Encouragement for Low GPA Applicants!!!

[deleted577188]

Basically that you're an insignificant pre-med, as you say when you sign most of your posts. You should probably keep doing that because you have no idea what you're talking about and you clearly didn't understand what I said in the post you quoted.

One, that wasn't a personal post of mine; that was a friends who dropped to business. Anyway, as I said, if he followed only your advice he wouldn't be sitting on an acceptance. I'm not saying this means apply just cause you took the MCAT and have a bachelor's degree. It does mean that he felt like he could get in somewhere when he applied, which he did. You're a hater lol.

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[ridethecliche]

One, that wasn't a personal post of mine; that was a friends who dropped to business. Anyway, as I said, if he followed only your advice he wouldn't be sitting on an acceptance. I'm not saying this means apply just cause you took the MCAT and have a bachelor's degree. It does mean that he felt like he could get in somewhere when he applied, which he did. You're a hater lol.

\

You posted that as yourself, now it's a 'friend'? Okay then.

My point, which you (again) seem incapable of grasping is that exceptions don't make the norm. For every 100 applicants that think they've got their crap together because they're a special snowflake with a low gpa but awesome EC's and life experience, only a few have a real shot. The OP was one of them, i.e. an exception.

Here's what I said in my post (from freaking december) that you quoted: Not to steal the OP's thunder, but the exceptions do not make the norm. While there are often exceptional cases that catch the attention of the adcom, people really need to be realistic about this process and act in a way such that all their ducks are in a row when they apply.

If you still have doubts, go look at the GPA/MCAT chart that AMCAS puts out. There's a lot of special snowflakes on there as well.

 

[deleted577188]

\

You posted that as yourself, now it's a 'friend'? Okay then.

My point, which you (again) seem incapable of grasping is that exceptions don't make the norm. For every 100 applicants that think they've got their crap together because they're a special snowflake with a low gpa but awesome EC's and life experience, only a few have a real shot. The OP was one of them, i.e. an exception.

Here's what I said in my post (from freaking december) that you quoted: Not to steal the OP's thunder, but the exceptions do not make the norm. While there are often exceptional cases that catch the attention of the adcom, people really need to be realistic about this process and act in a way such that all their ducks are in a row when they apply.

If you still have doubts, go look at the GPA/MCAT chart that AMCAS puts out. There's a lot of special snowflakes on there as well.

YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT! NO ONE SAID HE'S NOT THE SNOWFLAKE OUT OF MANY NEAR PERFECT APPLICANTS. NO ONE ADVISED PEOPLE TO APPLY WITH SH*ITTY GRADES AND MCAT SCORES. NO ONE ELSE BUT YOU IS DISCREDITING HIS SUCCESS WITH HIS PERSONAL STATS. YOU'RE A HATER BRO. I'M NOT SAYING THAT APPLYING WITH A 3.3 AND SUB 30 MCAT IS THE BEST THING TO DO, BUT IN HIS PERSONAL CASE IT WASN'T THE WORSE THING TO DO.... IT OBVIOUSLY WORKED OUT FOR HIM. AND THEN YOU ASSUMED THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO HIS STORY... AND NO THERE WASN'T.

 

[ridethecliche]

YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT! NO ONE SAID HE'S NOT THE SNOWFLAKE OUT OF MANY NEAR PERFECT APPLICANTS. NO ONE ADVISED PEOPLE TO APPLY WITH SH*ITTY GRADES AND MCAT SCORES. NO ONE ELSE BUT YOU IS DISCREDITING HIS SUCCESS WITH HIS PERSONAL STATS. YOU'RE A HATER BRO. I'M NOT SAYING THAT APPLYING WITH A 3.3 AND SUB 30 MCAT IS THE BEST THING TO DO, BUT IN HIS PERSONAL CASE IT WASN'T THE WORSE THING TO DO.... IT OBVIOUSLY WORKED OUT FOR HIM. AND THEN YOU ASSUMED THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO HIS STORY... AND NO THERE WASN'T.

U mad bro?

And yeah... There's more to the OP's story. That's why people like the OP get admitted at all. Have fun being dense. I'm done with this thread, but thanks for bringing up a discussion that happened almost 3 months ago.

 

[deleted577188]

U mad bro?

And yeah... There's more to the OP's story. That's why people like the OP get admitted at all. Have fun being dense. I'm done with this thread, but thanks for bringing up a discussion that happened almost 3 months ago.

You're welcome! I wish you the best of luck in medical school!

 

[reapplicanthelpme2014]

I think it's hilariousssssss when people who are recently accepted to medical school within the last 6 months want to look down on "pre-meds" as if we aren't still pre-meds. I'm a pre-med until my first day of medical school classes. Then I'm not. I will NOT be on these forums preaching as if I'm better than someone else because I got an acceptance to medical school before they did. But I guessssss I'm cray. SDN gives people mouth, lololol.

