How to boost my GPA and what to do during time off??

[happyhannah]

Hi,

I just graduated with an undergrad GPA of 2.7. I took all the pre-med prerequisite courses and long story short I bombed a lot of them (mostly Fs, Ds, Cs, scattered Bs) but I am now in the process of retaking them. I got a lot more serious about school my senior year but at that point I needed to take pretty much all humanities classes to graduate on time with my declared major. So senior year I brought my undergrad GPA up from 2.2 to 2.7 and I'm hoping to begin my upward trend from here on out.

Began retaking premed classes summer before senior year but it was at another school so they weren't counted in my undergrad GPA (2.7). Luckily, I was a non-science major so its not to bad bringing up my sGPA with grade replacement. Here is the timeline (all the GPAs are with grade replacement from now on):

5/2015
cGPA = 2.98 sGPA = 3.10

9/2015
cGPA = 3.22 sGPA = 3.52
I am retaking Bio 2, Ochem 1, and Calc 3 this summer. The GPAs are assuming I earn As in all 3 classes.

After, these retakes all of my BCPM classes are Bs or higher. The problem now is that any new BCPM class I take after this my GPA only increases by 0.02. Do you think that is worth it?

My other question is about what I should do during my time off and how long would be appropriate. I'd like to apply in the 2016-2017 cycle, but I'm willing to wait longer if there is something pressing missing from my application. Also, I'll be taking the new MCAT in January and again in March/April if I need a retake.

Currently, I am working as a part time research assistant in a lab. My other ECs include 5 years of EMT volunteering, 2.5 years of clinical research, 1.5 years of bench research, and about 300 hours of shadowing MDs of various specialties (most of it in the Emergency Dept). No publications yet but I've had plenty of oral and poster presentations and I'm currently writing up 2 papers.

The only thing I know I have to do is shadow a DO physician. I've heard a lot of conflicting advice about applying to SMPs versus working versus getting a graduate degree versus just taking more undergraduate courses and I'm not sure what direction to go in...

I'd be happy with getting into any DO school so any and all advice/comments is appreciated! And I'll try and update this post regularly. Thank you so much!

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[ZedsDed]

Hi,
After, these retakes all of my BCPM classes are Bs or higher. The problem now is that any new BCPM class I take after this my GPA only increases by 0.02. Do you think that is worth it?

This means you have a ton of B's, assuming you aced your retakes. Either way it is a problem you need to remedy. GPA redemption means getting A's. B's aren't going to cut it. SMP vs Postbac and so on is irrelevant if you can't get straight A's. I can't tell from your post if you have done this or not. If not, you need to work on doing that first. Don't think you will somehow learn to be a better student while taking med school courses in an SMP. A poor performance in an SMP will sink your chances. If you have a year of straight A's then I say go ahead and take the MCAT. If you ace the MCAT, then I say go ahead and apply to DO schools. You can do an SMP if you want, but it's always an expensive gamble.

Cheers

 

[happyhannah]

Thank you for the reply and sorry I wasn't clear in my post! Here is my BCMP grade breakdown up until now (May 2015). The classes with the * are retakes.

Bio 1 - B
Bio 2 - C (will retake Summer 2015)
Bio 3 - C (cannot retake because class is no longer offered)
Bio Lab 1 - A
Bio lab 2 - A
Gen Chem 1 - A
Gen Chem 2 - B
Gen Chem lab - A
Ochem 1 - F (will retake Summer 2015)
*Ochem 2 - B+
Ochem lab 1 - B
Ochem lab 2 - A
Physics 1 - B
*Physics 2 - A
*Physics lab 2 - A
Pathophysiology - B+
Microbiology - A

Should I go ahead and retake all of my Bs? Or at least Bio 1, Gen Chem 2, and Physics 1 because the Ochem lab will not have as much weight.

In terms of GPA redemption here is my breakdown beginning summer 2014 (when I actually started caring about school):

Summer 2014
Ochem 2 - B+
Physics 2 - A
Physics 2 Lab - A

Fall 2014
Pathophysiology - B+
Humanities class - A
Humanities class - A
Humanities class - B+

Spring 2015
Microbiology - A
Humanities class - A
Humanities class - A
Humanities class - A
Humanities class - A
Humanities class - A
Humanities class - A

I had to take a lot of humanities classes to graduate on time with my major, but they were all 300/400 level classes so not just easy GPA boosters.

In terms of taking more science classes, I will have exhausted the number of credits a non-matriculating student can acquire after this summer so my only option is to take classes at the local CC or online (I've heard UNE is a good option). Do you have other suggestions?

 

[happyhannah]

In terms of what to do during my time off I think the best plan would be for me to continue working in my lab and volunteering as an EMT. In addition I was thinking of volunteering at a hospice or someplace similar and shadowing a DO (hopefully more than one). Would this combined with the ECs I posted earlier be strong enough? I just started my summer classes so hopefully I'll have 3 more As by the end of the summer.

 

[Goro]

I think you've done all you can with GPA repair. If you can get a decent MCAT score, you will be competitive.

After, these retakes all of my BCPM classes are Bs or higher. The problem now is that any new BCPM class I take after this my GPA only increases by 0.02. Do you think that is worth it?


Time to start shadowing a DO, and ideally, get a LOR from him/her. Even better if you can see OMT in action. And even more icing on the cake is if there's a DO school in driving distance, go visit them and chat up the DOs. My colleagues love it when people do that.

Currently, I am working as a part time research assistant in a lab. My other ECs include 5 years of EMT volunteering, 2.5 years of clinical research, 1.5 years of bench research, and about 300 hours of shadowing MDs of various specialties (most of it in the Emergency Dept). No publications yet but I've had plenty of oral and poster presentations and I'm currently writing up 2 papers.

I don't think you need a SMP.
The only thing I know I have to do is shadow a DO physician. I've heard a lot of conflicting advice about applying to SMPs versus working versus getting a graduate degree versus just taking more undergraduate courses and I'm not sure what direction to go in...

 

[happyhannah]

Thank you @Goro! One question, when you mean going to visit the DO school and talk to the DOs do you mean just speaking with admissions about the program and stuff or talking with students/professors? And if I were to do that should I just show up or schedule an appointment?

 

[Goro]

I mean talking up the the DOs!

One question, when you mean going to visit the DO school and talk to the DOs do you mean just speaking with admissions about the program and stuff or talking with students/professors?

Probably best to see if you can schedule an app't.
And if I were to do that should I just show up or schedule an appointment?

 

[happyhannah]

Just an update because my initial GPA calculations were slightly off.

5/2015
cGPA = 3.05 sGPA = 2.89

After retaking Calc 3 and Ochem 1
cGPA = 3.18 sGPA = 3.11

After retaking Bio 2 and Physics 2 (My first retake that I got an A in won't be counted because it was only 3 credits and the original class was 4)
cGPA = 3.32 sGPA = 3.51