cGPA 3.5, sGPA 3.2--Early Grad? More

[Nintendraw]

Hello! Long lurker, new poster here. //waves

I'm a junior at UCLA sitting at a 3.5 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA (2/3rds B's, rest A's or A-'s), a slight upwards trend in all GPAs, and according to my major requirements, capable of graduating next quarter (though by the looks of it, it'd be wiser for me to stay the last two quarters and do GPA repair). I've an NREMT cert, done hospital volunteering for ~1.5 years, and been doing research for effectively 1 year. I'll be taking the (new) MCAT this summer and am aware I need to kill it to be competitive, and I'll be applying next summer. Also going to be taking a gap year and working (MA, scribe, or maybe EMT) alongside a most likely informal post-bacc (my folks want Masters, ie MPH, though). How am I doing so far? Is there (much) hope?

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[Faha]

You would be better off to take 3 more quarters and work on raising your GPA. You do not need to take difficult science or non science courses. Rather concentrate on science and non science courses where you believe you could receive at least a A-. If your cGPA were 3.6 and your sGPA 3.3 it would help. Also concentrate on doing well in the MCAT.

 

[Nintendraw]

You would be better off to take 3 more quarters and work on raising your GPA. You do not need to take difficult science or non science courses. Rather concentrate on science and non science courses where you believe you could receive at least a A-. If your cGPA were 3.6 and your sGPA 3.3 it would help. Also concentrate on doing well in the MCAT.

I suspected those numbers would be a bit subpar. Does it make a difference if I patch up my GPA at UCLA or a community college?

Also, it's mainly my sGPA dragging me down--if I can patch that up, the cGPA will go (much?) higher--so I think I should be focusing more on that alone. Good idea, or too eggs-in-one-baskety?

 

[Faha]

I suspected those numbers would be a bit subpar. Does it make a difference if I patch up my GPA at UCLA or a community college?

Also, it's mainly my sGPA dragging me down--if I can patch that up, the cGPA will go (much?) higher--so I think I should be focusing more on that alone. Good idea, or too eggs-in-one-baskety?

Yes, concentrate on science courses. It would be better to take them at UCLA but take courses that you believe you can receive an A in. If you look at the GPA-MCAT grid a white or Asian applicant with a GPA in the 3.4 to 3.6 range with a MCAT in the 504 to 507 range has a 33% chance for a MD acceptance. If the GPA is above 3.6 and the MCAT in the 508 to 512 range the chances double to 66%. So a slightly higher GPA and a good MCAT score make a big difference in your chances for an acceptance.

 

[Nintendraw]

Yes, concentrate on science courses. It would be better to take them at UCLA but take courses that you believe you can receive an A in. If you look at the GPA-MCAT grid a white or Asian applicant with a GPA in the 3.4 to 3.6 range with a MCAT in the 504 to 507 range has a 33% chance for a MD acceptance. If the GPA is above 3.6 and the MCAT in the 508 to 512 range the chances double to 66%. So a slightly higher GPA and a good MCAT score make a big difference in your chances for an acceptance.

I think I saw the most current one of that already (2015-16, yeah?), but I suppose there's a way to reach those on AMCAS's website too?

Alright; I'll have to persuade my folks to let me stay here somehow (they're set on me leaving early now that they know I can, as far as major requirements are concerned). Either way, I'm going to have to take a gap year, so it's not like me leaving is a huge advantage other than maybe letting me work on the primary app without any classes to distract me. Before I can really argue it, though, I'll need a list of "less" difficult science classes that still get factored into the sGPA... I think I read somewhere that astronomy is one, but what were the rest again...?

HYPOTHETICALLY, if my MCAT were in the next tier up (512-516ish), is that heightened chance substantially improved? (Don't answer if it's in the demographic list and you link it or I find it.)

 

[Faha]

I think I saw the most current one of that already (2015-16, yeah?), but I suppose there's a way to reach those on AMCAS's website too?

Alright; I'll have to persuade my folks to let me stay here somehow (they're set on me leaving early now that they know I can, as far as major requirements are concerned). Either way, I'm going to have to take a gap year, so it's not like me leaving is a huge advantage other than maybe letting me work on the primary app without any classes to distract me. Before I can really argue it, though, I'll need a list of "less" difficult science classes that still get factored into the sGPA... I think I read somewhere that astronomy is one, but what were the rest again...?

HYPOTHETICALLY, if my MCAT were in the next tier up (512-516ish), is that heightened chance substantially improved? (Don't answer if it's in the demographic list and you link it or I find it.)

It goes up a little higher to 77% but the largest increase is what I mentioned above.

 

[Nintendraw]

Nope. They won't ask about B's. I even got a C in Organic chem and was never asked about it. Your GPA is what it is and they will know it when you interview. All you can do is focus on the stuff you can change.

Get the MSAR if you don't have it already. I'd suggest applying to:

1. Your state schools. All of them, even reaches.
2. 2-3 reaches
3. 10-15 targets - 90% MCAT around # (watch out for mission based schools and exclude those)
4. 7-10 DO schools.

I applied the 2015-2016 cycle so I don't think what I'm saying is dated at all.

Some schools like UC Riverside serve a very specific area and won't accept applicants from elsewhere.

Hi! I hope you don't mind me quoting you out of the blue, but you seem very knowledgeable from your posts in another thread and I'd appreciate your input, even if it's just on the last bit: Is it a particular location (presumably in CA) or just "underserved areas" in general? I suppose mission-based schools will say something to that effect on their admissions or home page.

(Also, I think I got most of my questions answered in another thread, but feel free to add input if you can/want!)

 

[LuluLovesMe]

Hi! I hope you don't mind me quoting you out of the blue, but you seem very knowledgeable from your posts in another thread and I'd appreciate your input, even if it's just on the last bit: Is it a particular location (presumably in CA) or just "underserved areas" in general? I suppose mission-based schools will say something to that effect on their admissions or home page.

(Also, I think I got most of my questions answered in another thread, but feel free to add input if you can/want!)

Depends on the school. For example UC Riverside has the lowest stats of the UCs but you have no chance of getting in unless you're from the inland empire. Rush has low stats as well but you have a low chance of getting in without 500+ hours of community service (average for their matriculants is 800 hours of community service).

You can ask me about specific schools. Sometimes it's hard to tell from their admissions pages.

 

[Nintendraw]

Depends on the school. For example UC Riverside has the lowest stats of the UCs but you have no chance of getting in unless you're from the inland empire. Rush has low stats as well but you have a low chance of getting in without 500+ hours of community service (average for their matriculants is 800 hours of community service).

You can ask me about specific schools. Sometimes it's hard to tell from their admissions pages.

Huh, I didn't realize that. Doubtful I count.

I haven't started looking for specific schools to apply for yet, but maybe I can ask you later when I do?