Below 3.0 gpa Support Group/Thread

[Etyan]

Yeah hahah, I am just soo good at getting B's! !
and yeah once I get my associates in about a year I'm gonna apply to either Vtech or GMU In Virginia to finally get my bachelors. I just hope they don't look down because I switched from a community college to another I just don't have the financial means to get into a university right now and don't want to be in any more debt then I should so I thought this was a cheaper option.
Also to finish this year they gave me a bio class, chemistry, 2 physics and 2 calculus classes..
would it look bad if I didn't go full time but yet rather did a few classes at a time to get all A's?


And thanks so much for your feedback! it really means a lot to me!

Hey, if you're keen on staying in Virginia, it'd be a good idea to get in contact with the admissions office of your MD/DO schools. It's never too early to start a relationship with them, and in my experience, admissions folks are helpful and offer some great insights. They might also be able to refer you to some good people to talk with

Good luck! Always a pleasure to see people put in the effort to work hard and pick themselves up from a rough spot!

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[Murdock]

Yeah hahah, I am just soo good at getting B's! !
and yeah once I get my associates in about a year I'm gonna apply to either Vtech or GMU In Virginia to finally get my bachelors. I just hope they don't look down because I switched from a community college to another I just don't have the financial means to get into a university right now and don't want to be in any more debt then I should so I thought this was a cheaper option.
Also to finish this year they gave me a bio class, chemistry, 2 physics and 2 calculus classes..
would it look bad if I didn't go full time but yet rather did a few classes at a time to get all A's?


And thanks so much for your feedback! it really means a lot to me!

A few classes at a time doesn't look bad if you can show you balanced it with something else. Med schools have super heavy course loads so they will want to see that you can handle it. In my case I worked ~70 hours per week while I took two classes at a time. By getting A's (and a couple Bs) in those classes I was able to prove that I can manage my time well enough to still handle the heavy science work. It definitely doable for you... You just have to be in it to win it and aim for A's here on out. Good luck!

 

[JaneMarie23]

Hey, if you're keen on staying in Virginia, it'd be a good idea to get in contact with the admissions office of your MD/DO schools. It's never too early to start a relationship with them, and in my experience, admissions folks are helpful and offer some great insights. They might also be able to refer you to some good people to talk with

Good luck! Always a pleasure to see people put in the effort to work hard and pick themselves up from a rough spot!

Really? So how exactly did you go bout doing it? I am such a nervous person idk what happened I used to be so different in HS and now I'm just always so jittery when talking to new people..I tend to like talk to fast or start st-st-stuttering. hahaha.

 

[JaneMarie23]

A few classes at a time doesn't look bad if you can show you balanced it with something else. Med schools have super heavy course loads so they will want to see that you can handle it. In my case I worked ~70 hours per week while I took two classes at a time. By getting A's (and a couple Bs) in those classes I was able to prove that I can manage my time well enough to still handle the heavy science work. It definitely doable for you... You just have to be in it to win it and aim for A's here on out. Good luck!

Well during the summer I was going to take EMT classes so atleast I can get some sort of income along with some experience. I've read it can be a grueling experience. I don't want to try and over achieve and take a butt load of classes and then not do as well as I'd hope, I'm also looking into some volunteer work so I can be active in my community.. I heard they love that. Just trying to do it in my own pace since I can't afford a sitter right now with both my husband and I going to school and working.

 

[starfar]

Totally inspired by this thread

My question is regarding retakes/grade replacement, is it better to retake a B when you know you can get an A.. or retake a C and risk just getting a B ??

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Totally inspired by this thread

My question is regarding retakes/grade replacement, is it better to retake a B when you know you can get an A.. or retake a C and risk just getting a B ??

I understand your logic but any retake should turn into an A. You have a huge leg up because you've seen the material before, there can be no curve balls. Having said that, go for the C's first because they will be the biggest bang for your tuition and AACOMAS buck.

 

[Etyan]

Really? So how exactly did you go bout doing it? I am such a nervous person idk what happened I used to be so different in HS and now I'm just always so jittery when talking to new people..I tend to like talk to fast or start st-st-stuttering. hahaha.

A simple e-mail to the Dean of Admissions is a good start! A nice 4-5 sentence summary about you, your interest in the school, and what you hope to accomplish (and your current stats) will do nicely.

I'm sure they meet plenty of nervous pre-meds all the time. They'll understand how much this means to you, and the magnitude and stress of trying to accomplish all this can make people a nervous wreck

Straight out of college, I was super nervous during my interviews too. I stuttered and even shook pretty hard! I promise it gets easier, the more times you do it. Your school should offer mock-interviews and such; if not, try practicing by approaching different professors or counselors. You can do it!

 

[JaneMarie23]

Awww okay thanks!! and LOL! I shake sometimes too.

 

[TheophaniaBee]

This thread is inspiring & I'm so happy I found it.

 

[spen64]

Congratulations!!!

Keep us updating on med school!

Hello,
did a post bac or grad school course work bring your gpa up?

thanks

spencer

 

[Dr Turkelton]

Hello all!

You seem like a friendly bunch so I figured I would drop by and introduce myself. I had a pretty rough undergrad dealing with some personal issues so I ended up really bombing my first 2 years (one year was as low as a 2). But since then I've been trying to turn things around. I just graduated and took Physics 1 & 2 as well as Orgo a this past summer and managed a 4.0 on in those courses, pulling my overall gpa up to a 2.95. At an SMP right now and on pace for a 4.0. Have an MCAT score of 31 that's expiring so I will be retaking and aiming for a 35+ this june. Also getting my EMT certification at the moment to gain some real clinical experience before applying to MD schools next summer.


