What do you do when your GPA still isn't good enough?

[hopeless_pedantic]

To expand on my title: I graduated from my undergraduate institution nine years ago with zero intention of becoming a doctor. Still, I majored in biology because I simply like the subject, and just so happened to complete all the foundational classes for the pre-med track. Years later, "life" convinced me that becoming a doctor was something I wanted/needed to do. The problem was my undergraduate GPA was way too low to be competitive with one F and three Ds (which I have since re-took). By then I had already started a master's program (that I was crushing), and I even retook an organic chemistry post-bac class to prove my proficiency. I tried to raise my total GPA as much as possible, but even though I graduated with a 3.8 master's and aced my post-bac orgo course, my 120+ undergraduate credits are pulling me down. My total GPA is literally 2.99 and I'm afraid it'll screen me out from a lot of schools or at least put be on the back-burner because it's sub-3.0. My MCAT is competitive for DO schools (i'm already kind of convinced I have no shot at MD programs) and this is my second application cycle (no interviews the first go-round). I have stellar ECs, personal statement, LORs, research, volunteer, publications, leadership...you name it. SO my question is -- Has anyone ever had any luck with e-mailing or calling admissions departments personally and said something like "listen, you're not going to see my application because my GPA is below 3.0, but please, I'm begging you to go back and find it and consider it." How would you recommend going about contacting adcoms? I have worked so, so, so freaking hard to prove I'm more than my undergraduate GPA, but I don't know what else I can do at this point to even be given a chance.

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[Goro]

Is your MS a research MS, or an SMP? If the latter, then you still have a shot at MD. Yes, some schools will screen you out, but others like diamonds in the rough.

EDIT: see if you can get a retroactive W for any courses where you had a grade of C- or less. This is a thing at some UG schools, and the worst that they will do is say "no"

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Read

GPA Repair and Management for Pre-Health Applicants - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

Meet with admissions staff with an appointment before you apply.

 

[hopeless_pedantic]

Is your MS a research MS, or an SMP? If the latter, then you still have a shot at MD. Yes, some schools will screen you out, but others like diamonds in the rough.

EDIT: see if you can get a retroactive W for any courses where you had a grade of C- or less. This is a thing at some UG schools, and the worst that they will do is say "no"

It's a research MS in biomedical science. Thanks for letting me know about the retroactive Ws. I'll ask my undergrad institute if they do that.

 

[hopeless_pedantic]

Read

GPA Repair and Management for Pre-Health Applicants - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

Meet with admissions staff with an appointment before you apply.

Thank you!

 

[Faha]

What is your MCAT score ? Where is your state of residence ? What are your ECs including hours for clinical and non clinical ?

 

[Goro]

It's a research MS in biomedical science. Thanks for letting me know about the retroactive Ws. I'll ask my undergrad institute if they do that.

MD schools will not consider the GPA from this, as they know of the grade inflation involved.

DO schools are fine with it.

 

[hopeless_pedantic]

What is your MCAT score ? Where is your state of residence ? What are your ECs including hours for clinical and non clinical ?

504. Maryland. Between emergency department scribe and volunteer EMT: about 3000 hours. Professional research (in protein bio labs and gene editing molecular bio labs): about 15,000 hours. Shadowing: about 60 hours. Plus : political activism, non-healthcare related work/ service, international service trips, two (soon to be three) publications, leadership roles in many of these.

Do I reach out to Adcoms personally and ask them to dig up my application for consideration, since I think it's going to be ignored for my GPA?

 

[Faha]

You should be able to receive interviews at some DO schools. Are you applying in 2024 ? There may be 2 new DO schools opening in Maryland in 2024. I suggest these schools with your stats:
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (all schools)
LMU-DCOM
LUCOM
ACOM
WCU-COM
NYIT-AR
ARCOM
UIWSOM
BCOM (include Florida campus when it opens)
ICOM
KHSC-COM
BUCOM
RVU-Montana
Touro-Montana
Noorda-COM
DUQCOM
Orlando (when it opens)
It would help to reach out to schools and explain your situation.

 

[hopeless_pedantic]

You should be able to receive interviews at some DO schools. Are you applying in 2024 ? There may be 2 new DO schools opening in Maryland in 2024. I suggest these schools with your stats:
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (all schools)
LMU-DCOM
LUCOM
ACOM
WCU-COM
NYIT-AR
ARCOM
UIWSOM
BCOM (include Florida campus when it opens)
ICOM
KHSC-COM
BUCOM
RVU-Montana
Touro-Montana
Noorda-COM
DUQCOM
Orlando (when it opens)
It would help to reach out to schools and explain your situation.

Thank you! Yes, I'm applying this cycle (2023-2024). Some of these schools actually state that they do have hard cut-offs for 3.0 overall GPA, so I didn't apply to those, but fingers crossed for the others.

 

[Faha]

Thank you! Yes, I'm applying this cycle (2023-2024). Some of these schools actually state that they do have hard cut-offs for 3.0 overall GPA, so I didn't apply to those, but fingers crossed for the others.

Contact those schools with a hard cutoff and see if they will review your application. The newer schools, in particular, need to fill their classes and cannot afford to be overly restrictive.