Damage Control for Low GPA

[Dr_OneDay]

Hi, all. I'm a recent graduate with a BA in biological sciences, and unfortunately a very low GPA (cGPA: 3.04 and sGPA: 2.73). I never failed any classes, but I did the worst senior year (b/c of financial problems and my mother in the ICU before an upper level bio class final, which I failed).
I had some general questions about salvaging my application.

1. B/c of my low GPA, I'm taking two gap years. This year, I'm retaking certain upper level science courses and taking additional upper level science courses at a local university as a non degree grad student. Is this a wise course of action? I've been looking at some other threads, but I'm still not sure if these grades will be averaged into my undergrad grades or counted as post bacc grades.

2. I'm also thinking of joining an SMP program in my state. My current plan is to get my GPA up to a 3.15 by taking 17-20 science credits, and enroll in an SMP program next year. I already took my MCAT and got a 506 overall, and I will be retaking the exam in Jan.

3. Would three gap years be advisable for me? I plan on applying to allopathic schools only. My goal is to get into an allopathic school, even though I'll probably get autoscreened at most places. I will definitely reapply if I don't get in the first time. My advisor was saying that each consecutive round of applications is more competitive than the previous one, (higher overall GPA and MCAT of applicants), so I'm not sure if the extra year would even be beneficial for me.

4. During the SMP, will the medical schools see the grades I get in those classes and (if I perform well in the classes), can it give my application the "boost" that it needs?

Sorry for the long post. I'm a new member, and don't know too much about the medical school process. Thanks for reading and/or replying.

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[0dee]

I have two questions for you:
1) Are you looking to apply to DO, MD, or both?
2) Why are you retaking a 506? That's around the 71 percentile if I am not mistaken.

 

[Dr_OneDay]

I am only applying to md programs for entry Fall 2017. If I get rejected from all md programs (including offshore), then I will reapply to md schools and apply to do schools.

I'm retaking the 506 because I want to aim for the highest score I can get (felt ill on the day of the exam and almost cancelled my scores b/c by the psych section I felt like dying).

 

[0dee]

I would advise you to apply to both MD and DO, because your gpa is really on the lower spectrum for MD schools, unless you really ace that mcat then you'd be better of with DO schools.

 

[candbgirl]

You seem to be making some poor decisions. First thing is don't even consider off shore until after a couple of cycles applying to US schools. The reasons are stated in multiple threads all over SDN.
Do you have the MSAR online? You need to buy one and start doing some research. Your MCAT is around a 29 on the old MCAT. That's fine but well below the average of 31 for matriculated MD students. Your current GPAs are too low for MD schools. Even with your plan to increase your GPAs to around a 3.1 you will still be low for MD schools. Your only real option is to apply to DO schools after some serious grade replacement but you seem to be totally adverse to even consider it. So your best bet is to get the MSAR and do some research on stats for various schools. Develop a list of schools that have a 10th percentile with your MCAT and most importantly with your GPA(current and planned). Perhaps you will see how much of an uphill/futile battle you'll have getting into a MD school. Good luck

 

[GrapesofRath]

1) You'll need some form of grade repair before applying to SMP programs. Taking new upper level science courses and acing these will help your case.
2) With a 2.7 sGPA it's not exactly showing a lot of perspective "I'm only interested in considering allopathic medical schools, that's all I want". The much faster and more feasible route to being a physician is doing a DIY post-bacc at your State U, spending 2-3 semesters acing new upper level classes and retaking some C's and getting that DO sGPA close to around a 3.2. Do that and you can get into a medical school in the US.
3) The route to MD is far longer, time consuming, riskier and far far less of a sure thing. It involves getting your sGPA above 3.0. It involves acing an SMP which is far far far harder than it sounds. It probably will involve an MCAT retake. And if you screw up any of these things along the way, you're done for MD and very well perhaps for DO as well. And even if you do all this, there are hardly any guarantees you'll find an MD school to take you. If you want to partake in this route, by all means give it a shot, but at least realize how much more time and consuming and riskier it is than the route to pursuing a DO.

