boosting GPA after graduation

[NonTradMed]

I posted this on the post-bacc forum but thought I could garner more responses here, moderators can lock this thread up at their discretion.

I am in the middle of med school applications and I am deatlhy worried that I won't get in. I am gearing up to be a reapplicant by aiming for the April MCAT once my October ones comes out.

My question is this, I took all the required premed courses but i was an engineering major, so I did none fo the biochem, physiology, cellular biology etc courses (although I did do genetics as that was part of our school's 3 semester biology premed curriclum).

My BCPM GPA is on the low low low side (it's 3.18, although our engineering school's scale is a 3.2+), my GPA at the school was 3.4 but again, my school calculates GPA differently from the aamca, so it came out to be 3.35 on my the aamca online application. Also i did a combined five year program at my school for a masters and my masters showed a downward trend on my GPA, so all is not good on the GPA front.

I did my undergrad at a "top 10 USAWR" school, and I remember I skipped out of two semesters of physics, doing it at the local state university, where I aced the classes and labs (all A+). Looking back on that experience, I was wondering if, in order to boost my GPA, I should do the same and take biochem, upper level bio etc) at the local state school again.

I don't want to offend anyone with my statement, just saying that I obviously did better at the local school than at my ala mater and I want a boost on my GPA, at the same time allow me to get some extra science classes that might help me in med school under my belt.

What is everyone's take on this? Am i allowed to calculate any science classes I take post-graduation as part of my BCPM/science GPA? I remember on the primary application, they did have a section for post-bacc work, but i'm not sure if this falls under that category, since it's not a post-bacc program I'd be enrolled in. I just want to boost my science GPA, but I don't want to waste a semester or two doing it if it won't count toward it.

🙂

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[medicomel]

I posted this on the post-bacc forum but thought I could garner more responses here, moderators can lock this thread up at their discretion.

I am in the middle of med school applications and I am deatlhy worried that I won't get in. I am gearing up to be a reapplicant by aiming for the April MCAT once my October ones comes out.

My question is this, I took all the required premed courses but i was an engineering major, so I did none fo the biochem, physiology, cellular biology etc courses (although I did do genetics as that was part of our school's 3 semester biology premed curriclum).

My BCPM GPA is on the low low low side (it's 3.18, although our engineering school's scale is a 3.2+), my GPA at the school was 3.4 but again, my school calculates GPA differently from the aamca, so it came out to be 3.35 on my the aamca online application. Also i did a combined five year program at my school for a masters and my masters showed a downward trend on my GPA, so all is not good on the GPA front.

I did my undergrad at a "top 10 USAWR" school, and I remember I skipped out of two semesters of physics, doing it at the local state university, where I aced the classes and labs (all A+). Looking back on that experience, I was wondering if, in order to boost my GPA, I should do the same and take biochem, upper level bio etc) at the local state school again.

I don't want to offend anyone with my statement, just saying that I obviously did better at the local school than at my ala mater and I want a boost on my GPA, at the same time allow me to get some extra science classes that might help me in med school under my belt.

What is everyone's take on this? Am i allowed to calculate any science classes I take post-graduation as part of my BCPM/science GPA? I remember on the primary application, they did have a section for post-bacc work, but i'm not sure if this falls under that category, since it's not a post-bacc program I'd be enrolled in. I just want to boost my science GPA, but I don't want to waste a semester or two doing it if it won't count toward it.

🙂

It doesn't matter if you're enrolled in a formal post-bac. Many people take classes a la carte from any university and this is counted towards your cumulative undergraduate gpa/BCPM gpa, not graduate gpa.

You'll also fill out the post-bac section on the common application with classes and grades received for any class taken after graduating from your university.

 

[Orchids&Organs]

I posted this on the post-bacc forum but thought I could garner more responses here, moderators can lock this thread up at their discretion.

I am in the middle of med school applications and I am deatlhy worried that I won't get in. I am gearing up to be a reapplicant by aiming for the April MCAT once my October ones comes out.

My question is this, I took all the required premed courses but i was an engineering major, so I did none fo the biochem, physiology, cellular biology etc courses (although I did do genetics as that was part of our school's 3 semester biology premed curriclum).

My BCPM GPA is on the low low low side (it's 3.18, although our engineering school's scale is a 3.2+), my GPA at the school was 3.4 but again, my school calculates GPA differently from the aamca, so it came out to be 3.35 on my the aamca online application. Also i did a combined five year program at my school for a masters and my masters showed a downward trend on my GPA, so all is not good on the GPA front.

