Top US Schools

[PasDeDeux]

I'm a second year student at the University of Toronto. I did horrible in my first year and finished with a GPA of 2.52. A D- in Calculus, C+ Physics and C in Psychology did me in. I was doing really well during the year in Physics. I was confident of finishing the course with an A but I got 19% on my final exam having the biggest brain freeze of my life. So it's not that I did not understand it, I just became incredibly stupid during the 3 hours that mattered the most all year. This year I decided to really shape up and finished first semester with a 4.0 in all my half year courses and I'm hoping to finish the whole year with a 3.7-3.8. Basically, the difference between first year and second year was better time management skills, studying smart and being able to study what I really was interested in. Also, first year lit a fire under my ass and made my drive 10x stronger.

The thing is, I really want to go to one of the top schools in the states but I think I'm at a disadvantage being Canadian. I wanted to be an ideal student for medical school but those Cs and D really does my GPA in. If I do keep up this trend after 2nd year (which I think is unlikely) I can only be able to pull my GPA up to the 3.5-3.6 area. Should I retake those courses?

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[aRnonymous]

Short answer, yes. Do a search on some of my posts. I'm a Canadian who did undergrad in Canada, hoping to get an acceptance from U of T through. To even have a chance at top US schools you need to really boost your GPA and you have have to murder the MCAT

 

[PasDeDeux]

Thanks! Don't they average out your grade if you retake a course? I've heard that they just count the first mark towards your cGPA and consider the retake to be extra.

I also want to apply to UofT and med schools in Canada. At UofT, if you have taken 5 FCEs they allow you to drop 3 if applying after 3rd year and 4 if applying after 4th year from your cGPA. I think if I can get rid of the D, Cs and other bad first year marks my GPA will be around a 3.9 (assuming that in the next 2 years I continue to do well).

 

[Stratego]

Don't they average out your grade if you retake a course? I've heard that they just count the first mark towards your cGPA and consider the retake to be extra.

At US schools they count both grades, essentially averaging them, but not quite. If you get 4 hours of F and repeat getting an A, then you'd have 8 hours of a C averaged into all your other coursework.

Consider retaking any prerequisite in which you got a C or lower, basically so you understand the material well enough to kill the MCAT and to prove you're a new, hardworking person now. If you want to get into med school, you have no more margin for error. Keep up the excellent work you are doing now, and don't lose your motivation.

 

[flip26]

I'm a second year student at the University of Toronto. I did horrible in my first year and finished with a GPA of 2.52. A D- in Calculus, C+ Physics and C in Psychology did me in. I was doing really well during the year in Physics. I was confident of finishing the course with an A but I got 19% on my final exam having the biggest brain freeze of my life. So it's not that I did not understand it, I just became incredibly stupid during the 3 hours that mattered the most all year. This year I decided to really shape up and finished first semester with a 4.0 in all my half year courses and I'm hoping to finish the whole year with a 3.7-3.8. Basically, the difference between first year and second year was better time management skills, studying smart and being able to study what I really was interested in. Also, first year lit a fire under my ass and made my drive 10x stronger.

The thing is, I really want to go to one of the top schools in the states but I think I'm at a disadvantage being Canadian. I wanted to be an ideal student for medical school but those Cs and D really does my GPA in. If I do keep up this trend after 2nd year (which I think is unlikely) I can only be able to pull my GPA up to the 3.5-3.6 area. Should I retake those courses?

With your grades, you would be at a disadvantage at "top schools" if you were a US citizen, too.

Drop the obsession with "top schools" because you have almost zero chance, get your grades UP UP UP, and do really well on the MCAT, and then apply VERY broadly in the US, seeking the handful of schools that seem to have an open mind about Canadian applicants.

Why did you take Calculus in the first place? Is it required for your major? If so, would you have to retake it anyway for your major? You should retake it for 2 reasons: First, some US schools require it (not many, but some do), and second, it is going to really destroy your BCPM GPA...any pre req below a C should be retaken...that includes a C-...

 

[Mobius1985]

Have you considered applying to osteopathic (DO) med schools if your GPA repair efforts don't pan out as you'd hoped? They are more forgiving of past academic problems. Many take international students from Canada. The osteopathic school application service (AACOMAS) will replace any grade you retook with the more recent grade, assuming the credit hours are the same, allowing you to improve your application GPA faster. AMCAS, the MD school application service, will average in a retake, so it takes longer to redeem your GPA that way. The mean GPA for accepted DO students is 3.45.

 

[longhorn09]

3.5 is low for top MD schools, even for US citizens. You want to boost your GPA up to at least 3.7.

 

[longhorn09]

3.5 is low for top MD schools, even for US citizens. You want to boost your GPA up to at least 3.7.

 

[longhorn09]

3.5 is low for top MD schools, even for US citizens. You want to boost your GPA up to at least 3.7.