Academic probation b/c bad grades! Help please!

[medmouse]

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I just got my MCAT back. I'm satisfied with it and planning to apply the top tier schools. But I was on "academic probation" for one semester b/c I got two Cs in previous one, which caused my GPA lower than 3.0🙁
It happened during my second semester in the grad school in the US. I later improved my grade and GPA.
The record is shown on my transcript, so I have to disclose and explain it, which I feel obligated to do anyway. But could anyone tell me if this will doom my chance to be considered for top schools, please? Any suggestions or stories will be really appreciated.

 

[LizzyM]

I just got my MCAT back. I'm satisfied with it and planning to apply the top tier schools. But I was on "academic probation" for one semester b/c I got two Cs in previous one, which caused my GPA lower than 3.0🙁
It happened during my second semester in the grad school in the US. I later improved my grade and GPA.
The record is shown on my transcript, so I have to disclose and explain it, which I feel obligated to do anyway. But could anyone tell me if this will doom my chance to be considered for top schools, please? Any suggestions or stories will be really appreciated.

That is an institutional action and it does need to be reported on the AMCAS. You might say, "I was on "academic probation" for one semester in graduate school because because my GPA dipped below 3.0. I improved my GPA in the next semester and my probation ended."

The poor grades are going to hurt you but the academic probation is unlikely to make things worse that they already are. (A graduate school GPA of < 3.0 is poor! )

 

[plumhill]

I just got my MCAT back. I'm satisfied with it and planning to apply the top tier schools. But I was on "academic probation" for one semester b/c I got two Cs in previous one, which caused my GPA lower than 3.0🙁
It happened during my second semester in the grad school in the US. I later improved my grade and GPA.
The record is shown on my transcript, so I have to disclose and explain it, which I feel obligated to do anyway. But could anyone tell me if this will doom my chance to be considered for top schools, please? Any suggestions or stories will be really appreciated.

For graduate school, a GPA below 3.0 is not very good. Many graduate students (whether they're applying top-tier or not) will have graduate GPAs of 3.7+, and it is often considered that graduate school is "easier" (GPA-wise) than undergrad. So you'll need to do some serious work in order to bring your GPA back up to an acceptable level, and be prepared to apply broadly.

 

[Benedictus123]

LizzyM - to piggyback on this discussion, I got a 3.0 for my masters degree program (it was at Princeton, where I wasn't very happy), but a 4.0 for my PhD (much happier at Michigan). Combined, my grad GPA is around a 3.6. How much is that 3.0 from my masters degree going to hurt me?

 

[LizzyM]

LizzyM - to piggyback on this discussion, I got a 3.0 for my masters degree program (it was at Princeton, where I wasn't very happy), but a 4.0 for my PhD (much happier at Michigan). Combined, my grad GPA is around a 3.6. How much is that 3.0 from my masters degree going to hurt me?

Hard to say. Holding a PhD is a rarity among applicants and one with a relatively poor masters program gpa and an excellent PhD gpa is even more rare. It all comes down to whether an adcom thinks you can do the work (a 4.0 in a PhD program at Michigan would seem to argue that you can) and if you would be a good fit at that school and for a career in medicine or as a physician-scientist if that is your goal Your "fit" will depend on your interest in medicine & research, as well as an ability to work wel with others as part of a team and with the sick and their families.

 

[medmouse]

That is an institutional action and it does need to be reported on the AMCAS. You might say, "I was on "academic probation" for one semester in graduate school because because my GPA dipped below 3.0. I improved my GPA in the next semester and my probation ended."

The poor grades are going to hurt you but the academic probation is unlikely to make things worse that they already are. (A graduate school GPA of < 3.0 is poor! )

Thanks LizzyM for the advice! I eventually graduate with a 3.86 grad gpa. I repeated the two Cs and got two As. Like you said, the grades are still there to hurt me, but hopefully the probation won't add more damages. BTW my postbac gpa including all the prerequisite courses except math is 4.0 Do I need to explain in details about how I improve the grades (keep improving english skills? I'm an international) and how I got all As afterwards? OR just let them look my transcripts by themselves.

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks LizzyM for the advice! I eventually graduate with a 3.86 grad gpa. I repeated the two Cs and got two As. Like you said, the grades are still there to hurt me, but hopefully the probation won't add more damages. BTW my postbac gpa including all the prerequisite courses except math is 4.0 Do I need to explain in details about how I improve the grades (keep improving english skills? I'm an international) and how I got all As afterwards? OR just let them look my transcripts by themselves.

The fact that you are an international student will be obvious from your application (place of birth, HS & undergrad institutions, etc) so adcoms may make assumptions about the reason for your poor performance at the start of your grad school education. I wouldn't expect you to need to explain.

 

[medmouse]

Thank you!!!!!

 

[khrisskhoras]

Im actually in a similar situation, but my final grad GPA is much lower. Never was put on probation thankfully.

Even though im a CA resident, should I not bother applying to the UCs because of my low (~3.3) graduate GPA? My MDapps has my stats for ugrad and mcat.