Can graduate school GPA actually hurt?

[Fearquell]

Greetings,

This is kind of the opposite question of what I have seen on here, but if you had a good uGPA and a so-so gGPA, can that actually hurt you? I got my BS with a 3.92 GPA with honors from a state school, went on to a top 20 school for a science PhD but had only a 3.47 GPA there... It was mainly due to grades in a couple of research rotations and two classes where I got B's. In any case, I would say whatever lack of experience I had at the beginning of the program, I turned around during my stay in the graduate program. I have heard graduate GPA is generally not weighed as heavily, but would like some opinions from other non-traditional students.

Thanks,
FQ

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[DrMikeP]

Greetings,

This is kind of the opposite question of what I have seen on here, but if you had a good uGPA and a so-so gGPA, can that actually hurt you? I got my BS with a 3.92 GPA with honors from a state school, went on to a top 20 school for a science PhD but had only a 3.47 GPA there... It was mainly due to grades in a couple of research rotations and two classes where I got B's. In any case, I would say whatever lack of experience I had at the beginning of the program, I turned around during my stay in the graduate program. I have heard graduate GPA is generally not weighed as heavily, but would like some opinions from other non-traditional students.

Thanks,
FQ

It doesn't help. If it's truly not a downward trend that is a positive, but B's in grad school can raise flags, as less than a B is in most grad programs is/close to being an F, especially in research rotations, as that can be a sign of poor work ethic. Was it you didn't get it, struggling with maturity, you had never had research work before so were lost for a while???? Be ready to explain why without making excuses.

What 2 classes? Were they science? I'd make sure you have a rec letter from a grad school professor singing your praises.

That gpa is good for a DO and likely won't ruin your chances for an MD given your strong ugpa unless you are gunning for a research heavy MD program! If so then I hope you have something like publications to show for your grad work.

 

[eteshoe]

I mean a PhD GPA less than 3.7 tends to be frowned upon more than being neutral (or helping). But not much you can do about that at this point - at least your UG GPA is stellar.

 

[Fearquell]

It doesn't help. If it's truly not a downward trend that is a positive, but B's in grad school can raise flags, as less than a B is in most grad programs is/close to being an F, especially in research rotations, as that can be a sign of poor work ethic. Was it you didn't get it, struggling with maturity, you had never had research work before so were lost for a while???? Be ready to explain why without making excuses.

What 2 classes? Were they science? I'd make sure you have a rec letter from a grad school professor singing your praises.

That gpa is good for a DO and likely won't ruin your chances for an MD given your strong ugpa unless you are gunning for a research heavy MD program! If so then I hope you have something like publications to show for your grad work.

No, it wasn't a poor work ethic, more than not having experience in the research areas and stress from what followed. I had a really bad experience during my first rotation with the person in charge of me, and it didn't help I had no oversight from the PI, so they went along with what they were told... It's in the past, but as it were, gossip from that first rotation spread quickly around the department. Obviously, not things I can say without sounding like I am deflecting responsibility ... On top of that, I never received letter grades for my last rotation and thesis work, where my advisors' policy was Pass/Fail grading. However, I am confident my thesis advisor would write a good recommendation. For what it's worth, 3.6 was considered a good gGPA at my program.

 

[Fearquell]

They were both science classes. One of the classes I did not get very well, tbh. The other, I actually ended up with the highest cumulative score in the class and still ended up being a B+ (not curved), so yeah ...

 

[DrMikeP]

So think about your experience and frame it in a way taking responsibility and demonstrate how you grew from it in improved grades, successful research, etc. Then tie that to how it will help you be a better med student. Even if it was someone else's fault you can't say that!!

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[beestrng]

What do you think about non research grad work? Grades like Bs and Cs in practical type of classes.

It doesn't help. If it's truly not a downward trend that is a positive, but B's in grad school can raise flags, as less than a B is in most grad programs is/close to being an F, especially in research rotations, as that can be a sign of poor work ethic. Was it you didn't get it, struggling with maturity, you had never had research work before so were lost for a while???? Be ready to explain why without making excuses.

What 2 classes? Were they science? I'd make sure you have a rec letter from a grad school professor singing your praises.

That gpa is good for a DO and likely won't ruin your chances for an MD given your strong ugpa unless you are gunning for a research heavy MD program! If so then I hope you have something like publications to show for your grad work.

 

[DrMikeP]

What do you think about non research grad work? Grades like Bs and Cs in practical type of classes.

