Bad Senior Year GPA

[ihadahamsandwich]

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[161MD]

I'm not really sure if I have the confidence to give advice, but I'm just gonna spit back some of the things I've been told, since my cGPA is in your range.

Is there a specific reason why your GPA was much lower?

I've been given advice before that while a 3.4 won't exclude you from medical school, it's definitely an uphill battle if you don't have other things in your app that make you stand out. Schools definitely do not view downward trend GPAs positively, but I'm not sure to what degree you will have to face that.

What was your MCAT score? Things like your undergrad institution / letters / duration of gap / URM status / etc will also move you one way or another.

TL;DR - It depends, but it certainly isn't a positive.

 

[candbgirl]

I'm confused- you are looking to do clinical volunteering in the"next couple of years" but you are applying next Spring? You also indicate "not much clinical volunteering". You'll need clinical experience( not necessarily volunteering) before you apply whenever that is. Do you have a MCAT score yet? Are you applying DO? MD? Or both? A downward trend is never a good sign,especially that steep of one. What is your sGPA? From what you have shared it seems your ECs are rather weak. But then again you didn't share any specifics. Your GPA is more inline with DO than MD.


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[ihadahamsandwich]

I'm not really sure if I have the confidence to give advice, but I'm just gonna spit back some of the things I've been told, since my cGPA is in your range.

Is there a specific reason why your GPA was much lower?

I've been given advice before that while a 3.4 won't exclude you from medical school, it's definitely an uphill battle if you don't have other things in your app that make you stand out. Schools definitely do not view downward trend GPAs positively, but I'm not sure to what degree you will have to face that.

What was your MCAT score? Things like your undergrad institution / letters / duration of gap / URM status / etc will also move you one way or another.

TL;DR - It depends, but it certainly isn't a positive.

I'm confused- you are looking to do clinical volunteering in the"next couple of years" but you are applying next Spring? You also indicate "not much clinical volunteering". You'll need clinical experience( not necessarily volunteering) before you apply whenever that is. Do you have a MCAT score yet? Are you applying DO? MD? Or both? A downward trend is never a good sign,especially that steep of one. What is your sGPA? From what you have shared it seems your ECs are rather weak. But then again you didn't share any specifics. Your GPA is more inline with DO than MD.


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[Goro]

NOT good.

The impression ill be that you can't handle a serious course load.

Hello everyone,

I am a recent college graduate looking to apply next spring. My senior year was pretty bad in terms of grades, and I ended up with a 3.14. The previous three years I hovered more or less around 3.5, and my final gpa is 3.44. How badly does would this reflect on my overall application next year? During my gap years I am working as a Research Technician and looking to volunteer with NAMI and also at a local hospital to supplement my application as well. I think during my college career I had decent ECs, including varsity sports, student leadership, some shadowing, a part time job, and some research. Not much clinical volunteering, and looking to do that next next couple years.

Thanks!

 

[candbgirl]

What was your first MCAT score? Being a reapplicant with a lower GPA the second application cycle will certainly make things interesting. Did you get any interviews the first application cycle? Any idea what might have happened last time?
Thanks for delineating your ECs. They look much better this way.


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[ihadahamsandwich]

NOT good.

The impression ill be that you can't handle a serious course load.

What can I do to make up for this? I am confident I can handle a serious course load due to the nature of my undergrad. It was unfortunate that I happened to relapse into depression at that time, which is already a red flag when trying to justify a drop in grades, and another concern of mine going into my next application cycle.

What was your first MCAT score? Being a reapplicant with a lower GPA the second application cycle will certainly make things interesting. Did you get any interviews the first application cycle? Any idea what might have happened last time?
Thanks for delineating your ECs. They look much better this way.


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My first MCAT was 29, with no interviews. I think it would have been best for me to wait at that time, and looking back, it was clear to me that I was not ready personally, and also statistically.

 

[Goro]

I think that you will need a year of post bacc work with excellent grades to show that you can handle medical school

 

[Vladimir7]

I think that you will need a year of post bacc work with excellent grades to show that you can handle medical school

Hey goro, So I am facing the opposite of this problem, 2.7-3.0 lower div gpa (physics+ intro bio+ gen chem). with 3.7-3.8 upper div GPA (genetics, biochemistry etc...). As you can see this doesn't average at a high/competent GPA, what would you think of this? Would you advice post-bacc/SMP still?

 

[Goro]

A rising GPA trend may help.

Hey goro, So I am facing the opposite of this problem, 2.7-3.0 lower div gpa (physics+ intro bio+ gen chem). with 3.7-3.8 upper div GPA (genetics, biochemistry etc...). As you can see this doesn't average at a high/competent GPA, what would you think of this? Would you advice post-bacc/SMP still?

 

[Vladimir7]

A rising GPA trend may help.

Lastly, since I'm sure you've dealt with re-take cases before. So my school has three Ochem classes (quarter system) I averaged B/B- in Ochem 109A & B, but in ochem 109C i got a C-.

Considering 2 things, 1) Ochem 109C is basically biochemistry, and in my actual biochemistry class I got a B+ 2) But the full year of ochem is considered a direct prerequisite class to MD schools. Should I re-take it end of my senior year?