2.8 GPA and Free Application - Should I Bother???

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So my situation is this: my first year and a half of school I was a communication major who didn't care too much about grades. I'm now a junior and applying this next cycle. I've retaken the classes I did poorly in, but my GPA is still a measly 2.85. I was planning on mainly applying to DO schools, as they calculate the retaken class and not the initial course in the GPA, giving me a much better 3.25. However, I applied and was approved for the fee waiver for the MCAT and as such I can apply fee for 13 MD schools. I know I don't really have a shot due to my GPA unless I get a 40+ on the MCAT (not likely, I'm getting around 30-32 on the practice exams ) - so should I even bother submitting the MD apps? On the one hand, they are free... and what could it hurt? On the other hand, taking the time to fill out the time-consuming AMCAS when I don't have a shot seems like a waste to me.
😕
Any suggestions?

 

[MilkmanAl]

Well, I can tell you one thing: you sure as hell won't get in if you don't apply. If they're free, you might as well go for it. Maybe you'll get lucky.

 

[236116]

- can you wait a year
- what else do you have going for you
- if it's free, go for it

 

[245399]

Free = yes

 

[phospho]

If you apply and don't get in, you've wasted one try (I think the limit is 3). So if you need to reapply (which you most likely will), you may need to rethink your strategy.

 

[searun]

Well, you are wasting your time, you are not going to get into an MD program with a 2.8 gpa, if you were URM and had a great story and did well on the MCAT, perhaps, but given the biographical details in your post, you are wasting your time. You may have a shot at DO but MD would be like getting hit by lightning and becoming a genius.

 

[235009]

-you have no chance with a 2.8/30-32
-you should put your best foot forward and present your strongest app the first time around
-filling in apps and secondaries is going to waste alot of time you could be spending improving your GPA during your senior year!
-will the apps still be free if you forgo applying this time and apply in a year or two?

 

[SketchsaurusRex]

wait a cycle. you would be wasting your time applying now.

 

[BlitzSleep]

If you don't mind leaving the country, the caribbean might be your best bet at this point.

 

[236116]

If you don't mind leaving the country, the caribbean might be your best bet at this point.

You didn't use the sarcasm font.

 

[slick27]

Try anything you can do to get that GPA up before applying. You'll just be wasting your time. You need stellar grades and MCAT scores to get.

 

[aggieallure]

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/04/gpa-and-mcat/

That may help put it in perspective for you.

 

[vin5cent0]

I'd give it a shot. I've heard of people getting in with under 3.0s

 

[DeadliestSnatch]

Anything's possible. If you can make yourself stand out in some way, who knows what might happen? I say go for it.

 

[ponybreeder4]

how does one get a weaiver for the mcat?

 

[nabeel76]

If you don't have a preference for MD and want to just start a year earlier with a 3.25 30-32 go DO. If you do prefer MD schools then don't waste your time applying this year and take an extra year, including both summers, of coureswork with as close to a 4.0 as possible.

P.S. You might want to try calculating your GPA after an additional 30-45 credits of A's to see how high you can even get it. If you don't get it to at least a 3.3 you might still have some trouble getting in MD unless you've got some other unique things going for you that make you stand out. If you don't than you might be better off applying DO this year and forget about busting your ass for an additional year to still possibly not get in any MD programs and end up back to DO but a year and a ton of work later. If you do decide to apply DO this year and your MD apps are free you might as well throw some of those in to see how it turns out, at the very least to your state schools.

 

[Antimony]

For example, for the 2005 school year, 155 applicants were accepted to allopathic medical schools (out of 17,978 total accepted that year) with a GPA that was lower than a 2.75. (Undergraduate Grade Point Average, Medical School Admission Requirements, 2007-2008, page 29) So, it is possible to gain admission with a low GPA...

Source: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/04/gpa-and-mcat/

 

[nabeel76]

155 out of 17,978 accepted is a 0.86% acceptance rate, that sounds like pretty much a long shot to me. You've got better odds in Vegas. Not to mention those 155 acceptances were probably to people that had some extraordinary circumstances or life experiences. Do you really have nothing better to do than spend your summer filling out applications?

