Bad undergrad GPA (Psych major). 3.8 post bacc science (first time): Options

[Necr0sis713]

So folks, it's about that for starting to get my application ready for medical school. I'm kind of in a sticky situation, so I was hoping for some advice as what would be the wisest route for me to take.

To sum things up: I had a terrible undergrad experience. I changed my major from nutrition, to art/music, to psych, and ended up graduating with a psych degree with a 2.45 GPA. Thanks to changing my major so much and dicking around in school, my GPA is literally stuck, no matter how many A's I get. I was serious about my music hobby and was placing all of my effort recording and writing music in and out of the studio, and working on my instrument skills.

Without going off on a tangent as to why I decided to pursue medicine, I decided to do a post bacc to get into medical school. During my post bacc, I'm getting a 3.8 GPA (100 level bios A and B; Gen chem 1 and 2 A; Orgo A, orgo lab A; Cell bio A; Anatomy and physiology I and II A; cell bio lab A; Physics 1 and 2 A and B.) Keep in mind, that this is my first shot at any of these science courses. Also, my last 2 semesters as a psych major I got all A's in upper 300 level psych courses. Would this then mean that I have a high sGPA?

Anyway...do you think adcoms will take into consideration that this was my first time doing these science classes? Also, i'm aware that at this point i'm gonna need a REALLY high MCAT score to make a good impression. Would I have a chance if I get a really high MCAT score to get into an MD school with my good post bacc grades? Would it be wise to apply for some SMP's at the same time I apply for my desired MD schools?

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[TUVIX]

the 2.45 is gonna be pretty hard to overcome I think. Is D.O. out of the question for you? You could retake C & D science courses and get a good MCAT and maybe DO would be the way to go. Your MCAT is going to have to be great.

 

[Necr0sis713]

the 2.45 is gonna be pretty hard to overcome I think. Is D.O. out of the question for you? You could retake C & D science courses and get a good MCAT and maybe DO would be the way to go. Your MCAT is going to have to be great.

Maybe I didn't type clear enough: My Cs and Ds are in NONscience classes, from my first BA degree. My first shot at sciences during post bacc im getting a 3.8 GPA+ with fully loaded semesters. My personal statement on my app is going to be about how i'm more of a science person and was really fascinated and inspired from the sciences I learned, making my post bacc a rewarding experience. I mean...not gonna lie here, it REALLY was. I loved every second of it. My time spent as a musician helped me see the art in the scientific method, and the human body.

 

[TUVIX]

Maybe I didn't type clear enough: My Cs and Ds are in NONscience classes, from my first BA degree. My first shot at sciences during post bacc im getting a 3.8 GPA+ with fully loaded semesters. My personal statement on my app is going to be about how i'm more of a science person and was really fascinated and inspired from the sciences I learned, making my post bacc a rewarding experience. I mean...not gonna lie here, it REALLY was. I loved every second of it. My time spent as a musician helped me see the art in the scientific method, and the human body.

Ahhh I see. Well in that case i would say definitely consider an SMP because there will be very little science work for them to evaluate you on even if it is a 3.8 post bacc GPA. Your UG GPA is also low enough that an SMP will show you can handle harder courses. But if I were you I would study for and take the MCAT before you even apply to an SMP. That is what I did. I set a bar for myself. I said if I can't get a good MCAT score then this is not the career for me. I hit my MCAT goal which allowed me to even get into an SMP and then I crushed the SMP. My UG GPA was like 2.9 before the SMP. The good thing about DO was that you get an overall GPA as well which factors in post bacc and graduate work so they can evaluate your overall performance as well as just UG. It worked for me and I had 5 interviews and two acceptances so far. But these are for DO schools. MD schools are just too competitive nowadays.

TL;DR

1. Study for MCAT and set a high bar. Hit this bar as an indicator to continue down this long and expensive path. MCAT is going to be a much larger factor for you than for an applicant with a decent GPA.
2. Take nice MCAT score and do an SMP. Get a 3.8 or above in the SMP
3. Strongly consider DO schools as you are significantly less likely to have success with MD schools with your UG GPA

GOOD LUCK! People have come back from worse but you have to not mess up from here on out.

