Below 3.0 gpa Support Group/Thread

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x2. except I disagree on the "not so bad" part, it sucks terribly :D . But how bad do you want it, Shotapp? you can do it, it's just a matter of how much are you willing to suffer to get there. work hard. party harder (Later, once you get an acceptance letter.)
no thanks. you are a far more patient soul than I. Good luck!!

lol Well, I have a different outlook. Things could be much worse for me than being tired frequently. But I want this very badly so I'm more than willing to work hard for it.

Philosophy ain't so bad! Plus, I think it may be helpful. A different point of view in medicine.

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Hey guys, I'm a freshman at the University of Texas at El Paso majoring in Kinesiology with a biology minor. I graduated high school with a 2.5 GPA. I am also in the Air Force ROTC program and I was just here to ask of some advice on how to start off strong and graduate with a good GPA. I don't want to make the same mistakes I made in high school so any input helps thanks!

P.S. My intent is to go to medical school and become a family or pieds physican

Be mindful of your time and make smart choices so you don't overwhelm yourself. If you get involved with too many student orgs and can't focus on school for example, don't be afraid to drop them and step back. Space your classes out if you need to. You can always gather extracurriculars later but coming back from a dampened GPA is so much harder.

What helps me most is sitting in the front and audio recording my lectures, then listening to it again to solidify and reiterate what the professor says. Focus on the bigger picture to help motivate you and never hesitate to reach out to your student learning center, TAs, or profs if you need help!
 
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Be mindful of your time and make smart choices so you don't overwhelm yourself. If you get involved with too many student orgs and can't focus on school for example, don't be afraid to drop them and step back. Space your classes out if you need to. You can always gather extracurriculars later but coming back from a dampened GPA is so much harder.

What helps me most is sitting in the front and audio recording my lectures, then listening to it again to solidify and reiterate what the professor says. Focus on the bigger picture to help motivate you and never hesitate to reach out to your student learning center, TAs, or profs if you need help!

This is great advice. I would also like to chime in and say that asking questions when you don't understand is very important. Asking questions is never a bad thing and I think a lot of students don't realize it. Even if you don't feel comfortable asking in front front the class, take a few minutes after and ask the professor.
 
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Be mindful of your time and make smart choices so you don't overwhelm yourself. If you get involved with too many student orgs and can't focus on school for example, don't be afraid to drop them and step back. Space your classes out if you need to. You can always gather extracurriculars later but coming back from a dampened GPA is so much harder.

What helps me most is sitting in the front and audio recording my lectures, then listening to it again to solidify and reiterate what the professor says. Focus on the bigger picture to help motivate you and never hesitate to reach out to your student learning center, TAs, or profs if you need help!
Thanks for the reply, what would be a good amount of volunteer hours per semester and do you have any outside the box suggestions on this I should do to bolster my resume for med school?
 
Hey everyone! I just want to say I really like this thread and that it is actually really encouraging.

So I know my GPAs aren't very competitive for this cycle and I am considering doing a post bacc. Can anyone who is currently in a a post bacc program give me some general info on this option? Like what is it exactly? What kind of degree do you earn? etc. I'm not too familiar with them and my school's premed advisor is incredibly overwhelmed to the point where I can never get in to meet with her.

Thanks for the help.
 
Hey everyone! I just want to say I really like this thread and that it is actually really encouraging.

So I know my GPAs aren't very competitive for this cycle and I am considering doing a post bacc. Can anyone who is currently in a a post bacc program give me some general info on this option? Like what is it exactly? What kind of degree do you earn? etc. I'm not too familiar with them and my school's premed advisor is incredibly overwhelmed to the point where I can never get in to meet with her.

Thanks for the help.
"post bacc" just means any courses you take after earning your degree. In the context we are talking about, there are a few different options. The most common for low gpa people is just to sign up and take classes through an extension or open enrollment at local universities. Some schools will allow you to sign up as a 2nd degree student, allowing you to qualify for financial aid and better enrollment options. Formal post-baccs are 1-2 year programs where you earn a certificate at the end, some have great connections with med schools and can help high achieving students get in through linkages. These are usually for career changers who need the pre-reqs and already have high gpas. Most aren't worth more than the piece of paper they give you and are basically equivalent to taking extension/open enrollment without a certificate. Assume that any program that will accept you as a low gpa student isn't going to help you with linkages and is simply a tool to get the grades you need. Find the best option for you and try to do it as cheaply as possible, the costs really add up.
 
I need advice/help!

Im a recent first-generation graduate who has decided on going to medical school. My science GPA is quite low 2.57 and my overall GPA is a 2.97. I've looked at pre-reqs for schools and I have C+/-'s in 4 of the courses (genetics, ochem 1, bio 2, biochem) and the rest of my pre-reqs are B's.
I still have more prereqs to take (entire physics sequence, ochem 2) and I was going to add a few more classes in to boost my GPA (A&P sequence, Micro, Sociology) and retake Genetics which I made a C- in. Along with that, I plan on starting my MCAT studies in December in order to take the exam in July. I recently found an OBGYN to serve as my mentor, and she is offering me a part-time MA position at her clinic with training since she knows I have a lot of courses to take during this gap year

What are my odds looking like so far for medical school? I'm definitely looking into the DO route, but is MD still possible? I know I have to make all A's which i'm ready for, but does this all seem attainable within the next year? I know i'll have to sacrifice a lot of free time, but I also didn't take advantage of the time I had in undergrad by working hard, so I know I have to do it now.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
Has anyone bombed a course in DIY post-bacc plan? I mean like hoping the physiology gods show mercy on a very poor choice to take Biochem and Physiology in the same 8 week semester and eek out with a C? I can almost swallow a C, because I got an A in the biochem course; but a D would be devastating. Any thoughts?
 
