I am a non trad--really non-trad. My undergrad GPA is a 3.16 and my post bac is a 3.79. My science GPA is a 3.6. I have law grades also, but they are mostly C's as that was a good grade at my law school. I am getting killed in my TMDSAS overall GPA, b/c they add ALL my grades together to come up with their overall GPA. I got no love from Texas last cycle, so I am trying again. My undergrad and law grades are over 15 years old. My post bac is current (over the last 2 years). How can I get the med schools to look at me and the student I am now, even though I have this lower than average undergrad GPA from way back?
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Death by old grades
- Thread starter kimmi
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Talk to Shyrem, as she's had to battle this. I've had to battle it to a less degree, and I overcame it by spamming my AMCAS. AMCAS will separate out graduate/professional school grades from ugrad/post-bacc grades, so this may help a little.kimmi said:
Med schools, if you get them to look at you, will see the difference in times.
By the way, when you were rejected last times, what did the schools say their reasons were? If you didn't find out then, then ask them now.
I had the same prob, i am a non trad, w/grades from 13 yrs ago. I wrote a very, very brief explaination on my personal statement on why my grades are better now vs back then and what i did to improve. during the interview I said the same type of remark regarding my grades. just hope they read it and take into consideration you're a non trad. there's nothing you can do to change the numbers....but you can help change the way they'll interpret themkimmi said:
Hey,
You're now grades are better than my now grades. Med school applications can become a bit of a crap-shot so let me ask you this....
DID YOU
1) apply as early as humanly possible
2) apply to more than 25 schools
3) turn your secondaries around within a week
4) follow-up and stay on top of all the application stuff???
I believe that a lot of good candidates don't get a good review by the committees because they send in their stuff when the bulk of applications come in and not early when they're fresh and don't have stacks of applications on their desks.
This is the best time for a non-trad to get noticed...and get an interview.
If I had done all of the above the first time around, I probably wouldn't have had to reapply.
Learn from my mistakes, I had to reapply twice.
Just my opinion,
-s
You're now grades are better than my now grades. Med school applications can become a bit of a crap-shot so let me ask you this....
DID YOU
1) apply as early as humanly possible
2) apply to more than 25 schools
3) turn your secondaries around within a week
4) follow-up and stay on top of all the application stuff???
I believe that a lot of good candidates don't get a good review by the committees because they send in their stuff when the bulk of applications come in and not early when they're fresh and don't have stacks of applications on their desks.
This is the best time for a non-trad to get noticed...and get an interview.
If I had done all of the above the first time around, I probably wouldn't have had to reapply.
Learn from my mistakes, I had to reapply twice.
Just my opinion,
-s
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Hi there! Yup, I had absolutely craptastic grades from 20 years ago. Yes, 20 years ago. I went back and graduated with a 3.5+, but overall my amcas GPA was only a 3.23. A few things I learned:
1. APPLY EARLY. I was a late applicant the first time - no interviews. EARLY applicant the second time - most of my interview offers were in hand by 9/15. The only other one I got was for PCOM-Ga (which I declined) and I got that one in January or so.
2. DO NOT dwell on your past. Address it BRIEFLY if necessary, and try to do it in a very good light. Not "gee, I was young and immature and really screwed up" but more of a "I learned a lot from my early mistakes and have grown" kind of thing. Put your best current foot forward - the rest is ancient history. Treat it as such.
3. Write an absolute KICK ASS ps. Have everyone you ever met (including professors!) review it. Revise it, have it re-reviewed, etc. until you are happy with it and it just screams YOU.
4. Apply broadly. Don't say 'no' to yourself - make them say it to you. Yes, the rejections will hurt, but someone will say yes.
Good luck. Keep at it - someone will see you for the person you have become and not for the one you were. 🙂
1. APPLY EARLY. I was a late applicant the first time - no interviews. EARLY applicant the second time - most of my interview offers were in hand by 9/15. The only other one I got was for PCOM-Ga (which I declined) and I got that one in January or so.
2. DO NOT dwell on your past. Address it BRIEFLY if necessary, and try to do it in a very good light. Not "gee, I was young and immature and really screwed up" but more of a "I learned a lot from my early mistakes and have grown" kind of thing. Put your best current foot forward - the rest is ancient history. Treat it as such.
3. Write an absolute KICK ASS ps. Have everyone you ever met (including professors!) review it. Revise it, have it re-reviewed, etc. until you are happy with it and it just screams YOU.
4. Apply broadly. Don't say 'no' to yourself - make them say it to you. Yes, the rejections will hurt, but someone will say yes.
Good luck. Keep at it - someone will see you for the person you have become and not for the one you were. 🙂
