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Definitely below the MD average for GPA, but plenty of people get in with your GPA. In your case, it is all about shining thought with a stellar MCAT and extracurriculars. I would actually try and aim for like 512+ on the MCAT if you are gunning for MD programs because of your below average GPA. You should be competitive at most DO schools with your GPA.
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Commit. Live, eat and breathe as if you are today what you hope to be in the future. You'd be surprised how much you can achieve when you remove failure as a possibility. If you do this, nothing will stop you from reaching this passion- if it is your true and only passion. PM me if I can help with anything else, and good luck!
515+= MD 508+ = DO
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you need that score to make up for the sgpa that may get you screened out. I would raise the sgpa to atleast 3.3+ if possible.
Your sGPA is really too low for MD. It's actually low for DO. But you have some time to bring it up as much as you can. Unfortunately your best chances for MD would be at your state schools. I'm assuming in your case that won't happen because you are a Cali resident. I'd focus on DO schools and finding a DO to shadow. Are you UIM by any chance?
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It is possible to gain acceptances with an sgpa in the 3.3+ range. But you need to eradicate any concern the adcom may have about your academic ability. An MCAT of 515 would be a step in that direction.
I've been wondering. Do they care about the cGPA nearly as much?
Don't underestimate how much work it takes to get a 515+ on the MCAT which relies heavily on courses you are not acing. That's not meant to denigrate your aspirations (plenty of others might do that) just pointing out that the MCAT content is from freshman and sophomore science classes; also, unless you need calc for your degree, it's not needed for most med schools and those that do require it, wouldn't accept you anyway (or me, or 99% of everyone else on here).
If you do graduate and then take more science classes after that, it will help because post-bacc shows up differently and on separate line. However, it was pointed out to me last week that that post-bacc still gets incorporated into overall GPA.
You're not out of the game just might not be in the game until a few years from now.... don't stress about that. Focus on what you need to do, get A's and take the MCAT.
FWIW, my GPA is substantially lower than yours - and also over 30 years old 😉
For some schools that's the screen... and an auto reject with a poor MCAT.
If you do graduate and then take more science classes after that, it will help because post-bacc shows up differently and on separate line. However, it was pointed out to me last week that that post-bacc still gets incorporated into overall GPA.
You're not out of the game just might not be in the game until a few years from now.... don't stress about that. Focus on what you need to do, get A's and take the MCAT.
FWIW, my GPA is substantially lower than yours - and also over 30 years old 😉
For some schools that's the screen... and an auto reject with a poor MCAT.
They do, different schools probably have different internal rubrics for extending invitations. The basis of the advice regarding sgpa is so that you dont get screened out at schools. cracking 3.5cgpa and 3.4 for sgpa will probably prevent you from being screened out at most places. It may also be disheartening but the median GPA for acceptees is somewhere around 3.7~ish with a SD of .25~.
I am also a non-trad. I also had a poor gpa but not quite as bad as yours. I did however make up for it with the MCAT. so it is possible, but extremely difficult.
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3.5~ 3.4~ 518
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I was immature in UG. It had been 5 + years since UG. I became obsessed with the the test. Look up the performance strategies of 30+ scorers in the MCAT forum.
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Calc based physics is NOT required for most medical schools (again, maybe there are a handful that require it but you won't apply to those anyway)
It doesn't matter to adcoms which sequence you took with respect to physics and a "B" in calc based physics < "A" in algebra/trig based physics.
Pretty sure UCLA only offers calc based physics. So OP either has to take calculus and physics at UCLA or he would need to go back to CSUN or to a CC to take a non-calc physics sequence.
I didn't know that. My advice would be to take physics elsewhere and skip calc primarily because:
1. risk of further grade deterioration
2. calc not required for most schools and could use that money for another UD science course
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