Grad work is good in general if you do well, but a lot depends on your overall gpa. A couple of B's with an overall good grad school gpa won't likely be looked at much, 1 C if you have a 3.7 grad gpa may not even get noticed, as they may not even look through your grad transcript in detail.

Depending on the grad program if you make more than 1 C you can be put on academic probation, which can show on transcripts at some schools. That would be a huge red flag. In my doctoral program 2 C's meant you were terminated, the same where I teach. C's at all in grad school just don't leave a good impression, especially if there is a trend of struggling with harder coursework, which suggests you might struggle with med school work! Research heavy MD schools, even if clinical focused from what I've been told by colleagues will look much more heavily at grad school work than others.

But all of that being said, after the fact there is often little you can do except to indicate why the problem occurred and what you did to resolve it.

Also, the above doesn't count if you are in an SMP med school prep grad program! In those you need to focus on making A's no matter what as anything less will most of the time get close scrutiny and a low SMP gpa can mean death.

 

[beestrng]

Grad work is good in general if you do well, but a lot depends on your overall gpa. A couple of B's with an overall good grad school gpa won't likely be looked at much, 1 C if you have a 3.7 grad gpa may not even get noticed, as they may not even look through your grad transcript in detail.

Depending on the grad program if you make more than 1 C you can be put on academic probation, which can show on transcripts at some schools. That would be a huge red flag. In my doctoral program 2 C's meant you were terminated, the same where I teach. C's at all in grad school just don't leave a good impression, especially if there is a trend of struggling with harder coursework, which suggests you might struggle with med school work! Research heavy MD schools, even if clinical focused from what I've been told by colleagues will look much more heavily at grad school work than others.

But all of that being said, after the fact there is often little you can do except to indicate why the problem occurred and what you did to resolve it.

Also, the above doesn't count if you are in an SMP med school prep grad program! In those you need to focus on making A's no matter what as anything less will most of the time get close scrutiny and a low SMP gpa can mean death.

I'm in OT school (masters level). A lot of my intervention classes grading depends on who is grading it

I am expecting to be over 3.0 but not much over that. Maybe around 3.2 to 3.3

Thanks for info.

 

[DrMikeP]

A lot will then depend on ugpa and MCAT. You really need to be able to make explain how med school will be different.

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[Shotapp]

I have no knowledge about the difficultly level of OT school...but I am very confident that medical school is a lot more harder. Being barely over a 3.0 GPA is not a good sign that you will survive medical school...not good

 

[beestrng]

I have no knowledge about the difficultly level of OT school...but I am very confident that medical school is a lot more harder. Being barely over a 3.0 GPA is not a good sign that you will survive medical school...not good

Well I hope my ug grade helps me out haha.

I did well in science classes in grad and undergrad like AP, Micro, Chem and Physics. Averaging a B+. Still have not taken Phys II or Organic yet tho.

What I am talking about are the practical classes where techniques are graded. They are not very subjective. But then med schools maybe thinking that I wont do well 3rd year assuming the way its graded is
similar. welp.

A lot will then depend on ugpa and MCAT. You really need to be able to make explain how med school will be different.

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Yeah sounds good man. Thank you.

 

[DrMikeP]

So rock your prerequisite courses you have left, nail the mcat, do some shadowing, and then incorporate how you loved the patient interactions but discovered medicine is your passion and you know that because of xyz.....etc etc

You need to really be able to answer when they ask about your y3 and 4 and how that might be a challenge clinically.

I think you have a shot though! Depending on your scores/GPA DO with your background might be a much easier in.

Good luck!

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[Goro]

Most MD schools won't consider the PhD GPA. You're supposed to do well in these courses and there is considerable grade inflation.

Will it hurt? Maybe.

DO schools will be more forgiving.

Greetings,

This is kind of the opposite question of what I have seen on here, but if you had a good uGPA and a so-so gGPA, can that actually hurt you? I got my BS with a 3.92 GPA with honors from a state school, went on to a top 20 school for a science PhD but had only a 3.47 GPA there... It was mainly due to grades in a couple of research rotations and two classes where I got B's. In any case, I would say whatever lack of experience I had at the beginning of the program, I turned around during my stay in the graduate program. I have heard graduate GPA is generally not weighed as heavily, but would like some opinions from other non-traditional students.

Thanks,
FQ

 

[wagonwheel23]

I feel for you Fearquell... I had a MS GPA from a PhD program that I left at a top 5 research institute. Our classes were not grade inflated and many of my classmates had GPAs around a 3.0. I was proud of my 3.89, but from everyone I spoke to, too many programs are inflated. Therefore, it doesn't matter.

Good luck!