3.381 GPA with Incredibly Strong Upward Trend

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jbrown153

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Life was complex right out of high school. I joined the Marine Corps, enrolled in college, and also applied for and was accepted to Marine Officer Candidate School and contracted as a pilot for the Marine Corps. This was January of 2018 when I started college. My obligations to the Marines were heavy and I unfortunately was injured, requiring surgery on 3 separate occasions, in March 2018, October 2018, and March 2019, as a result of injuries sustained during training. I also had an episode during training with my officer selection officer in Feb 2019 where I lost vision and then consciousness during a workout, and honestly might have died if the OSO had not been there. Needless to say, my health detiorated rapidly and my grades suffered Heavily. Then, in Nov 2019, I became ill and did not recover, gaining a chronic and debilitating illness for 2 years. My grades continued to suffer. Life was a battle going from doctor to doctor to get help, eventually being diagnosed with a severe form of POTS and then later after all POTS treatments failed, I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy and was diagnosed with hemorrhagic gastritis as a result of a severe H. Pylori infection which had eaten away at my stomach lining. My conditions severely limited me both physically and cognitively. After treatments for the H. Pylori and and hemorrhaging, I began to have a strong upward trend in the state of my health and my grades in college.

By the end of 2021 I had healed and was in much better health although still struggling a bit. in the year of Fall 2021-Spring 2022 I was enrolled full time and maintained a 4.0 gpa. I graduated with a double bachelor's in Psychology and Criminal justice and was accepted to a master's program. In my previous curriculum I had a taste of biology through the study of neuro and physiological psych. I loved it. I participated in research lab pertaining to stimulation of the vagus nerve as a possible means of treatment for conditions such as epilepsy.

Fast forward to today, I have dropped from grad school and reenrolled in undergrad to take science prerequisites for med school. I feel the best I have ever felt, I'm eager to learn, and I WILL maintain a 4.0 gpa over the course of my time pursuing this biomedical curriculum. I am also working as a phlebotomist in a local hospital and will continue to shadow doctors when such opportunities present themselves, etc.

My problem is this: If I am to apply next cycle, during Summer 2023, the highest cumulative GPA I will be able to achieve is a 3.381 (The Way AMCAS measures it). Considering my unusual experience, do I have any chance in hell at pursuing med school (MD)? I honestly prefer my state school. I understand that my gpa is far below average, but my experience is far from usual and my 2 last years of full-time college will have consisted of a 4.0 gpa. I do believe I have a good case to make about my lacking gpa. After all, what happened to me is not my fault and frankly, I did the best I could. My courses are only getting harder and I continue to get phenomenal grades in them.

If I do not apply next cycle and continue for an entire year more (apply in 2024), I will certainly have gained a third bachelor's degree in biology, 3 years straight of a 4.0 gpa, and the highest GPA I will be able to achieve will be around a 3.455 (The way AMCAS measures it). My Science GPA will actually be a little higher than my cgpa. I ask again, do I have any chance whatsoever?

I'm going to try either way. I am certain that I want to pursue medicine. I expect an above average MCAT. I typically test well and am quite confident in my abilities.

I am NOT URM. I am a white male. Not sure if they take any other means of being "disadvantaged" into account.

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Life was complex right out of high school. I joined the Marine Corps, enrolled in college, and also applied for and was accepted to Marine Officer Candidate School and contracted as a pilot for the Marine Corps. This was January of 2018 when I started college. My obligations to the Marines were heavy and I unfortunately was injured, requiring surgery on 3 separate occasions, in March 2018, October 2018, and March 2019, as a result of injuries sustained during training. I also had an episode during training with my officer selection officer in Feb 2019 where I lost vision and then consciousness during a workout, and honestly might have died if the OSO had not been there. Needless to say, my health detiorated rapidly and my grades suffered Heavily. Then, in Nov 2019, I became ill and did not recover, gaining a chronic and debilitating illness for 2 years. My grades continued to suffer. Life was a battle going from doctor to doctor to get help, eventually being diagnosed with a severe form of POTS and then later after all POTS treatments failed, I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy and was diagnosed with hemorrhagic gastritis as a result of a severe H. Pylori infection which had eaten away at my stomach lining. My conditions severely limited me both physically and cognitively. After treatments for the H. Pylori and and hemorrhaging, I began to have a strong upward trend in the state of my health and my grades in college.

By the end of 2021 I had healed and was in much better health although still struggling a bit. in the year of Fall 2021-Spring 2022 I was enrolled full time and maintained a 4.0 gpa. I graduated with a double bachelor's in Psychology and Criminal justice and was accepted to a master's program. In my previous curriculum I had a taste of biology through the study of neuro and physiological psych. I loved it. I participated in research lab pertaining to stimulation of the vagus nerve as a possible means of treatment for conditions such as epilepsy.

