3.21 gpa from top ten undergad college

[IlovePediatrics]

Hello everyone, I am new to student doctor.
My gpa is a 3.21 and my science is 3.15 coming from a top 10 undergrad college with a major in biological sciences.

I am taking the mcat in january as I graduated this year. What are my chances given I have volunteered, shadowed, and researched plenty.

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[amph119]

3.2 is pretty low. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that. Unfortunately, a "top ten undergrad" won't excuse that either. A 3.2 will not count you completely out at all, but you need to rock the MCAT.

 

[MilkmanAl]

you need to rock the MCAT

I'd shoot for a 35, at the very least.

 

[thetubes]

To get a better perspective of where you stand, you should consider what are the averages of applicants from YOUR undergrad. Going to a top undergrad is great but it doesn't help if the avg GPA of those who apply (let alone those who get accepted) is like a 3.7 as it is at some top schools. However if you went to say Caltech or MIT, that maybe a different story. Even still, schools probably care just as much about what classes you took (think engineering/physical sciences vs humanities) and if you really challenged yourself. That being said, make sure you ace your MCAT to compensate for the GPA. Best of luck.

 

[nfg05]

To get a better perspective of where you stand, you should consider what are the averages of applicants from YOUR undergrad. Going to a top undergrad is great but it doesn't help if the avg GPA of those who apply (let alone those who get accepted) is like a 3.7 as it is at some top schools. However if you went to say Caltech or MIT, that maybe a different story. Even still, schools probably care just as much about what classes you took (think engineering/physical sciences vs humanities) and if you really challenged yourself. That being said, make sure you ace your MCAT to compensate for the GPA. Best of luck.

Definitely great advice here. For example, at my school (Duke), GPA averages are 3.6 overall and 3.3 science. This is for ACCEPTED students (which includes the 85% of Duke applicants who were accepted somewhere). Note this is also for "traditional applicants," those applying between their junior and senior year.

 

[abcabc1]

Unfortunately, the 'top ten' undergraduate school does not carry much weight. The reality is that,if you went to the local campus of your state school (still a 4 Year University, not a CC), you'd probably be sitting here with a 3.75+ and a much better chance at Medical School. The 3.75 may be easier to obtain than the 3.21 at the top school, but Medical Schools don't see it this way.

You'll need strong MCATs, of course. You should consider taking a couple undergraduate Science courses (mid to upper level) at a local 4 Y University, to help prep for the MCAT and boost your BCMP. You could take 6-8 courses by the start of next year's application cycle. If you did well in them, it could make a big difference.

 

[abcabc1]

FYI, I make the local University comparison not to make you feel bad, but to illustrate that attending a 'better' school does not always lead to better results, at least as it relates to getting into Med School. That said, having your school's name behind you will be an asset to the future. It's just that I've seen people from the same family attend Colleges of drastically different levels and, in many cases, the ones from the lower-ranked Undergraduate schools did much better in terms of getting into Med School than those from the better schools.

 

[handbanana]

If you really "love pediatrics," I'd just go DO.

 

[NTF]

I agree, the top 10 thing isn't an excuse (to medical schools) for a mediocre GPA, especially scGPA. What could be a factor though is the difficulty of your major. I mean if you triple majored in Biology/Mathematics/Physics then schools might look more kindly on your GPA. But just assume that your GPA hurts you and do what you can to beef up your other areas like MCAT, ECs, etc. Plus, consider taking some additional science courses, post-bac to lift that GPA (just make sure you get A's). Its a good way to show them that you're capable of acing difficult science coursework. Med schools frequently deal with lopsided academic records and are generally sympathetic to applicants with upward trends.

 

[Frunkey]

Your undergrad institution WILL carry weight in the application process. I have visited many schools, and upon mentioning the fact that I went to a top institution, their ears perked up and they got all smiley. When I told them my GPA, they stopped smiling...

In any case, it cannot be ignored that you went to Bling college while the next guy went to Podunk U. It is an unavoidable fact that top institutions are raping their preprofessional students in these days when people are hurling "grade inflation" around to make themselves feel better. The depressing thing is, we were in the top 5% of students going into college, and our intellectual and interpersonal capabilities are still there, albeit masked by 3-4 years of the most rigorous curricula in the nation.

The ultimate equalizer is the MCAT. I have seen too many people with 3.75's getting 26/27 to be convinced that a higher GPA means anything. Statistics show that MCAT is the primary predictor of medical school success, and I believe (read: hope) that a fantastic score will prove you are ready.

It also can't be ignored that med schools are number ******....thanks ALOT USN&WR