Applying early/Grades dilemma...help

[ATCPT]

Hello all,

I have a dilemma on my hands that I'm trying to figure out and was hoping to get some thoughts/opinions from you guys. So, I'm currently in the process of filling out my PTCAS application and a lot of the schools that I will be applying to have rolling admissions. I've heard from everyone that you should submit your application ASAP. But, as of right now my pre-req GPA is not that great (2.6-3.3 ish depending on schools, and my science is a little worse) and because of that I'm signed up to retake 3 (maybe 4) of the science pre-reqs this upcoming fall semester. My thinking is, if I wait just a little while (maybe until October/November) and then submit my app so that the schools will be able to see the academic update grades for this fall which will surely raise my GPA. After I finish my classes this fall my pre-req and science GPA will be competitive for admission (because I know I'll do well in my fall classes). On the other hand, If I'm done with my application by September and turn it in by then I'm afraid that the schools will see my current low GPA and maybe reject me pretty quick before even seeing the academic update grades. Maybe there's a solution to this that just hasn't come to my mind yet but I figure I'd post on here since we're all on the same boat and maybe some of you might have the same concern. Please, any help is appreciated!

P.S. Yes, I understand that I should've done better to begin with but unfortunately that's not in my control anymore.

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[starrsgirl]

If I were you, I would wait until your fall grades are completed and then submit. The only issue is, that this would be in December correct (not Oct/Nov?). Honestly, it may be in your best interest to push pause on the application process and instead rework your plan to apply next cycle. It's a ton of time and money just to get automatic rejections from schools based on your GPA. If you don't meet the minimum GPA for the school at the time you press "send" on PTCAS, you will get rejected. Take another year, redo all those classes this fall and a few more in the spring. Then be ready to apply ASAP as soon as the cycle opens next summer.

I was in your shoes....I regret the time, money and stress I spent to apply my first year. I took another year to prep after that and it made all the difference.

 

[redrose424]

Hello all,

I have a dilemma on my hands that I'm trying to figure out and was hoping to get some thoughts/opinions from you guys. So, I'm currently in the process of filling out my PTCAS application and a lot of the schools that I will be applying to have rolling admissions. I've heard from everyone that you should submit your application ASAP. But, as of right now my pre-req GPA is not that great (2.6-3.3 ish depending on schools, and my science is a little worse) and because of that I'm signed up to retake 3 (maybe 4) of the science pre-reqs this upcoming fall semester. My thinking is, if I wait just a little while (maybe until October/November) and then submit my app so that the schools will be able to see the academic update grades for this fall which will surely raise my GPA. After I finish my classes this fall my pre-req and science GPA will be competitive for admission (because I know I'll do well in my fall classes). On the other hand, If I'm done with my application by September and turn it in by then I'm afraid that the schools will see my current low GPA and maybe reject me pretty quick before even seeing the academic update grades. Maybe there's a solution to this that just hasn't come to my mind yet but I figure I'd post on here since we're all on the same boat and maybe some of you might have the same concern. Please, any help is appreciated!

P.S. Yes, I understand that I should've done better to begin with but unfortunately that's not in my control anymore.

I would simply not apply to any schools you don't meet minimums for (really you need the GPA above a 3.0), apply early to some others if you think you have strong points in your application (preferably GRE, cumulative GPA, etc) and then send them the academic update.

 

[ATCPT]

In your guys' experience, do most schools (or maybe all?) just straight out reject your application if by the time you submit your application your science gpa is below a 3? (because my cumulative is above a 3 and my pre-req for most schools will be >3.00)

 

[ATCPT]

If I were you, I would wait until your fall grades are completed and then submit. The only issue is, that this would be in December correct (not Oct/Nov?). Honestly, it may be in your best interest to push pause on the application process and instead rework your plan to apply next cycle. It's a ton of time and money just to get automatic rejections from schools based on your GPA. If you don't meet the minimum GPA for the school at the time you press "send" on PTCAS, you will get rejected. Take another year, redo all those classes this fall and a few more in the spring. Then be ready to apply ASAP as soon as the cycle opens next summer.

I was in your shoes....I regret the time, money and stress I spent to apply my first year. I took another year to prep after that and it made all the difference.

Thank you for your response @starrsgirl ! Yes, my fall grades would come out mid-late December. I understand, the only thing is that I am a re-applicant this year so I'd rather apply this cycle and find schools that will be okay with having my GPA below a 3 until they see the academic update (if there are such schools out there). The rest of my application is great, although, I might be taking the GRE again soon to make up for my low GPA. With that said, have you found that a high GRE score partially makes up (of course not completely) for a low GPA. Maybe, say, a GRE score of around 315-320 or so?

 

[ATCPT]

I would simply not apply to any schools you don't meet minimums for (really you need the GPA above a 3.0), apply early to some others if you think you have strong points in your application (preferably GRE, cumulative GPA, etc) and then send them the academic update.

Thank you for your response @redrose424 ! That's a good suggestion, in your experience do you know if schools are ok with having a below 3.00 science GPA when applicants apply and then they increase it to above a 3.00 after the AU?

 

[redrose424]

Thank you for your response @redrose424 ! That's a good suggestion, in your experience do you know if schools are ok with having a below 3.00 science GPA when applicants apply and then they increase it to above a 3.00 after the AU?

Unfortunately, I can't tell you. I know that prerequisite GPA (different from science) and cumulative are important. This is the first cycle I'm applying too though.

 

[starrsgirl]

I haven't heard of this before. You have to understand that a computer generally sorts the applications. Unless the school doesn't send interview decisions until Jan or later, you can assume the computer sort occurs before AU. So you will be automatically rejected by the computer on GPA. I was in this exact situation my first round. I was at a 2.99 when applying and didn't hit the 3.0 until after AU. I got rejected everywhere. Yes, it depends on the school and the dates they review. You could call your top schools if it's not obvious from online info.

No, high GRE will not overcome low GPA. No, great essays and recommendations won't either. I speak from experience. I had to suck it up and take more classes. A lot more.