Medical MDadmit: How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA

[mdadmit]

With over a decade of medical school admissions advising experience under her belt, Dr. Suzanne M. Miller has helped hundreds of pre-meds with low GPAs gain admission to medical school. Acknowledging that many pre-meds cannot afford a personal medical school admissions consultant, she decided to write How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA to assist those with less than stellar grades regain hope and understand what they can do to get in to medical school.

How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA will show you how you can:

• Get into the mind of the admissions committees and see how the GPA is really used in medical school admissions
• Use the framework Dr. Miller employs with her “low GPA” clients to formulate what you need to do to get accepted to medical school
• Develop a plan of action based on your own personal circumstances using Dr. Miller's categorization framework
• Strategize how you can get accepted to medical school by reading 13 low GPA success stories of how pre-meds got into medical school despite their low GPAs
• Forget about the mythical “GPA cut-off” and plan your application strategy based on statistical data broken out by six different dimensions on easy to read graphs
• Learn how you can subtly, yet effectively address a low GPA in your personal statement by reading the personal statements of three pre-meds who were accepted to medical school despite low GPAs
• Avoid making things worse by addressing a low GPA inappropriately
• Enhance your prospects of admission by undertaking any of the activities listed on the GPA Mitigation Activities List
• Make an informed decision about whether it’s worth the investment required to gain admission based on your own personal situation
• Be ready for the actual application with Dr. Miller's medical admissions process overview in which she describes each of the application sections including the AMCAS application, secondary essays, and interviews

You can obtain your own copy of How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA at howtobepremed.com

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[plumhill]

Hi! This looks like a really great resource, and I'm sure that many on SDN can benefit from this. My question is: what types of "low" GPAs is your product addressing. Some people on SDN feel that anything <3.6 is "low," yet there are stories of people with 3.1-3.2's who get into medical school.

Also: does your product not work for students whose GPAs are below a certain threshold?

Thanks!

 

[mdadmit]

Thanks for the question! And thanks for pointing out that "low GPA" is subjective and depends on many things - including a pre-med's major, home state, race/ethnicity, disadvantaged status, undergraduate institution, etc. In fact, defining a "low GPA" is the first topic addressed in How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA.

Since I am sure you are looking for exact numbers, the book addresses pre-meds with GPAs ranging from 2.7 to 3.5. The sample essays in the book are from pre-meds with 3.1-3.3 GPAs, and all of these pre-meds got into medical school. However, if you have below a 3.0 GPA, the book will still be helpful and offers advice on what you can do to "overcome" a low GPA. I have had clients with GPAs in the "twos" get into medical school after completing post-bac courses and following the other advice laid out in this book. Low GPAs can be overcome, but it certainly takes significant effort and often considerable time.

 

[coldtse888]

Do you have any tips for Low MCAT but high GPA applicants?

 

[mdadmit]

Thanks for your question. The issue really is - how high is the GPA, how low is the MCAT, and what other activities have you performed? According to the AAMC admissions data, pre-meds with a score of 10 or greater in each section (and thus a 30) are more likely to be accepted to medical school. Do pre-meds with scores below 30 get in? Sure, but it is much harder. Think of the GPA and MCAT as two sides of a pendulum. The higher the GPA is, the lower the MCAT can be, with a floor of about 30. If you have a 3.8 GPA from a well-respected institution, you can probably get away with a low 30s MCAT. However, academic scores are NOT the only part of medical school admissions. Research, community service, extracurriculars, clinical experience, and application skills are all just as important. How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA, and my newly published book How to be Pre-Med discuss these topics.

 

[Sabio23]

Does your book address upward GPA trends and how the cGPA/sGPA balance out?

 

[mdadmit]

Does your book address upward GPA trends and how the cGPA/sGPA balance out?

Yes, How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA addresses upward GPA trends as one of the many GPA trends that you can address in the personal statement. It also discusses the difference between the cumulative and science GPA, and how both are viewed by medical school admissions committees. Thanks for the question!

 

[kingking]

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[mdadmit]

in terms of well-respected institution, I started off from a local community college and finished 2 yrs of G chem and O chem as well as 1 year of calculus there. I then transfer to a UC and finished the rest of the BA requirements + premed classes at UC Riverside. I have a 3.99 gpa in all classes I have taken in both schools...will that be a big problem because I went to a community college? Could I still aim for a higher tier school.. let's say if I can get a 30 on the upcoming MCAT. thank you

kingking,

This is a tough question to answer because getting into medical school requires so much more than a good GPA and MCAT. Coming from a community college is, unfortunately, looked down upon by many medical schools. Many admissions committees will focus more heavily on your UC grades. This is why, for you and all other pre-meds, your research, community service, extracurricular, and clinical experiences will be so important. Not to mention how well you fill out the application - i.e. application skills. If you read How to Get into Medical School with a Low GPA, or How to be Pre-Med, I think you will realize how grades and MCAT are only a small part of the applications battle!

 

[C. Young]

I have a question about the benefits of post-bacc programs. Is that GPA used in the place of the undergraduate or are they both looked at?

 

[sciencenerd94]

Has anyone gotten the book? Any reviews?

 

[aristrutz523]

Bump

 

[MissPharmacist2005]

I have a question. I did some Nursing courses at University, almost finish the Bachelor degree and then finished a Bachelor degree in pharmacy at the same university. I am from Quebec. I got a cumulative GPA for all courses at this Univesity of 3.06.. In Canada, we have like a higher school degree called CEGEP.. it is like a Pre-University School. My grades were not good at that level. If I applied for Medical School, may I just send the University degree, since I am Graduated and over 40 years old?

