As my last semester of my bachelors degree comes to an end

[Calizboosted76]

I would like to thank everyone on these forums for all of the helpful advice they have given me over the years. I am a reinvention student and luckily I realized that I was messing up and was given the insight on how to fix it a little more than two years ago.
My GPA is still under 3.0 but my last four semesters of upper level courses totaling out to 56 credit hours will be ending with a GPA of 3.89. I will begin studying for the MCAT in January and plan to tackle that beast in April.
I just wanted to thank everyone again and I will update everyone after I take the MCAT!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Congrats! Bit of a reinvention myself. You might wanna give yourself more time on the MCAT. I ended up needing some more time. Typically from my friends and acquaintances, people usually need more time than they initially think they do or they cram in a lot the final weeks before the test. Don't cram. Give yourself a good amount of time. Leave room for error on your study approach and maybe using different materials. Or really research what materials you will be using for content review and practice tests beforehand. I highly recommended Khan Academy for content review and Altius tests for P/S. I got 132, 100 percentile on that section. Good luck!

 

[deleted966104]

Please please allow plenty of time to practice CARS, I made the biggest mistake of underestimating the CARS and ended up with a 123, such a disappointing score when coupled with my high BB and CP scores .

 

[Calizboosted76]

Congrats! Bit of a reinvention myself. You might wanna give yourself more time on the MCAT. I ended up needing some more time. Typically from my friends and acquaintances, people usually need more time than they initially think they do or they cram in a lot the final weeks before the test. Don't cram. Give yourself a good amount of time. Leave room for error on your study approach and maybe using different materials. Or really research what materials you will be using for content review and practice tests beforehand. I highly recommended Khan Academy for content review and Altius tests for P/S. I got 132, 100 percentile on that section. Good luck!

Please please allow plenty of time to practice CARS, I made the biggest mistake of underestimating the CARS and ended up with a 123, such a disappointing score when coupled with my high BB and CP scores .

Luckily I have done about 300 hours of MCAT practice already and have been scoring 10 points lower than my goal score. I will have about 3-4 months of 8-5 studying. I will be utilizing MCATBros schedule to try and push me through my plateau.

 

[hungrydoc710]

If your GPA is still under 3.0, you will need an SMP linkage most likely to get you into a DO school, regardless of MCAT.

Good luck.

 

[Calizboosted76]

If your GPA is still under 3.0, you will need an SMP linkage most likely to get you into a DO school, regardless of MCAT.

Good luck.

Not per @Goro , I have adequately reinvented myself with the pairing of a good MCAT. We will see though! Thank you for your insight.

Edit: I feel "Thanks" seems rude.

 

[Cornfed101]

Are both your cGPA and sGPA below 3.0?

Also, best advice on CARS: Just read passages every day. No need to be doing questions the whole time, but you can totally read 1 passage a day and make sure you understand the main point. Work on paying attention the whole time. The number one killer of CARS scores IMO is losing interest and not paying attention.

 

[Calizboosted76]

I believe so. I repeated a couple science and math courses my first year. The 56 credits though were all upper level like genetics, immunology, biochem, cell bio, etc. My cars scores are around a 127 consistently over my last couple practice tests but I am definitely not going to slack or take the CARS section for granted.

 

[Calizboosted76]

Also for those that don't really know my story I have a very compelling story, good ECs, first gen college student, and Low SES, just to pull the story together.

 

[hungrydoc710]

Also for those that don't really know my story I have a very compelling story, good ECs, first gen college student, and Low SES, just to pull the story together.

You will need to show med schools that you can handle cirriculum. A C+ avg GPA is not going to get them to bite. Too many people have 3.6's.

I think it's better you decide on a program that you can do well in for a year, and med school right after. Otherwise I fear you will go a wasted year or two with no acceptances. Just my two cents.

Again, good luck. I think Goro would agree that a sub 3.0 GPA is quite lethal in the climate of med school these days.

