All Others GPA/ Does it Matter?

[UMP]

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So, I calculated my GPA out AMCAS style, 2.77 Overall 2.89 Science. My big plan is take a crap load of science classes, bring up both my overall and science... I now just realized that my All Others GPA will be stagnant at God knows what? Probably a 2.65 or so. Does this matter at all ? I'm taking 15 credits right now, and was planning on 12 credits over the summer. Should I add a Political Science class in to the mix (there was one I had my eye on, it's 100-level though)? I'm planning on taking the August MCAT, so I wanted to take a slightly lighter load over the summer. I was a Biopsychology major in undergrad and had to take a fair bit of Social Science Psychology also, and received an A in there somewhere (I think ).

 

[relentless11]

So, I calculated my GPA out AMCAS style, 2.77 Overall 2.89 Science. My big plan is take a crap load of science classes, bring up both my overall and science... I now just realized that my All Others GPA will be stagnant at God knows what? Probably a 2.65 or so. Does this matter at all ? I'm taking 15 credits right now, and was planning on 12 credits over the summer. Should I add a Political Science class in to the mix (there was one I had my eye on, it's 100-level though)? I'm planning on taking the August MCAT, so I wanted to take a slightly lighter load over the summer. I was a Biopsychology major in undergrad and had to take a fair bit of Social Science Psychology also, and received an A in there somewhere (I think ).

Non-science GPA also plays a role, but I think in most cases science GPA plays a bigger role for obvious reasons. I would go as far as to say that the sci GPA >= cumulative GPA > non-science GPA.

Really, I would probably focus on getting as many A's as possible in upper division science classes. A 2.89 is still in the red zone. GPA trends per quarter will also play a role. Essentially, adcoms want to see that you can do well with upper div science classes, under full-time conditions, while staying a well rounded person (e.g.: doing well in non-science classes, and EC's). So you have a double hit with a low science and non-science GPA. Therefore, I'd be more concerned about doing well in the classes, rather than just taking a "crapload of science classes".

Since there are so many variables in the application process it is best to have good stats in as many areas as possible. A deficient non-science GPA will rule you out when others have both high sci/non-sci GPA's. In fact, non-sci majors, who have decent science grades (sometimes lower on average than science majors) get into med school more easily. So that emphasizes the whole being well-rounded part.

But alas, if these students are incapable of getting A's in upper div science classes, then they're in trouble too considering the first 2 years of med school are mostly science classes.