Is a downward trend in GPA that bad?

[Admires]

Question answered

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[Relax!]

A declining trend in GPA is generally not considered to be a positive attribute in a prospective medical student. Yes, classes get progressively harder in college but the same thing happens in medical school. You are just a sophomore so you still have your junior year (and possibly senior, depending on your plans) to turn your GPA trend upwards again.

 

[SSSMDt]

Just spend your last 4 semesters maintaining a high GPA and I think you'll be fine. Yes, a declining GPA is frowned upon but I don't think those sorts of numbers will be heavily frowned upon unless they continue to decline from this point on. I wouldn't just assume classes will get harder because you'll be in upper divisions. In my opinion, most of my upper division bio and econ courses were all easier than lower division classes. Maybe that was because I had better work ethic, but I think that might have also been because upper division are actually easier/just enjoy them more so its easier to learn. Anyways, keep your GPA up in the 3.7-3.8 range or higher and you'll be fine.

 

[FletchHaris]

Im a second semester sophomore. first semester freshman year i got a 3.86, second semester a 3.8, first semester sophomore year, a 3.76, and this semester I'm about to get around a 3.7. The classes are just getting harder since I'm taking more upper level science classes. Can't adcoms notice that too or will a decline in GPA like the one mentioned above be really bad for me? Thanks.

If you're above a 3.6, you're fine.

 

[AspiringERMD]

Dude, chill. That's hardly even a decline. You do take harder classes as school progresses, you know.

 

[technician]

Im a second semester sophomore. first semester freshman year i got a 3.86, second semester a 3.8, first semester sophomore year, a 3.76, and this semester I'm about to get around a 3.7. The classes are just getting harder since I'm taking more upper level science classes. Can't adcoms notice that too or will a decline in GPA like the one mentioned above be really bad for me? Thanks.

OP, not to worry. I've read on here that the most common GPA trends for applicants tend to look like the Nike sign, with a dip into sophomore year and then kick back into shape towards senior year. Just kill it from here on out and don't let it continue to slip any more.

 

[TxC]

Relax, you're okay. Something like 3.8 to 3.4 to 3.0 is when you would need to worry.

 

[operaman]

My sense is that the overall GPA is far more important than any trends, and so long as it's good I doubt people will look that closely semester by semester. If you have any serious drops, you will probably (definitely) be asked about them. I had a great GPA until my senior year of undergrad when I started getting some Cs and Ds, but still ended up >3.6. That's about as bad a year as you can have while still graduating. I definitely got asked about it during interviews and I made special mention of it in my PS. There were pretty clear cut reasons for the drop off and it never seemed to hurt me once people understood the reasons -- they were 100% not suggestive of any current issue that would have impaired my performance in med school.

So no, some slight dip won't hurt, but don't let the overall number slide much lower.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Is it just a semester or two? Not terrible. If it goes on longer it might raise some flags.

 

[benjaminl1nus]

Im a second semester sophomore. first semester freshman year i got a 3.86, second semester a 3.8, first semester sophomore year, a 3.76, and this semester I'm about to get around a 3.7. The classes are just getting harder since I'm taking more upper level science classes. Can't adcoms notice that too or will a decline in GPA like the one mentioned above be really bad for me? Thanks.

omg.


why.

 

[LizzyM]

It is very common for grades by year to have a J shaped curve with a dip in sophomore year followed by a steady rise in junior & senior year. I've seen it a million times. You are seeing (living) the nadir but with some hard work you'll see your GPA curve take the typical upswing over the next two years!

And another thing... we don't look at GPA by semester but by school year so your slide will be even less obvious than what you see looking by semester.

 

[Goro]

Chill. A 3.86 -> 3.7 is not a downward trend.

To 3.2, yes.

Im a second semester sophomore. first semester freshman year i got a 3.86, second semester a 3.8, first semester sophomore year, a 3.76, and this semester I'm about to get around a 3.7. The classes are just getting harder since I'm taking more upper level science classes. Can't adcoms notice that too or will a decline in GPA like the one mentioned above be really bad for me? Thanks.

 

[jwmd]

It is very common for grades by year to have a J shaped curve with a dip in sophomore year followed by a steady rise in junior & senior year. I've seen it a million times. You are seeing (living) the nadir but with some hard work you'll see your GPA curve take the typical upswing over the next two years!

And another thing... we don't look at GPA by semester but by school year so your slide will be even less obvious than what you see looking by semester.

Sorry, I know this is an old thread, but I had a question about this- how do summer semesters factor into this? For example, if you take classes the semester after freshman year, is that considered freshman year or sophomore year at that point?

 

[LizzyM]

I believe that AMCAS counts the first 30 credits as year one, the next 30 as year two and so forth. So if your summer brings you up to 30, then it is part of the previous year.

 

[txmedskool]

Do the AP credits and the courses taken in summer after high school graduation count towards Year One?

 

[Goro]

This is not a downward trend. 3.8 to a 3.3 is a downward trend.

So chill.

Im a second semester sophomore. first semester freshman year i got a 3.86, second semester a 3.8, first semester sophomore year, a 3.76, and this semester I'm about to get around a 3.7. The classes are just getting harder since I'm taking more upper level science classes. Can't adcoms notice that too or will a decline in GPA like the one mentioned above be really bad for me? Thanks.