Would anyone be interested in compiling a list of schools that are friendly to applicant such as us? So far I've talked to a few schools who have generous gpa weighting mechanisms. I figure it might be helpful to all of us to get a sort of master list going.

 

[Kentobari]

29 years old, undergrad GPA ~2.8, and kinda ****ed up this past year.

I came back to the US in June of last year from Peace Corps service. I minored in Biology, so I had taken my two Chem and two Bio classes years prior, and thus did not qualify for a post-bacc, and couldn't afford to take classes without working, since I didn't know of any options for taking out a loan for DIY study. I hatched a plan to complete Phys1/Phys2 and Orgo1/Orgo2 while working fulltime.

Fall 2012: Since I had been living in a hut with no electricity for 2 years, I wanted to take things slow. I started by taking just Physics 1 in fall 2012. I got a B.
Spring 2013: I moved to California where I had a fulltime job waiting at a non-profit. It was a data analysis-type job unrelated to health. I took Phys2 and Orgo1 in the evenings while working fulltime. Got a B in Phys2. Freaking out about getting another B, at the last minute I signed off my Orgo class as audit/nocredit.
Summer 2013: Missed my chance to register to retake Orgo1, so I took the Orgo1 lab and got an A+.
Fall 2013: I disliked my job and it was unrelated to health, so I took a job in Guatemala working on an anti-malnutrition project. That's where I am now.

2013/2014 Plans: Planning on taking Orgo1&Orgo2 online and taking the MCAT next year. My work isn't super-intensive and I have WIFI at home and in the office, so I can do plenty of study over the next 8 months until I take the MCAT. After the MCAT, I plan to apply to an SMP, preferably Keck Global Medicine, Georgetown, or Drexel.

Problem is, while some people will appreciate my experience and dedication to working overseas in public-health related projects, my history does not make me look focused and dedicated to medschool. Hopefully a good MCAT score and the SMP can get me in, because at this point the only plan B would be a career in international public health, but my true dream is to practice medicine, like so many here.

 

[Kentobari]

Hello all!
At an SMP right now and on pace for a 4.0. Have an MCAT score of 31 that's expiring so I will be retaking and aiming for a 35+ this june.

Congrats, this is the way to do it

 

[Etyan]

Much hinges upon your MCAT score.

If your MCAT > 32, shoot for SMPs with strong ties to their host MD/DO programs. Drexel, from what I recall, does have strong ties; Georgetown and Keck do not.
Do note an outstanding SMP performance will not erase your undergrad GPA; but it will show AdComs (who care to look) that you are capable of handling med school coursework.

If your MCAT < 32, a postbacc will work more strongly in your favor.
All undergrad grades are compiled together. This includes post-bacc work. Based on how AMCAS calculates uGPA and from the websites of MD schools that mention this, it seems more schools willingly take postbacc work into account. Given your minor in biology (and major in a nonscience?) it may be worthwhile to take more upper-div science courses and achieve a 3.8+ GPA in 30+ units. Or if you're open to DO, grade replacement comes into play too.

Your international experience will be a sterling plus on your application, which is great.

29 years old, undergrad GPA ~2.8,
Peace Corps service.
minored in Biology
did not qualify for a post-bacc,
couldn't afford to take classes without working,
Physics 1 in fall 2012. I got a B.
Spring 2013: B in Phys2.
Summer 2013: Orgo1 lab and got an A+.
2013/2014 Plans: Planning on taking Orgo1&Orgo2 online and taking the MCAT next year.
study over the next 8 months until I take the MCAT.
After the MCAT, I plan to apply to an SMP, preferably Keck Global Medicine, Georgetown, or Drexel.
Hopefully a good MCAT score and the SMP can get me in, because at this point the only plan B would be a career in international public health, but my true dream is to practice medicine, like so many here.

 

[Kentobari]

Much hinges upon your MCAT score.

If your MCAT > 32, shoot for SMPs with strong ties to their host MD/DO programs. Drexel, from what I recall, does have strong ties; Georgetown and Keck do not.
Do note an outstanding SMP performance will not erase your undergrad GPA; but it will show AdComs (who care to look) that you are capable of handling med school coursework.

If your MCAT < 32, a postbacc will work more strongly in your favor.
All undergrad grades are compiled together. This includes post-bacc work. Based on how AMCAS calculates uGPA and from the websites of MD schools that mention this, it seems more schools willingly take postbacc work into account. Given your minor in biology (and major in a nonscience?) it may be worthwhile to take more upper-div science courses and achieve a 3.8+ GPA in 30+ units. Or if you're open to DO, grade replacement comes into play too.

Your international experience will be a sterling plus on your application, which is great.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. When it comes time to apply, I will look at SMPs more closely. Further upper-level coursework will depend on $$$, again since loans seem to be unavailable for non-degree seeking students.

I know Keck is not a well-established, good choice for an SMP, but having a master's in "global medicine" would give me a plan B to continue with international health work if I just can't make it through the Adcoms . I hate to even have a plan B, but I want to be realistic.

Again, thanks for the comments.

P.S. Major was Anthropology and wrote an honors undergrad thesis on epilepsy (focus was medical anthropology)

 

[Major]

ttt

 

[Major]

Getting down to the last 4 weeks of this semester for my school!

Seriously can't believe how fast the time is going bye bye


How is everyone doing this fall?

 

[Stephanopolous]

I've been creeping on SDN for years now, hating it some days when I see all of the perfect stats and competitive posts (not a fan of gunners). I think this thread is a good fit for my first post

I think SDN can be useful if you filter through what you're reading and stick to basic helpful ideas given on here. I'm sure others have also found this forum to be depressing... Albeit, I've found a lot of useful information and motivating stories on this site.

