C in postbac

[Mytime2017]

Hi all,

I'm currently in a predicament where I need your advice.i completed undergrad 3 years ago with a 3.1 (with upward trend in my sciences such as A's in biochem, etc).

I decided to do a second bachelors to raise my gpa. For the past several years, I ended up receiving nothing less than a b plus with multiple As in upper division sciences.

Today, unfortunately, I received saddening news. As I missed an immunology final last semester because of sickness, I took a make up for the class. I ended up failing the final (I realized that not being in the class for several months impacted my score despite studying appropriately for it) which brought down my grade from a B plus to a C.

I will thus be receiving a C in the course. I would like to know if I have really messed up my chances now to get into med school ( I had a 3.75 postbac until then and have a 40 mcat with an overall gpa of 3.4). I was doing this postbac for academic enhancement reasons(several c's in prerequisites in ug) thus I am very very concerned and worried. Will this essentially ruin my chances of getting into med school? Because of my mcat and high earlier postbac grades, I was even aiming for some top private--columbia, etc. has this grade ruined those chances as well?

Your clarification on what I need to do would be greatly appreciated.

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[Mytime2017]

@gyngyn @LizzyM @Goro

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Your MCAT is very good, but I think your uGPA is a pretty big anchor and you didn't really seem to pull it up with your post-bac (or is it a second bachelors I am confused?). Don't know what that means for your application, but I have generally seen ADCOM members on SDN say that they expect As in post-bac programs.

 

[gyngyn]

Applicants with uneven performance despite great intellectual capacity are viewed as high risk.

Whether that risk is worth taking is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[heybubbaa]

Applicants with uneven performance despite great intellectual capacity are viewed as high risk.

Whether that risk is worth taking is in the eye of the beholder.

Does this designation also extend to applicants that perform well for ~3 straight years (~4.0 gpa with heavy course loads), yet their gpa is significantly diluted by poor grades prior to their academic turnaround? Or does any past history of bad grades necessitate that an applicant is viewed as high risk? In other words, if the OP would not have earned a C, could he have ever gotten past the high risk designation?

 

[Mytime2017]

@gyngyn:

I'm grateful to your response. Do you think it's advisable then that I take a withdrawal in that case (my school has a clause where I can take a withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances which this exemplifies). I also plan on taking an additional 30 credits and acing them.

To add context to the situation: I was taking 5 classes during that time with the other 4 classes--all science--being A's.

 

[gyngyn]

Does this designation also extend to applicants that perform well for ~3 straight years (~4.0 gpa with heavy course loads), yet their gpa is significantly diluted by poor grades prior to their academic turnaround? Or does any past history of bad grades necessitate that an applicant is viewed as high risk? In other words, if the OP would not have earned a C, could he have ever gotten past the high risk designation?

A sustained period of excellence tends to dispel fears.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn:

I'm grateful to your response. Do you think it's advisable then that I take a withdrawal in that case (my school has a clause where I can take a withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances which this exemplifies). I also plan on taking an additional 30 credits and acing them.

To add context to the situation: I was taking 5 classes during that time with the other 4 classes--all science--being A's.

If you have no other W's, this would be the time to use one.

 

[Mytime2017]

If you have no other W's, this would be the time to use one.

I appreciate your response. I unfortunately due have a semester withdrawal from the spring 2014 term ( I had to withdraw from the semester due to a documented medical issue which resulted in me missing many classes to the point where it was affecting my grades. However, after, I took classes in the summer where I received a 4.0

Would it still be advisable in this case to take the W or would it be a red flag? I plan on taking another 30-40 units and acing them?

 

[gyngyn]

I appreciate your response. I unfortunately due have a semester withdrawal from the spring 2014 term ( I had to withdraw from the semester due to a documented medical issue which resulted in me missing many classes to the point where it was affecting my grades. However, after, I took classes in the summer where I received a 4.0

Would it still be advisable in this case to take the W or would it be a red flag? I plan on taking another 30-40 units and acing them?

It is not your medical problem, but the pattern of withdrawals and weak performance that raises a "red flag."

There are few elective activities more stressful than medical school. You need to show us that your days of spotty performance are behind you.

 

[Mytime2017]

It is not your medical problem, but the pattern of withdrawals and weak performance that raises a "red flag."

I appreciate your response. I would like know how I could possibly remedy this/if it is possible? I plan on taking classes this full year and acing them with no withdrawals. Would this assuage any doubts or have I already dug myself in too deep?

 

[gyngyn]

I appreciate your response. I would like know how I could possibly remedy this/if it is possible? I plan on taking classes this full year and acing them with no withdrawals. Would this assuage any doubts or have I already dug myself in too deep?

Each evaluator will have an idiosyncratic assessment of a dissonant application.
There may well be schools that like the non-cognitive aspects of your application enough to take the risk, as long as you confirm a sustained period without missteps.

 

[Mytime2017]

Each evaluator will have an idiosyncratic assessment of a dissonant application.
There may well be schools that like the non-cognitive aspects of your application enough to take the risk, as long as you confirm a sustained period without missteps.

I really appreciate your further respoñse and will definitely ensure that I do not have anymore missteps. Do you recommend a specific time frame or number of credits that I should have to assuage doubt?

 

[gyngyn]

I really appreciate your further respoñse and will definitely ensure that I do not have anymore missteps. Do you recommend a specific time frame or number of credits that I should have to assuage doubt?

It tends to vary depending on the period of erratic grades in question.
No less than a year, though.

 

[Mytime2017]

It ends to vary depending on the period of erratic grades in question.
No less than a year, though.

I will definitely ensure to have roughly a year of perfect grades with no missteps in that case. Thank you once again