Is an applicant with a bad freshmen year, but with a 4.0 upward trend considered a 4.0 student?

[brianbellau]

Let's say there is an applicant that has a 3.70 GPA by the time he applies, he had a GPA of 2.5 his freshmen year, but his sophomore and junior years he got an A in every class. Let's say another applicant maintained a consistent 3.7-3.8 GPA, but got A's and B's throughout his freshmen, sophomore, and junior years. Which applicant do you think would be considered stronger? Wouldn't the applicant with the 3.7 be considered a 4.0 student because of his perfect 2nd and 3rd years? (Despite his academic problems from freshman year that he obviously has resolved)

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[Ismet]

I hate these hypotheticals that people come up with because in the real world, this is never going to be a distinction. With MCAT, ECs, LORs, essays, etc, the differences in semester performances between two people with the same overall GPA is extremely negligible.

And no, the 3.7 student would not be considered a 4.0 student. They would be considered a 3.7 student with a solid upward trend and minimal academic risk.

 

[knv2u]

Is the applicant's GPA a 4.0? If not, then the applicant is not a 4.o student. The applicant is a 3.7 student with an upward trend.

And no, I don't think the applicant will score brownie points over someone who had an A average consistently through college. At best (in the hypothetical student's favor), the candidates would be considered more or less equal.

 

[deleted407021]

The applicant has a 3.7 and is 3.7 candidate. Great GPA.

 

[loltopsy]

Don't worry, that 3.7 can still get you into the carib school of your dreams.

 

[justAstudent]

A 3.7 is a 3.7 no matter how you look at it.

 

[Law2Doc]

Let's say there is an applicant that has a 3.70 GPA by the time he applies, he had a GPA of 2.5 his freshmen year, but his sophomore and junior years he got an A in every class. Let's say another applicant maintained a consistent 3.7-3.8 GPA, but got A's and B's throughout his freshmen, sophomore, and junior years. Which applicant do you think would be considered stronger? Wouldn't the applicant with the 3.7 be considered a 4.0 student because of his perfect 2nd and 3rd years? (Despite his academic problems from freshman year that he obviously has resolved)

No, he won't be considered a 4.0 student. He will however sometimes be regarded better than the 3.7 student who started at 4.0 and has been trending down each year. Eg the guy who started with a 2.5 freshman year looks better than the guy who Starts strong but pulls a 2.5 during his junior year.

 

[knv2u]

A 3.7 is a 3.7 no matter how you look at it.

Not always. The hypothetical is also devoid of important details. For instance, did the hypothetical applicant take most or all of his pre-reqs during the 2.5 GPA year and proceed to take fluff classes in the 2nd and 3rd year? If so, a 3.7-3.8 throughout (taking the same courses/course load) would be superior especially given its effects on the pre-req and science GPAs.

 

[knv2u]

And to the OP, a 3.7 is good enough for most U.S. allopathic medical schools except for the very top where he might be considered borderline with anything less than a 3.80-3.85 cumulative GPA. Don't fixate on the 4.0. It helps if you have it, but you can do fine without it.

 

[Goro]

Both applicants would be considered exceptional. the first might even get some extra points for overcoming adversity. Everyone loves a come from behind story.

So both candidates would be accepted. The zero-sum game I see often here never applies in Admissions.


Let's say there is an applicant that has a 3.70 GPA by the time he applies, he had a GPA of 2.5 his freshmen year, but his sophomore and junior years he got an A in every class. Let's say another applicant maintained a consistent 3.7-3.8 GPA, but got A's and B's throughout his freshmen, sophomore, and junior years. Which applicant do you think would be considered stronger? Wouldn't the applicant with the 3.7 be considered a 4.0 student because of his perfect 2nd and 3rd years? (Despite his academic problems from freshman year that he obviously has resolved)[/quote]

 

[frosted_flake]

I figured out that I have to get an A in every science course (which is all I have left, 16 classes) until the time I graduate to get a sGPA of 3.59 and cGPA of 3.50. I had a really rough fall 2013 semester.
Ouch.