they might furrow their brows and wonder what sort of education these institutions provide. In short, liberal arts colleges emphasize undergraduate study across a wide variety of subjects including the arts, sciences, and humanities. Although this traditional definition does not differentiate it significantly from a university, there are some notable differences between the two.
Liberal arts college vs. university: side-by-side comparison
| Primarily invest resources in undergraduate education | Invest resources in both undergraduate and graduate education |
| Lower total number of students enrolled (smaller class sizes) | Higher total number of students enrolled (larger class sizes) |
| Teaching styles tend to rely on smaller classroom discussions | Teaching styles tend to rely on large lecture halls |
| Easier access to faculty | More nationally recognized faculty |
| More opportunities to get involved in a leadership role | More research opportunities and established options available |
Deciding where to pursue your undergraduate degree depends on your intended major, your preferred learning style, and how you want to spend four years as an undergrad.
Small liberal arts colleges like Swarthmore and Williams have total undergraduate enrollments of about 2,000 students or less, whereas mid-size private schools like Johns Hopkins and Washington University in St. Louis boast total undergraduate enrollments of about 6,000 and 8,000, respectively.
This means that the class sizes your child encounters in the liberal arts college will be significantly smaller, especially when it comes to premed basic science requirements. Does a big lecture hall of several dozen students suit your child, or do they prefer smaller groups with more individualized attention and greater opportunities to stand out?
One benefit of smaller schools is that your child can form relationships with professors both in and out of the sciences, and network with mentors more easily. This will give them a leg up when it comes to securing top-notch letters of recommendation for medical school. We’ve seen many premed applicants come in from large universities who have lots of research experience but lack personal relationships with their professors because their premed science courses were overrun and office hours were too crowded.
It's also important to note that most schools require a letter of recommendation from a non-science faculty member. This requirement emphasizes the importance of student work outside the science realm. Medicine is becoming more and more interdisciplinary, with growing emphases and programs focused on ethics, informatics, communication, and team collaboration. A liberal arts school might prepare your child for this trend, while offering them the chance to get a fantastic non-science letter—one that sets them apart from every applicant at a large research university who asked their biology lecture professor.
In addition, faculty at smaller schools are often under less pressure to “publish or perish.” They may have chosen to work at these colleges because they have a deep commitment to pedagogy as opposed to competing for grant money or becoming public figures in their field. This can rub off on the students at these colleges as well, creating a less competitive atmosphere that results in a healthier, more sustainable education experience.
One flip side, however, is that faculty at larger universities tend to be leading scholars in their area of expertise. And, attending larger schools may provide students with more exposure and opportunities for research. Many universities host research fairs and a variety of clubs that help students get involved with scientific investigation. There is significantly less emphasis on research within a liberal arts college. Which is not to say, however, that these opportunities don’t exist or that cutting edge research isn’t taking place at these institutions. Many liberal arts colleges, in fact, have made significant investments into the sciences in recent years. See, for instance, Vassar College’s new Bridge Building for Laboratory Sciences.
Ultimately, the decision to pursue a liberal arts college or university depends on a combination of factors, ranging from your child’s preferred learning style to the types of extracurricular activities they hope to take advantage of.
As your child decides between a liberal arts college and university, one of the most important questions to ask is, “How do they learn best?” If they prefer a smaller community of students and easier access to faculty, a liberal arts school could allow them the opportunity to thrive. On the other hand, maybe they’re determined to get involved with biological research with a faculty member who already has an established lab. In that case, they should focus on larger institutions that offer students the opportunity to personalize their research interests.
But, most importantly, as long as your child’s college provides an enriching experience and allows them to achieve at a high level academically, they will be well equipped to get accepted into medical school and succeed as a physician. Top liberal arts schools, such as the ones listed above, will offer premed students excellent opportunities to secure a spot in medical school after graduation.
Pros of attending a liberal arts college as a premed
You’ve likely heard horror stories about a student that had a 4.0 GPA and a 525 MCAT score but still didn’t get into their preferred medical school. There can be many reasons for this ranging from whether the adcoms believe that student is a good fit for a particular year’s entering class, the number of places available, and whether or not the student is “well-rounded.”
