Any opinions welcome!

[DLLSsux]

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Hi all and thanks for checking out my first thread!

So let me lay it out for you I graduated in 2006 from a top tier school in '06 with an awful GPA like 2.6 OVERALL and the same sci. Mostly low because of 4 F's freshman year. I worked 2 sometimes 3 jobs full time while in school. So after college i did three years of research (several 1st author paper in high impact journals ans well as several co-authored papers 12 papers in all), I had to work 2 jobs during this time to help my wife through college and I took some class and did ok a's and b's. Lots of Volunteer and shadow hours during this time also. I am in a post-bacc cert. program (saved enough money now only work 1 job) rocked 1st semester with 4.0. I took the MCAT once got 22 (2 wks study) took it again got 35 (2 mo study). So providing I rock out a 4.0 again this semester I will have a 3.03 sci but a 2.98 overall. My plan for next year is to do an SMP and apply to Med schools.

I have heard some colleges cut at 3.0 so my question is: is it worth taking 6 hrs at at a CC to bring my GPA 3.0 by taking blow-off classes or will MD schools see through my plan? (with in mind I would perfer to go MD over DO).

Thanks for any help!

 

[DrMidlife]

I vote yes for doing anything you can to get up over 3.0, but no for doing it at a CC.

You should be able to find evening extension classes in serious sounding but low impact subjects like anthropology, or even statistics (then you can double count it as overall and science).

I was rejected by a good DO school for having a 2.98 science GPA. In my mind it's absolutely worth the effort to pull it up and over.

But be careful: your math won't exactly match the AMCAS math. You might want to take more than 6 units...

Best of luck to you.

 

[Audman]

I know this doesn't really apply to the original post...

Q: what is the exact difference between post-bac program and SMP?
i thought post-bac is just taking courses, and SMP you get a master's degree?

So does this mean that post-bac student also has an option of applying to SMP after? i.e. like during glide year?

thanks

 

[TyrKinase]

For those of us who earned our way to terribly unfortunate GPAs (<3.0), it can take an unreasonable amount of time to bring our stats up to competitive levels (~3.5). Instead of spending years and years taking every course your local college offers, you can instead attempt to get yourself to SMP-level grades and prove yourself from there.

So, the game plan looks like:
Awful undergrad performance --> post-bacc (undergrad-level courses) to get your GPA up --> SMP (to prove that you can handle medical school) --> apply to medical school.

Of course, you have to fit the MCAT in somewhere but that usually occurs before applying to SMPs

If you don't have a million units, you may consider retaking classes in which you got poor grades (think medical school pre-reqs) and take more upper division (but still undergrad level) courses. With AACOMAS grade replacement, you might end up being competitive for osteopathic medical schools sooner than following this admittedly circuitous route.