 

[sydoc95]

Hi I have a question. I presently have a 2.9 GPA and I am a rising junior. I am sure that I can bring to at least about a 3.3 before senior year and a 3.4 by end of senior year. If I can get a MCAT score about 32+, would I have a chance of getting into a medical school? Also, I do have a lot of extracurricular activities.

 

[drkkt2017]

If this thread is still going, any advice for a recent Ivy League graduate with a 3.0. I'm currently studying to take the MCAT in a year and have lots of volunteer and clinical experience.

 

[mdadmit]

I have a question. I did some Nursing courses at University, almost finish the Bachelor degree and then finished a Bachelor degree in pharmacy at the same university. I am from Quebec. I got a cumulative GPA for all courses at this Univesity of 3.06.. In Canada, we have like a higher school degree called CEGEP.. it is like a Pre-University School. My grades were not good at that level. If I applied for Medical School, may I just send the University degree, since I am Graduated and over 40 years old?

Thanks for the post. Unfortunately, the medical school application requires you to submit ALL post-high school (i.e., post-secondary school) grades and degrees.

 

[mdadmit]

If this thread is still going, any advice for a recent Ivy League graduate with a 3.0. I'm currently studying to take the MCAT in a year and have lots of volunteer and clinical experience.

Hello! Being from an Ivy League school certainly helps. But 3.0 is hard to overcome, even with a stellar MCAT. Excelling in a graduate or special master's program will likely be needed. But of course, this depends on your individual situation. Best of luck!

 

[my045881]

Hello! Being from an Ivy League school certainly helps. But 3.0 is hard to overcome, even with a stellar MCAT. Excelling in a graduate or special master's program will likely be needed. But of course, this depends on your individual situation. Best of luck!

Dr. Miller, I just want your opinion on the whole master's program during gap year. What are the benefits of doing a master's anyways. It is better to just grind out more clinical experience and maybe do research "unofficially," or is it better to get a "degree."

 

[mdadmit]

Given the 3.0 undergraduate GPA, you have to prove to admissions committees that you can handle the academic rigor of medical school. Excelling in a special masters program (which should parallel the first year of medical school) and crushing the MCAT is usually the best way to prove this. Of course, this assumes you already have the research, community service, extracurriculars, and clinical experience required to get into medical school. It is rare to get into a MD medical school with a 3.0 undergraduate GPA unless you have a masters level degree with stellar grades. There are of course exceptions to this rule, but I think you should seriously consider a SMP. If you are interesting in applying DO or offshore, then the SMP may not be needed. Hopefully, your undergrad has a great pre-med advisor to guide you. If not, consider getting consultant/coach help.

 

[Stu-dying]

Given the 3.0 undergraduate GPA, you have to prove to admissions committees that you can handle the academic rigor of medical school. Excelling in a special masters program (which should parallel the first year of medical school) and crushing the MCAT is usually the best way to prove this. Of course, this assumes you already have the research, community service, extracurriculars, and clinical experience required to get into medical school. It is rare to get into a MD medical school with a 3.0 undergraduate GPA unless you have a masters level degree with stellar grades. There are of course exceptions to this rule, but I think you should seriously consider a SMP. If you are interesting in applying DO or offshore, then the SMP may not be needed. Hopefully, your undergrad has a great pre-med advisor to guide you. If not, consider getting consultant/coach help.

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't a low goa but a high MCAT score (520) show proof that that person has put alot of effort and can handle materials that are presented? As much as a 4.0 GPA with a 508 MCAT would show laziness? Yet a 4.0 would be considered more than the low GPA even when comparing MCAT scores? From what you wrote, it sounds as if we need to give medical school addmissions the moon and provide the cure to cancer just to be accepted in. What is the criteria of "hard work" or proof "being able to handle medical school"? Or is this all subjective to whoever will be looking over applications?

The way it seems to be set up is: if you are under a certain number, you are unworthy of being accepted unless you provide X amount of data to show that you can compare to that certain number.

 

[RSSBDOC]

Hi Dr. Miller,
I just wanted to know that if its possible to get into MD schools in the US with my current stats.
3.4c gpa
3.38s gpa
Mcat 520
1,300+ hours of non medical volunteering/community service
200 hours of ER volunteering
125 hours of shadowing (this includes shadowing 5 different doctors)
Research: N/A

I recently graduated (May, 2016) and am taking year off.

Please get back to me at your convenience.

Thank you.

 

[Jackie201]

Hello Dr. Miller,
I am planning on doing a pre-medical certificate post-bac at a California State University. I graduated last year from an UC but with a very low GPA - 2.86. Do you think it will help my application by doing a post-bac. I just received my EMT certification and will be working part time while doing the post-bac. Any advice will be helpful

Thank you.

 

[mdadmit]

Hello Dr. Miller,
I am planning on doing a pre-medical certificate post-bac at a California State University. I graduated last year from an UC but with a very low GPA - 2.86. Do you think it will help my application by doing a post-bac. I just received my EMT certification and will be working part time while doing the post-bac. Any advice will be helpful

Thank you.

Thanks for your question. Yes, I think doing a post-bac is a very smart way to start improving your chances with an undergrad GPA below 3.0. But remember, it takes a lot more than grades to get into medical school!