I did my undergrad at a "top 10 USAWR" school, and I remember I skipped out of two semesters of physics, doing it at the local state university, where I aced the classes and labs (all A+). Looking back on that experience, I was wondering if, in order to boost my GPA, I should do the same and take biochem, upper level bio etc) at the local state school again.

I don't want to offend anyone with my statement, just saying that I obviously did better at the local school than at my ala mater and I want a boost on my GPA, at the same time allow me to get some extra science classes that might help me in med school under my belt.

What is everyone's take on this? Am i allowed to calculate any science classes I take post-graduation as part of my BCPM/science GPA? I remember on the primary application, they did have a section for post-bacc work, but i'm not sure if this falls under that category, since it's not a post-bacc program I'd be enrolled in. I just want to boost my science GPA, but I don't want to waste a semester or two doing it if it won't count toward it.

🙂

Yeah, I'm in the same boat...my undergrad GPA was crap (2.75) but my "post-bacc" GPA (not enrolled in a formal program) is really good (3.87) and included all but one of the pre-med requirements, as well as Cell Bio and Biochem. After the two were combined on my AMCAS, I still only have a cumulative of 3.04 and BCPM of 3.14. I'm pretty worried about that because my MCAT scores were OK, not great (V-11, P-10, B-08), and to date I've received 5 rejections (Mayo, Northwestern, Wake Forest, Georgetown, Pritzker) and no interviews. I was really banking on my 7 years experience in the field of tissue transplant to make up for the stats, but that doesn't seem to be happening, at least so far. I did apply to 45 schools so maybe I shouldn't be giving up yet, but I'm starting to feel like I should plan my strategy for next year. I may end up completing a second degree, Biology, but I feel like even with that I'll never be able to escape my undergrad GPA.

Sorry this reply turned into commiseration rather than advice... 🙁

 

[NonTradMed]

That's ok, that's why this board is here for, to discuss and share. I am worried that your post bacc stuff is so good yet you got five rejections, but also be consoled that these are top schools that rejected you, and we know they reject even seemingly 'perfect' candidates.

I am wondering how best to utilize what time I have left to up my GPA, specifically my BCPM since that is my weakest point and hardest to make up. I am thinking about taking biochem and perhaps physiology or cell bio next semester while studying for teh mcat, so that in case i don't get in, i am doing somethign to help myself, and if i do, it's good review/preview.

Anyone else have any advice for me? 🙂

Yeah, I'm in the same boat...my undergrad GPA was crap (2.75) but my "post-bacc" GPA (not enrolled in a formal program) is really good (3.87) and included all but one of the pre-med requirements, as well as Cell Bio and Biochem. After the two were combined on my AMCAS, I still only have a cumulative of 3.04 and BCPM of 3.14. I'm pretty worried about that because my MCAT scores were OK, not great (V-11, P-10, B-08), and to date I've received 5 rejections (Mayo, Northwestern, Wake Forest, Georgetown, Pritzker) and no interviews. I was really banking on my 7 years experience in the field of tissue transplant to make up for the stats, but that doesn't seem to be happening, at least so far. I did apply to 45 schools so maybe I shouldn't be giving up yet, but I'm starting to feel like I should plan my strategy for next year. I may end up completing a second degree, Biology, but I feel like even with that I'll never be able to escape my undergrad GPA.

Sorry this reply turned into commiseration rather than advice... 🙁

 

[Ames980]

i feel like im in a similar position... i have an ok mcat and ok gpa, but so far i havent heard from many schools - 1 rejection so far from georgetown - so i feel like i need to plan ahead for the next cylce, just in case. im taking biochem right now and next semester im planning on working only part time and taking 2 more science classes to boost up the science gpa. i might take the mcat again [11 v, 9 b, 8 p] too but i think im going to put off that decision until at least end of january. worst case senerio, the courses will help in reapplying, best case senerio theyll get me back in the studying groove for next fall!

 

[relentless11]

I had a good talk with the deans of admissions from UCSF, UCD, and Stanford a week or two ago. They were at the AMSA conference up here. Anyway just reiterating the theme of the whole conference. "The Passion of Medicine". If you all have the "passion", do whatever it takes. That includes taking legit undergrad classes where ever you can find them.