Fast forward to today, I have dropped from grad school and reenrolled in undergrad to take science prerequisites for med school. I feel the best I have ever felt, I'm eager to learn, and I WILL maintain a 4.0 gpa over the course of my time pursuing this biomedical curriculum. I am also working as a phlebotomist in a local hospital and will continue to shadow doctors when such opportunities present themselves, etc.

My problem is this: If I am to apply next cycle, during Summer 2023, the highest cumulative GPA I will be able to achieve is a 3.381 (The Way AMCAS measures it). Considering my unusual experience, do I have any chance in hell at pursuing med school (MD)? I honestly prefer my state school. I understand that my gpa is far below average, but my experience is far from usual and my 2 last years of full-time college will have consisted of a 4.0 gpa. I do believe I have a good case to make about my lacking gpa. After all, what happened to me is not my fault and frankly, I did the best I could. My courses are only getting harder and I continue to get phenomenal grades in them.

If I do not apply next cycle and continue for an entire year more (apply in 2024), I will certainly have gained a third bachelor's degree in biology, 3 years straight of a 4.0 gpa, and the highest GPA I will be able to achieve will be around a 3.455 (The way AMCAS measures it). My Science GPA will actually be a little higher than my cgpa. I ask again, do I have any chance whatsoever?

I'm going to try either way. I am certain that I want to pursue medicine. I expect an above average MCAT. I typically test well and am quite confident in my abilities.

I am NOT URM. I am a white male. Not sure if they take any other means of being "disadvantaged" into account.
Thank you for your service, and I'm hoping you continue to recover.

Admissions committees will look at your application holistically, including what you did in your most recent semesters when obviously you pivoted to focusing on premed coursework. Your military service will help you as all schools value the military perspective and discipline you bring. You may be able to self-identify as disabled according to what you disclosed, but you know this better.

This forum has a lot of people who have military experience prior to applying, but I would also connect with students and admissions staff well before you apply. It's too early to really focus on "your chances" without an MCAT result, but I think you will have a good shot if your recent current coursework stays at 4.0 (or at least above 3.5 to 3.7).
 
My cumulative GPA when I applied was less than a 3.0, and I nearly failed out of undergrad and still got an acceptance. You clearly had a very rough go of things and most of your applications will give you an opportunity to explain what was going on at the time.

You have that magic upward trend or the Nike swoosh as Goro likes to say and a very unique backstory. Add on the military service and I think you’ll have a great app as long as you keep up the great work and get a good MCAT.

Also thank you for your service, best of luck!
 
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My cumulative GPA when I applied was less than a 3.0, and I nearly failed out of undergrad and still got an acceptance. You clearly had a very rough go of things and most of your applications will give you an opportunity to explain what was going on at the time.

You have that magic upward trend or the Nike swoosh as Goro likes to say and a very unique backstory. Add on the military service and I think you’ll have a great app as long as you keep up the great work and get a good MCAT.

Also thank you for your service, best of luck!
Thank you for the reply. Appreciate it.
 
I had a 3.4 sGPA and 3.1 cGPA with multiple F's and academic probation and received both MD and DO acceptances (MCAT 513). I wasn't in the military but had a similar story as a high-level athlete with multiple injuries and surgeries and my grades took a nose-dive following the surgeries. I had an upward trend and did a master's degree (I don't think this is necessary in your case, just including). Try to keep your grades where they currently are and as mentioned you'll need to nail your MCAT. You definitely have a chance with your unique experiences. Thank you for your service, happy to answer any other questions you might have!
 
My cumulative GPA when I applied was less than a 3.0, and I nearly failed out of undergrad and still got an acceptance. You clearly had a very rough go of things and most of your applications will give you an opportunity to explain what was going on at the time.

You have that magic upward trend or the Nike swoosh as Goro likes to say and a very unique backstory. Add on the military service and I think you’ll have a great app as long as you keep up the great work and get a good MCAT.

Also thank you for your service, best of luck!

I have a low GPA, and I’m wondering if you could share your list of acceptance, please. Thanks!
 
I had a 3.4 sGPA and 3.1 cGPA with multiple F's and academic probation and received both MD and DO acceptances (MCAT 513). I wasn't in the military but had a similar story as a high-level athlete with multiple injuries and surgeries and my grades took a nose-dive following the surgeries. I had an upward trend and did a master's degree (I don't think this is necessary in your case, just including). Try to keep your grades where they currently are and as mentioned you'll need to nail your MCAT. You definitely have a chance with your unique experiences. Thank you for your service, happy to answer any other questions you might have!

Hi, I’m wondering if you could share your school list of acceptance, please. Thanks!
 
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