I'm 28 years old, have been with my boyfriend for a little over a year. Living at home with mom but paying a fair share of bills/rent. I worked all the way through my undergraduate full time (no choice) and my grades suffered as a result. I could be an all A/B student if I focused my time to school and only school, however, I had to make the best with doing both. I just calculated my undergraduate GPA at 3.1, not strong but it is what it is.

I've been in EMS actively for 6 years. I've worked as a paramedic for 4. I also have been a scribe for four years, chief scribe for one hospital for 4 of those years and took over as chief scribe for another hospital at the beginning of this year. Volunteer work in EMS. No research background. I've won an award at the EMS level for provider of the year. I've also volunteered teaching new EMT's and critical care providers. I worked for a year traveling to implement scribe programs in hospitals down the east coast. I feel confident that I'll have strong LOR's, two physician's I work with have already approached me with offers to write.

I'm currently taking Organic Chemistry I and working the minimum hours I can to support myself so that I can try to get an A or a B. Organic chemistry two is on the agenda for next semester. I'm taking them both at a community college so I can afford it as I was denied for student loans since I'm not considered "matriculated". I plan on studying for the MCAT next May-July and taking it at the end of July. I'll apply to DO primarily and also my local (and top pick) medical school Albany Medical College (MD). Top pick because it's close to home and my mom is essentially my only family member since my father lives in South America and I'm not in touch with him.

My grades aren't shining diamonds but I hope with my life experience and professional background I can supplement. I feel extremely comfortably in interview environments and consider myself to be a good writer (personal statement)

If I get rejected my first time applying I plan on wiping my tears and figuring out how I'll re-apply for the next year. I've wanted to be in medicine since I was a kid, going to nursing classes with my mom (single parent); the interest in science and medicine stuck. I've wanted to be a doctor since the first time I saw a doctor I was working with save someone's life who was critically ill with a hemothorax. I realized then that being calm and in control in a chaotic situation, can make the difference between a good and bad outcome for someone's life. I know as a paramedic I make similar decisions in the field on a daily basis, but I really want to take it further and practice emergency medicine as a doctor.

Not being accepted just isn't on my agenda and I refuse to give up. It does get tough sometimes but in the end I know it'll be worth it. I'm happy to have this forum as a resource and support and I wish everyone the best of luck!

 

[lcucgrace]

Yup, there was a thread not too long ago where LizzyM and Goro (both on adcoms, one MD and other DO) both commented about how institutional action was pretty much an app killer.
I'm all for GPA redemption (myself included) but plagiarism, especially if listed on a transcript, is pretty damn hard to overcome and amplify that with low stats pretty much will kill your app.
Though I'd look into contacting individual schools about it. I'd also suggest VERY HIGHLY meeting with the Den to see if there's any way to remove that plagiarism charge from your transcript.

 

[Major]

Yup, there was a thread not too long ago where LizzyM and Goro (both on adcoms, one MD and other DO) both commented about how institutional action was pretty much an app killer.
I'm all for GPA redemption (myself included) but plagiarism, especially if listed on a transcript, is pretty damn hard to overcome and amplify that with low stats pretty much will kill your app.
Though I'd look into contacting individual schools about it. I'd also suggest VERY HIGHLY meeting with the Den to see if there's any way to remove that plagiarism charge from your transcript.

Who are you replying to?


I remember a thread about cheating or something from the summer

 

[Mr.IceHockey]

Hey all,

So I am currently a Senior Undergrad looking to apply to post bacc programs. My GPA was awful freshman year (like a 2.2 or so) and I have always wanted to go to medschool. However, I slowly began to pull up my GPA by getting an average of a 2.98 GPA my sophomore year and a 3.2 GPA my Junior year. So far this year I am on track to pull a 3.7 or higher for first semester and hopefully will get about the same this spring (my current overall GPA is 2.87). I took the MCAT and did awful and now I want to know what would the best post bacc program be for me. I dont want to spend more than two years working on a postbacc, but I will do what I must to get in. I already started looking into programs at Temple and Hofstra (I am a NY state resident btw) and Lake Erie. What programs are good that offer a really hands on and clear approach? I want to do the best I can but searching google for programs out there doesn't often yield positive responses.

My resume is very expansive (I swear I am not being cocky, just confident and honest) and I have hundreds of hours of clinical observation in hospitals and medical examiner's offices and am the captain of my college's Ice hockey team and I am VERY well rounded (the list of extracurricular activities goes on). The only thing holding me back is my MCAT and GPA. WHO OUT THERE HAS INFO REGARDING THE MOST OPTIMAL POST BACS FOR ME??

Thanks for this thread by the way

 

[Murdock]

I spent a LOT of time obsessing over these threads when I started the application process because I honestly wasn't sure I had any chance as a nontrad with a <3.0 GPA. I spent hours trying to find someone who could say they had some kind of low GPA and still made it but I came up fairly empty most of the time. It is unnerving to find person after person on SDN with a 4.0 and 36 MCAT asking if anyone thinks they'll get in somewhere. Well I'm here now to tell you that with a 2.97 cGPA I just received my first acceptance and it feels amazing. I want everyone here to know that it wasn't easy but I stayed dedicated and worked harder than I ever though I could. I hope this can serve as inspiration to someone looking for it... Thanks everyone!

cGPA 2.97 | sGPA 3.57 | MCAT 27 (9/9/9)

 

[Major]

I spent a LOT of time obsessing over these threads when I started the application process because I honestly wasn't sure I had any chance as a nontrad with a <3.0 GPA. I spent hours trying to find someone who could say they had some kind of low GPA and still made it but I came up fairly empty most of the time. It is unnerving to find person after person on SDN with a 4.0 and 36 MCAT asking if anyone thinks they'll get in somewhere. Well I'm here now to tell you that with a 2.97 cGPA I just received my first acceptance and it feels amazing. I want everyone here to know that it wasn't easy but I stayed dedicated and worked harder than I ever though I could. I hope this can serve as inspiration to someone looking for it... Thanks everyone!

cGPA 2.97 | sGPA 3.57 | MCAT 27 (9/9/9)

Congrats on the acceptance!!!

