Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts
Avg GPA
3.94
Avg MCAT
521
Class size
140
SJT required
None
The 2026-2027 prompts
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Collected from public applicant reports. Prompts occasionally change mid cycle, so confirm against your own secondary portal before you submit.
- 01
Feinberg's mission is to train future leaders who will serve their patients, communities and society. Explain which aspects of Feinberg will support your future goals in medicine and how FSM, located in Chicago, will help you achieve these professional aspirations.
200 words - 02
Describe a favorite book, movie, album, or other work of art you would like to share with your future classmates and why.
200 words - 03
If you have one year or more between college graduation and medical school matriculation, describe both your completed activities and anticipated plans, including the extent of your involvement.
200 wordsOptional - 04
If you are reapplying to medical school, please address steps taken to enhance your application.
200 wordsOptional - 05
The Feinberg School of Medicine values the totality of our students' experiences. As everyone has their own narrative, please describe how your experiences have shaped your interests, preparation for medicine, or perspective on patient care, and how they may contribute to your development with the Northwestern community.
200 words
How to write these well
- Turn secondaries around within 7 to 14 days of receiving them. Schools read speed as interest, and slow essays land in a bigger pile.
- Pre-write the universal question types (diversity, challenge, why us) once, then adapt per school. Adapting is rewriting the school specific half, not swapping the name.
- Name real programs. A why us answer that cites a specific clinic, track, or community partnership reads ten times stronger than praise for reputation or location.
- Stay under the limit without padding to reach it. Readers are working through thousands of these; a tight answer is a kindness they remember.
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