Bring up Low GPA

[Omashu]

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I need your opinion. I'm 25, married with a 5year old. I've been going to school since 2004. I work fulltime (40 hrs/week). I've got 90 credits ~ 3.08 GPA. I've been volunteering at my local hospital since June, shadowing my DO. Doing other various volunteer work. No MCAT yet - still working on the prerequisites. I know my GPA's awful! But I'm still trying to getting it up as high as I can.

I am capable of bringing that GPA up. I can't juggle the above any longer....been doing this for years.

My plan was that if I got into a COM, I would take out student loans to live on. To pay my portion of rent, food, insurance, etc. I've been putting off the "Live on loans" idea to just get a bachelors. I'm already in debt about 15000 with student loans. But I'm starting to think that its time that I take the plunge...regardless of what my parents, in-laws, and husband thinks.

I've got to make changes because if I don't I'll have a low to no chance in getting in. I want in.

Any Advice?

 

[Saregamapadanis]

How is your mcat?
Here is my advice:
If your mcat score is low <27: retake it and apply next year.
If you didn't take the mcat: take it, score 30+ and apply.
If you have an mcat score of 28 or 29, you may have a shot, I guess you should apply if you don't mind risking losing your money.

 

[Omashu]

I have not taken MCAT yet. I guess what I'm really asking is....has anyone taken out massive loans to take care of living expenses during undergrad? Is it worthwhile? Or should I just suck it up and continue to try to balance everything....trying to pull the GPA up.

 

[Darktide]

I know quite a few med students that borrow the maximum allowable~~ which is pretty generous, though may still be less than what you're currently making working full time...

 

[Phlame217]

I know of a few people who took out a few loans in undergrad to make ends meat (around 20 grand in the end) and then once med school rolled around, they took out about 40 grand a year, 36000 in costs for school and 4,000 in for living expenses along with the money they make part time. Once a bank sees your capable of gaining entrance to a med school, their pocket books open right up.

 

[Saregamapadanis]

Or should I just suck it up and continue to try to balance everything....trying to pull the GPA up.

Well, can you?

I can't juggle the above any longer....been doing this for years.

If you can't handle it anymore, I suggest that you take some loans.

But if I were you, I would continue to juggle all my classes and still try to raise the gpa because I wouldn't want myself have less money to loan when applying to medical school. good luck.

 

[Nasem]

I am in a similar situation... except I am not married and I don't have any kids.

I graduated in 2004 with a BS in computer science and math... Over all GPA 3.01 with 136 freaking credits.

I need about 50 credits of 3.8s or higher to get that 3.01 to something like a 3.2 so raising undergrad GPA is a PAIN IN THE ASS.... however, for you, it will be alot easier to go from 3.08 to something like a 3.3 (Because you don't have a total of 136 credits)

As far as student loans are concerned, if your from Michigan (I think most states follow this), the MOST amount of federal loans (all types) you can borrow is about 46000 for any sort of undergrad studies, if your sitting at 15k right now, you are fine, you still have 30k+ more to burrow. The same rule applies if you were doing your masters, then your allowed up to (I believe) 125k additional…….And as far as professional schools are concerned lol, you pretty much have an unlimited budget (I shouldn’t say unlimited, but you have A LOT more to burrow, at the expense of high interest rates maybe but who cares, you’ll be a doctor)

My advice to you is, I think your doing a good job, keep doing your post-bacc and your ECs, you’ll eventually make it into some medical program, I suggest you wait and not apply until your overall GPA is touching 3.3

Good luck

 

[Isoprop]

yes i have a ridiculous amount of loans for undergrad. it's not so uncommon especially for students who attend privates.

i used to work 40 hours a week while taking a full load. It's not fun. Take out the loans and cut back on hours. Raising kids and going to school is tough as it is, the added financial pressure would drive anyone crazy.

If you don't do well in your classes, you won't make it into medical school. Then you'll be stuck with a bachelor's, some post-bacc classes, and the same earning potential you started with.