3.77 cGPA; 3.75 sGPA; 41T

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blkeydfu8er

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Hi guys! I've decided to apply to medical school next summer! Here is the break down of my GPA and MCAT:

Freshman year: 3.12
Sophomore year: 4.0
Junior year: 4.0
Senior year: 4.0

Cumulative: 3.77
Science: 3.75

MCAT: 14P, 13V, 14B, T (41T)

As you can see, my freshman year GPA really sucks! I guess it was a mixture of goofing off, new found freedom, procrastination and an insanely difficult chemistry professor (I received a C- in Gen Chem II:( But I made it up [I guess...] with As in Organic I and II).

All my my ECs are excellent, I have ample research, and one publication.

I'm a VA resident and here are some of my top choices:
Hopkins
UCLA
Baylor
University of Virginia
University of Maryland
Columbia, Duke
UPenn (my father did his fellowship here, but I doubt that counts for much)
Stanford
Georgetown
Wakeforest
Yale
WashU
Vanderbilt
Cornell
Northwestern
Emory
University of Alabama - Birmingham
NYU

Now, I'll obviously apply to more saftey schools, but these schools here are just the ones I would love to attend.

What do you think my chances are for these schools, especially Hopkins, UCLA, and Baylor (my top three:)) Will my horrible, horrible, freshman GPA crush my chances?

I would appreciate any comments/criticisms please!

Thanks guys!

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depending on your ec's, volunteer, you obviously have a great shot at your top 3; that being said, everyone that applies to those schools has great stats, so its a crapshoot. You honestly should probably retake gen chem 2 tho.
 
Considering your substantial research activity and the redeeming value of the terrific MCAT score, I'd say you pretty much have a decent shot wherever you care to apply, if you have the usual additional extracurriculars of shadowing, clinical experience/community service, and some leadership.
 
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Thank you guys!

I was considering retaking gen chem II, however, since I did so well in organic I and II and I have demonstrated my knowledge of chemistry by scoring so well on the MCATs, I figured there was no need to. Am I wrong in thinking this? Please let me know:)

P.S. Will my upward GPA trend help? I've also read from John's Hopkin's undergrad webpage that freshman grades really don't determine anything.
 
Thank you guys!

I was considering retaking gen chem II, however, since I did so well in organic I and II and I have demonstrated my knowledge of chemistry by scoring so well on the MCATs, I figured there was no need to. Am I wrong in thinking this? Please let me know:)

P.S. Will my upward GPA trend help? I've also read from John's Hopkin's undergrad webpage that freshman grades really don't determine anything.

You are fine. Stop being paranoid. Other posters will feel like crap if you are panicky, because they have GPAs and MCATs far below yours. No one is a lock at Hopkins/UCLA/Baylor. You are about as close to a lock as you can be, with strong numbers and what sounds like good ECs.

You don't need to retake GC. Your 3.7s and 41 speak for themselves. Upward GPA is always good. You have a great shot at all schools. Sit back, and enjoy the ride.
 
the 2 things you need to worry about now is getting your application in early and having great interviews.

use this cycle to carefully craft your personal statement while continuing to work/volunteer/research etc...

you may also want to start thinking about your secondary essays. if you look around the school specific forums, youll find the essay topics.

also, start asking your professors/PI/volunteer coordinator/etc. for letters. they dont have to give you a lor right now but it helps to give them a heads up. you dont want your application held up bc amcas/interfolio/the school has yet to receive a lor from one of your profs.

up to this point, youve clearly done everything in your power. dont slack off.

good luck next year!
 
@camaras2480-
Sorry for being paranoid...I was just worried about my freshman GPA. Thank you for your reassurance and advice!

@danny317-
Thanks for your advice! I'll do everything you said very carefully! Thank you for wishing me luck!
 
your numbers wont hold you back at all. your experiences/ECs, essays, and interviews would be what gets you acceped/wl/rej. gl
 
I dunno man... you should really retake that MCAT and maybe shoot for DO after you retake that C- :rolleyes:
 
One thing nobody has mentioned yet is that you need to retake gen chem 2 if you haven't already. C-'s don't cut it where getting credit for med school pre-reqs is concerned. Do that, and you'll crush the next cycle.
 
One thing nobody has mentioned yet is that you need to retake gen chem 2 if you haven't already. C-'s don't cut it where getting credit for med school pre-reqs is concerned. Do that, and you'll crush the next cycle.

Eh, I think the rest of his application is pretty strong, great GPA/science GPA, performed well on the MCAT. Even with a C-, I think it'd be unimportant to retake Gen Chem II, you've proved your a good science student with the rest of your courses and well versed in gen chem with your MCAT scores. So retake if you have the time, but I wouldn't fret about it too much. Maybe take an upper level chem course and ace it. It'll be more interesting and you'll benefit from it more anyway.
 
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Perhaps I was unclear. By "don't cut it," I meant "are not acceptable and will not meet the minimum requirement of C's." In other words, if med schools decide to be hardasses about their admissions policies, the OP needs to retake that class, or he won't be eligible for med school matriculation, regardless of how awesome the rest of his transcript is. It's possible that schools would be willing to bend the rules a tad to let him in, but is it really worth gambling on that?
 
Eh, I think the rest of his application is pretty strong, great GPA/science GPA, performed well on the MCAT. Even with a C-, I think it'd be unimportant to retake Gen Chem II, you've proved your a good science student with the rest of your courses and well versed in gen chem with your MCAT scores. So retake if you have the time, but I wouldn't fret about it too much. Maybe take an upper level chem course and ace it. It'll be more interesting and you'll benefit from it more anyway.

I don't think milkman is saying anything about proving himself. It's obvious that he has done that with his last three years and his MCAT. Milkman is saying that a C- is not a passing grade for many different med schools and to them he never passed gen Chem 2. I know a bunch of the schools I applied to required a C or higher in the pre-req's, which general chem is obviously one of.

You may get away with it, but it's probably not worth chancing it.
 
Alright guys, I've decided to retake Gen Chem II. I also have another question. I withdrew from Calculus freshman year and received a "W" but I took both calculus I and II later on in a community college. Will this "W" hurt my chances? Will the fact that I took calculus at a community college hurt my chances? Thanks!
 
Alright guys, I've decided to retake Gen Chem II. I also have another question. I withdrew from Calculus freshman year and received a "W" but I took both calculus I and II later on in a community college. Will this "W" hurt my chances? Will the fact that I took calculus at a community college hurt my chances? Thanks!


I think retaking is your safest option.

One Withdraw is not going to do much, if anything to your application. Although taking calculus at community college is not ideal, it probably won't be a big deal either. I think the concern with community college courses is that they may be easier than 4 year universities/colleges classes. I think your strong MCAT and great last 3 years of school will prove that any good grade your received at community college was not a fluke.
 
Alright guys, I've decided to retake Gen Chem II. I also have another question. I withdrew from Calculus freshman year and received a "W" but I took both calculus I and II later on in a community college. Will this "W" hurt my chances? Will the fact that I took calculus at a community college hurt my chances? Thanks!

One W really doesn't do much, even at top tier schools. At one of the schools I am involved with (border of mid-top tier), they 'almost' do not even care about Calculus. They just make sure you pass (≥C).
 
You guys have been insanely helpful! I can't thank you enough!
 
Thank you! Good luck to all of you in anything you do, as well!
 
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