acceptance a possibility???

[CuttinEmUp]

I hate to do this to you guys....but I gotta ask this, ive searched but found now relative info..

im taking the MCAT this april..have been studying since late Jan. (Kaplan course).

My recent GPA has been great..but after combining my GPA with my city college (over 5 years ago) it has went WAY down..im talking floating around the bottom of 3 point gpa.

is there a way i can just report on my Amcas app. gpa calculation to reflect that my GPA from the university is MUCH higher than my 2.44 from city college? that City college grade point is dragging me down hard core.

Assuming i do fairly well on the MCAT (30+)...have you guys seen or heard of someone getting accepted who has a terrible cumulative GPA but has a VERY strong trend after finally realizing what i wanted to do with my life?

a few interesting notes about me that might help: worked as a Medical Asst. for a year. competitive national athlete, ranked #2 in my state of california, professinoal fitness model, being featured on websites, and several issues of magazines, personal trainer. shadowed a doctor friend of mine for a few months. Great LOR's from physicians who know me well.

Long time reader..first time poster . Thanks!!

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[stinkycheese]

I hate to do this to you guys....but I gotta ask this, ive searched but found now relative info..

You apparently didn't search too hard, because the low-gpa-what-are-my-chances? threads are played out.

is there a way i can just report on my Amcas app. gpa calculation to reflect that my GPA from the university is MUCH higher than my 2.44 from city college? that City college grade point is dragging me down hard core.

Sure, just lie on your AMCAS. Then post here next June when you wonder why your acceptances were rescinded.

Assuming i do fairly well on the MCAT (30+)...have you guys seen or heard of someone getting accepted who has a terrible cumulative GPA but has a VERY strong trend after finally realizing what i wanted to do with my life?

Look again under a search. People here have done it.

a few interesting notes about me that might help: worked as a Medical Asst. for a year. competitive national athlete, ranked #2 in my state of california, professinoal fitness model, being featured on websites, and several issues of magazines, personal trainer. shadowed a doctor friend of mine for a few months. Great LOR's from physicians who know me well.

Long time reader..first time poster . Thanks!!

Right, um, so, what do you want to know? Everyone has a chance.

 

[myodana]

is there a way i can just report on my Amcas app. gpa calculation to reflect that my GPA from the university is MUCH higher than my 2.44 from city college? that City college grade point is dragging me down hard core.

not on the calculation, but you can put it in your personal statement.

also, know that part of the secondary that says "is there anything else you want to tell us?" (re: discrepancies in your record, special circumstances, etc.) that is your chance to explain.

 

[CuttinEmUp]

You apparently didn't search too hard, because the low-gpa-what-are-my-chances? threads are played out.



Sure, just lie on your AMCAS. Then post here next June when you wonder why your acceptances were rescinded.



Look again under a search. People here have done it.



Right, um, so, what do you want to know? Everyone has a chance.

with the time you spent trying to be a smart-a$$, you could have just NOT POSTED anything

anyone with anything of substance to say???

 

[CuttinEmUp]

not on the calculation, but you can put it in your personal statement.

also, know that part of the secondary that says "is there anything else you want to tell us?" (re: discrepancies in your record, special circumstances, etc.) that is your chance to explain.

thanks myodana!

 

[stinkycheese]

with the time you spent trying to be a smart-a$$, you could have just NOT POSTED anything

anyone with anything of substance to say???

What I said IS of substance. Nobody here can post any more information than what is already out there, and nobody can tell you your chances. Learn it, live it, love it.

 

[chitown82]

You apparently didn't search too hard, because the low-gpa-what-are-my-chances? threads are played out.



Sure, just lie on your AMCAS. Then post here next June when you wonder why your acceptances were rescinded.



Look again under a search. People here have done it.



Right, um, so, what do you want to know? Everyone has a chance.

wow. you can be a jerk.

 

[stinkycheese]

wow. you can be a jerk.

Well, I can be a smartass, but I don't mean to be a jerk. However, I do find it amusing that people continually post the same questions, ones that are generally unanswerable, and that the information they seek is readily available. However, I will concede that I could have phrased my post in a more patient way. Apologies if I offended the OP.

 

[Blue Scrub]

CuttinEmUp, sounds like you just need to focus on your MCAT....if you do well enough, you can def explain why your GPA is like it is....and emphasize that you've done well recently w/your grades....combined with your LORs and work experience, I think you have a good shot...keep working hard, you'll get there if you really want it...Good luck man!!

 

[CuttinEmUp]

CuttinEmUp, sounds like you just need to focus on your MCAT....if you do well enough, you can def explain why your GPA is like it is....and emphasize that you've done well recently w/your grades....combined with your LORs and work experience, I think you have a good shot...keep working hard, you'll get there if you really want it...Good luck man!!

blue..thanks so much man. im sure you know how much encouragment means to me at this stage, anywhere i can get it!!

i totally agree with you and i am focusing hard on the MCAT...i realize the MCAT will probably be my only great equalizer..otherwise my chances will diminish significantly if i dont do as well as im planning (35 or more..but will be happy with 30+)

 

[stinkycheese]

blue..thanks so much man. im sure you know how much encouragment means to me at this stage, anywhere i can get it!!

i totally agree with you and i am focusing hard on the MCAT...i realize the MCAT will probably be my only great equalizer..otherwise my chances will diminish significantly if i dont do as well as im planning (35 or more..but will be happy with 30+)

To make up for being a ****, I will post something helpful here for you Cuttin... I have a below-average GPA, but with a high(er) MCAT I got into four schools, so I am sure you can too, just focus on getting 35 or higher to maximize your chances. Also, I had extenuating circumstances in undergrad, but if you explain them well, the damage to your GPA will be mitigated. If you have a strong upward trend, you're good... find schools that appreciate non-trads, that seriously consider the MCAT, and most importantly, let nothing prevent you from scoring as high as humanly possible on that test. Good luck.

