cGPA 3.2 sGPA 3.2 Sept 2015 MCAT

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lostsoul91

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Hi Everyone! I'd like to get some opinions on my chances for either M.D. or D.O. schools.

Cumulative GPA: 3.2 and Science GPA: 3.2 UC Berkeley Grad
Unfortunately not by AMCAS or AACOMAS calculation standards since I haven't applied yet. Also, I'm not sure if there is an external calculator out there to help us calculate it ahead of time, but if there is, please let me know!
I'm enrolled in a Post-Bacc program set to start late September, so GPA will be on the RISE.

Your MCAT score: N/A (510 best on TPR)
For TPR Practice Tests, I've scored, more recently, consistent 507s with one max score of 510.
Planning on taking the September MCAT and hopefully get at least a 510.
If you all have any suggestions of what MCAT scores I should aim for with my GPA for both M.D. and D.O. schools, that' be awesome!

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Any suggestions of what else I can do to make myself a competitive applicant would be very, very much appreciated as well!

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ECs are fine; GPAs are worrisome.

There are calculators for AMCAS and AACOMAS; come back when you have the real numbers and we can better advise.

Fairly troubling news, cGPA is 3.2, sGPA is 3.09. I'm already enrolled in 3 upper division science classes for fall quarter and plan to take 4 more winter and spring quarters. I'm very confident I will do well, so my GPA will rise. To what extent will be the problem; I don't think 11 classes will do as much damage control as I would hope.

I heard a bit about grade replacement for DO schools, so I do plan on taking a couple classes to help with some of the C's that I've gotten.

I understand my GPAs are low, but I'm not giving up. Main question now is: Should I rule out M.D. Schools?
 
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More specifically, cGPA is 3.28 by AACOMAS and 3.20 by AMCAS standards. sGPA however is a 3.09 by AACOMAS and 3.06 by AMCAS standards.
 
Are med schools cutting people off at the cGPA or sGPA juncture?

Would make a lot of sense for it to be sGPA though.
 
MD school are off the table now. If you're boning for the MD, you must continue to do well (GPA > 3.6) and then ace a SMP and the MCAT.

Your fastest path to being a doctor will be by the DO route.


Fairly troubling news, cGPA is 3.2, sGPA is 3.09. I'm already enrolled in 3 upper division science classes for fall quarter and plan to take 4 more winter and spring quarters. I'm very confident I will do well, so my GPA will rise. To what extent will be the problem; I don't think 11 classes will do as much damage control as I would hope.

I heard a bit about grade replacement for DO schools, so I do plan on taking a couple classes to help with some of the C's that I've gotten.

I understand my GPAs are low, but I'm not giving up. Main question now is: Should I rule out M.D. Schools?
 
Are med schools cutting people off at the cGPA or sGPA juncture?

Would make a lot of sense for it to be sGPA though.

3.2/3.06 is just too low for MDs. I don't necessarily think you need to do an SMP if you can ace course work and ace a post-bacc(either staying at your school a 5th year DIY style or a formal post-bacc) and get the GPA up to 3.45/3.35 type territory. But you are a long ways away from being in MD contention. Realize as of now even a 3.2/3.06 is really close to lethal at a number of DO programs.
 
3.2/3.06 is just too low for MDs. I don't necessarily think you need to do an SMP if you can ace course work and ace a post-bacc(either staying at your school a 5th year DIY style or a formal post-bacc) and get the GPA up to 3.45/3.35 type territory. But you are a long ways away from being in MD contention. Realize as of now even a 3.2/3.06 is really close to lethal at a number of DO programs.

Yeah, those GPAs are definitely going to go up. I'm not itching to apply right this moment either, so I have some time to hopefully do some damage control.

I just entered 11 of my expected classes and lets say hypothetically I do get A's in all of them. That brings my cGPA up to 3.34 for AMCAS and 3.42 for AACOMAS, with a sGPA of 3.32 for both AMCAS and AACOMAS. Would I still be application suicide for M.D.? @Goro would I have to do the Post-Bacc for two years total and then an SMP afterwards and then apply to M.D. school? (I likely won't do this, but just very curious if it is even remotely possible to go M.D.).

Where does the MCAT factor in here? Hypothetical #2: what if I ace the MCAT (520ish) does that make up a bit for my below par GPA? I understand what is realistic here and by no means expect myself to get a 520+, just really curious what is in my control.
 
Yeah, those GPAs are definitely going to go up. I'm not itching to apply right this moment either, so I have some time to hopefully do some damage control.

I just entered 11 of my expected classes and lets say hypothetically I do get A's in all of them. That brings my cGPA up to 3.34 for AMCAS and 3.42 for AACOMAS, with a sGPA of 3.32 for both AMCAS and AACOMAS. Would I still be application suicide for M.D.? @Goro would I have to do the Post-Bacc for two years total and then an SMP afterwards and then apply to M.D. school? (I likely won't do this, but just very curious if it is even remotely possible to go M.D.).