 

[intangible]

I don't see how you will manage to make it past those pesky GPA screens. With a GPA so low, you might even be screened out of DO.

 

[Necr0sis713]

Thanks guys. Yeah that's what i'm mainly worry about. I was wondering what the dreaded GPA screen was. You say its a computer program that literally just screens out low GPA's huh? Damn..i'm gonna have to strongly consider an SMP.

 

[intangible]

Consider the sheer number of applications that medical schools have to process every cycle. Worse, most schools have a holistic application process, which means that a staff has to be paid to read an entire application, even if it's plainly obvious it will end in rejection.

 

[Goro]

There are a number MD schools (and ALL DO schools) that reward reinvention. The post-bac coursework alone should suffice. I suggest trying an app cycle and seeing how it shakes out, but consider applying to a SMP at the same time.

You'll need to do very well (513+) on the MCAT for the MD schools. (508+ for DO).

So folks, it's about that for starting to get my application ready for medical school. I'm kind of in a sticky situation, so I was hoping for some advice as what would be the wisest route for me to take.

To sum things up: I had a terrible undergrad experience. I changed my major from nutrition, to art/music, to psych, and ended up graduating with a psych degree with a 2.45 GPA. Thanks to changing my major so much and dicking around in school, my GPA is literally stuck, no matter how many A's I get. I was serious about my music hobby and was placing all of my effort recording and writing music in and out of the studio, and working on my instrument skills.

Without going off on a tangent as to why I decided to pursue medicine, I decided to do a post bacc to get into medical school. During my post bacc, I'm getting a 3.8 GPA (100 level bios A and B; Gen chem 1 and 2 A; Orgo A, orgo lab A; Cell bio A; Anatomy and physiology I and II A; cell bio lab A; Physics 1 and 2 A and B.) Keep in mind, that this is my first shot at any of these science courses. Also, my last 2 semesters as a psych major I got all A's in upper 300 level psych courses. Would this then mean that I have a high sGPA?

Anyway...do you think adcoms will take into consideration that this was my first time doing these science classes? Also, i'm aware that at this point i'm gonna need a REALLY high MCAT score to make a good impression. Would I have a chance if I get a really high MCAT score to get into an MD school with my good post bacc grades? Would it be wise to apply for some SMP's at the same time I apply for my desired MD schools?

 

[Necr0sis713]

Thanks alot. I know bad undergrad GPA situations have been mentioned here a lot, but mine's a little bit different because this is my first attempt at any science. Many post bacc here are trying to fix low undergrad GPA's from science majors, which calls one's competence with science classes into questions. My marketing line for my app I guess is going to be how I decided to get into music because I was young and wanted to try something totally different, and decided to master my musical skills. But, I was always a science-kid: building computers, super into health and fitness and was always interested in learning how supplements worked, best grades in science, won an achievement award in middle school for science, **** like that. At this point, i'm gonna have to annihilate the MCAT!

Can I literally just apply for SMP's at the same time as med schools? I'm kind of afraid that if I send both an SMP and MD app to the same school, they'll be more likely to consider the SMP

 

[TUVIX]

Thanks alot. I know bad undergrad GPA situations have been mentioned here a lot, but mine's a little bit different because this is my first attempt at any science. Many post bacc here are trying to fix low undergrad GPA's from science majors, which calls one's competence with science classes into questions. My marketing line for my app I guess is going to be how I decided to get into music because I was young and wanted to try something totally different, and decided to master my musical skills. But, I was always a science-kid: building computers, super into health and fitness and was always interested in learning how supplements worked, best grades in science, won an achievement award in middle school for science, **** like that. At this point, i'm gonna have to annihilate the MCAT!

Can I literally just apply for SMP's at the same time as med schools? I'm kind of afraid that if I send both an SMP and MD app to the same school, they'll be more likely to consider the SMP

I get what you are saying about the GPA and you marketing pitch but with a 2.5 a lot of schools won't even get to the point of reading your pitch. In terms of the SMP thing don't worry about it. It's often a separate committee looking at SMP apps and also not every school you apply to will have an SMP. But I think your main focus at this point should be the MCAT. If you can do well on the MCAT then you know where you stand. It's going to be a bigger factor for you in proving yourself than other applicants with a higher GPA.