Hello,I'm a 6 year undergraduate student. I was going for being a physical therapist but I decided my junior year that I realized I wanted to be a doctor. That said I've had a lot of family illnesses and it's been more emotionally draining these last 2 years because I've confronted it. That said I've tried to retake the three classes I need to retake and I've gotten F's in two after attempting to retake the 3 classes 3 times
Each maxing out on W's I can get. My goal is to do a postbacc but I feel like because of my recent academic history with retaking classes it is putting me at jeapordy for applying even for postbaccs. I want to do this career so bad. I have a 2.704 gpa cumulative and I want to show them I have what it takes. Because I don't have the ochem and biochem and genetics etc yet many of the postbacc programs won't accept me. I'm in a pickle because I have to do these classes and I've already extended graduation 3 times. I need to take care of myself first but I know I have it in me to do this career. I'm just lost right now about the right direction to go since I have dug myself into a hole. I just want the medical schools and postbac committees to see that yes I messed up but I have it in me to succeed. Has anyone done open university? It's the only way I can get ochem and biochem before postbacc unless you know of
Others to get classes after I graduate.
 
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@westie91
How can you have a 7.04 gpa? There is no such gpa that exist like that. What is your gpa?
 
You need to graduate, get a job, and seriously think about why you have failed these classes after retaking them so many times. Do not take any more prerequisites in the interim. Do not delay graduation. Stop thinking about medicine at all. I know you said that you have had family illnesses and external stress but it is a huge red flag that you are not learning from your mistakes. Do you have poor study skills? An undiagnosed learning or attention disorder? Are you simply not intelligent enough to handle the coursework? Desire to achieve a goal is admirable, but so is knowing when to stop. These are other professions in the medical field that do not require the academic rigor of medical school and you have a long road ahead of you.

If you seriously want to continue down this path, there are multiple other places you can take classes. The quickest way is to complete a DIY post-bacc with grade placement and apply to DO schools. You can take prereq courses at community college, through open university, through extension programs, etc. However, my advice is to seriously stop and give yourself a break. Think about if this is what you really want to do and how you can actually achieve your goals. If you just keep trying without thinking, you're going to find yourself repeating the same mistakes and digging yourself deeper in a hole with tons of credits and a worse academic history.

I'm speaking from experience. I graduated with a 2.5cGPA/2.1sGPA and thought I could just do a DIY post-bacc right after graduation to boost my GPA, get a kicking MCAT score, and apply to med schools. I retook OChem immediately after graduation and promptly got a D, even though it was the third time I took the course (got a D and a C in the first two times... stupid, stupid ecpresso). I think I came onto SDN with a plea for help similar to yours and got my ass handed to me. I had the common sense to quit right there and pursue an alternate career. I didn't reconsider medicine for another two years after working full-time. This time I did it right. I've taken >50 credits in the 18 months since, maintained a 3.8GPA while working full-time. I didn't get smarter, but the extra years gave me more maturity, a greater sense of discipline, and more perspective on how to get where I wanted to go. I'm still an underdog applicant to DOs with a 3.3cGPA/3.1sGPA, but my upward trend is undeniable. You can do it too. But you need to retreat for now, reexamine the situation, and create a strategy that isn't just "try again."

No I agree totally. I do have bad study skills at the moment not because I don't like material but honestly I just need to get back into the swing of things. My plan is to do EMT for a couple of years and then continue again. If I stop now with a 2.704 gap though and do the " do it yourself postbacc" I can do anatomy again and all right? including ocher and bio chem etc
 
Yes, you can retake as many classes as many times as necessary for DO. It may not be at your home institution; you can even get away with taking these at a community college as long as the number of credits and title of course match.

I would suggest starting slow when you do start taking classes again. Take one class at a time, then two, etc. so that you can concentrate on how to improve your study skills. It is a long road but you can definitely do it if you're smart about it. Good luck!

Thank you so much. Yea that's what I was thinking about too. I need to start and rebuild my 2.704 gpa. I know I can do it and I am more than capable. I used to be a B/A- student too.
 
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So happy to see the thread going strong and plenty of folks finding success.

I find out my mcat score next week and have settled into a pretty good rhythm at my SMP + DO.

I have class from 8-11 then hit the gym and lunch. I start studying around 2pm and go until around 9pm. Wash and repeat.
 
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Well, just came back from a biochem exam that probably kicked my butt. I studied a lot of mechanisms since that seemed to be the big thing on quizzes/problem sets, but the exam ended up being hugely focused on structures and basically things I didn't expect. So that kind of sucked, but at least now I know for the future what he's expecting.
 
