Worse GPA after postbacc/SMP?

[TwiceADay]

So this will be my first time applying in June and I am currently doing an SMP because I had a 3.4 UG gpa. I had some unfortunate events occur in my family life that really left me maladjusted to the demands of my program. Regardless, I am now left with a 3.0 grad gpa and am wondering what I can do at this point. Obviously, these classes are much harder but I doubt adcoms will allow that to make up for my severe downward trend. I will be applying to MDs and DOs. I just don't know how I can improve now without doing another grad program, which is something I just cannot do or afford right now. Any help would be appreciated.

MCAT: 32-35
Shadowing: >100 hours
Good EC's
Research experience with no publication

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[Goro]

At my school, you're likely to be wait listed and then rejected. I suspect that your best chances will be with the newest DO programs... no chance for MD.

What we see, alas, is that when given a chance to shine, you didn't, and worse, showed poor coping skills.

So this will be my first time applying in June and I am currently doing an SMP because I had a 3.4 UG gpa. I had some unfortunate events occur in my family life that really left me maladjusted to the demands of my program. Regardless, I am now left with a 3.0 grad gpa and am wondering what I can do at this point. Obviously, these classes are much harder but I doubt adcoms will allow that to make up for my severe downward trend. I will be applying to MDs and DOs. I just don't know how I can improve now without doing another grad program, which is something I just cannot do or afford right now. Any help would be appreciated.

MCAT: 32-35
Shadowing: >100 hours
Good EC's
Research experience with no publication

 

[TwiceADay]

At my school, you're likely to be wait listed and then rejected. I suspect that your best chances will be with the newest DO programs... no chance for MD.

What we see, alas, is that when given a chance to shine, you didn't, and worse, showed poor coping skills.

This is what I expected and it's fair but what can I do to change this, if anything? Also are you speaking from an MD or DO school?

 

[Goro]

I'm at a DO program, but MD schools will be even less forgiving than mine. Sometimes you have to take your app on the chin and see how a cycle goes.

This is what I expected and it's fair but what can I do to change this, if anything? Also are you speaking from an MD or DO school?

 

[Admissions to Medicine]

This is a easy one. What other experiences did you have during this past year? Did you do any research or anything besides take these courses? -Admissions to Medicine

 

[TwiceADay]

This is a easy one. What other experiences did you have during this past year? Did you do any research or anything besides take these courses? -Admissions to Medicine

- My extracurriculars involved shadowing and volunteering with two organizations. I didn't do research, no. Easy as in... easy rejection? Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[DrMidlife]

Depends on what SMP you're in, what state you're from, and what schools you're targeting. Also depends on your entire app package. Also depends on whether "32-35" means you are expecting a 32-35 or you actually have a 32-35.

But basically you've lost the SMP bet. An SMP is an opportunity that's supposed to serve as an audition for med school, and your audition wasn't great.

What you do next is try really hard to give up on medicine. Really. The smartest thing you can do now is walk away, because further efforts to get into med school wander into the land of the truly ridiculous. I'm one of those people who did ridiculous things to get into med school and I don't recommend this path.

Best of luck to you.

 

[TwiceADay]

Depends on what SMP you're in, what state you're from, and what schools you're targeting. Also depends on your entire app package. Also depends on whether "32-35" means you are expecting a 32-35 or you actually have a 32-35.

But basically you've lost the SMP bet. An SMP is an opportunity that's supposed to serve as an audition for med school, and your audition wasn't great.

What you do next is try really hard to give up on medicine. Really. The smartest thing you can do now is walk away, because further efforts to get into med school wander into the land of the truly ridiculous. I'm one of those people who did ridiculous things to get into med school and I don't recommend this path.

Best of luck to you.

I appreciate your candor. I'm currently at the RFU SMP, I'm from California, and I'm targeting any school (DO also) really at this point. I also do have that MCAT score. I will message you for further advice. Thank you again.

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

This is a tough one. DO is your best bet. MD is probably wasting your money at this point. What are you doing in your application year? I wonder if it's worth taking some science courses with the caveat that you have to get As so that you can prove you are strong academically.