Where does the MCAT factor in here? Hypothetical #2: what if I ace the MCAT (520ish) does that make up a bit for my below par GPA? I understand what is realistic here and by no means expect myself to get a 520+, just really curious what is in my control.

You have way too many hypothetical's here. Anybody can put hypothetical grades in an excel sheet and see what their GPA would be in that fantasy world. That's not reality and that doesn't account for many of the twists and turns life brings about. You probably didn't anticipate your GPA being where it is now a couple years ago did you? So don't start just jumping the gun assuming 11 straight A's. Not to be overly harsh but there is nothing in your track record to suggest you'll get 11 A's in a row. Is it possible, sure but it will take a serious change in approach from you that most people never come close to doing.

To answer your question your target for GPA should be 3.4/3.3 roughly. If you can have a serious upward trend those numbers can suffice. The MCAT obviously is a major variable. Again, the higher the better. A 3.4/3.3 candidate with 515 and that kind of upward trend could be competitive for some lower tier MDs with a strong well rounded app. But you got alot to do before that's part of the conversation. Good luck.
 
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You have way too many hypothetical's here. Anybody can put hypothetical grades in an excel sheet and see what their GPA would be in that fantasy world. That's not reality and that doesn't account for many of the twists and turns life brings about. You probably didn't anticipate your GPA being where it is now a couple years ago did you? So don't start just jumping the gun assuming 11 straight A's. Not to be overly harsh but there is nothing in your track record to suggest you'll get 11 A's in a row. Is it possible, sure but it will take a serious change in approach from you that most people never come close to doing.

To answer your question your target for GPA should be 3.4/3.3 roughly. If you can have a serious upward trend those numbers can suffice. The MCAT obviously is a major variable. Again, the higher the better. A 3.4/3.3 candidate with 515 and that kind of upward trend could be competitive for some lower tier MDs with a strong well rounded app. But you got alot to do before that's part of the conversation. Good luck.

Thanks for the advice!
 
There are a good number of MD schools that give more weight to good performance over the past 2 years rather than the entire four years. State schools come to mind, for one. But a single year at 4.0, while encouraging, won't impress that many MD Adcoms...they're going to want to see more extensive proof that the you of now is not the your of then.

You can try an app cycle and see how it goes. There's a stigma on SDN about reapplicants, but I've seen plenty of posts from people who fixed things in the app year, who got in the following app cycle.

But personally, I recommend applying once, with the best possible app.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Med schools aren't going anywhere.


I just entered 11 of my expected classes and lets say hypothetically I do get A's in all of them. That brings my cGPA up to 3.34 for AMCAS and 3.42 for AACOMAS, with a sGPA of 3.32 for both AMCAS and AACOMAS. Would I still be application suicide for M.D.? @Goro would I have to do the Post-Bacc for two years total and then an SMP afterwards and then apply to M.D. school? (I likely won't do this, but just very curious if it is even remotely possible to go M.D.).

Where does the MCAT factor in here? Hypothetical #2: what if I ace the MCAT (520ish) does that make up a bit for my below par GPA? I understand what is realistic here and by no means expect myself to get a 520+, just really curious what is in my control.
 
More specifically, cGPA is 3.28 by AACOMAS and 3.20 by AMCAS standards. sGPA however is a 3.09 by AACOMAS and 3.06 by AMCAS standards.
don't apply to KCUMB with that AACOMAS GPA. they have strict 3.25 c/s GPA cutoff
 
There are a good number of MD schools that give more weight to good performance over the past 2 years rather than the entire four years. State schools come to mind, for one. But a single year at 4.0, while encouraging, won't impress that many MD Adcoms...they're going to want to see more extensive proof that the you of now is not the your of then.

You can try an app cycle and see how it goes. There's a stigma on SDN about reapplicants, but I've seen plenty of posts from people who fixed things in the app year, who got in the following app cycle.

But personally, I recommend applying once, with the best possible app.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

Awesome, thanks for all your great advice thus far! I will probably have more questions in the future, and hopefully you'll still be around!
 
don't apply to KCUMB with that AACOMAS GPA. they have strict 3.25 c/s GPA cutoff

This was only from one of the admissions ladies at KCUMB, but when I called to ask about the austerity of the GPA cutoff, she told me that it was not completely set in stone. She also informed me that non-traditional students (SMP grads/reapps/those who hold other advanced degrees - those were the specific groups she gave me) are viewed by a "different committee". We got to talking and she recommended that I go ahead with finish my application despite an embarrassingly low undergad science GPA. I was just verified by AACOMAS on the 28th so I obviously don't have concrete evidence yet. And again this was just from the mouth of one person in an office of many, but I would definitely not count you out for anything. Sorry to have replied without any true advice. I hope everything works out for you and good luck!!!
 
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