 

[Stephanopolous]

Thanks for posting Murdock! I have similar stats to yours and I'm also a medic. I'll be taking the mcat next summer and applying next cycle. Please let me know how you like NECOM!

 

[Murdock]

Thanks for posting Murdock! I have similar stats to yours and I'm also a medic. I'll be taking the mcat next summer and applying next cycle. Please let me know how you like NECOM!

Us medics gotta stick together man!

 

[Violagirl]

Hey everyone, haven't posted here a in awhile. Just was wondering if everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday and how everyone's semesters were going? It feels like its getting down to the final end at my school. I have two weeks of lecture left, then finals. It's my last semester so I definitely have a strong desire to do well. I'm hoping to end up with A's in my Physics II, Biochem lab, Public Health, and Animal Diversity Lab courses. I'll probably end up with B's in my Plant Bio and in my Pharmacology course but will take what I can get at this point. I otherwise do definitely have classes I'll need to retake that I got C's in during my undergrad years so that I can bring both my overall gpa and sgpa up. Otherwise, been trying to line up for a full time job to pay the bills so that I can then get involved with doing more health care volunteer work and such.

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

Hey everyone!! I've found my SDN home!!

My stats:
~2.6 uGPA (Using AMCAS downloadable excel sheet... idk how reliable it its but, its on my transcript as well)
~ 2.8 sGPA
I graduated from undergrad with a BA in Leadership in 2012 after 6 years of school.
I am currently using my Graduate MBA student status to get financial aid to complete premed prereqs.
I am a URM.
I had applied to 3 formal post-baccs, got accepted to all, but had to decline for financial reasons.
I have completed BIO and Chem 1 with B+/B, respectively, Spring 2013.
When it comes to doing retakes... I dont know if I can do it financially. I am already using grrduate aid for these undergrad courses, Im afriad I wont have money for Med School WHEN I get in... Private loans dont like me...
Now I'm here wondering if I can do this. Like ACTUALLY DO THIS.

This Spring 2014, I am registered for BIO and CHEM 2.

You all are so encouraging and motivating! Thank you for the safe haven!

Good luck to everyone with applications out this cycle!

 

[7toMD]

I'll throw my hat in the ring.

I wish I could say I had some great memories to account for my low GPA, but the truth is I come from a low income family and have worked full time since high school graduation.

28 now, licensed broker at Fortune 500 investment firm starting a DIY post bacc at the state school starting this fall. Undergrad was a General Studies degree from the same state school with some comm coll credits mixed in. Basically took whatever classes I could when I had the time.

GPA is a 2.65 right now. Transcript has 7 W's and 9 F's, many of which were replaced. I haven't taken any science classes thus far, as they usually weren't offered at night/online/weekends in my area.

I've saved for the last few years to allow myself the time to go back full time and be able to live while doing it. I also have a very supportive significant other who is near completion of her DNP supporting me.

A lot of folks have said it's impossible with the academic record that's in place, but every goal I've ever set out to accomplish was assigned the same prognosis. I'm undefeated so far and have no intent on losing.

This thread is cool. Good to see others are fighting and winning.

First semester of DIY post-bacc is almost over and not going so well. Huge mistake trying to commute 1.25 hours each way to the state school. Likely going to get a B in Bio 120 and a C in Chem 109. Feeling pretty angry about the whole thing, to be honest. I think I underestimated how hard these classes would be, given than I'd never taken a Bio class before and haven't had a Chem class since 02. Really wish my school offered an adviser for students like me. I have a feeling a lot of this could have been avoided with the proper course structure. (Three different advisers literally said, "sorry, we can't help you." )

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

First semester of DIY post-bacc is almost over and not going so well. Huge mistake trying to commute 1.25 hours each way to the state school. Likely going to get a B in Bio 120 and a C in Chem 109. Feeling pretty angry about the whole thing, to be honest. I think I underestimated how hard these classes would be, given than I'd never taken a Bio class before and haven't had a Chem class since 02. Really wish my school offered an adviser for students like me. I have a feeling a lot of this could have been avoided with the proper course structure. (Three different advisers literally said, "sorry, we can't help you." )

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

If at all possible, I suggest a formal post-bac if you can afford it. I myself need the structure of a formal program but dont have the luxury of the post-bacc option. Because of this, I initially applied as a second bachelors degree student "majoring" in biology with a pre-med track. This allowed me to get in touch with the right pre-med advisors and committee so I could have someone telling me what I need to do and how I need to do it. Maybe this may be an option for you. Good luck!

 

[VolunteerMoose]

First semester of DIY post-bacc is almost over and not going so well. Huge mistake trying to commute 1.25 hours each way to the state school. Likely going to get a B in Bio 120 and a C in Chem 109. Feeling pretty angry about the whole thing, to be honest. I think I underestimated how hard these classes would be, given than I'd never taken a Bio class before and haven't had a Chem class since 02. Really wish my school offered an adviser for students like me. I have a feeling a lot of this could have been avoided with the proper course structure. (Three different advisers literally said, "sorry, we can't help you." )

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

I drove 1 hr to school for my DIY post-bacc as well. It's tough. Find your motivation and stick to it. You still have finals so it's not over yet.

 

[Fitty]

Hello everyone. I've occasionally visited SDN over the years, but avoided it mostly because it stressed me out, and because I felt I had nothing useful to contribute. At this point, however, I think I've been through enough that someone might benefit from learning about my experiences so far.