 

[pietachok]

Depends on what SMP you're in, what state you're from, and what schools you're targeting. Also depends on your entire app package. Also depends on whether "32-35" means you are expecting a 32-35 or you actually have a 32-35.

But basically you've lost the SMP bet. An SMP is an opportunity that's supposed to serve as an audition for med school, and your audition wasn't great.

What you do next is try really hard to give up on medicine. Really. The smartest thing you can do now is walk away, because further efforts to get into med school wander into the land of the truly ridiculous. I'm one of those people who did ridiculous things to get into med school and I don't recommend this path.

Best of luck to you.

This is a tough one. DO is your best bet. MD is probably wasting your money at this point. What are you doing in your application year? I wonder if it's worth taking some science courses with the caveat that you have to get As so that you can prove you are strong academically.

I don't know if I agree with all the negativity. I had similar stats with a post bacc gpa of 3.2 (mcat 34, ugpa 3.4ish) & i'm graduating from an MD school in CA. I applied unsuccessfully immediately after my post bacc. Then I worked for a few years in clinical research at a med school & got good LORs out of that as well as a basis for new, insightful content for my PS & secondaries. I didn't really lose anything in that mechanism of bolstering my app -- I worked a low paying job like many 20-somethings & didn't pay anything into this other than the application fees...which are a lot to throw away, but (to me) are nothing in comparison to wondering "what if?" or realizing I couldn't give up & starting into this again 15 years later. Obviously, this isn't guaranteed to work out, but I just wanted to point out that throwing tuition at this is not the only alternative to walking away.

 

[Silent Cool]

I appreciate your candor. I'm currently at the RFU SMP, I'm from California, and I'm targeting any school (DO also) really at this point. I also do have that MCAT score. I will message you for further advice. Thank you again.

Twice,

Doesn't the RFU program practically guarantee acceptance as long as your GPA is >3.0?
You can definitely get into a DO program.

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

I don't know if I agree with all the negativity. I had similar stats with a post bacc gpa of 3.2 (mcat 34, ugpa 3.4ish) & i'm graduating from an MD school in CA. I applied unsuccessfully immediately after my post bacc. Then I worked for a few years in clinical research at a med school & got good LORs out of that as well as a basis for new, insightful content for my PS & secondaries. I didn't really lose anything in that mechanism of bolstering my app -- I worked a low paying job like many 20-somethings & didn't pay anything into this other than the application fees...which are a lot to throw away, but (to me) are nothing in comparison to wondering "what if?" or realizing I couldn't give up & starting into this again 15 years later. Obviously, this isn't guaranteed to work out, but I just wanted to point out that throwing tuition at this is not the only alternative to walking away.

Downward trends and lowish GPAs are going to make any applicant less competative especially since OP is just getting out of his postbacc. If OP takes time off and takes some courses and is successful in some activities, that would be a different story to some extent. For OP to apply this cycle with a 3.0 grad GPA and a downward trend is going to be an uphill battle at all MD schools in terms of getting an interview IMO. That being said, I think the OP should focus on DO where there is a better shot.

 

[pietachok]

Downward trends and lowish GPAs are going to make any applicant less competative especially since OP is just getting out of his postbacc. If OP takes time off and takes some courses and is successful in some activities, that would be a different story to some extent. For OP to apply this cycle with a 3.0 grad GPA and a downward trend is going to be an uphill battle at all MD schools in terms of getting an interview IMO. That being said, I think the OP should focus on DO where there is a better shot.

Sorry, I interpreted your post to mean md would be a waste from this point on. And mostly I just wanted to add that further pursuit doesn't have to be ridiculous.While my 3.2 is higher than the OP's 3.0, I got 5 MD interviews and interviews at all but 2 DO schools I applied to...downward trend and all (a C+ and 2 B-'s in my postbacc). While it's obviously best to have a better GPA in an SMP, and this is exactly the reason I generally advise against them unless absolutely necessary, someone reviewing an app might acknowledge the fact that Bs in med school are perfectly serviceable & are the same grade earned by many successful med students. If OP is going to invest any more money in this, I would (1) be cautious, b/c burnout can mean worse grades, & (2) also encourage the coursework to be geared toward grade replacement for DO.