acceptances with <3.3 cGPA???

[biojunky]

Hey guys,
I'm pretty sure that there must be such a thread already, but I couldn't find it. If you want to respond with a link, feel free. If you want to give an answer/personal example, please do so.

Are there any of you who have gotten interviews/acceptances (please specify which and to which schools) with a <3.3 gpa withOUT an upward trend (i.e. some Cs, mostly Bs, some As spread through the years)?
If so,,,,
1- where?
2- when was your application complete (specify primaries and secondaries)?
3- What was your MCAT score?
4- Did you have a really really good reason for not doing well in school?
5- Did you get in on the first try?
6- What was your secret or THE thing(s) that you think got you in?
7- What was your major?
8- What was your undergraduate institution?

Thank you in advance for responding!

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[MilkmanAl]

Look at my MDApps, and you're right; there are tons and tons of "low GPA, holy ****!" threads.

 

[Skyrockavatar]

I would also like to know especially if something like this could happen without a year or more off. Someone please post a link.

 

[biojunky]

I already checked MDApps. I wanted answers to all of these questions preferably! It seems like people with low cgpa's do get in, but they get in with a very high sgpa and a ridiculously high MCAT score and terrible circumstances that anyone can be considerate of! So I just wanted to know who this has happened to and if there is anyone out there with a low cgpa and average to high everything else who's just gotten in without a postbac/masters/a year off/anything!
The other thread that I found is here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=563567&highlight=low+gpa ...
but again, it does not address these other questions.
If anyone is willing to share, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE hearing your stories!

 

[MilkmanAl]

I said look at my MDApps. There's a difference.

 

[Cleavername]

I said look at my MDApps. There's a difference.

eh ur mcat is excellent however. did u have really strong LORs? cause i heard LORs are > extra circular activities in terms of importance.

 

[Morsetlis]

Uhhhh I would say it depends on what EC's you have. Light on EC: Focus on LORs.

 

[Cleavername]

Uhhhh I would say it depends on what EC's you have. Light on EC: Focus on LORs.

indeed. alot of TAs in my school told me that TAing can get you closer to a professor, and then you may ask for a LOR that would have been much better than you would have gotten if you were just a student.

 

[YoungGregory]

n/m

 

[FirefighterDoc]

I said look at my MDApps. There's a difference.

Milkman, first of all congratulations. I was wondering what you felt might have helped your application most besides your MCAT if you dont mind me asking?

 

[richse]

Hey guys,
I'm pretty sure that there must be such a thread already, but I couldn't find it. If you want to respond with a link, feel free. If you want to give an answer/personal example, please do so.

Are there any of you who have gotten interviews/acceptances (please specify which and to which schools) with a <3.3 gpa withOUT an upward trend (i.e. some Cs, mostly Bs, some As spread through the years)?
If so,,,,
1- where?
2- when was your application complete (specify primaries and secondaries)?
3- What was your MCAT score?
4- Did you have a really really good reason for not doing well in school?
5- Did you get in on the first try?
6- What was your secret or THE thing(s) that you think got you in?
7- What was your major?
8- What was your undergraduate institution?

Thank you in advance for responding!

I had a bad cgpa (3.2) and an even worse sgpa (3.0). I did have an upward trend but it seems like no one is answering so I figure I'll answer and you can take it with a grain of salt. I'm an MS1 right now so this was from the 2009 matriculation cycle.

1. Interviews and acceptances from Jefferson, UMDNJ-RWJ, and Penn State. I chose Jefferson.

2. I applied to about 18 schools. My primary was complete within a week of it opening (I forget the date). All secondaries were complete by Sept
with most done in < 2 weeks from receiving them.

3. PS - 13, V - 11, BS - 12, Writing - M

4. I think I had a good reason, but I also made it clear that I made some serious mistakes in freshman and sophomore year.

5. Yes

6. MCAT, research with strong LOR from the PI, and interviewing well.

7. Electrical (Computer) Engineering

8. Rutgers University

 

[MilkmanAl]

Milkman, first of all congratulations. I was wondering what you felt might have helped your application most besides your MCAT if you dont mind me asking?