By engaging with the social sciences and humanities, your child can broaden their knowledge of the human experience and showcase interests to adcoms that may complement an entering class. For example, taking courses in religious studies or anthropology could help them stand out in an applicant pool that’s very science-heavy.
Keep in mind that part of being a good physician is dealing with a wide range of people, points of view and personalities. An applicant with in-depth knowledge of traditional practices in Judaism or Islam, for example, will likely be able to provide better care for people from these communities. In a broader sense, coursework in the social sciences and humanities can teach empathy as well as communication skills, both of which are essential to being a good doctor.
Seeing the social sciences and humanities on an application can signal to adcoms that a student is "well-rounded," especially if these experiences are mentioned in a personal statement or backed up with extracurriculars.
The benefits of the liberal arts approach to learning for premeds are numerous. In your premed coursework and especially so in medical school, you will be required to memorize huge amounts of information related to biology, physics, and chemistry in order to make qualified diagnoses of patients.
By studying varied disciplines, you will learn to make connections between disparate sources of data and find modes of reasoning that you may not have otherwise encountered. Liberal arts college graduates are astute critical thinkers who enter a diverse range of fields. In your career as a physician, a liberal arts education will help you to think outside the box in order to come up with novel solutions to pressing medical problems.
If your child is interested in pursuing a medical career via the liberal arts path, they will be among notable company. For instance, Tom Cech, a graduate of Grinnell College, and Thomas Steitz, a graduate of Lawrence College, both went on to win Nobel prizes in Chemistry.
Cons of a liberal arts college for premed, and how to offset them
Liberal arts colleges have a few potential drawbacks for premeds. These include fewer research labs, no on-campus medical school or teaching hospital, and fewer advanced science electives, and many are in rural towns far from major hospitals. None of these is a dealbreaker, though, and students who plan ahead can offset each one.
Fewer research opportunities. Most liberal arts colleges have no graduate programs, so they have fewer labs and less grant funding than research universities. How to offset it: Faculty labs at liberal arts colleges often take undergraduates as their primary researchers, so ask about summer research funding and honors theses during the first year. Students can also apply to summer research programs at universities and medical schools, and they can use consortium partnerships where their college has them.
No affiliated medical school or teaching hospital. Students typically don't have a hospital on campus for easy shadowing, volunteering, or clinical research. How to offset it: Ask the health professions office which local hospitals and clinics it has relationships with. Then build clinical hours steadily through local volunteering, EMT or CNA certification, and summer clinical roles.
Rural or small-town locations. Colleges in places like Williamstown, Brunswick, or Gambier may be an hour or more from a major medical center. How to offset it: Plan clinical experience around winter and summer breaks, look for rural health and community clinic opportunities nearby, and consider a gap year in a clinical role.
Fewer advanced science courses. Small departments offer fewer upper-level electives in areas like immunology, neuroscience, or biochemistry. How to offset it: Use cross-registration with nearby colleges and universities and take advantage of independent study with faculty.
A smaller premed community. Students have fewer premed clubs, peers, and alumni in medicine to learn from. How to offset it: Lean on the college's health professions advisor and alumni network, and seek out regional or national premed organizations and mentorship programs.
Can my child get a liberal arts education at an Ivy League or other university?
Liberal arts colleges aren’t the only schools that offer a liberal-arts-style education. Many universities also emphasize liberal arts tenets, such as in-depth classroom discussion and learning broadly across academic disciplines. Typically, this type of education can be found in a university’s College of Letters and Science, College of Arts and Science, or another similarly named division.
Nevertheless, not all liberal arts style educations are equal. Deciding which college or university to attend can radically influence how medical schools interpret your application. Aside from small liberal arts colleges, both Ivy League schools and so-called “Public Ivies” offer phenomenal, rigorous programs that admissions teams will look favorably upon. These schools wed the benefits of a large research institution to the philosophy of a liberal arts education—the idea that studying widely, without necessarily having a pre-professional aim, is beneficial no matter where it leads.
Public Ivies (such as the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, University of Texas–Austin) offer top liberal arts programs as well as science degrees. A premed education at any of these schools will prepare you to do well on the MCAT and get you one of those coveted acceptances. The UC system, in particular, is chock full of Public Ivies (such as UC Berkeley and UCLA) that offer students both liberal arts curricula and a wealth of research opportunities.