Hey all! I posted this on the main thread, but maybe I would get some more response/advice from this thread since i'm in the same boat as some people here. I just started browsing around here again recently, and I'm a bit confused quite frankly. I'm kinda just wondering what others advice would be at this point if I were to pursue med school (again), what the best way to go about it would be.

Long story short, I started college off great, finished horribly, for reasons that don't really matter. I have no problem owning up to the poor grades, and unfortunately my grades had a downward trend through college. I was pre-med through college and a bio major/psych minor. I have all my prereqs, although I didn't get a's in them all. My cumulative undergrad sGPA wound up being a 2.32, with my cumulative undergrad GPA at a 2.86. I took MCAT study courses, but decided not to take the MCAT my senior year or apply to school for obvious reasons. I graduated college in 2011.

Now, I've been working in medicine since graduating. I'm assuming that working as an MA counts towards patient care hours, in which I've accumulated over 13,000 hours. I also wound up taking the GREs and got myself into a MS program focused in exercise science and epidemiology. (almost) all my classes were science classes, as I figured I needed to boost my GPAs. I originally was going to go the PA route, which is why I didn't just go back and re-take my basic science courses (caspa just averages all grades together, no grade replacement). Anyways, my cumulative graduate GPA was a 3.85, and my graduate sGPA is a 3.92. I did continue to work full-time through my master's program along with being one of the primary caretakers of a special needs child, along with increasing my volunteer hours. I did shadow physicians a few years ago, which I could do more of, and I know I would have LOR from physicians and the director of my master's program.

I have no problem repeating some courses, especially if I have any intention of applying to med school. My question is really what is the best way to go about applying/what classes to retake? My overall science is up to a 2.70 now, I know that needs to come up, and my overall GPA is over a 3.0 now. And I'll need to study/take the new MCAT. I haven't done too much research yet into if pre-reqs need to be taken within a time frame, but I'm coming up on 10yrs from when I started college, which is when i took my bio 1 and 2 classes, so I dont know if I should retake those too, or just the Biochem and upper level biology classes. Any input/advice would be awesome! My post-bacc is 2 years with all a's, and 2 b+'s, but how long do you need to take classes for them to consider it an "upward trend" with grades again?
 
Hey all! I posted this on the main thread, but maybe I would get some more response/advice from this thread since i'm in the same boat as some people here. I just started browsing around here again recently, and I'm a bit confused quite frankly. I'm kinda just wondering what others advice would be at this point if I were to pursue med school (again), what the best way to go about it would be.

Long story short, I started college off great, finished horribly, for reasons that don't really matter. I have no problem owning up to the poor grades, and unfortunately my grades had a downward trend through college. I was pre-med through college and a bio major/psych minor. I have all my prereqs, although I didn't get a's in them all. My cumulative undergrad sGPA wound up being a 2.32, with my cumulative undergrad GPA at a 2.86. I took MCAT study courses, but decided not to take the MCAT my senior year or apply to school for obvious reasons. I graduated college in 2011.

Now, I've been working in medicine since graduating. I'm assuming that working as an MA counts towards patient care hours, in which I've accumulated over 13,000 hours. I also wound up taking the GREs and got myself into a MS program focused in exercise science and epidemiology. (almost) all my classes were science classes, as I figured I needed to boost my GPAs. I originally was going to go the PA route, which is why I didn't just go back and re-take my basic science courses (caspa just averages all grades together, no grade replacement). Anyways, my cumulative graduate GPA was a 3.85, and my graduate sGPA is a 3.92. I did continue to work full-time through my master's program along with being one of the primary caretakers of a special needs child, along with increasing my volunteer hours. I did shadow physicians a few years ago, which I could do more of, and I know I would have LOR from physicians and the director of my master's program.

I have no problem repeating some courses, especially if I have any intention of applying to med school. My question is really what is the best way to go about applying/what classes to retake? My overall science is up to a 2.70 now, I know that needs to come up, and my overall GPA is over a 3.0 now. And I'll need to study/take the new MCAT. I haven't done too much research yet into if pre-reqs need to be taken within a time frame, but I'm coming up on 10yrs from when I started college, which is when i took my bio 1 and 2 classes, so I dont know if I should retake those too, or just the Biochem and upper level biology classes. Any input/advice would be awesome! My post-bacc is 2 years with all a's, and 2 b+'s, but how long do you need to take classes for them to consider it an "upward trend" with grades again?

Re: pre-req expiry, some schools do have a date but the vast majority don't have any issue with old courses. However that basic science knowledge will really help you with the MCAT. I found it challenging to re-learn everything after being 8 years removed from those courses.

Re: improving your GPA, you probably know this already but graduate courses don't affect your undergraduate GPA in the AMCAS system, and many schools automatically screen out applicants with a GPA below 3.0. Not sure how long you're planning to spend on a post-bacc, but 1 semester of courses to prepare for the MCAT and 1 semester of upper level anatomy and physiology courses would help prepare you for the first year of med school, and demonstrate an ability to handle more advanced material. Also community college courses are looked down on by most MD programs.

In terms of schools to consider, I would focus on your state MD program/s, DO schools, and any programs that value non-traditional applicants.

Finally, when you do apply, if your GPA is below 3.0 make sure to email the admissions department letting them know that you're a non-traditional applicant with a high graduate and post-bacc GPA, but you're concerned that you might get screened out due to low grades during your first degree. The dean of admissions at my school told me they will take a second look apps when people let them know ahead of time.
 
