Doomed for med school ?

[med1600]

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I'm currently a junior Bio major, but I'm worried that my history of transferring/bad grades is gonna stop me from getting in to med school .Heres a glimpse

Freshman year- school #1- I got 2 Ds(Bio and Chm)
Sophmore year- 1/2 year= school #2- 1 D(calculus)- never took bio
1/2 year = school #3- did great
Junior year- school #3- 2Cs(micro and ochm)
Senior year= planning on transferring back to school #2 for financial reasons.

It is definitly as crazy as it sounds. I just feel like med schools r gonna hate me since I transferred so much and because I did so bad. I studied really hard for the mcat though and got a 40, should I retake and try to do even better ? Any other suggestion in general ? Thanks for all helpful advice !!! 🙂

 

[tremulousNeedle]

I would need to know your GPA (science and total) to give you an educated opinion.

-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student

 

[illegallysmooth]

Definitely need more info, but do NOT retake the MCAT.

 

[Armastama]

It sounds like you will need to do some repair work on the GPA. Transferring should not be perceived as a negative so long as you are able to articulate thoughtfully why you made your decisions if it ever came up in an interview.

Definitely do NOT retake the MCAT. Even if it is unbalanced (15PS, 15BS, 10VR) I doubt a 40 is going to close many, if any, doors for you.

 

[med1600]

I would need to know your GPA (science and total) to give you an educated opinion.

-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student

My gpa(s) range from 2.7 freshman year/part of sophmore year and I currently have a 3.3 at my current school

 

[illegallysmooth]

I think you're going to need a post-bac or special masters program (SMP) to be confident for US MD programs.

http://services.aamc.org/postbac/

Otherwise, DO schools will be more forgiving of your GPA since your MCAT is outstanding. There are likely some lower tier MD programs which may overlook the GPA with a very strong upward trend -- but you're saying you have a 3.3 now, which may not be enough.

 

[tremulousNeedle]

My gpa(s) range from 2.7 freshman year/part of sophmore year and I currently have a 3.3 at my current school

AMCAS calculates your GPA credit for credit regardless of which college it was taken at, so this hodge-podge of GPA's isn't particularly helpful to me unless you tell me how many credits are behind each GPA. It is probably safe to say that your cumulative is around 3.0, probably a little higher.

That is right around the threshold for automatic rejections from many allopathic medical schools regardless of your MCAT. I agree with previous responses, that you need to do some GPA repair. Those C's/D's will definitely come up during your application review and could possibly come up during any interviews you get. My main concern with those grades is that they are wide spread throughout the sciences and not localized to one subject area. This suggests a global problem, which is more worrisome for adcoms, rather than a subject specific problem.

If you think you could do better in some or all of the courses that you performed poorly in, I would recommend that you retake some or all of those courses to show that you have recognized your deficiencies and have appropriately addressed them. This might also be accomplished by taking more higher-level science courses and continue to demonstrate an upward trend in grades. Be aware that AMCAS and the osteopathic application service handle repeat courses differently, but in both situations your GPA will improve as long as you perform well (A/A-). Other suggestions on this thread for improving your GPA are also practical options.

-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student

 

[med1600]

AMCAS calculates your GPA credit for credit regardless of which college it was taken at, so this hodge-podge of GPA's isn't particularly helpful to me unless you tell me how many credits are behind each GPA. It is probably safe to say that your cumulative is around 3.0, probably a little higher.

That is right around the threshold for automatic rejections from many allopathic medical schools regardless of your MCAT. I agree with previous responses, that you need to do some GPA repair. Those C's/D's will definitely come up during your application review and could possibly come up during any interviews you get. My main concern with those grades is that they are wide spread throughout the sciences and not localized to one subject area. This suggests a global problem, which is more worrisome for adcoms, rather than a subject specific problem.

If you think you could do better in some or all of the courses that you performed poorly in, I would recommend that you retake some or all of those courses to show that you have recognized your deficiencies and have appropriately addressed them. This might also be accomplished by taking more higher-level science courses and continue to demonstrate an upward trend in grades. Be aware that AMCAS and the osteopathic application service handle repeat courses differently, but in both situations your GPA will improve as long as you perform well (A/A-). Other suggestions on this thread for improving your GPA are also practical options.

-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student

Well I retook Chm, Bio, and Calc(even taking calc 2) and got As in all of them. On top of that I feel like I can't really do better than a 40 on the MCAT. Is that going to help ? I feel like my mcat score is the best reflection of me.

 

[chman]

Otherwise, DO schools will be more forgiving of your GPA since your MCAT is outstanding. There are likely some lower tier MD programs which may overlook the GPA with a very strong upward trend -- but you're saying you have a 3.3 now, which may not be enough.

This is my vote.

 

[illegallysmooth]

Well I retook Chm, Bio, and Calc(even taking calc 2) and got As in all of them. On top of that I feel like I can't really do better than a 40 on the MCAT. Is that going to help ? I feel like my mcat score is the best reflection of me.