For me, i'm in the same boat as Orchids&Organs, although I have chosen to not apply this year. After I graduated a year ago, i went through our extension system and continued to take classes at my alma mater. I didn't care much about going to school again, but man it sure cost a lot of $$$$!!! I pay about $168/unit. Since i'm on the quarter system, i could pay up to $2000 a quarter..so thats kinda crappy. But hey....gotta boost up my GPA somehow right?

Although I sympthatize with all your trials and tribulations for the application process, I just have to say that if you want to be a doc, rejections aren't going to stop you from becoming one🙂 Personally i plan to take myself into the poor house if i have to...whatever it takes..hehe.

To answer the original posters question though. I believe that all your classes that you took after graduatign will be considered as post-bacc. However when they look at the cumulative undergrad, they'll look at all your undergrad classes as a whole.

Orchids&Organs, might I ask how many units of classes you took during your post-bacc? Thanks!

 

[medicomel]

Not to hijack this thread, but I have a meeting with the dean of admissions at my state school next week, and I'm afraid she's going to tell me to take more upper-level science courses. As it is, I've taken all the pre-reqs and then biochem, but a 4.0 for 6-8 more credits won't move my gpa by more than 3/100 of a point. That sounds like a poor return on an investment of $3800+. As a result, I decided to spend money on a prep course instead, in the hopes of doing very well on the MCAT. My BCPM is 3.43. I'm thinking to maybe take anatomy during the glide year next year when I apply.

Does anybody have any experience in this realm? (i.e., that the basic science requirements are enough provided you do well in them and on the MCAT?) There appears to be conflicting info on what MSAR says and what everybody here actually does.

Please advise! 😕

 

[Peterock]

Invest in the MCAT, if you get over a 30 w/ that bcpm and your overall is near your bcpm you will be able to get in somewhere (assuming you have decent medically related ec's etc).

Not to hijack this thread, but I have a meeting with the dean of admissions at my state school next week, and I'm afraid she's going to tell me to take more upper-level science courses. As it is, I've taken all the pre-reqs and then biochem, but a 4.0 for 6-8 more credits won't move my gpa by more than 3/100 of a point. That sounds like a poor return on an investment of $3800+. As a result, I decided to spend money on a prep course instead, in the hopes of doing very well on the MCAT. My BCPM is 3.43. I'm thinking to maybe take anatomy during the glide year next year when I apply.

Does anybody have any experience in this realm? (i.e., that the basic science requirements are enough provided you do well in them and on the MCAT?) There appears to be conflicting info on what MSAR says and what everybody here actually does.

Please advise! 😕

 

[medicomel]

Thanks for replying and for the encouragement, Peterock. I was beginning to think I was an all-time thread killer. 😛

I'll definitely see how the MCAT goes!

 

[relentless11]

Not to hijack this thread, but I have a meeting with the dean of admissions at my state school next week, and I'm afraid she's going to tell me to take more upper-level science courses. As it is, I've taken all the pre-reqs and then biochem, but a 4.0 for 6-8 more credits won't move my gpa by more than 3/100 of a point. That sounds like a poor return on an investment of $3800+. As a result, I decided to spend money on a prep course instead, in the hopes of doing very well on the MCAT. My BCPM is 3.43. I'm thinking to maybe take anatomy during the glide year next year when I apply.

Does anybody have any experience in this realm? (i.e., that the basic science requirements are enough provided you do well in them and on the MCAT?) There appears to be conflicting info on what MSAR says and what everybody here actually does.

Please advise! 😕

Your BCPM is good, do well on the MCAT and you should have a good fighting chance! Regards to lower division courses:

Take upper division courses...as much as YOU can. I emphasize the part about "you can" because since your GPA is still pretty decent (depending on which schools you're applying to) you can do a little bit of both. However if the adcoms had to weigh in on your classes, they will always favor upper division classes. If a person took say.... 2-3 lower division classes, and 1-2 upper division classes a quarter they will somewhat wonder. However if the person takes 3-4 upper division classes and 1 lower division class a quarter, that looks a whole lot better.

The adcoms want to see if you can handle a challenging workload, while managing your life. Although external matters come into play and they do take that into account (personal life, family, etc), it still comes down to some proof of you being able to handle a heavy workload.

HOWEVER, here's the twist. If you are taking lower division preparatory classes for a different major (second major or minor?) then they might not care. I personally asked the director of admissions at my school about this. He emphasized that i should take ONLY upper division science classes (i'm doing post-bacc), HOWEVER, I also have an interest in biomedical engineering, so since i was originally a biochemistry major, i have to take the core engineering classes, which include many lower division engineering classes and math classes. The adcom won't kill you for that, they know that you got to learn how to crawl before you walk (again..haha).