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Hey all! I posted this on the main thread, but maybe I would get some more response/advice from this thread since i'm in the same boat as some people here. I just started browsing around here again recently, and I'm a bit confused quite frankly. I'm kinda just wondering what others advice would be at this point if I were to pursue med school (again), what the best way to go about it would be.....

I think the single biggest thing you could do to improve your chances for admissions is to absolutely KILL it on the MCAT. Right now, this is the single biggest unknown variable that will determine if your application is considered. I wouldn't focus too much on contingency planning until you know what your MCAT score is. I'd make it a goal to score >90%ile. It takes work, but you can get there.

Also be aware of GPA cutoffs at a lot of DO schools (but surprisingly there are fewer at MD schools). I've been rejected from many schools because my science GPA is .01 below a 2.7. Below are the GPA cutoffs I've found for this cycle which you want to be sure you'll clear:

LECOM (all campuses): 2.7 min (cGPA & sGPA)
Arizona COM, Chicago COM: 2.75 min (cGPA & sGPA)
AT Still, University of New England: 2.8min (cGPA & sGPA)
West Virginia (DO), Rush, Nova Southeastern: 3.0 min (cGPA & sGPA)
Kansas City (DO): 3.25 min

This is not a comprehensive list, just what I've found from my own digging.

But again, focus on KILLING the MCAT. Five-hundred hours studying for the MCAT would be a far better use of your time than 500 hours volunteering, 500hrs taking extra classes, or 500hrs re-doing old courses. From my experience, I think that's the single biggest factor that's gotten me IIs at both MD and DO schools. Best of luck!
 
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got busy hustling and then class started 3 weeks ago, but here's an update.

501 on the MCAT - 126 chem/phys, 128 CARS, 126 bio/biochem, 121 psych. I'm happy with it, I really thought I crashed and burned. I couldn't make time to study for the test in May like I had planned, because I was too busy hustling money to make up for the interruptions in Summer GI bill checks. then Biochem in 4 weeks in June, so that was my life, and finally had a week I could study... the week right before my MCAT date. I studied for 3 days prior to the test, focusing almost exclusively on Psych since I haven't had a Psych class since High School back in 2000. Yes, I'm that old. I got 6 hours of sleep, and walked into the testing center to either sink or swim.

All in all, not too shabby, I think.

Meanwhile - AACOMAS can lick hairy donkey balls. short version: I didn't have the money to pay for transcript entry, I submitted, and they verified it - but they noticed I had put in credit hour values for repeated coursework that I had marked as "repeats", and instead of emailing me about it, they just changed it all and marked it verified. in their reply to my emails, they acknowledged that I did, in fact, mark "repeat" on various courses, but also noted that I listed course hours, so they assumed I had done it purposely and just changed it to be added into my GPA. Thanks, guys. My brother, on the other hand, paid the $65 and they fixed all of his similar errors in his transcript entry (which THEY entered in the first place, and he merely marked "repeat" where applicable). AACOMAS was more than happy to change his entries. Moral of the story: if you have repeats, pay the goddamn $65, even if you have to do porn to get the money. Once they mark "verified" on your app, they WILL NOT change anything, regardless of whose fault it is. (They're at least nice enough to tell you in the instructions that they will not fix things after you are verified.)

So my AACOMAS cGPA is a 2.72, my sGPA is a 3.72, and my MCAT is a 501. I do not plan to retake the MCAT as I don't have the time this semester to devote to it in order to improve my score. should I receive no acceptance letters, I will retake it, likely after taking a prep class in the spring.

Thus far, I am "secondary complete and received" (and confirmed) by PCOM, VCOM, LECOM, and Nova (got that call this morning). I'm plodding through UF, FSU, Penn State, and a handful of other public med school secondaries at the moment, but it's slow progress while I juggle school, my kids, and adulting in general. hoping for II status soon.

Cheers
 
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Well, I stumbled :(. I rocked the 2nd midterm but I left the final feeling very unsure. I definitely will not be getting an A now, but I will hope for a B- at the very least. Sigh, I was doing so well. Hopefully this will be the last you hear of me posting about this.
 
Hey guys, I'm a freshman at the University of Texas at El Paso majoring in Kinesiology with a biology minor. I graduated high school with a 2.5 GPA. I am also in the Air Force ROTC program and I was just here to ask of some advice on how to start off strong and graduate with a good GPA. I don't want to make the same mistakes I made in high school so any input helps thanks!

P.S. My intent is to go to medical school and become a family or pieds physican

My high school GPA was 2.1. I finished at a school that ranks from 15-30 with a 3.6 in a hard major.

They're different ball games. High school is about a) the capacity to deal with bull**** b) the capacity to do endless amounts of busy work and c) how you work with someone looking over your shoulder.

College is about conceptual mastery and the ability to self discipline.

Two different games entirely.
 
If you want a really good MBS program, I recommend rutgers. I might be a little bit biased, but the program is really good, is taught by professors from the medical school, and the people are super friendly.

what state are you in?