Of course you do. But adcoms are going to look at your stats and think - "Great ability, low work ethic." Whether it's true or not.

Bring that upward trend further upward.

 

[tremulousNeedle]

Of course you do. But adcoms are going to look at your stats and think - "Great ability, low work ethic." Whether it's true or not.

Bring that upward trend further upward.

I agree. You have to keep working on the GPA or follow some of the other application boosting recommendations elsewhere in this thread. Discordant GPA and MCAT results, jump out at application reviewers and applicant interviewers; if I were reviewing your application for an interview, I am obligated to jump all over this issue to make sure you'll cut it in med school. A good upward trend as well as a good explanation will help. Your MCAT is great, don’t retake it, just don’t think that it will get you a great advantage (it may, but probably not for the reason quoted above).

-admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student

 

[Wyclef]

I can't believe we are having this discussion. OF COURSE you will get in somewhere with a 40. A FORTY!!!! Wow, that's high. SDN is such an overachieving place.

Here's what will happen. The interviewing committee will perceive you as a SMART but LAZY person. Just convince them that you are a hard worker. Tell them why you got such bad grades and how you are a different person today. There are plenty of MD and DO schools that will take you.

 

[GMed]

I can't believe we are having this discussion. OF COURSE you will get in somewhere with a 40. A FORTY!!!! Wow, that's high. SDN is such an overachieving place.

Here's what will happen. The interviewing committee will perceive you as a SMART but LAZY person. Just convince them that you are a hard worker. Tell them why you got such bad grades and how you are a different person today. There are plenty of MD and DO schools that will take you.

Yeah I don't think so. Getting a 40 is great, but a 40 on the MCAT is not going to get you into "PLENTY" of MD medical schools with a GPA ~3.0.

The thing you need to remember is that many schools have a cut off system for screening applicants. Assuming that you make the cut off in terms of interviews, since many places use GPA as a cut off for even considering to look at your application (even if you have a 45 on the MCAT), there might be a few MD schools who don't have a cutoff and are willing to overlook your D's, assuming you have great EC's like research, volunteer work, etc...

Best bet is to try to boost up your GPA. If it doesn't happen, you can always just apply anyways. If you don't get interviews, then you know that you need to boost up your GPA by retaking the classes or getting a masters/GMS program.

Keep on trying, 40 is a great score (DO NOT RETAKE MCAT), but for medical school, there really isn't one magical thing thats going to get you in.

 

[missbones]

You guys really think this guy has a 3.0 and a 40 mcat? And keeps stating he thinks he should retake the MCAT because he can "do better"

Am I the only one that smells a troll? 👎

 

[JeetKuneDo]

You guys really think this guy has a 3.0 and a 40 mcat? And keeps stating he thinks he should retake the MCAT because he can "do better"

Am I the only one that smells a troll? 👎

Well I retook Chm, Bio, and Calc(even taking calc 2) and got As in all of them. On top of that I feel like I can't really do better than a 40 on the MCAT. Is that going to help ? I feel like my mcat score is the best reflection of me.

The OP says that he feels he can't really do better than a 40 though. I think it's believable so far.


I say he should maybe take one more year off before applying. That mcat score should be good for another 2-3 years. Do a post bacc and get the gpa up a little to maximize your chances. Every little bit helps.

 

[Wyclef]

Yeah I don't think so. Getting a 40 is great, but a 40 on the MCAT is not going to get you into "PLENTY" of MD medical schools with a GPA ~3.0.

The thing you need to remember is that many schools have a cut off system for screening applicants. Assuming that you make the cut off in terms of interviews, since many places use GPA as a cut off for even considering to look at your application (even if you have a 45 on the MCAT), there might be a few MD schools who don't have a cutoff and are willing to overlook your D's, assuming you have great EC's like research, volunteer work, etc...

Best bet is to try to boost up your GPA. If it doesn't happen, you can always just apply anyways. If you don't get interviews, then you know that you need to boost up your GPA by retaking the classes or getting a masters/GMS program.

Keep on trying, 40 is a great score (DO NOT RETAKE MCAT), but for medical school, there really isn't one magical thing thats going to get you in.

You have a great chance of getting into an MD school. I've known several people who have gotten into great MD and MD/PhD programs (George Washington, Harvard, Vermont, etc.), and you have them all beat on the MCAT except for one of my friends got a 41. Trust me, your 40 is something to write home about. Your chances are about 50% to get into MD school according to the MSAR:

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table24-mcatgpagridall2007-09.pdf

There is not a DO school that wouldn't take you, assuming you have a fairly normal personality and no felonies. You must convey in your personal statement your story and how you corrected any deficiencies (why you now get good grades instead of failing ones).

Try to raise the GPA, but apply nonetheless. You will get in somewhere.