Getting into Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons sits in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and is unusual in what it publishes: not a class average, but the GPA and MCAT range of applicants it offered admission. No admission odds, just verified facts and how to read them.
Updated September 2026 · 2026–2027 cycle · figures cited to Columbia VP&S's official admissions pages
What is Columbia VP&S's mission — and what does it signal?
Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons aspires to transform human health by driving discovery, advancing care, and educating leaders in service to community — locally and globally.Columbia VP&S, on its mission3
The stated values — humanism and collaboration, inquiry, growth and wellness, health equity — read as a school that wants physician-leaders who can both discover and serve. Its curriculum backs that up with dedicated scholarly threads.
What makes Columbia's curriculum distinctive?
VP&S weaves several dedicated curricular threads through the MD program:3
- Biomedical Informatics and Medical Decision-Making — quantitative reasoning built into the core.
- Public Health — population and equity framing throughout training.
- SLIM (Systems & Leadership) — an explicit leadership and health-systems thread.
What GPA and MCAT does Columbia look for?
Here's the honest, important nuance: Columbia does not publish a class mean or median. What it publishes is the range of applicants who received an offer of admission in the 2026 cycle — a GPA range of 3.53–4.0 and an MCAT range of 508–528.1 A range of accepted applicants is a very different thing from a cutoff: the bottom of that range still received offers. Columbia does not publish a science GPA.
How does Columbia review applicants?
VP&S reviews holistically against its values — humanism, inquiry, wellness, health equity, and professional standards.3 It requires three letters (up to seven), at least one from a science faculty member, teacher, or research mentor, and asks that prerequisite coursework be within the last ten years.2 Columbia does not list a CASPer or PREview requirement on its official MD pages — confirm before applying.
What is the Columbia interview like?
Columbia interviews virtually by invitation. Its official materials don't specify a multiple-mini-interview versus a traditional format, so prepare for both and confirm the current cycle's format on Columbia's own admissions page.2
How much does Columbia cost?
Columbia lists MD tuition in the neighborhood of $76,000 per year.4 Treat that as approximate and confirm the current figure on Columbia's official cost-of-attendance page; it's tuition only, before fees and New York City living costs, and Columbia's need-based aid can change the real number substantially.
A school that shows you a range, not a verdict.
Columbia's choice to publish an accepted-applicant range instead of a mean is itself a signal: the people at the bottom of that 508 MCAT band still received offers. Read it as a window, not a wall — and put your energy into the humanism, inquiry, and leadership its values name. That's a judgment about fit, not a prediction of admission; we publish no odds.
See exactly where you stand — at Columbia VP&S and every school on your list
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Frequently asked
What GPA and MCAT do you need for Columbia (Vagelos / P&S)?
Columbia publishes ranges for applicants who received offers of admission — a GPA range of about 3.53–4.0 and an MCAT range of about 508–528 — not a class mean or median. The bottom of that range still received offers, and Columbia reviews holistically.
Does Columbia publish an average MCAT or GPA?
No. Columbia publishes the range of accepted applicants rather than a mean, median, or science-GPA — which is why this page shows ranges, not a single number.
What kind of interview does Columbia use?
Columbia interviews virtually by invitation but doesn't specify MMI vs. traditional on its official pages, so prepare for both and confirm the current format on Columbia's admissions site.
Does Columbia require the CASPer or AAMC PREview?
Columbia does not list a CASPer or PREview requirement on its official MD admissions pages. Confirm the current cycle before applying.
How much is tuition at Columbia VP&S?
Columbia lists MD tuition around $76,000 per year — tuition only, before fees and NYC living costs. Confirm the current figure on Columbia's official cost page.
How many letters of recommendation does Columbia require?
Three letters are required (up to seven), including at least one from a science faculty member, teacher, or research mentor.
Sources — Columbia VP&S official pages
- Accepted-applicant GPA/MCAT ranges, 2026 application cycle (range type not stated): vagelos.columbia.edu — MD admissions FAQ; class size, entered 2026: vagelos.columbia.edu — facts and statistics
- Application requirements, prerequisites & letters: vagelos.columbia.edu — application requirements
- Mission, values & curriculum threads: vagelos.columbia.edu
- Tuition & cost of attendance (confirm current figure): vagelos.columbia.edu — cost of attendance
These are Columbia VP&S's own published figures, presented as labeled (means, medians, or ranges) — not cutoffs. Preceptorly is not affiliated with this school and does not represent it. Figures are the school's own most recently published class data and are averages, medians, or ranges as labeled — not cutoffs. No acceptance rate or admission odds are shown or implied; this page does not predict admission. Tuition is the published tuition line only, before fees, insurance, and living costs. Always confirm current requirements and figures on the school's official pages.