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Advise on my next move.
- Thread starter JaySmoove
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get your gpa up, study your arse off for the mcat and get a 30+, shadow doctors, do some research, do some community service and solicit glowing letters of rec
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If you retake classes, your grades will be averaged not replaced for MD schools. Also, unless you got a C- or worse in these classes, retaking them will not impress these schools, and they will wonder why you are doing it. The new classes will replace old grades for DO schools, but I have heard that those schools have subpar financial aid. Do not sign up for the MCAT until you have finished retaking all your classes and are doing reasonably well in them, and then until you are getting your goal score in practice exams.
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As Scarlet suggested, I would also advise against you signing up for the MCAT until you have repeated some of your science courses. Even though the MCAT exam is more about reasoning capability than how much information you know, it is still imperative that you have a basic understanding of the scientific principles assessed. Because of the low GPA, you need to make an attempt to balance it out with a strong MCAT score. The members and mods of the MCAT Disussion forums offer really great advice and study tips to help you prepare for the exam. Also, NJBMD's Blog offers an additional and knowledgeable perspective on MCAT preparation.
Whether you eventually decide to complete a post-bacc or a SMP, you need to bring your cumulative GPA as close to or above a 3.0 as possible. Many medical schools have a 3.0 GPA cutoff for their applicants, so anyone below such GPA will get screened out. You need to completely devote yourself to bringing up your GPA this year in both your new courses and your repeats.
Typically, a post-bacc is good for students that fall into several categories. The first is for students that have recently graduated, but have decided to go into medicine and need to complete all of the pre-reqs. The second is for students that may have been out school for a while and need refresher material before beginning the application process. The third category is for the GPA-booster students - they have taken the pre-reqs, have a GPA close to the competitive range (~3.2-3.4) and need a few semesters (2-4) of high grades in upper-level science courses to bump up their GPA. Since you are nearing the completion of your undergraduate education, you may have too many credits behind you to bring up your GPA to that range in a short period of time. However, I definitely think you have the opportunity to increase your GPA to a 3.0+ within a few semesters of work.
Another option is to consider applying to a special master's program (SMP). These programs are designed for students that have a solid MCAT score, but a low GPA and need to prove that they are capable of handling graduate-level work. There are three things to be aware of when weighing this decision:
1) The most competitive programs have GPA & MCAT cutoffs (Georgetown, for ex, requires a minimum 27 MCAT & 3.0 GPA), so again, bringing your cumulative to a 3.0 is essential for both SMP and medical school applications.
2) SMP's are relatively expensive and most are clustered on the east coast and in the south, so you may need to relocate for one.
3) SMP's are "do or die" programs in that if you do really well in it, you have increased your chances as an applicant with a low undergrad GPA. However, if you don't do well, or even if you do just "average", you are potentially shooting yourself in the foot as a future applicant.
A lot more information about both programs can be found in the Post-Bacc Forums.
I hope some of this helps and if you eventually decide to go the SMP route, please feel free to PM me. Best of luck to you!
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Thanks for the adice so far guys. As for the MCAT, the April test would definately give me enough time enough time. After all, I graduate that MAY. Caliprincess, when you refer to a 3.0, are speaking of my overall GPA or my science. I'll have a 3.0 overall by the end of this summer session. Thanks for the advice guys!
It is important for you to raise both your science and overall GPA. However, for medical schools that screen, it is your overall GPA that they are looking at. Make sure you check out the admissions requirements for each school that you are interested in before you apply.
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i think MEDPREP will be a great option for you.... I am applying to it also! i have only heard great reviews about it in terms of sending students into medical school....
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