 

[Blue Scrub]

No prob Cuttin....be confident and you'll get there....as far as your MCAT...def aim high, a 35+ would be just awesome, but even with a 30+ I think you'd be competitive, and you would just have to leave it up to the adcoms....either way, keep workin at it and you'll be just fine!

 

[crys20]

Yeah, there's really no telling without the MCAT scores. Obviously scoring ridiculously high (i.e. 33+) will make things way easier. Even with 30+ like someone said I think lower-tier private schools and your state ones will be a possibility. I would also direct you over to the pre-osteo forum To me it's worth the heartache of not getting in to apply to DO schools, a doctor is a doctor, etc. etc. DO is a great option for people who are smart and capable but may have a difficult time gaining MD acceptances. But who am I to sell DO schools to the pre-allos

 

[liverotcod]

Look at my record. 2.95 GPA with upward trend, 6 acceptances so far...


...but with a 39 MCAT that has opened a lot of doors.

Your AMCAS GPA is calculated by year in addition to overall, so adcoms will be able to see your trend.

 

[Darth Asclepius]

I think it depends on the schools. Some schools won't even look at your application if your GPA is low. I have a 3.8 at my university, but 7 years ago, when I was 17, I got in a car accident and failed some classes at another school (not all entirely due to the accident, but also because I was too stupid to realize I should have gone to the Dean or even higher up if I had to to do something about it). My AMCAS GPA is 3.3. I have taken a lot of difficult classes at the same time and had good grades in them. I have a lot of research experience (30-50 hours/week for 2 years), run a student organization, did some volunteer work, shadowed physicians, and from what I've been told had excellent letters. My MCAT was 32 (not great), but decent.

The point of this is, I am sure that some schools wrote me off immediately as "GPA too low". I say this because I got almost immediate rejections from some "lower tiered" and prestigious schools, but got interviews at others (and even an acceptance I turned down for an MD/PhD program- long story). I think that schools that bothered to read my letters, actually look at my transcripts, etc, thought I might be worth interviewing, but that other schools just put me in the low GPA pile (including a state school) and never gave me a second thought (not to say that all schools would have wanted to interview me had they read my application, I'm not special, but you know what I mean). That's annoying since I feel if I send them $75-$100, they could at least read it.

You can get into med school with a lower GPA, but you should apply to more schools than some of your peers because you will be ruled out by a lot of schools because of that GPA alone. If you get a really high MCAT score, they might be more inclined to keep you out of the low GPA pile of applications.

 

[CuttinEmUp]

Thanks for the replies guys..and thanks stinkycheese!

I know this sounds really cheesy.....but it actually helps to see that others are out there like me..who have been accepted and at least interviewed!

I know if i can score some interviews..ill got some acceptances..i interview really really well...i just got to get over that big hump of a GPA that is screwing up my app.

 

[chopper]

i don't know if I saw anyone who really answered your question - that is, can you distinguish between the 'old grades' and the 'new grades'. Well, yes you can. The AMCAS breaks up your GPA into Fresh, Soph, Junior, Senior. It also has a spot for post baccc. Now, it will give a summary score of 'undergrad gpa/science gpa, post bacc gpa/science gpa, and grad gpa/science gpa'. But in there somewhere is the further breakdown year by year.

So . . . . . some schools may not look past the summary scores. In that case, tough luck. BUT some will - especially if you rock the MCAT. That is why doing so well on the MCAT is so important. 3.0/30 - 'ah, another one. reject'. 3.0/38 - 'hey, wait a sec. there is something more here. Let's look at the breakdown to see what is going on with these numbers'.

 

[crys20]

Darth Asclepsius...Since when is a 32 not good, that's like 90th percentile

 

[Kateroni18]

Assuming i do fairly well on the MCAT (30+)...have you guys seen or heard of someone getting accepted who has a terrible cumulative GPA but has a VERY strong trend after finally realizing what i wanted to do with my life?

Just another post to hopefully boost you confidence...

My first two years of undergrad I had a gpa lingering in the 2's...when I realized I wanted to go to medical school I got my butt in gear and started to improve my gpa. I also did a post-bacc program where I continued to do well (3.98) and did well on the MCAT(35+). Despite my efforts my cum. gpa is still about 3.2, but the med schools seem to have totally overlooked it. I've had 4 interviews from top ten schools and 2 acceptances. So, in short, you can get accepted with a terrible cum.

I would say the biggest thing you have to worry about is getting a secondary. Some schools still use a formula that includes gpa and MCAT scores to decide who to give secondaries to so a low gpa can hurt you there. However, some schools are aware that people do improve over the years so they try to factor that in. For example, the University of Colorado gives extra weight to whatever year you have the best gpa. Many schools do look at your entire application or give everyone a chance to fill out a secondary (like Hopkins) so they will see your improvement.

I've also had a chance to discuss my academic turnaround in interviews and many of my interviewers have told me that it shows that I am clearly motivated and have a genuine interest in pursuing medicine.

Good luck on the MCAT!

 

[CuttinEmUp]

Thanks Kateroni...that was awesome! and thanks everyone else.