DO 3.17 sGPA/3.43 cGPA

[HopefulDoc91]

So I am trying to figure out if I should retake classes or not. I graduated with my Bachelor of Science this past May, and unfortunately I didn't get into any schools my last application cycle. When I applied last, I had a 3.0 sGPA and 3.3 cGPA. My MCAT was 496. I had 50 volunteer hours in a hospital, and 500+ hours volunteering for our local firehouse. I had about 50 hours of shadowing a cardiologist DO, and a letter of rec from that DO. I did have an interview with PCOM, but was rejected after. They couldn't get off the topic of my major in my interview -- pre-vet rather than pre-med. It felt like they thought medical school was my second choice to vet school...and I was still working at a vet clinic to be fair (but I definitely am 100% committed to med school)

I've been studying to retake the MCAT since I graduated in May, and I'm set to take it again in January 2017. I barely studied the first time, and this time I made a diligent study schedule for 6 months that I've stuck to religiously. My final sGPA is 3.17 and my final cGPA is 3.42., and I ended my last semester with straight A's. I have been working at a community hospital for 1 year now, with direct patient contact and forming relationships with doctors (probably about 2,000 clinical hours). I will be shadowing another DO from February-May, and hopefully getting a letter of rec from them too.

My 6 letters of rec will be 3 doctors (2 DO, 1 MD), my undergrad advisor, my microbiology professor, and my volunteer coordinator (which I know is an amazing letter)

I plan on having my MCAT score, shadowing/clinical/volunteer hours, and letters of rec all lined up and ready to submit to AACOMAS the day applications open.

So my question is, are my GPAs OK, or do I need to retake classes this spring before applications open? I got a C+ in Gen Chem 2 and Physics 2 during my undergrad. Only gen chem 2 is offered this spring, and if I got an A it would raise my sGPA from 3.17 to 3.21. Is that increase worth it??? I couldn't take Physics 2 until over the summer, and if I got an A in that too (which I'm not sure about, probably a B+), then my sGPA would go to 3.26. Each class is also $2,000 so I'm trying to figure out if it would make a difference in my application or not. Any advice is appreciated!!! Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Doctor or bust]

retaking classes isn't worth it, take upper level science courses that you may see in medical school to show them that you are able to handle the material. If you get no hits again this cycle, try an SMP as some adcoms may be uncertain about your intentions since you were pre-vet.

 

[HopefulDoc91]

retaking classes isn't worth it, take upper level science courses that you may see in medical school to show them that you are able to handle the material. If you get no hits again this cycle, try an SMP as some adcoms may be uncertain about your intentions since you were pre-vet.

Before AACOM changed their policy today, if I retook those 2 classes it would've brought my sGPA up to a 3.36. I died when I got the email today that they aren't replacing grades anymore, as I signed up for gen chem 2 yesterday. To be quite honest, I don't have the money to do an SMP. I barely would have enough to retake the 2 undergrad classes. I'm not sure what to do here.

 

[Doctor or bust]

Retaking those classes isn't going to be fruitless, just less so than it would have been last year due to the changed policy. It will still bring up your sGPA though and considering that this policy was just released, I'm sure that it will look similar for many applicants to have retakes on this coming semester which will put you in those boats. Do you need any of these retakes in order to do any better on upper level courses?

 

[HopefulDoc91]

Retaking those classes isn't going to be fruitless, just less so than it would have been last year due to the changed policy. It will still bring up your sGPA though and considering that this policy was just released, I'm sure that it will look similar for many applicants to have retakes on this coming semester which will put you in those boats. Do you need any of these retakes in order to do any better on upper level courses?

No my only C's were in Chem104 and Phys202. I just don't want to waste $4,000 for schools to tell me that retaking those 2 classes isn't enough, and that the only way I can have a decent sGPA is if I do a post-bac. I can't afford the post-bac, so honestly I have no idea what I would do.

 

[Doctor or bust]

Post-bacs are super expensive and I don't blame you, however, how would you plan on paying for medical school if you cannot afford a post-bac? You would likely be on loans (I assume) and would certainly accumulate more debt but what are your other choices? You can always try to go into a different program other than becoming a physician but if that is your dream than what is a bit more debt? It would be even more time and money down the drain but if it is really your dream then you will make the necessary sacrifices.

 

[psu228]

I retook two Cs in gen chem and last fall and replaced them with As. Cost 3500 bucks total. My science gpa would have been significantly higher than DO schools but now seems to fall in the 3.3-3.5 range. So I feel where you're coming from.

With that in mind, I believe that a lot of the DO schools, while they can't credit your grade replacement, are still going to give a lot of merit to a retake when you got an A the second time. Proves you learned from your bad habits and that you aren't the student you were then.

If I were you, I'd retake gen chem 2. See what you get on the MCAT. If you get a 505+, I would consider NOT taking the physics this summer. But absolutely retake the class this semester. There's a significant difference between a 3.17 and 3.2

good luck man.