I decided to switch careers at age 31 (2008) having earned a 2.98 cGPA (AMCAS) in a social science major from a big university. I'd had a pretty lousy experience in college. I was mildly depressed (undiagnosed and untreated - I had too much pride) pretty much the whole time, and I had no business being in college when I was of "normal college student" age. I lacked maturity and I had no focus whatsoever. I changed my major five times and limped to the finish line after five and a half years and 175 semester-hours.

I figured I'd have the best chance of succeeding in the prereqs if I had a support system nearby, so I fixed up my house, sold it (right before the banks crashed and burned - whew!), and moved to another state where I had family. I stayed in my sister's basement for the first year while I saved money and established residency. 18 months after moving, I enrolled at a small, obscure university to take the prereqs. I enjoyed the classes so much that I decided to earn another BS. I had a chip on my shoulder because I knew my old GPA was not reflective of my abilities. Like a lot of premeds, I became kind of obsessive about my grades, but it worked. I earned a 4.0 for my second degree (chemistry with a biology minor). Even with 104 semester-hours of straight-A work, my cGPA only rose to 3.33 because of all my prior coursework. I got a 37L on the MCAT and applied last year to seven MD schools. I interviewed at one, and they waitlisted me, but I never made it off the wait list. My clinical/patient ECs were weak, and my interview didn't go well. I also don't think it helped that my school had no pre-med committee. I love my little school, but when I chose to go there, I think I greatly underestimated how helpful a committee can be.

Anyway, since the last cycle, I decided to become a CNA (something I wanted to do all along, but didn't think I had the time) so that I could get a lot of patient experience in a hurry. Now I wish I had done it sooner - not only do I enjoy the work way more than what I was doing before, but I also get paid more than I anticipated. This cycle, I applied to just four schools. My apps have been coming in pretty late because I couldn't bring myself to begin a new round of apps when I was so short on cash, especially when there was a decent chance I would just be accepted off the wait list.

Fast forward to the present, and I'm completely done with three of the four apps. Of these three, two haven't responded yet, but I already interviewed at one. It went about a thousand times better than last year's (different school). I won't hear a decision from them until January at the earliest, but interview day left me with a very good feeling, both about the school and about my prospects there, and I'd be overjoyed to go there if they're the only ones who accept me.

Even though I haven't even been accepted anywhere yet, following this path has already been extremely fulfilling. I've rubbed shoulders with some awesome people, learned a lot of cool stuff, and done things I never imagined I would do. Changing careers entailed a great deal of anxiety at first. Everything was so uncertain, but the doubts have gradually given way to a sense of confidence and inevitability that feels really good. I'll obviously be disappointed if I don't get in this time, but I'm at peace with the prospect of applying yet again, because I know it'll happen sooner or later. Perhaps just as importantly, I'm enjoying the journey. I am now certain that this is the right career for me, in a way that I couldn't have been at the beginning. I believe coming to that knowledge is more important than anything that can go on an application.

Several years ago, threads like this inspired me when I was full of anxiety. I hope someone now finds this helpful. Best of luck to all of you! I will report back in this thread when I have everyone's decisions from this cycle.

***********************************************************************************
UPDATE: I just got accepted off the waitlist at my state MD school! I had been rejected everywhere else, even the school where I knocked the interviews out of the park. Paradoxically, my state school interviews were so-so by comparison. It's been six and a half years since I decided to switch to medicine, and even though my initial post was upbeat, there have definitely been some times of doubt. Even on the best days, there was always a little bit of anxiety about this one question: "will I get in?" But now I'm finally in, and the next leg of the journey begins!

Good luck to everyone on this path!

 

[Labrat07]

nm

 

[knv2u]

I'm working real hard getting that sGPA higher and higher.

I'm planning on taking Calculus 1 later on but was considering taking Contemporary Mathematics 1 for summer 2 as a GPA booster and to get my mind back into math. My trig is years old; did real well but it's now in the cobb webs of the mind

Any advice if that's a good idea? My sGPA is 3.13, cGPA 3.6. I still have physics II (which I'm still not sold on algebra-based physics ~ I really tanked my GPA there ~ chem, ochem and bio 2 to do, along with calculus...have A's in biology and genetics so far...

Thanks!!

My advice to you is to retake any pre-requisites classes that you did not earn at least a solid B, and apply to several DO schools as grade replacement in their GPA calculation could improve your score significantly. I also recommend that you either do a post bacc or even consider a second bachelor's degree and take some upper level sciences classes. These will affect both the DO GPA calculation and the AMCAS GPA (used in applying to MD programs).

 

[carlyhylton]

Thank you all for contributing to this thread, it has been very helpful to me!
I know that there is a specific 'what are my chances' thread but I want to post here because I have a gpa that is under 3.0 and I think I will get the most tailored advice here!
I am currently a Psychology undergrad. My gpa is currently 2.45. I have three Fs, three Ds, a handful of Bs and Cs and few As.
I am going to be doing about 60 more credits (including credits I am doing now), and I hope to be able to take a couple of graduate courses.
So, if I get all A+s in the next 60 credits, which is obviously probably unrealistic, the highest gpa I can hope for would be a 3.2.

I am pretty naive to the pre-med process, as I hadn't considered medicine until now. I am unsure if med schools consider research experience but I also have one publication in psychology (perception, vision sciences).

I haven't taken any BCPM credits and I am thinking about either doing a "DIY post bacc" or getting another degree in Neuroscience or something that would allow me to transfer my existing credits to a new degree and take BCPM credits, after I finish my current degree program.

I'm not going to go into my life story but basically there is a reason why I didn't do well, and therefore I hadn't really considered medicine a possibility. I thought I would go down a different career path that I am now questioning. However, despite my past I am hopeful that I can do well and haven't gotten below an A in the coursework that I am enrolled in now. I'm not sure if I could fair as well in BCPM credits as I haven't done BCPM since high school. I am however doing well in my bio/neuropsych classes (I am enrolled in 3 right now and 2 more next semester). I also really enjoy them, although I know they are very applied.

