Academic missteps, probation, withdrawals

[eccles1214]

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How do med schools view applicants who have been on academic probation and /or have had withdrawals? How much will they hinder/deny my entrance to med school? How much do schools weigh on grades and academic mistakes made nearly 25 years ago? 😕 I went on academic probation in my junior year (due to having to work many more hours in order to cover increases in school fees and rent), 😱 and after struggling to work full-time and go to school (I left, came back, still did poorly, and left again: 2 withdrawals), I eventually decided to not go back. More than a decade later, I returned to finish the my degree (I switched from a prospective bioengineering to social sciences reflecting a change in my interests to the social aspects of engineering issues). When finally got my degree, my BCPM was 3.00 and my non-science 3.6, with a 3.38 overall. But
In my post-bacc average GPA is 4.0 and but I just started and will still be taking lots of upper division sciences. I still have at least 2 years of classes (full-time) and then the MCAT.

I was never premed during my original time in college; now I am. However, medicine is not new to me, I've been volunteering in health care for years and years and worked for years in health care.

Do med schools ever look beyond applicant's mistakes?

 

[masterMood]

wait so you're like 40 years old then?

 

[DrHuang]

yes, they can look past mistakes...plenty of people with withdrawls or bad quarters/semesters have matriculated to med school...with your 4.0 post bac and a decent mcat score i think ull be fine.

 

[eccles1214]

wait so you're like 40 years old then?

Yes, I'm almost 42. My academic probation came after getting an F in junior level math; I did retake the course, but only got a C the next time. I also got a D in EECS (which is expected because of that F in the math class which was needed) and C's in a few higher level BCPM courese (genetics, stats) and a C in computer science course, but again, I was working full-time. In retrospect, a big mistake, but it is all in the past, and there is nothing I can do about it.

If I finish retaking my prereqs (which I had taken my first time in college, and did satisfactory in them except for a C in O'chem I) and do sufficient upper science course work, my BCPM GPA should be around 3.5-3.6, and my All Other GPA around 3.6-3.7.

I'm just wondering if, when reviewing my app, will add comms simply stop at the red flag on my transcript that says "academic probation" (yes, it's on the transcript) and look thus never see the A+'s that I received in my major and A's that I'm getting now in my post-bacc (my current school does not give out A+'s, even though I have been acing all my tests -- I have a good study ethic now.)

 

[ShyRem]

eccles, I actually failed an entire semester of classes 20 years ago. So I now have four semesters of absolutely horrific grades that are 20 years old. (I'm just a few years younger than you). I went back, started over and graduated cum laude. Unfortunately, my total GPA for amcas was still only 3.23. I got a 29 MCAT (probably could have done better, but extenuating circumstances I couldn't change prevented that - no excuses made, no excuses given - that was my score) last year. I applied early and got one MD interview and three DO interviews. Big black hole of non-communication from the other MD schools I applied to so far...

Bottom line, it CAN be done. Heck, if I can get interviews with a 20 year old GPA of 1.7 or 1.9 (it never was important to me), you can get interviews with 25 year old academic probation.

I look at it this way - I'm going to be 4 years older whether I go to med school or not. But if I don't apply *I*'m the one saying no. I'm gonna make *them* say no. 🙂 It's working so far. Good luck to you.

 

[Uncle_Tbag]

Academic probation, is that even listed on your transcript? I had that one semester when I was sick and had two Ws but don't see it listed anywhere.

 

[Holistic]

I dropped at total of 32 hours in undergrad, I will also have a total of 203 hours with 107 hours of BCPM when I am done. So far I have interviews at 1 allo and 3 DO schools and I am still waiting. Dropping courses is not great, but all the schools care about is your GPA # bottom line, its so shallow but whatever, if you dropped a whole year of school and still had a 3.8, the schools ranking is not based on the number of hours their matriculants dropped, but what the cum GPA was, so dont worry about W's as much as F's and if you think you are going to make a C, D, or F in a course just drop it, GPA is way more important than dropped courses, you can explain a W, but you can never expalin an F.

 

[Darth Asclepius]

I'm just wondering if, when reviewing my app, will add comms simply stop at the red flag on my transcript that says "academic probation" (yes, it's on the transcript) and look thus never see the A+'s that I received in my major and A's that I'm getting now in my post-bacc (my current school does not give out A+'s, even though I have been acing all my tests -- I have a good study ethic now.)

Some schools seem to just toss any applications that don't have their desired undergrad GPA or MCAT into the "don't look at" pile. So, yes, you might get screened out by some schools. This is unfortunate, but it happens. But many schools do actually look closer and will see what happened and look past it. I would just suggest applying to a wide range of schools and make sure you apply to your state schools. Many people get in with a bad semester (some with a "good reason" some without). Your postbac will help. It's definitely possible (although it might not be possible to go to Harvard, it is certainly possible to go to med school).

 

[eccles1214]

It's definitely possible (although it might not be possible to go to Harvard, it is certainly possible to go to med school).

Darn it! Harvard is one of my top choices . . . Also, remember, I wont' be applying until I'm 44 or 45. Harvard told me that I must apply before I'm 45 or they won't consider me at all. Isn't that age discrimination?

 

[eccles1214]

Bottom line, it CAN be done. Good luck to you.

Thanks for the positive talk.

Big black hole of non-communication from the other MD schools I applied to so far...

I've noticed this same behavior in other people's posts concerning being an older student with past bad grades but current good grades. Don't they appreciate that people have improved their situation?

 

[jmnykrkts]

Darn it! Harvard is one of my top choices . . . Also, remember, I wont' be applying until I'm 44 or 45. Harvard told me that I must apply before I'm 45 or they won't consider me at all. Isn't that age discrimination?

is that 'eccles' as in 'j.c. eccles', the famous electrophysiologist?

sorry, nerd tangent.

 

[eccles1214]

is that 'eccles' as in 'j.c. eccles', the famous electrophysiologist?

sorry, nerd tangent.

Sorry, I'm not related to any J. C. Eccles that I know of. But I'll check the family tree . . .

 

[63768]

shrugs. i'm having a tough time with my academic violation stuff. but that was 3 years ago for me as opposed to 20+ for you.

 

[hardy]

Harvard told me that I must apply before I'm 45 or they won't consider me at all. Isn't that age discrimination?

If they get federal funds, yes. You could sue them instead of going there 😉