Academic Inconsistencies

[Rogert]

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What exactly is considered an academic inconsistency? Are upward inconsistencies relevant? My MCAT is 8/11/9. Is that considered inconsistent?

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

freshman year: 3.8 gpa
sophomore year 3.9
junior year 2.1
senior year 4.0

Your MCAT score would only be inconsistent if you took it 2 other times and nailed a 39 each time but just had to take it again to get that 45 but ended up with a 28 haha.

 

[ChrisMack390]

I would just write about anything that you feel needs explanation.

 

[Rogert]

I would just write about anything that you feel needs explanation.

I mean, I know what I think needs explanation. But it's what adcoms think (and that I am attempting to approximate using the SDN hivemind) that does matter.

freshman year: 3.8 gpa
sophomore year 3.9
junior year 2.1
senior year 4.0

Your MCAT score would only be inconsistent if you took it 2 other times and nailed a 39 each time but just had to take it again to get that 45 but ended up with a 28 haha.

I hear people talk about "unbalanced MCATs" so i just wanted to be sure. I had a .6 drop my senior year that I figured I would need to explain but I also had a .6 increase my junior year that I was unsure about.

 

[samac]

I don't see a .6 change needing an explanation. Not everyone in the world has an upward trend and that's ok. You're under a grade point difference which is fine.
Your MCAT isn't that unbalanced.

 

[Rogert]

Awesome. One less thing I have to write.

 

[mathnerd88]

So I guess a downward trend from a 3.82 to a 3.72 senior year would need to be explained correct?

Well, I don't think that's a terrible drop. It isn't desirable, but not a killer.

What was your average GPA just for your senior year? If it was a significant decrease, then it mot likely has to be explained.

 

[mathnerd88]

It was a 3.4 I believe due to 1 horrible semester.

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[mathnerd88]

It was also around a time where I took my first MCAT and obtained a sewage level score. There was something going on in my life at the time and the year after.

It wouldnt hurt me by explaining the decrease in gpa since I will definitely have to explain the first MCAT score will it?

If you feel like it is a weakness in your application, then you should address it in the secondaries. You are welcome to explain any academic inconsistencies, but overall, you seem to have a high GPA. What's your MCAT score?