I recommend figuring out whether you want DO or MD, if DO, then since your going to spend your summer filling out apps anyways you might as well throw in some MD schools since they are free and you don't have anything to lose. But if you are set on MD schools than your better off taking courses that summer and pulling up your GPA as opposed to spending your time applying and getting nowhere. In addition to that you'll be considered a reapplicant come next year's amcas cycle when you don't get in, unless you also have some extraordinary circumstances or unique experiences - if so than give it a shot this year.

 

[orrghead16]

155 out of 17,978 accepted is a 0.86% acceptance rate, that sounds like pretty much a long shot to me.

That is the percentage of acceptees who had lower than 2.75, not the acceptance rate for those who had a lower than a 2.75. We would need to have the # of those who applied or got denied with a <2.75.

 

[ODorDO]

So my situation is this: my first year and a half of school I was a communication major who didn't care too much about grades. I'm now a junior and applying this next cycle. I've retaken the classes I did poorly in, but my GPA is still a measly 2.85. I was planning on mainly applying to DO schools, as they calculate the retaken class and not the initial course in the GPA, giving me a much better 3.25. However, I applied and was approved for the fee waiver for the MCAT and as such I can apply fee for 13 MD schools. I know I don't really have a shot due to my GPA unless I get a 40+ on the MCAT (not likely, I'm getting around 30-32 on the practice exams ) - so should I even bother submitting the MD apps? On the one hand, they are free... and what could it hurt? On the other hand, taking the time to fill out the time-consuming AMCAS when I don't have a shot seems like a waste to me.
😕
Any suggestions?

you know what bro? I am in the EXACT situation as you! however my pre-med adviser suggested me NOT to apply for MD's bcos she thinks i should really focus on writing those secondaries for D.O. schools later on. but too bad!!! im gona use my 13 freebies anyway

 

[ar2388]

you know what bro? I am in the EXACT situation as you! however my pre-med adviser suggested me NOT to apply for MD's bcos she thinks i should really focus on writing those secondaries for D.O. schools later on. but too bad!!! im gona use my 13 freebies anyway

exactly!

i would definitely use the 13 freebies!!! because secondaries are free too! you waste no money and best case scenario: you get an interview and who the hell knows? maybe an acceptance somewhere. worst case: you are a reapplicant next time you apply MD but nex time you apply I assume you will have bettered your application and i dont think it will matter...

 

[Stixman28]

If you apply and don't get in, you've wasted one try (I think the limit is 3)

Is this true?

I know that you can only take the MCAT 3 times, and that is to keep people like kaplan test teachers/writers from just taking an MCAT refresher every year. and also to keep folks from stealing questions to make practice tests.

but Ive never heard about a limit to the number of times you can apply...

Sources?

 

[phospho]

Is this true?

I know that you can only take the MCAT 3 times, and that is to keep people like kaplan test teachers/writers from just taking an MCAT refresher every year. and also to keep folks from stealing questions to make practice tests.

but Ive never heard about a limit to the number of times you can apply...

Sources?

I was talking about applying using the fee waiver. You can have your fees waived only three times.

Also, although AMCAS doesn't have a limit to how many times you can apply, a lot of individual schools do.

 

[MsJLewis]

You have several options. You can apply with the freebies but realize that you will only have 3 chances to apply with them (as a poster stated earlier). In addition, certain schools will only look at your application 3 times before barring you from applying to the school altogether.

There are many reapplication programs (I know some of the UC's have them and they let OOS ppl in) that can help you increase your chances of success through MCAT prep and additional course work. However, in order to apply to some of these programs you need to have gone through the application cycle at least once and been rejected.

If you're not adverse to the idea of taking a year off after graduation, you can wait and see how senior year's grades turn out. You will probably still qualify for the fee waiver from AMCAS. If you really don't want to take a year off you can roll the dice this cycle and see how it turns out and continue to enhance your application in the interim.

Good luck!

 

[shindotp]

There ain't no such thing as a free application.