(Related reading: How to Get Into Ivy League Schools and The Best Premed Schools in California)
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Research, clinical experience, and premed advising at liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges offer premeds research, clinical, and advising support, but it looks different from what a large university provides. Students will typically find fewer labs and no on-campus hospital. In exchange, they get less competition for research spots, direct mentorship from faculty, and premed advisors who know them by name. The students who do best are the ones who start planning early.
How to get research experience at a liberal arts college
Students can do meaningful research at a liberal arts college. There are usually fewer large-scale labs than at a major university. However, liberal arts colleges typically have no graduate students, so undergraduates often get advantages that are hard to find elsewhere:
Less competition for research positions
Direct work with faculty rather than with graduate students or postdocs
Greater ownership of their projects
More mentorship and guidance throughout
Better chances to present or publish as an undergraduate
Students should reach out to faculty early and ask about open positions. Many colleges hold an annual lab open house so students can see what's available. Many also offer honors research projects or senior theses, which give students a substantial independent project to discuss in their medical school applications and interviews.
Colleges also build research opportunities beyond campus. Williams College, for example, encourages students to pursue summer and winter research with biology faculty, and it offers the chance to study at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, which is affiliated with MIT. Many liberal arts colleges have also invested heavily in science facilities in recent years, such as Vassar College's Bridge for Laboratory Sciences.
A student who chooses a small liberal arts college should go in with a plan to make up for its main weak spot, which is a smaller number of research labs. The silver lining is that there's less competition for the opportunities that do exist.
Consortiums and cross-registration (Five College, Claremont, Tri-Co)
Several top liberal arts colleges belong to consortiums or cross-registration agreements that expand access to courses, labs, and faculty:
Five College Consortium: Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst students can take courses at the other member schools.
The Claremont Colleges: Pomona students share a campus community with Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer, and they can cross-register for courses across the five colleges.
Tri-College Consortium: Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and Swarthmore students can take courses at each other's campuses.
Barnard and Columbia: Barnard students can take courses at Columbia University.
Wellesley and MIT: Wellesley students can cross-register for courses at MIT.
When comparing colleges, ask whether consortium access extends to research labs and faculty mentors, not just courses.
Getting clinical and shadowing experience at a small or rural college
Medical schools expect applicants to show sustained clinical experience. Because most liberal arts colleges lack an affiliated teaching hospital, students need to be more deliberate about finding it. Good options include:
Volunteering at local hospitals, clinics, hospice, or free clinics
Getting certified as an EMT or CNA and working in a paid clinical role
Shadowing physicians through alumni connections or the health professions office
Using breaks for summer and winter clinical programs closer to home or near a major medical center
Ask any college your child is considering which hospitals and clinics its premed students typically work with, and how far away they are.
Premed advising and committee letters
Liberal arts colleges know that many of their students hope to go to medical school, and most offer dedicated support. Health professions advisors can help students with:
planning prerequisite coursework
finding research mentors, volunteering, and shadowing opportunities
accessing tutoring
preparing for the application cycle
Many colleges also organize premed events, volunteer opportunities, and networking with alumni in medicine. Because enrollment is small, this support tends to be more personalized than at a large university.
Many liberal arts colleges also offer a committee letter. This is a single composite letter of recommendation from the college's health professions committee, summarizing the student's record and including or quoting individual faculty letters. If a student's college offers a committee letter, medical schools generally expect them to use it. Ask each college whether it offers one, and whether it requires minimum grades or MCAT scores before writing it.
Small classes also make it easier to earn strong individual letters of recommendation. Many medical schools ask for at least one letter from a non-science professor. A liberal arts student who has built a relationship with a professor through a small seminar can get a far more personal letter than a student at a large university asking a professor from a 300-person lecture.
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BS/MD programs at liberal arts colleges
A few liberal arts colleges offer direct BS/MD programs, which guarantee admission to medical school, but some have partnerships with medical schools. For example, Union College offers a BS/MD program with Clarkson University and Albany Medical College known as the Leadership in Medicine-Health Management Program, and Washington and Jefferson College has a BA/MD partnership with Temple known as the Temple University Medical Scholars Program.