[Deleted]
 
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Hey Tetley,

I am a PA resident looking to apply to the MBS Program at Rutgers beginning in January. Would you be able to PM me? Are you at the Newark or Piscataway campus? I would love to ask you some specific questions about the program and learn from your experiences if you are willing to share!

Thanks!
feel free to send me any questions or anything you may have!
I'm really happy to share my experiences and provide whatever insight I can
 
Hi everyone!

So I posted on the non-trad thread, thinking that I belonged there but I think this thread might be a better fit. (I've been out of school for almost 5 years working in the retail industry). I thought I was working with a uGPA of 3.3 but I'm working with a uGPA of 3.02. I got 4.0 first semester freshman year of college doing basic first year classes but went down hill from there from ec and not able to settle with a major that I liked. But it seems like I don't have a sGPA. I have a couple of behavioral science classes that I did ok in but no science classes considered for the amcas science GPA. Am I in a better position than I think?

And what is best for me to take these science classes? I was hoping to do a postbacc at NYU. Do I even have a chance of getting in?

Also, I wanted to do some volunteering at hospitals to boost my application for the post bacc and still work my 9-5 job, but it's very difficult. The volunteer director at one hospital was not very nice or encouraging. I have no background in the health industry and I do want to keep my job until I get into a postbacc program. Does anyone have any other recommendations? I can do anything after my work hours and/or weekends.

Any insights or recommendations would be much appreciated.

Thanks everyone!!
 
Hi everyone!

So I posted on the non-trad thread, thinking that I belonged there but I think this thread might be a better fit. (I've been out of school for almost 5 years working in the retail industry). I thought I was working with a uGPA of 3.3 but I'm working with a uGPA of 3.02. I got 4.0 first semester freshman year of college doing basic first year classes but went down hill from there from ec and not able to settle with a major that I liked. But it seems like I don't have a sGPA. I have a couple of behavioral science classes that I did ok in but no science classes considered for the amcas science GPA. Am I in a better position than I think?

And what is best for me to take these science classes? I was hoping to do a postbacc at NYU. Do I even have a chance of getting in?

Also, I wanted to do some volunteering at hospitals to boost my application for the post bacc and still work my 9-5 job, but it's very difficult. The volunteer director at one hospital was not very nice or encouraging. I have no background in the health industry and I do want to keep my job until I get into a postbacc program. Does anyone have any other recommendations? I can do anything after my work hours and/or weekends.

Any insights or recommendations would be much appreciated.

Thanks everyone!!

For volunteering, call around until you find a place that appreciates you. I went through a few places before I found a good fit. I'm sure there are places that will let you volunteer at night time too. I can't think of many clinics that are open on the weekends.

Your sGPA is fine. You can potentially get a 4.0 sGPA and raise your cumulative GPA to around 3.2-3.3 in the process. That's what I did after about 50 credits of work, raised it by .2. I don't know much about the postbacc at NYU, because I took classes a la carte at my own pace.
 
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I'm currently located in NYC. I like that NYU has an affiliated hospital. I've heard horror stories with the postbac at Columbia. Ideally I want to stay near the city.
 
I'm currently located in NYC. I like that NYU has an affiliated hospital. I've heard horror stories with the postbac at Columbia. Ideally I want to stay near the city.
ok cool
so I asked because it is very expensive compared to other programs

if you feel like opening up your options, tufts has a guaranteed interview arrangement, and i believe that hopkins has one too
 
I need advice/help!

Im a recent first-generation graduate who has decided on going to medical school. My science GPA is quite low 2.57 and my overall GPA is a 2.97. I've looked at pre-reqs for schools and I have C+/-'s in 4 of the courses (genetics, ochem 1, bio 2, biochem) and the rest of my pre-reqs are B's.
I still have more prereqs to take (entire physics sequence, ochem 2) and I was going to add a few more classes in to boost my GPA (A&P sequence, Micro, Sociology) and retake Genetics which I made a C- in. Along with that, I plan on starting my MCAT studies in December in order to take the exam in July. I recently found an OBGYN to serve as my mentor, and she is offering me a part-time MA position at her clinic with training since she knows I have a lot of courses to take during this gap year

What are my odds looking like so far for medical school? I'm definitely looking into the DO route, but is MD still possible? I know I have to make all A's which i'm ready for, but does this all seem attainable within the next year? I know i'll have to sacrifice a lot of free time, but I also didn't take advantage of the time I had in undergrad by working hard, so I know I have to do it now.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Speaking from experiences, Your odds are not bad for DOs. For MD, it'll take longer and you need to kill the MCAT. Personally, It look me 4 years to repeat course (about 56 credits all As). Now I'm accepted to a good DO school. For MD, you absolutely need to kill the MCAT (about 32+ or >510) and you might need to do SMP. I cannot speak for MD but DO sure. Work hard and you'll get in.

I was worse off than you though. Cgpa was 2.62 and science was 2.7 i think. You might get it done faster. Repeat all science with C or lower, upper sciences then MCAT. Volunteer+shadow all that jazz...
 
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If you were trash in undergrad, and currently doing trash in a post-bac, what do you do? I'm considering withdrawing from ALL post-bacc classes I'm enrolled in and taking time off to really figure out if medicine is for me.

