D
deleted36260
Last edited by a moderator:
B
Blade28
Is his GPA 3.05 including the 2+ years of post-bacc work? Or is that just undergrad?
Overall or BCMP?
Overall or BCMP?
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2007
- Messages
- 2,187
- Reaction score
- 511
If overall GPA is low due to UG courses, think about DO schools. He can retake previous classes with poor grades. This is the quickest way to get GPA up to competitive levels. If the UG gpa is below 3.0 it is virtually impossible to get it up to 3.5 just by taking more classes.
A SMP is another option, if you are only looking at MD schools.
A SMP is another option, if you are only looking at MD schools.
D
deleted36260
3.05 including the post bacc. He ****ed off in undergrad, took 5 years to complete and all that. Graduated 4+ years ago now.
~3.7 in BCMP, as his undergrad was latin so not too much damage there.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2008
- Messages
- 53
- Reaction score
- 0
1
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2007
- Messages
- 17
- Reaction score
- 0
...that a low undergrad GPA will kill one's chances of acceptance to an MD school. However, I personally know 3 people who had sub-3.0 undergrad GPAs, who rocked their postbac courses, and who earned stunning committee letters from the postbac institution. All 3 have been admitted to top-20 MD med schools. (U.S. News & World Report, so take the ranking with a grain of salt.) All 3 friends are Caucasian or Asian - OVERrepresented in medicine. The only catch is that all 3 have MCATs in the mid 30s. All 3 also work(ed) for physicians who wrote update LORs.
Does your friend have the backing of his postbac institution? If not, can he get it? The easiest way to improve his application from here on out is to improve his MCAT score and gain some terrific medically-related work experience (and another glowing LOR.)
DO schools are terrific, too. But I don't think he should feel trapped into applying to DO programs. If he wants to, fine; but if he has his heart set on MD, then I say go for it.
p.s. I checked out www.helpjacqui.com. Wow. A crystal clear picture of courage. Thanks for posting that.
Does your friend have the backing of his postbac institution? If not, can he get it? The easiest way to improve his application from here on out is to improve his MCAT score and gain some terrific medically-related work experience (and another glowing LOR.)
DO schools are terrific, too. But I don't think he should feel trapped into applying to DO programs. If he wants to, fine; but if he has his heart set on MD, then I say go for it.
p.s. I checked out www.helpjacqui.com. Wow. A crystal clear picture of courage. Thanks for posting that.
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2006
- Messages
- 6,133
- Reaction score
- 2,367
The MCAT is fine.
SMP is a great option right now without doing any extra coursework. Georgetown, BU, UCinnci, EVMS, Tulane all have well regarded programs. SMPs are very difficult. Do well and you're in. Do poorly and you may not ever have a chance. The risk involved is high but the reward for those who have low GPAs is substantial.
Regular undergrad courses (post-bac) are also an option, albeit a longer road due to diminishing returns. I always feel you get more bang for your buck when you are around a 3.0 GPA.
SMP is a great option right now without doing any extra coursework. Georgetown, BU, UCinnci, EVMS, Tulane all have well regarded programs. SMPs are very difficult. Do well and you're in. Do poorly and you may not ever have a chance. The risk involved is high but the reward for those who have low GPAs is substantial.
Regular undergrad courses (post-bac) are also an option, albeit a longer road due to diminishing returns. I always feel you get more bang for your buck when you are around a 3.0 GPA.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2008
- Messages
- 63
- Reaction score
- 1
Well I'm a DO student and it kinda sucks that everyone in here believes that DO is just a great second choice...like the schools just take the rejects. I know for a fact that if your overall and science GPA aren't 3.2 you get a nice rejection letter...and that was when I applied. I'm being told that the GPAs have actually moved up to 3.5...but that could be an urban legend so I'm not sure.
But really and truely I think the chances of that person getting into an MD school are pretty good now. I know people that had lower MCATs and science GPAs and got in with no problem. Now will you get into Johns Hopkins or Harvard...i don't know but I'm not going to say flat out no. If you make a big enough impression you should be fine. You can go to the school and talk with the admins...schools like this...gives a face to the applications.
Like i said...i've seen worst numbers get into MD schools so maybe the person needs to broaden the application pool...they may be applying to schools that have really really high expectations...and no matter what he just doesn't meet them.
But really...DO schools are just the dumping places for MD rejects ha ha. I mean dont get me wrong...some guys do just apply to DO because they feel that they can't get into MD schools...which is stupid and I wouldn't do it. But a lot of us actually love the osteopathic principles...even though we cringe everytime we go to OMM class
. So tell your friend (s) to just change the way they apply and I'm sure they will get into a school. I think all this extra education is just going to push the dream further and further away, by the time they get into school he/she will be tired of it.
But really and truely I think the chances of that person getting into an MD school are pretty good now. I know people that had lower MCATs and science GPAs and got in with no problem. Now will you get into Johns Hopkins or Harvard...i don't know but I'm not going to say flat out no. If you make a big enough impression you should be fine. You can go to the school and talk with the admins...schools like this...gives a face to the applications.
Like i said...i've seen worst numbers get into MD schools so maybe the person needs to broaden the application pool...they may be applying to schools that have really really high expectations...and no matter what he just doesn't meet them.
But really...DO schools are just the dumping places for MD rejects ha ha. I mean dont get me wrong...some guys do just apply to DO because they feel that they can't get into MD schools...which is stupid and I wouldn't do it. But a lot of us actually love the osteopathic principles...even though we cringe everytime we go to OMM class
. So tell your friend (s) to just change the way they apply and I'm sure they will get into a school. I think all this extra education is just going to push the dream further and further away, by the time they get into school he/she will be tired of it.