A BS/MD or early assurance program removes much of the uncertainty of the medical school application process. The trade-offs are worth considering, though:
Less flexibility: Students commit to one medical school early, before they can compare options or scholarships.
Less freedom to explore: Students have less room to change direction during college.
Ongoing requirements: Students must still meet the program's requirements to keep their seat.
BS/MD programs are worth your child pursuing if they are confident in their choice of medical school and their ability to consistently meet the program’s requirements. At liberal arts colleges with strong advising and high medical school acceptance rates, the traditional route is also a strong option that keeps every medical school on the table.
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Which medical schools should liberal arts graduates apply to?
As your child reaches the end of college and prepares to apply to medical school from a liberal arts college, they may want to consider which admissions committees seem predisposed to accepting liberal arts grads.
If your child majored in, say, history or anthropology, they can take into account which medical schools accept high rates of non-biological science majors when creating their medical school list, among other factors. For example, among the 2021 entering class at Brown’s Alpert School of Medicine, 45 percent majored in the humanities or social sciences.
Additional schools where humanities and social science majors are readily accepted can be found here. MSAR is another highly useful resource that reports the percentage of science/math majors among each medical school’s latest entering class.
Nevertheless, your child’s major doesn’t reflect whether they’ve attended a liberal arts college or a university. The fact of the matter is that your child can major in any discipline at either type of institution. Plenty of liberal arts students graduate with majors in the biological sciences.
And, to reiterate an earlier point, your child’s major has little to do with how likely they are to get into medical school. Far more important are factors like their GPA, MCAT score, and medical school personal statement.
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FAQs about liberal arts colleges and premed
What is the best liberal arts college for premed?
There's no single best liberal arts college for premed, but Washington and Lee, Middlebury, and Pomona stand out. They report some of the highest medical school acceptance rates among top liberal arts colleges: 92%, 91%, and 85%, respectively. Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, and Swarthmore are also excellent choices. The best college for any individual student is one where they can earn top grades, build relationships with faculty, and get strong premed advising.
Which liberal arts college has the highest medical school acceptance rate?
Among the colleges on our top 20 list, Washington and Lee reports the highest recent medical school acceptance rate, at 92%. Haverford College previously reported 95% between 2015 and 2020, but it hasn't published a more recent figure. Kenyon College reported a med school acceptance rate of 100% in 2025. Keep in mind that colleges calculate these rates differently, so compare them carefully.
Is a small college good for premed?
Yes, small colleges can be excellent for premed students. Smaller classes make it easier to stand out, get to know professors, and earn strong letters of recommendation. Premed advising also tends to be more personalized. The main drawbacks are fewer research labs and limited access to hospitals, but students can offset both with early planning.
What should I major in at a liberal arts college if I want to go to medical school?
Your child should major in whatever subject they enjoy and can excel in, as long as they complete the premed prerequisites. Medical schools don't require a specific major. According to AAMC data for the Class of 2029, humanities majors were accepted at a 52% rate and math and statistics majors at 57%, compared with 42% for biological sciences majors.
Do medical schools prefer students from liberal arts colleges?
No, medical schools don't prefer liberal arts colleges or universities, and they evaluate applicants from both on the same criteria: GPA, MCAT score, clinical and research experience, and personal qualities. That said, many top liberal arts colleges report medical school acceptance rates well above the national average of about 42%. Admissions committees also value the communication skills and breadth a liberal arts education develops.
Are there BS/MD programs at liberal arts colleges?
A few liberal arts colleges offer BS/MD programs or similar. Union College offers a BS/MD program with Albany Medical College, and Washington and Jefferson College has a partnership with Temple.
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Final thoughts
When determining whether a liberal arts college or a university will better prepare your child for medical school admissions success, the most important factor to consider is which environment will allow them to thrive. This will be different for every student and it will also depend on the particularities of the schools themselves. Within the category of “liberal arts” there is still a great deal of variation. We encourage you to visit colleges and explore their individual options in greater depth in order to find the premed experience that is right for your child.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. For over 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.
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