GPAs:
cum: <2.3
sci: <2.0
post-bacc: <2.0

I have like 4 retakes for chem I with B+ being my highest. 3 retakes for chem II C- being my highest. Failed microbio 3x
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So, for those of you that took time off, how long? What did you do? How did you find other careers to go into? I didn't finish school with a marketable degree.

I'll ideally like some office work (during this time off). I volunteered in a lab during the summer and didn't really enjoy it; but the experience could count for something.

I'm interested in podiatry school, not D.O./M.D., unlike the majority of posters in this thread. However, I figured we're all in the same ball park since pod applicants take the same prereqs and MCATs too. (Don't tell me go post in pod forum. I want non-trad advice)

Also any recommended books / reading material during the time off? Whether I'm flipping burgers, or sweeping floors, I'll like to come back home after work and read some books. They can help shed some perspective on things.

So far I have a book on biomedical informatics (my 2nd choice career) and I'm considering Charles Darwin's autobiography since Darwin went through several careers before finally committing to research. I'll also re-read "Cold lights, blue steel" Micheal Collins.

Basically:

I'm ridiculousy lazy, can't find the motivation to study. At all. I've tried all kinds of methods and techniques, spoken to succesful people I look up to, etc but no luck. When I do sit down to study, I can't go a solid week of committing to the material. I'm too inconsistent to see any results. I don't want to keep doing damage to my grades, so it's time to just face it and take time off from School to really think things through. I'll rather come back with a much more clear mind and focus. I'll also like to get a masters degree before podiatry school.

So... any thoughts? Advice? Suggestions?
 
How much weight do adcoms really give to upward trends?



Thanks for being so inspiring you guys!
 
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How much weight do adcoms really give to upward trends?



Thanks for being so inspiring you guys!

It depends on the school. I got an interview coming up at a school that I know I must be at the lower 10% for their GPA/MCAT averages and I was not expecting it at all! Fit is very important because my activities aligns perfectly with their mission statement! Take that into account too!
 
How much weight do adcoms really give to upward trends?



Thanks for being so inspiring you guys!

I think it matters to some schools. I graduated undergrad with a ~2.7 over a decade ago, and then did my post-bac at a top national university where I got a ~3.6 GPA. That still puts me just under 3.0 cGPA. I had a good MCAT, and have received 2 MD II thus far. I didn't apply DO because it doesn't interest me and I don't think I will have to go DO, even with my extremely sub-par cGPA. So far, some schools seem to value genuine reinvention, though it's been many years since my poor GPA, so that is probably a factor.
 
I think it matters to some schools. I graduated undergrad with a ~2.7 over a decade ago, and then did my post-bac at a top national university where I got a ~3.6 GPA. That still puts me just under 3.0 cGPA. I had a good MCAT, and have received 2 MD II thus far. I didn't apply DO because it doesn't interest me and I don't think I will have to go DO, even with my extremely sub-par cGPA. So far, some schools seem to value genuine reinvention, though it's been many years since my poor GPA, so that is probably a factor.

would you mind sharing which MD schools you applied/got II at? I had similar stats and I finished supplementary apps in august and haven't heard anything positive. I've applied to UF, Michigan, Maryland, Penn State, FSU, MCG, Mercer, and UCF and I got rejected at Maryland without an interview, and haven't heard from any of the others. I didn't do post-bac, but I did return to school to finish my initial BS, and I have 2+ years with straight A's. I am an ex-Army medic, I have a 2.7 Cum and a 3.23 sGPA in AMCAS, 501 MCAT. any tips you can give me? schools I should apply to?
 
I think it matters to some schools. I graduated undergrad with a ~2.7 over a decade ago, and then did my post-bac at a top national university where I got a ~3.6 GPA. That still puts me just under 3.0 cGPA. I had a good MCAT, and have received 2 MD II thus far. I didn't apply DO because it doesn't interest me and I don't think I will have to go DO, even with my extremely sub-par cGPA. So far, some schools seem to value genuine reinvention, though it's been many years since my poor GPA, so that is probably a factor.


Thanks for your response!

I currently have a 3.0 sGPA but a 3.5 2nd semester junior and 4.0 senior year taking all upper level science courses

I'm also taking over 30 hrs of post bacc classes which will hopefully get my sGPA to the high 3.3- low 3.4 range

I'm also pretty set on MD over DO
 
would you mind sharing which MD schools you applied/got II at? I had similar stats and I finished supplementary apps in august and haven't heard anything positive. I've applied to UF, Michigan, Maryland, Penn State, FSU, MCG, Mercer, and UCF and I got rejected at Maryland without an interview, and haven't heard from any of the others. I didn't do post-bac, but I did return to school to finish my initial BS, and I have 2+ years with straight A's. I am an ex-Army medic, I have a 2.7 Cum and a 3.23 sGPA in AMCAS, 501 MCAT. any tips you can give me? schools I should apply to?

I applied broadly to 26 schools. Rejected pre-secondary by one, rejected pre-II by another (so far), on hold at the rest. I received October interview invites at USUHS and ETSU, but am deployed so I had to defer them to December (really looking forward to ETSU). I received a 511 on my MCAT.

