Do Senior Year Grades Matter when applying to medical school?

[MBA]

Hey Guys,

Just like the title says, would my 1st semester senior year grades matter when applying to medical school? I'm planning on getting my amcas in within 2 months but didn't know if med schools at any point will ask for my 1st semester grades and how big of an impact that will make.

Does it depend on interview time (ie before semester ends or do they not really care?)?

Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can offer.

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[mangomadness]

Hey Guys,

Just like the title says, would my 1st semester senior year grades matter when applying to medical school? I'm planning on getting my amcas in within 2 months but didn't know if med schools at any point will ask for my 1st semester grades and how big of an impact that will make.

Does it depend on interview time (ie before semester ends or do they not really care?)?

Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can offer.

yessir. (or ma'am) . they're gonna look at all your grades. it can possibly hurt you if i went down significantly, or help you if you rocked the semester and got all A's. but yes, med schools do look at all your grades, not just the pre-reqs (although they might look at those more carefully then say, a music appreciation course).

 

[jla314]

If you are applying during your senior year, med school decisions are typically made without knowing your senior year grades. In my case, I was never asked for a transcript with senior grades before any of my decisions were made. Some people choose to send updated transcripts to a school after being waitlisted in an attempt to get off the waitlist, but it is my understanding that schools do not explicitly require this information at that point.

Most schools do ask for a final transcript after you've graduated to prove that you got the degree you said you would and to show them you didn't fail. You can typically just pass your classes and not get your acceptances rescinded, but different schools have different policies so it's best to check. You will most likely only be sending your updated transcript to one school (the school you choose to attend).

 

[Earl Simmons]

Sorry for bringing up old threads everyone! I just didn't want to make my own thread. Could anyone conclusively answer this question with this background information:

Do grades from fall semester of senior year (during application cycle) matter if a school makes admissions decisions in spring semester for a student with 3.9+ GPA on Amcas at the time of application?

Just for the sake of some numbers, let's say the student makes all B's in the fall semester. Would it matter?

 

[LizzyM]

In my experience, the decisions made in the late winter to admit candidates to medical school have been made without access to grades earned after the AMCAS was verified. (Basically, no grades from the current academic year).

However, if the school believes that you slacked off during your senior year, they do reserve the right to pull the offer of admission. Also, do consider that about 40% of college seniors who apply to medical school do not get in and are therefore facing the prospect of being reapplicants the following year. If you find yourself in that boat, you want the strongest possible senior year performance you can manage.

Don't slack off!

 

[tamman55699]

Is it alright if I take my second semester general chemistry course in my senior spring as a pass/fail grading option? If I am already accepted, will the grade option of my last prereq matter?

 

[Goro]

To follow up on my learned colleague's comment, my school has wait listed instead of accepting people due to a decline in SR year performance.

In my experience, the decisions made in the late winter to admit candidates to medical school have been made without access to grades earned after the AMCAS was verified. (Basically, no grades from the current academic year).

However, if the school believes that you slacked off during your senior year, they do reserve the right to pull the offer of admission. Also, do consider that about 40% of college seniors who apply to medical school do not get in and are therefore facing the prospect of being reapplicants the following year. If you find yourself in that boat, you want the strongest possible senior year performance you can manage.

Don't slack off!

 

[Earl Simmons]

To follow up on my learned colleague's comment, my school has wait listed instead of accepting people due to a decline in SR year performance.

How big of a decline do you mean?

Also, LizzyM, what about decisions made in the Spring semester (perhaps February/March/April)? Do schools typically ask for transcripts from Fall semester after the semester is over? Would Fall grades factor into the decision (ex. 3.9+ student gets a ~3.5 in the Fall semester)?

Sorry, this questions isn't solely about slacking! It's about a ridiculous amount of coursework, working a job, missing lots of class for interviews, and general burnout (and some desire to slack after 3 years of nose to the grindstone!)!

 

[Goro]

Getting C's. Going from As to Bs isn't so bad, in my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

However, excuses won't fly. We expect you to be good at time mgt,. and make good choices as to how you occupy your time. Biting off more than you can chew can bite you in the ass instead.

How big of a decline do you mean?

Also, LizzyM, what about decisions made in the Spring semester (perhaps February/March/April)? Do schools typically ask for transcripts from Fall semester after the semester is over? Would Fall grades factor into the decision (ex. 3.9+ student gets a ~3.5 in the Fall semester)?

Sorry, this questions isn't solely about slacking! It's about a ridiculous amount of coursework, working a job, missing lots of class for interviews, and general burnout (and some desire to slack after 3 years of nose to the grindstone!)!

 

[LizzyM]

How big of a decline do you mean?

Also, LizzyM, what about decisions made in the Spring semester (perhaps February/March/April)? Do schools typically ask for transcripts from Fall semester after the semester is over? Would Fall grades factor into the decision (ex. 3.9+ student gets a ~3.5 in the Fall semester)?

Sorry, this questions isn't solely about slacking! It's about a ridiculous amount of coursework, working a job, missing lots of class for interviews, and general burnout (and some desire to slack after 3 years of nose to the grindstone!)!

We do not ask for transcripts or grades beyond what has been supplied through AMCAS. The letter of admission is always conditioned on "successful" completion of undergrad. How a school decides to define "successful" could vary. If you try to walk in with a 2.0 GPA in your senior year, there might be some questions raised but I would doubt that a 3.5 would be a problem.

 

[Earl Simmons]

Thank you two for your answers! Much appreciated 🙂

 

[sakabato93]

We do not ask for transcripts or grades beyond what has been supplied through AMCAS. The letter of admission is always conditioned on "successful" completion of undergrad. How a school decides to define "successful" could vary. If you try to walk in with a 2.0 GPA in your senior year, there might be some questions raised but I would doubt that a 3.5 would be a problem.

I apologize for being the second person to bring up this thread once more, but how about one bad semester during senior year?

For example, say a student were to get maybe a 2.8-3.0 GPA during the Fall semester, but then a 4.0 that upcoming spring, thus balancing out to a 3.4-3.6 or so.

 

[LizzyM]

I apologize for being the second person to bring up this thread once more, but how about one bad semester during senior year?

For example, say a student were to get maybe a 2.8-3.0 GPA during the Fall semester, but then a 4.0 that upcoming spring, thus balancing out to a 3.4-3.6 or so.

If you are already a medical student, why are you even asking this question?

This is going to depend school by school related to how they define successful completion of your degree program.

It is hypothetical. If it is not hypothetical, it is best to address the question to the admissions office of a specific school.

 

[Lysinee]

Senior GPA will matter if you are a reapplicant. Don't celebrate too early.