Well, I was told my LOR's were excellent. I'm an exceptional writer (when I want to be ), and I had my essays edited by everyone I knew who would blast apart every weakness in them. I also had one of the best interviews imaginable. Basically, if you want to get in with a crap GPA, you have to be perfect everywhere else.

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Awesome, good to know

 

[biojunky]

I had a bad cgpa (3.2) and an even worse sgpa (3.0). I did have an upward trend but it seems like no one is answering so I figure I'll answer and you can take it with a grain of salt. I'm an MS1 right now so this was from the 2009 matriculation cycle.

1. Interviews and acceptances from Jefferson, UMDNJ-RWJ, and Penn State. I chose Jefferson.

2. I applied to about 18 schools. My primary was complete within a week of it opening (I forget the date). All secondaries were complete by Sept
with most done in < 2 weeks from receiving them.

3. PS - 13, V - 11, BS - 12, Writing - M

4. I think I had a good reason, but I also made it clear that I made some serious mistakes in freshman and sophomore year.

5. Yes

6. MCAT, research with strong LOR from the PI, and interviewing well.

7. Electrical (Computer) Engineering

8. Rutgers University

Did you take any years off? Did you have grades from your junior year or your jr and sr year to show the upward trend?

 

[fahimaz7]

1- where?
I interviewed at Colorado, Mercer, MCG, and a few DO schools

2- when was your application complete (specify primaries and secondaries)?
First month that it was available

3- What was your MCAT score?
31- 10/10/11
4- Did you have a really really good reason for not doing well in school?
I was a slacker my first two years in college. Had no idea that I wanted to go into medicine
5- Did you get in on the first try?
No, I was waitlisted
6- What was your secret or THE thing(s) that you think got you in?
Persistance and continuing to work on my application, through my time in a PhD program. Being able to rock a 31 MCAT, 5 years after taking those classes.

7- What was your major?
Cell and Molecular Biology (BS) and Cancer Immunology (PhD)
8- What was your undergraduate institution?
University of Georgia

The good news? I have a 4.0 as a MS1, with only 2 more tests to go.

 

[UnlonelyRoad]

Hey guys,
I'm pretty sure that there must be such a thread already, but I couldn't find it. If you want to respond with a link, feel free. If you want to give an answer/personal example, please do so.

Are there any of you who have gotten interviews/acceptances (please specify which and to which schools) with a <3.3 gpa withOUT an upward trend (i.e. some Cs, mostly Bs, some As spread through the years)?
If so,,,,
1- where?
2- when was your application complete (specify primaries and secondaries)?
3- What was your MCAT score?
4- Did you have a really really good reason for not doing well in school?
5- Did you get in on the first try?
6- What was your secret or THE thing(s) that you think got you in?
7- What was your major?
8- What was your undergraduate institution?

Thank you in advance for responding!

1- Three schools, my state school, an up and coming school, and a top-ten.

2- Application was complete end of August beginning of September (really should have been earlier).

3- See below

4- I had a reasonable reason, but not like a death in the family or financial hardship (so probably no by your definition). I did try to explain it in my primary a bit though.

5- Yep

7- Psychology (but almost a double major with bio)

8- One of the "lesser" Ivies

6- Well, I absolutely nailed my MCAT, that had to help a lot and is definitely why I got into the top-ten school, but I think I could have gotten into the state school without it. My secret, as it were, was that I took two years off after college. I took a semester of challenging classes as a continuing education student (ton of fun!) and got a 4.0. That was critical, like you my GPA was a 3.3 and I had no upward trend, I felt it showed them that I was someone who could walk the walk. The second thing I did was get an MPH degree. I didn't submit the grades from the program, but I did talk about it a lot, as I was really excited about what I was doing!

 

[richse]

Did you take any years off? Did you have grades from your junior year or your jr and sr year to show the upward trend?

Yes, I took a few years off to do a post-bac and work in a research lab prior to applying.

Yes, my upward trend started in junior year and continued through senior year.

The gpas I posted were including my post-bac grades (which were very good) so you can probably imagine how bad my undergrad gpa actually was.