 

[Calizboosted76]

You will need to show med schools that you can handle cirriculum. A C+ avg GPA is not going to get them to bite. Too many people have 3.6's.

Yes, I have read and reread goros post. I believe I have proven myself with my previous 56 credit hours. We shall see I will keep everyone updated

 

[Calizboosted76]

Again, good luck. I think Goro would agree that its not about the GPA anymore.

Fixed that for you Thank you for your opinion! I will let everyone know how my cycle goes.

 

[deleted966104]

Fixed that for you Thank you for your opinion! I will let everyone know how my cycle goes.

What is your target MCAT score?

 

[hungrydoc710]

What is your target MCAT score?

OP must be looking to score 505+ to make up that GPA defecit.

Edit - I mean you can get into a DO school with a pretty low MCAT, as long as GPA is a 3.5+.

 

[Calizboosted76]

What is your target MCAT score?

510 I have been scoring 505-508 on practice exams.

 

[Doctoscope]

I hope you’re proud of your accomplishments!

Even though you have reinvented yourself, there are definitely schools that auto-screen <3.0 GPAs. Some schools may not be able to review your background/story due to that auto-screen, so you may want to take a few credits to get over that hump.

Great job, and good luck!

 

[Calizboosted76]

I hope you’re proud of your accomplishments!

Even though you have reinvented yourself, there are definitely schools that auto-screen <3.0 GPAs. Some schools may not be able to review your background/story due to that auto-screen, so you may want to take a few credits to get over that hump.

Great job, and good luck!

There is no way to get over that hump. I have way to many credits. Thank you for the compliments and vote of confidence! I have emailed all the schools that I intend to apply to (25 MD and 24 DO) just to avoid auto screen schools. Each school on my list does not auto screen under 3.0 which is amazing in my case! haha

 

[LetMeInnn]

There is no way to get over that hump. I have way to many credits. Thank you for the compliments and vote of confidence! I have emailed all the schools that I intend to apply to (25 MD and 24 DO) just to avoid auto screen schools. Each school on my list does not auto screen under 3.0 which is amazing in my case! haha

Can you share your DO school list that does not auto-screen below 3.0?

 

[paradoxic_toxic]

@LetMeInnn Check this out and sort by minimum GPA. Hope it helps.

Osteopathic Medical School List (2019-2020)

 

[LetMeInnn]

@LetMeInnn Check this out and sort by minimum GPA. Hope it helps.

Osteopathic Medical School List (2019-2020)

It absolutely does, thank you!

 

[DO_or_Die]

My only thoughts is that you will be auto screened out by many schools other than the newer, less established DO schools. They do look at averages, but there are many people, myself included that have maintained a cGPA >3.7, strong clinical hours, letters of rec, volunteer work that only ended up with a few interviews. You're up against thousands of applicants that are equally as strong. I believe a SMP would benefit you.

 

[deleted966104]

Can you share your DO school list that does not auto-screen below 3.0?

I am personally way more more interested in the list of 25 MD schools OP is planning to apply to with his stats .

 

[Calizboosted76]

I can send both of you the lists as soon as I am home from the battered women shelter.

 

[Calizboosted76]

My only thoughts is that you will be auto screened out by many schools other than the newer, less established DO schools. They do look at averages, but there are many people, myself included that have maintained a cGPA >3.7, strong clinical hours, letters of rec, volunteer work that only ended up with a few interviews. You're up against thousands of applicants that are equally as strong. I believe a SMP would benefit you.

I appreciate the comment. This post was not asking anyone for their opinions though. That is awesome that you have such a great applications and I hope you receive many more interviews. However I am sure that my story and the things I have weathered in life during my early college career (which is why my grades were so terrible) when paired with my current academic achievements will garner some curiosity. I am not looking to go to a top ranked medical school. Again good luck to you and I wish you the best of luck this cycle.

 

[LetMeInnn]

Does anybody know if postbacc programs look at your transcript gpa or the same way AMCAS/AACOMAS calculates it?