Should I consider a career in medicine? If so how should I go about it considering my current situation?

 

[Major]

Thank you all for contributing to this thread, it has been very helpful to me!
I know that there is a specific 'what are my chances' thread but I want to post here because I have a gpa that is under 3.0 and I think I will get the most tailored advice here!
I am currently a Psychology undergrad. My gpa is currently 2.45. I have three Fs, three Ds, a handful of Bs and Cs and few As.
I am going to be doing about 60 more credits (including credits I am doing now), and I hope to be able to take a couple of graduate courses.
So, if I get all A+s in the next 60 credits, which is obviously probably unrealistic, the highest gpa I can hope for would be a 3.2.

I am pretty naive to the pre-med process, as I hadn't considered medicine until now. I am unsure if med schools consider research experience but I also have one publication in psychology (perception, vision sciences).

I haven't taken any BCPM credits and I am thinking about either doing a "DIY post bacc" or getting another degree in Neuroscience or something that would allow me to transfer my existing credits to a new degree and take BCPM credits, after I finish my current degree program.

I'm not going to go into my life story but basically there is a reason why I didn't do well, and therefore I hadn't really considered medicine a possibility. I thought I would go down a different career path that I am now questioning. However, despite my past I am hopeful that I can do well and haven't gotten below an A in the coursework that I am enrolled in now. I'm not sure if I could fair as well in BCPM credits as I haven't done BCPM since high school. I am however doing well in my bio/neuropsych classes (I am enrolled in 3 right now and 2 more next semester). I also really enjoy them, although I know they are very applied.

Should I consider a career in medicine? If so how should I go about it considering my current situation?

We'll of course you should consider a career in medicine If it's what you really want to do and are passionate about!

It sounds like you aren't in too deep of a hole with some of your bad grades. Get As and Bs from here on out. Do well in your BCPM classes. Do well on the mcat and evaluate where you stand then and what schools you are competitive in.

Do you want to go strictly MD or would DO appeal to you also?

 

[carlyhylton]

MajorUnderDog,

Thanks so much for your response! I know the question was a fairly redundant one considering the success stories here on this thread and on the 'Low GPA/MCAT Success Stories' thread.
I just needed someone to say that I could still consider medicine haha.

I hope medicine is what I am passionate about but to be honest I am still evaluating... I was initially interested in a career in psychology and over recent coursework and experiences volunteering at a psychiatric hospital I have become interested in psychiatry. I plan to ask one of the psychiatrists that I volunteer with to shadow them. I am also interested in psychiatric research.
I'm not sure if I should consider medicine if my interests within medicine are so narrow and pretty much limited to psychiatry especially given my current gpa and I would love to hear people's thinking on that... I get the sense that people on the non trad forum are passionate about medicine in a broader sense even if they hope to get into a specific specialty.

I think I would be interested in D.O. programs but I am Canadian and there are no D.O. programs in Canada. While I would certainly be interested in pursuing D.O. programs in the U.S., with the hopes of returning to Canada to practice, I'm not sure if that's the best idea... according to this wikipedia article on Osteopathic Medicine in Canada while you can be licensed as a physician with a D.O. program in Canada, there were only 20 D.O.'s practicing in Canada as of 2011. That being said I do need to look into this more and any suggestions on where to start or Canadian perspectives would be appreciated!

Moreover, I have been looking at the Canadian premed101.com forum and apparently some Canadian med schools will only consider a second degree if you pursue a second degree, some will only consider your best two years and some your most recent two or three years. I was wondering if anyone could confirm if this really helps as I assume that med schools would still look at other years and accept someone with a perfect record over someone with a horrific academic past and a couple of good years. Not sure if there are any Canadians on this forum but any Canadian opinions or even American perspectives would be appreciated : )

 

[Dr Turkelton]

MajorUnderDog,

Thanks so much for your response! I know the question was a fairly redundant one considering the success stories here on this thread and on the 'Low GPA/MCAT Success Stories' thread.
I just needed someone to say that I could still consider medicine haha.

I hope medicine is what I am passionate about but to be honest I am still evaluating... I was initially interested in a career in psychology and over recent coursework and experiences volunteering at a psychiatric hospital I have become interested in psychiatry. I plan to ask one of the psychiatrists that I volunteer with to shadow them. I am also interested in psychiatric research.
I'm not sure if I should consider medicine if my interests within medicine are so narrow and pretty much limited to psychiatry especially given my current gpa and I would love to hear people's thinking on that... I get the sense that people on the non trad forum are passionate about medicine in a broader sense even if they hope to get into a specific specialty.

I think I would be interested in D.O. programs but I am Canadian and there are no D.O. programs in Canada. While I would certainly be interested in pursuing D.O. programs in the U.S., with the hopes of returning to Canada to practice, I'm not sure if that's the best idea... according to this wikipedia article on Osteopathic Medicine in Canada while you can be licensed as a physician with a D.O. program in Canada, there were only 20 D.O.'s practicing in Canada as of 2011. That being said I do need to look into this more and any suggestions on where to start or Canadian perspectives would be appreciated!

Moreover, I have been looking at the Canadian premed101.com forum and apparently some Canadian med schools will only consider a second degree if you pursue a second degree, some will only consider your best two years and some your most recent two or three years. I was wondering if anyone could confirm if this really helps as I assume that med schools would still look at other years and accept someone with a perfect record over someone with a horrific academic past and a couple of good years. Not sure if there are any Canadians on this forum but any Canadian opinions or even American perspectives would be appreciated : )

Hey, I'm a dual citizen who lived in Toronto for a while and went to U of T. DO's are rare in Canada right now but that is definitely changing, especially with MSUCOM actively recruiting Canadians. By the time you graduate Med school you shouldn't have too much of an issue getting a residency position in something like Psych in Canada. I think you will run into a lot of people unfamiliar with the degree or who confuse you with an Osteopath, but that shouldn't matter too much if you enjoy what you're doing. I know Mt. Sinai has a DO path resident and maybe one in OBGYN so it is still possible to succeed as a DO.