Obviously I'm not an ADCOM, but I would think that a 501 is probably lethal for most every MD school. According to AAMC Table A-24.4, applicants with your stats have a 4% acceptance rate. Even if you had a 3.8, that MCAT score has a 22% acceptance rate according to the same table. I would not have applied this cycle if I received below a 509, but that's based on my own narrative (poor undergrad a long time ago; decent GPA in 55 pre-medicine credits from a top school, coupled a strongish MCAT, show that I can handle it now). If it were me, I would prepare to take the MCAT again the spring and re-apply next year to a broader set of schools.
 
Thanks for your response!

I currently have a 3.0 sGPA but a 3.5 2nd semester junior and 4.0 senior year taking all upper level science courses

I'm also taking over 30 hrs of post bacc classes which will hopefully get my sGPA to the high 3.3- low 3.4 range

I'm also pretty set on MD over DO

From what I've gathered from my advisor and ADCOMs, it's all about dat MCAT for folks like us!
 
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Honestly those stats are really low for MD. I would apply to DO and some smartly chosen MD's.
I dont know much about some of those schools, but I can see some that are pretty big reaches for your stats. Michigan for example...
Idk if you already have, but I would suggest a post in the What Are My Chances forum of SDN. You should get some good advice there.

I Also applied to both PCOMs, all 3 VCOMs, LECOM Bradenton, and NSU. I am aware that my grades from 10 years ago are akin to committing a felony, but if I post in the "what are my chances" forums, I'm likely to get the "have you thought about nursing?" responses. I have 9 years experience in Trauma medicine, to include Air MEDEVAC, and including three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. I have countless hours of hands-on experience actively treating patients. I took a 10+ year break from college to join the Army, and came back with a wife and kids, and still made straight As (a 4.0) while taking 13-16 hours a semester of nothing but sciences... for over two years straight. This whole exercise for me is a Hail Mary. I'm aware that even applying to any school outside of the Caribbean is a stretch for me, and that most schools, especially those like Michigan, are likely to say "no". I carefully chose the schools that I did apply to because either an ADCOM strongly suggested that I apply despite my misgivings, or because their recruiters gave some flowery bull**** speech about "holistic review" of every application.

I applied broadly to 26 schools. Rejected pre-secondary by one, rejected pre-II by another (so far), on hold at the rest. I received October interview invites at USUHS and ETSU, but am deployed so I had to defer them to December (really looking forward to ETSU). I received a 511 on my MCAT.

Obviously I'm not an ADCOM, but I would think that a 501 is probably lethal for most every MD school. According to AAMC Table A-24.4, applicants with your stats have a 4% acceptance rate. Even if you had a 3.8, that MCAT score has a 22% acceptance rate according to the same table. I would not have applied this cycle if I received below a 509, but that's based on my own narrative (poor undergrad a long time ago; decent GPA in 55 pre-medicine credits from a top school, coupled a strongish MCAT, show that I can handle it now). If it were me, I would prepare to take the MCAT again the spring and re-apply next year to a broader set of schools.

my scores breakdown is 126/128/126/121. my plan is to take either a prep course or actually take a psych class, since I haven't had one in 15 years, in order to boost my terrible psych score. Yes, I was banking HEAVILY on the whole "I'm all grown up now, and I have experience, and I'm older and blah blah blah..." and honestly, I have a family and if I can get into a school, I'm going - I really can't afford to spin my wheels in a master's program or some other secondary choice while I strengthen my app. I'll be 33 in January, I have two kids and a wife who are affected by the decision to pursue Medical School, and that is foremost in my mind while I'm doing this. I naively thought that by taking nothing but sciences this time around, that would weigh in my favor, especially if I got good grades in all of them. It's not enough, but I had no time to study for the MCAT this semester, and I refuse to pay $300 to take another one until I can put forth the effort required to honestly attempt at blowing it out. if I don't get in anywhere, I'll plan accordingly.

thanks for your response. and take care of yourself over "there". Best of luck on your interviews when you get back, but I have a suspisicion that you'll do just fine.
 
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Well, I just found out my AMCAS GPA is 2.39/1.88, and my AACOMAS GPA is 2.57/1.28. LOL.

So, the only way to go is up? Hahaha. (Don't worry, I haven't taken almost any pre-reqs... I have until nearly 2022.)
 
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Figuring out my class schedule for next quarter, let me know what you guys think...

Biological Approaches to Medical Anthropology (4 units)
Early Evolution of Hominids (4 units)
Intro to Archaeology (5 units)
Human Embryology (4 units)
Calculus I (4 units)

I guess you could consider this to be my first 'serious quarter' since transferring to a UC (anthropology major). Too many units? Should I take out the Human Embryology? (Not a major requirement)..
Is 21 units doable?
 
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Genetics is a pain in the... The plan was to get an A, but it looks like I might have to settle for a B. I still have a couple of grades left, but the professor is known to hand out low grades for the lab reports...If any of y'all are going to do a post-bac, make sure you check out ratemyprofessor. It is pretty accurate. Get that easy A and if you really want to learn the subject, sit in the hard professor's class.
 
