admissions advice - poor ugrad gpa to a good post bacc

[messenjah]

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Hi all, I am sorry to pose a noobish question to you but here goes,

CUM Undergrad GPA - 3.16
Sci Undergrad GPA - 3.21
Post Bacc GPA - 3.93
TOTAL GPA - 3.43 (anticipated)

MCAT - 30 P

I am currently 25 hopeing to apply next summer. i think my age is older than average also, will that hurt me?

I have been working for 3 years since I graduated from college. Do you think i stand a chance at getting into medical (MD) school? I am very concerned about my undergrad gpa. I have since worked very hard in post bacc classes but I do not think they will carry the same weight with adcoms as will the regular undergrad classes.

beyond the numbers, i have a PE License in engineering, In school i was very active in several organizations, and now am involved in many professional organizations.

can any of you offer advice?

Thank you kindly.

 

[Scubadoc]

state of residence?
any ECs that are volunteer/clinical?

 

[messenjah]

im in st.louis. the missouri medical schools seem to have higher ave stats than me 🙁

i am also working part time as a pharmacy tech, and am working on an emt license this fall.

if i retook the mcat would that help??

 

[Sage880]

I think most people would tell you not to, but I would take the MCAT again if I were you. I bet you could do a little better and that would really help you.

Don't know if this helps, but I was in the same boat as you. 24 and graduated and working with a crap undergrad GPA because I never cared about marks and hadn't thought about med school. When I decided to go to back to school, I enrolled in science and only applied to European schools. They will wait until the summer to see your grades from the year you apply in and, most importantly, your April MCAT. That was so awesome because I am 25 now and didn't want to wait another year or 2 to get accepted to a NA school.

Anyway, don't know how you feel about international schools but they're a lot more flexible and they seem to really like the fact that you have any type of degree. Don't know if this is something you'd want to consider!

 

[messenjah]

but it wouldnt be the same level of education as an american medical school, or at the very least i would not be able to practice in the usa because i didnt graduate here. if i could only go the DO or IMG routes, i would go DO.

thanks for the advice though.

 

[messenjah]

i think i could improve on my mcat because i got a 9-12-9 last time and i did not have all of the bio/chem classes i have now taken.

i guess my biggest question is will they overlook my low ugrad gpa because it is 3 yrs old and i have a very high post bacc or what?? and if "they" would, does that mean basically all schools would or most and not the ivy league schools or just bottom tier schools??

thanks for the help.

 

[skypilot]

CUM Undergrad GPA - 3.16
Sci Undergrad GPA - 3.21
Post Bacc GPA - 3.93
TOTAL GPA - 3.43 (anticipated)

MCAT - 30 P

I am currently 25 hopeing to apply next summer. i think my age is older than average also, will that hurt me?

beyond the numbers, i have a PE License in engineering, In school i was very active in several organizations, and now am involved in many professional organizations.

I don't think those stats are bad at all. Age at 25 is definitely not a factor. Your professional engineer license is a huge accomplishment similar to the effort required to pass the USMLE. If I were you I would talk about how the field of engineering has contributed to medicine and talk about your accomplishments achieving certification as a professional engineer.

I would not take the MCAT again, a 30P is fine for most schools. The most important part of your application will be your personal statement and your ECs IMHO. You should be a shoe in for SLU. Good luck.