Honestly I think MD in Canada might be out of the question at this point unfortunately. While a few schools do say they look at your best two years, the fact is they have so many 4.0 35+ students to pick from that I've never heard of anyone with a sub 3.0 getting into a Canadian med school. I know several people with 3.7's to 3.8's who went to Ireland because Canada was such a crap shoot. I personally graduated with a 2.95 and decided to only focus on American schools. I'm at an SMP in the states right now with a decent linkage to an MD school to try to boost my chances, might be something you want to look at.

Have you looked into Clinical Psychology? While I personally think medicine is awesome, if you are only interested in Psych it might be something to think about. If only from a financial point of view, if you decide to go the American route you are easily looking at 300 grand in debt, not to mention the fact that Psychiatrists are traditionally one of the lowest paid specialities. This isn't meant to discourage you at all, just make sure that Medicine is something you are really passionate about doing, as there are a lot of other very valid options in the Psychology field which don't require moving to the states and putting yourself in a **** ton of debt.

Let me know if you have any questions about SMP's or the process for Canadians applying to US med schools, I know SDN and especially Premed101 can be super depressing for folks with lower GPA's like us.

 

[freshveg]

I'm at the cusp of making a career change from Architecture. Currently taking an EMT class.
First college Illinois Institute of Technology - 69 credits at 3.0 cum GPA
Transferred to Cooper Union - 131 credits at 2.9 cum GPA
These combined to make a B-Arch degree, graduated 6 years ago. 31 credits of the 69 from the first school were transferred, but they aren't included in the GPA calculation of the second school. By the time I apply to med school it'll be 8-9 years after my previous degree.

I'm trying to decide if I should do a post-bac or a second bachelor's. I need all the prereq's so that's about 30 credits, which won't budge my GPA much since I have 200 credits already (Arch school is 5 years and I took 6 years b/c of transferring). If I do a second bachelor's I could probably get it up to 3.2. I can't do the replacement strategy b/c I'll be taking them all for the first time.

Also, I don't know how to calculate math & science GPA - my "science" courses are things like Structures, Building Technology - do these count as science? For math all I have is Descriptive Geometry and Calculus. I'm pretty sure Design, which is a 6-credit class every semester, doesn't count as math or science. Is there an official list of what counts as math and science?

Thanks a ton for any advice.

 

[silleme]

I'm trying to decide if I should do a post-bac or a second bachelor's. I need all the prereq's so that's about 30 credits, which won't budge my GPA much since I have 200 credits already (Arch school is 5 years and I took 6 years b/c of transferring). If I do a second bachelor's I could probably get it up to 3.2. I can't do the replacement strategy b/c I'll be taking them all for the first time.

Also, I don't know how to calculate math & science GPA - my "science" courses are things like Structures, Building Technology - do these count as science? For math all I have is Descriptive Geometry and Calculus. I'm pretty sure Design, which is a 6-credit class every semester, doesn't count as math or science. Is there an official list of what counts as math and science?

The sciences are described as your BCPM courses: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math. I've seen things like health sciences classes be included on there because of being taught in a science deplartment and having a science-y description for the class. The courses you listed don't appear to meet that threshold, so I would guess you're coming in fresh. If you need financial aid for classes, by all means pursue another Bachelor's Degree. If you're paying out of pocket, then just enroll to take the classes on your own, completing the 1 year Bio/Physics/Chem/OChem, with whatever math or advanced science requirements the schools you're applying to have (A&P, biochemistry, calculus vs statistics, etc).

You can still use DO grade replacement to bring up your GPA in any non-science classes you got less than a C in, should your new school offer the same courses.

A lot of this is up to you. If you feel that you'll be strong enough in the sciences to kill the MCAT (be 100% honest with yourself) then you MAY have a shot at lower tier MD schools, and definitely some DO schools....especially since you can kill your sGPA.

Best of luck to you. This forum has been great for helping me on my journey.

 

[freshveg]

Sillme, thanks so much. That was REALLY helpful. I only got a few D's and they were in upper-level architecture courses, which wouldn't really make sense to repeat, but its good to know that option is out there.

Best of luck to you too!

 

[silleme]

Thanks freshveg. I've still got a ways to go, and am in this under 3.0 group too, but I don't want to share myg journey until I know it can actually come to fruition. I'm maintaining my focus and will have something relevant to post in a year or so.

 

[Violagirl]

Hey everybody! Just checking in to see how finals went for everyone? I have my last final for my plant bio course tomorrow, cannot wait to be done. Not sure on final grades for most of my classes yet. I'm guessing I'll end up with a B-/C+ in my online class. If I do well on my final tomorrow, I'll pull a B in my plant bio course. My physics II class will likely be an A- or a B+, depending on how that prof curves the course. My other two lab courses, I'm hinged between a B+/A-. So not the greatest but planning to do some post-bachelor work starting in the summer after I get a full-time job going after the holidays. I'm otherwise researching my options for formal post-bachelor programs out of state but need to take enough courses to pull at a least a 3.0 to be considered and take the MCAT, of which I also plan to do in the summer. Hope finals have or are going well for everyone!