I Also applied to both PCOMs, all 3 VCOMs, LECOM Bradenton, and NSU. I am aware that my grades from 10 years ago are akin to committing a felony, but if I post in the "what are my chances" forums, I'm likely to get the "have you thought about nursing?" responses. I have 9 years experience in Trauma medicine, to include Air MEDEVAC, and including three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. I have countless hours of hands-on experience actively treating patients. I took a 10+ year break from college to join the Army, and came back with a wife and kids, and still made straight As (a 4.0) while taking 13-16 hours a semester of nothing but sciences... for over two years straight. This whole exercise for me is a Hail Mary. I'm aware that even applying to any school outside of the Caribbean is a stretch for me, and that most schools, especially those like Michigan, are likely to say "no". I carefully chose the schools that I did apply to because either an ADCOM strongly suggested that I apply despite my misgivings, or because their recruiters gave some flowery bull**** speech about "holistic review" of every application.



my scores breakdown is 126/128/126/121. my plan is to take either a prep course or actually take a psych class, since I haven't had one in 15 years, in order to boost my terrible psych score. Yes, I was banking HEAVILY on the whole "I'm all grown up now, and I have experience, and I'm older and blah blah blah..." and honestly, I have a family and if I can get into a school, I'm going - I really can't afford to spin my wheels in a master's program or some other secondary choice while I strengthen my app. I'll be 33 in January, I have two kids and a wife who are affected by the decision to pursue Medical School, and that is foremost in my mind while I'm doing this. I naively thought that by taking nothing but sciences this time around, that would weigh in my favor, especially if I got good grades in all of them. It's not enough, but I had no time to study for the MCAT this semester, and I refuse to pay $300 to take another one until I can put forth the effort required to honestly attempt at blowing it out. if I don't get in anywhere, I'll plan accordingly.

thanks for your response. and take care of yourself over "there". Best of luck on your interviews when you get back, but I have a suspisicion that you'll do just fine.
I am sorry you are in a though pickle. I dont know what advice you recieved before, however grade replacement and applying broadly to DOs should have been at the top of it. Your MCAT score currently means you will barely pass the STEP 1. Even if schools give you the beenfit of the doubt for the past GPA and see your strong recent performance, they will in all liklihood not take a chance on that mcat score. You can either have an amazing GPA and an subpar MCAT or you can have an exceptional MCAT and a subpar GPA. Having both really does rule out a large number of schools. I think you recieved bad advice especially with that MCAT.

My advice between now and next cycle. Perform grade replacement, and retake the MCAT when you are ready for a 508+ score. DO school should open up to you at that point.
 
Does anyone have any good news yet?
Accepted DO, and placed in the hold pool at OHSU (where they take 80% of their class from), and SUC at UW. So relatively good news here!

And genetics for me was very difficult as well, deff not my favorite subject!
 
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Genetics is a pain in the... The plan was to get an A, but it looks like I might have to settle for a B. I still have a couple of grades left, but the professor is known to hand out low grades for the lab reports...If any of y'all are going to do a post-bac, make sure you check out ratemyprofessor. It is pretty accurate. Get that easy A and if you really want to learn the subject, sit in the hard professor's class.
Always get the easy A, teach your self to the level you want outside that.
 
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It was threads like these that helped sustain me through this grueling process. Everything else I read on SDN made me feel like a lunatic for applying with a 3.01c/2.98s GPA, and an unfortunate gGPA. So here's my turn to add to it...

:soexcited: I GOT IN! :soexcited:
So as a counterpoint to every other thread on SDN, don't lose hope! If you're willing to work for it, you can still make this dream a reality!
 
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Advice please!
I made a C in physics 1 and B- in physics 2. Should I retake physics 1?
 
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It was threads like these that helped sustain me through this grueling process. Everything else I read on SDN made me feel like a lunatic for applying with a 3.01c/2.98s GPA, and an unfortunate gGPA. So here's my turn to add to it...

:soexcited: I GOT IN! :soexcited:
So as a counterpoint to every other thread on SDN, don't lose hope! If you're willing to work for it, you can still make this dream a reality!

What'd you do if you don't mind me asking?

Have a sibling with identical GPAs as you hoping to still pursue med.
They had to retake ochem 2 times and only passed with a C. A few Cs in upper level biol as well. Worried about them.

Any chance you could PM me? Or anyone on this forum have advice?

Their stats from what I remember:

cGPA 3.2
sGPA 2.9

MCAT: 23, 489. Signed up to retake.

Worked some jobs here and there, is currently a scribe and lab tech for multi-specialty group.

They're currently considering an SMP and applying DO. It told them to shoot for the SMP. If **** goes south and SMP gpa is <3.5, then I told them to consider a different career in the health field.
 
What'd you do if you don't mind me asking?

Have a sibling with identical GPAs as you hoping to still pursue med.
They had to retake ochem 2 times and only passed with a C. A few Cs in upper level biol as well. Worried about them.

Any chance you could PM me? Or anyone on this forum have advice?

Their stats from what I remember:

cGPA 3.2
sGPA 2.9

MCAT: 23, 489. Signed up to retake.

Worked some jobs here and there, is currently a scribe and lab tech for multi-specialty group.

They're currently considering an SMP and applying DO. It told them to shoot for the SMP. If **** goes south and SMP gpa is <3.5, then I told them to consider a different career in the health field.

If your sibling really wants to be a doctor, your sibling should get on SDN and start pursuing its vast body of GPA repair literature; which is a much easier course for D.O. There is a ton of good advice archived here but they have to put in the work.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
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