It's fine to want to gun for an MD. But at least spend alot more time researching this stuff; this mentality of foreign MD programs before DO's shows a complete lack of perspective and research on your part for the path that will lead to a successful career as a physician. When somebody says they want to go to international MD programs before considering DO's, in many situations it shows a complete lack of understanding of a DO degree, what they can and can't do, and the careers they can lead as well as the many many problems IMG's from the US have.

 

[Dr_OneDay]

Thanks for the responses. After thinking some more about it, I will probably take off three years. By that point, I will be applying to both DO and MD programs, with hopes of getting into at least one MD school.

One question that I have is which is better for a candidate with a low GPA? Attending an SMP with a link or raising GPA at DIY post bacc. I'm currently in a DIY post bacc, but I am thinking of applying for an SMP with link at a state school.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thanks for the responses. After thinking some more about it, I will probably take off three years. By that point, I will be applying to both DO and MD programs, with hopes of getting into at least one MD school.

One question that I have is which is better for a candidate with a low GPA? Attending an SMP with a link or raising GPA at DIY post bacc. I'm currently in a DIY post bacc, but I am thinking of applying for an SMP with link at a state school.

For DO the DIY is fine. Your sGPA can skyrocket pretty fast by re-taking some C's and getting some A's in new science classes under the DO gpa calculation.

For MD your sGPA is too low for a DIY post-bacc to really raise it to a competitive level(think 3.4+). I would recommend an SMP if your all in on going for the MD. The thing is your sGPA as of now is too low for SMP programs so you will first need DIY work to raise it above 3.0 for SMP consideration.

 

[candbgirl]

And if you manage to get accepted to a SMP realize you have to blast through it with>3.7 GPA. If you don't do really well your MD chances will be over and it might also affect your DO chances. It is really a try out for med school. I wouldn't retake the MCAT in January. Your score is fine for SMPs and with 3 planned gap years you'll have to take it again anyway. So just wait on that for now. Good luck!

 

[Goro]

Yes.

1. B/c of my low GPA, I'm taking two gap years. This year, I'm retaking certain upper level science courses and taking additional upper level science courses at a local university as a non degree grad student. Is this a wise course of action?

Strongly recommend this. Your MCAT is fine for most DO programs, BTW.
2. I'm also thinking of joining an SMP program in my state. My current plan is to get my GPA up to a 3.15 by taking 17-20 science credits, and enroll in an SMP program next year. I already took my MCAT and got a 506 overall, and I will be retaking the exam in Jan.

Just keep in mind that beggars can't be choosy. Take whatever time you need to fix your GPA. A single year in a SMP should suffice, provided you ace (GPA > 3.6) it
3. Would three gap years be advisable for me? I plan on applying to allopathic schools only.

There are MD schools that reward reinvention when you ace your post-bac years and the MCAT as well (> 33 on the old scale)
My goal is to get into an allopathic school, even though I'll probably get autoscreened at most places. I will definitely reapply if I don't get in the first time. My advisor was saying that each consecutive round of applications is more competitive than the previous one, (higher overall GPA and MCAT of applicants), so I'm not sure if the extra year would even be beneficial for me.

Yes, when you get your course grades. They don't see how you do from test to test. A single good semester in an SMP won't be enough to convince anyone either. The whole purpose of SMP is to demonstrate that you can handle med school. They're auditions, in other words.
4. During the SMP, will the medical schools see the grades I get in those classes and (if I perform well in the classes), can it give my application the "boost" that it needs?

 

[Doug Underhill]

Use the AACOMAS grade forgiveness policy, keep your MCAT, and go DO.

 

[Dr_OneDay]

Thanks for the replies/ information. I'll keep the DO route in mind, but I'll also keep trying for the MD program. I have three years, so I'm hoping that I can strengthen my application (grades/ GPA) by then.

If there's one terrible year, though, that brings someone's grades spiraling down (example, senior year because of sick parents and financial issues), can that be taken into consideration during the screening? My advisor was telling me that for my college, a competitive GPA is at least 3.4. I had around a 3.3/3.2 before senior year. I was actually projected to have an A average for semester 7, but the end of the semester really got out of control (overlapping finals, family lawsuit, mom in ICU).