 

[CapCrunch]

Sounds like you took quite a few classes. The trick to pulling up your GPA is to not overload yourself at first. Haven't received all of my grades yet, but the first one is an A in pathophysiology. Look to earn either an A/A- in both my Chem and Orgo I retakes. If it goes as planned, I'll finally be out of the below 3.0 sGPA crew. However, I'm definitely going to still look to this thread for motivation. So far 10 credits taken in my DIY, and I have a 3.79 AACOMAS GPA and sGPA. Good luck to the rest of the <3.0's with finals still left to take.

 

[Violagirl]

I did unfortunately end up having to take more classes than normal this semester. I had to finish my last few classes in order to graduate as I've reached a point where I'm unable to take out any more loans until I start paying them back after this semester. Fortunately, it's looking like I'll be working full-time at my school and since full-time employees are able to take undergrad courses at a fraction of the cost that students normally pay, I'll be able to do retakes and pay for them out of pocket so that will definitely help. If anything, my CGPA will rise to a 2.9 so that help some thankfully. Congratulations to you otherwise on your hard work and pulling your gpa above a 3.0! That is excellent. Also congrats on the A's in your Chem and Orgo courses, that is spectacular.

 

[CapCrunch]

That's a great deal you have going on with your undergrad university. Every bit your GPA rises will help. Just received an A in Organic about a half hour ago and it felt nice plugging it into the GPA spreadsheet I have.

Just remember that it's a marathon, not a spring. You'll be old and retired one day, just remember that regardless of what happens today, the future will be better because you will have given it your all to become a doctor.

EDIT: Semester over, pulled my first ever 4.0! Just remember, the difference is the mindset. I didn't work any harder, I just worked smarter. 10 hours in the library do nothing, but 2 productive hours every other day proved to be the best way to succeed. Good luck to all of you guys...officially sitting at a 3.14 now.

 

[NorthernMav]

A little inspiration:

I graduated my state school with little over 2.7 cGPA (2007). Decided to pursue a career in medicine shortly after college; however, the academic damage was already done. Stubborn as a mule, I went for it. Began working full-time and enrolled in post-baccalaureate night courses part-time, a-la-carte. In addition, took the opportunity to shadow ER physicians and volunteered in a seperate ER. Needless to say, for a little over 2 years I ran on roughly 5 hours of sleep a night and did nothing but work my tail off.

After I completed 10 upper-level science courses (40 credits), attaining a 3.84 GPA, I then studied for and took the MCAT getting a 31N (2011). However, I knew that my effort thus far was simply not enough in the eyes of ADCOMs. I then applied to several SMPs and matriculated in the fall of 2012. There I worked harder and had been more stressed than any other time in my life. Ended up attaining a 3.96 GPA.

During my SMP year I had applied to over 30 medical schools. I made it on to 3 waitlists but, alas, did not come off of them. Discouraged and exhausted, I dragged myself to applied again this cycle. So far I have had 3 interviews and one acceptance, and still waiting on over 20 schools. It has been a long and painful journey, but in the end I will be a doctor.

So, for those of you that hear "I doubt you will get in with those grades," simply reply "I doubt you know what you are talking about." Best of luck to the underdogs!

 

[CapCrunch]

That's great, NorthernMav! Congratulations. I'm surprised you didn't get any love with that 3.84 over 40 credits. Did you apply strictly MD?

 

[nontradRN]

I just started frequenting SDN, but I'm very much encouraged by the number of threads and inspirational stories for/from people with mediocre-to-decent GPAs. Sorry my GPA doesn't match this thread's requirement, but that's basically been the story of my life for pre-professional applications thus far so I feel like I fit in here

I graduated in May 2013 with a degree in nursing. My plan (in 2008) was to take the medical school coursework that also fulfilled the nursing school requirements so that if I ever got rejected in medical school applications I had a career to fall back on. Anyway life happened, I screwed around in college as a 19-20 year old kid is likely to do living away at school, and ended up with a 3.28 cGPA and a sGPA around 3.11 - after nursing school which was harder than it had any right to be.

This Spring I plan to go back to take Physics I (non-calc based), and after that, Physics II and Orgo II lab. I plan to study for the MCAT for a good 3-4 months before taking it too, so hopefully I can get that in before it changes in 2015. I also lack Calculus, but I've read that it's not essential for MCAT or professional practice - so if I can get away without it and apply to any and every MD and DO school throughout the US that doesn't require it I will.

I am currently working as a registered nurse, I already have a BSN, I can get good letters of recommendation from physicians I work with and my nurse managers who all seem to like me, plus I think I can write a pretty convincing personal statement.

My main concern is that I don't see my GPA gravitating that much higher after these additional classes I need. I've taken so many credits already, what is an additional 7-9 going to affect? I'm worried the additional work I put in (in 2014) will fall on deaf ears as far as medical school review boards see in 2015. Either way I'm going to work my butt off and show the world what I'm made of.

 

[chemlover143]

you guys could always go to an international med school..most of them dont even require a bachelors.. just a high school diploma... there are pre-med comps that work only with these schools.. one came to my college and met with us .. it was called md internationl studies i think

 

[Hopefulmed27]

Just discovered this thread and would like to wish everyone the best of luck. Hopefully all our hard work eventually pays off.

I've been taking classes as a DIY post bacc at my undergrad university for the past yr and a half now. It's been a long road and I'm still under a 3.0 overall and science, but have decided to give it a shot and apply late this cycle. I'm at about a 3.5 as a post bacc including the few retakes. One thing I'm concerned with are the numerous pharmacy courses I've taken. AACOMAS wouldnt give me a straight answer regarding if they would count or not towards my sGPA.Has anyone else that is applying or that has been accepted, dealt with pharmacy classes? This determines whether or not I spend another semester in school.

Also, for those taking Immunology....study very hard! I just took it and got a C+ (yuck). This was more of a product of my professor having ridiculous grade cutoffs (95% was an A).