Of course if you are a senior in biology for example, and you take "intro to biology: a brief course" or something like that...yea they'd hang you out to dry for that...ahhaha. Those GPA booster classes are good, but if you don't have any evidence of consistant well-handling of a high workload...you could get yourself into trouble.

 

[relentless11]

hey, thanks for your reply! To clarify, I am a (pretty low gpa) nontrad and took all my pre-reqs at Loyola's formal post-bac program (very good gpa, 30 hours). Money's an issue at this point, and I want to be as competitive as I can without looking like I'm trying to "skimp out" on the harder sciences. As it stands, Loyola doesn't offer much in the evenings beyond biochemistry, which I already took.

You should check out my other thread..about work/money vs. taking classes. Costing me an arm and a leg to pay for this unofficial post-bacc..haha. You might want to look into finding another post-bacc program, and/or distance learning classes offered by many schools out there. The "other" post-bacc thing might be difficult depending on the financial and personal situation, but I have known people to have attended 5 different post-baccs...so in the end if you want to boost that GPA up, you gotta take the hit somewhere. For me, at this moment is paying $2100/qtr, plus whatever it costs for books, living and all that stuff. But hey, its either this or join the military 😀 Although the latter could make my application look cool 😉

 

[seacatch]

I have a low GPA too... 2.8 undergrad...3.99 post bac. For the allopathic schools my final GPA is 3.04 and BCPM is 3.11. I'm applying to 30 schools. Five schools are osteopathic schools. They calculate GPA differently. They let you use your most recent class score only... in my case I took most of the pre-reqs 20 years ago, retaking them and getting all A's changed my BCPM to a 3.7 and my GPA to a 3.2 I'm worried too and won't know my MCAT #s until next week but I know my best shot is for the Osteo schools... and I'll be very happy to attend. Its not too late to apply.

 

[uptoolate]

I'm in the same boat but I've done a lot of graduate work with a ~3.8 science and overall GPA at a very well reputed graduate school. I also have a ton of service and research experience (Peace Corps, etc). My MCATS are good but not stellar. I also have gotten 5 rejections BUT I have 2 interviews. If you look at liverotcod's profile, he also has a lower GPA (albeit from Harvard), very strong MCATS and many,many interviews. I would put my emphasis on the MCATS if I were going to give this another shot. An adcom member from a top school told me that nontrads with weak undergrad performances need to show that they can do the work- as exemplified by strong MCATS.

On a brighter side, I feel like this has become more of a matching process rather than the usual competition to get into the most reputable school possible. In the end, I believe a school that appreciates my potential to contribute as a more experienced student will be a better fit than what might have happened if I presented with more enviable stats right out of undergrad. To me (and this will presumably be my third graduate degree), that's a very good thing.

 

[relentless11]

See this is where i'm confused. At least at UC Davis, they tell me to keep pushing it on the post-bacc stuff, but man am I hurting due to the cost. However my research professor said he'll sponsor me for a masters program (and i can switch it to PhD after 2 years) in either biomedical engineering or comparative pathology. Since grad school would give me a clear focus, and also be a lot cheaper due to working for the school....i am considering it (however i do have to take the GRE, which isn't bad, just lazy..haha) but at the same time, i don't want to just go to grad school, and have most of my classes not count for my one weakness, which is my undergrad GPA.

I'm kinda sad since....lots of people out there who want to get into grad school can't and here i'm pretty much guranteed a slot, but i don't want to for reasons you all are aware of.

 

[uptoolate]

See this is where i'm confused. At least at UC Davis, they tell me to keep pushing it on the post-bacc stuff, but man am I hurting due to the cost. However my research professor said he'll sponsor me for a masters program (and i can switch it to PhD after 2 years) in either biomedical engineering or comparative pathology. Since grad school would give me a clear focus, and also be a lot cheaper due to working for the school....i am considering it (however i do have to take the GRE, which isn't bad, just lazy..haha) but at the same time, i don't want to just go to grad school, and have most of my classes not count for my one weakness, which is my undergrad GPA.

I'm kinda sad since....lots of people out there who want to get into grad school can't and here i'm pretty much guranteed a slot, but i don't want to for reasons you all are aware of.

I do have to say I love my research and I wouldn't advise entering into a Ph.D program unless you truly are interested, perhaps passionate, about the subject. Calling it a big commitment and a huge investment of time and energy is an understatement. That said, wow-what a great opportunity for you!