 

[ridethecliche]

I think it's hilariousssssss when people who are recently accepted to medical school within the last 6 months want to look down on "pre-meds" as if we aren't still pre-meds. I'm a pre-med until my first day of medical school classes. Then I'm not. I will NOT be on these forums preaching as if I'm better than someone else because I got an acceptance to medical school before they did. But I guessssss I'm cray. SDN gives people mouth, lololol.

 

[reapplicanthelpme2014]

LOL too predictable. Don't you have some major break though "OMG GUYSZZZZ LOOK AT ME I'M AWESOME" research to be doing? anywho, later brozay. you consistently bore me. sad day.

that was cute doe. dankssss fo dat.

 

[ridethecliche]

LOL too predictable. Don't you have some major break though "OMG GUYSZZZZ LOOK AT ME I'M AWESOME" research to be doing? anywho, later brozay. you consistently bore me. sad day.

that was cute doe. dankssss fo dat.

 

[reapplicanthelpme2014]

you could be bae, don't tease me.

 

[boxer0011]

Most likely the OP was a female. Females have lower stats, and ad-comms give preference to females. The ad-comm's story is very ususual indeed, as she got low GPA is biology courses, and a low MCAT as well.

 

[boxer0011]

\

You posted that as yourself, now it's a 'friend'? Okay then.

My point, which you (again) seem incapable of grasping is that exceptions don't make the norm. For every 100 applicants that think they've got their crap together because they're a special snowflake with a low gpa but awesome EC's and life experience, only a few have a real shot. The OP was one of them, i.e. an exception.

Here's what I said in my post (from freaking december) that you quoted: Not to steal the OP's thunder, but the exceptions do not make the norm. While there are often exceptional cases that catch the attention of the adcom, people really need to be realistic about this process and act in a way such that all their ducks are in a row when they apply.

If you still have doubts, go look at the GPA/MCAT chart that AMCAS puts out. There's a lot of special snowflakes on there as well.

I saw a guy who went to Harvard Medical with a low GPA and no post-bacc work, should he be telling other low GPA types to apply to Harvard as well, since he got in? That seems to be the OP reasoning.

 

[boxer0011]

Lots of people with better stats get rejected but they don't post about it hence you have a distorted view of reality thanks to posts like the OP.

 

[MedBrah 19]

I hate to agree with the naysayers but this is a total humblebrag post. If you're a low stat applicant and you need to look to sdn for motivation I don't think you have what it takes to become a great physician. I was an extremely low stat applicant and still never needed anyone to motivate me.

 

[alfredo24pr]

subbed for encouragement.
Got waitlisted to probably my only choice, even while being 9 points over their average MCAT and 0.45 below their GPA

 

[mly88]

I find it's often a good thing to practice being nice and polite in all areas of life, including when posting on the internet although our interactions here are made less personal by the fact that we're separated by infinite cyberspace we all still have feelings and it's important to remember that and act accordingly.

WILL YOU PM ME PLEASE??!!

 

[JessebenBenjamin]

This post is challenging all that SDN has taught me. Congratulations OP!

 

[skinofteeth]

Go, OP, Go!!

 

[arc5005]

Thanks for the congrats!I am not a URM by any stretch of the imagination. I only applied to MD programs in the US. I politely disagree that I am an exceptional case. I did my best and made sure that every area of my application was as outstanding as possible, I applied broadly and to schools that I felt would match my experiences. I was extremely happy that schools (more than one) were able to look past my unfortunate GPA. I'm not trying to encourage anyone to think "oh hey, my GPA is in the ****ter but I'll probably get in because Journalist did," I'm trying to tell people who have their hearts set on medicine and have worked extremely hard but have less than average stats that they still have a chance and should continue to try their best and improve all areas of their application and have faith that schools will be able to see their worth instead of looking at them as numbers on a page. I definitely agree that all applicants should have their "ducks in a row" but for some, it may not be possible to apply with a brilliant GPA and that shouldn't preclude anyone from pursuing medicine.

Could you PM me some schools you think I should apply to next cycle that are more holistic in their review process? I have similar stats!

 

[whatever5]

These posts always confuse me. Hearing these n=1 stories encourage people to make poor choices off anecdotal evidence more than they boost their confidence. Either that, or this is a thinly veiled taunt to people who worked harder for higher numbers and achieved the same result.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

These posts always confuse me. Hearing these n=1 stories encourage people to make poor choices off anecdotal evidence more than they boost their confidence. Either that, or this is a thinly veiled taunt to people who worked harder for higher numbers and achieved the same result.

I think its more of the OP saying that SDN dogma is not law like so many people want to believe. When I first got on this site it made me want to jump off a cliff because I have a low GPA. Reading about a bunch of 3.9 candidates and then being told you're "rejection bait" or "circling the drain" on WAMC is not a pleasant experience. I honestly believe she was just posting this to show it isn't impossible and people shouldn't be giving up on everything after getting a couple Cs.

I contemplated posting one of these after I got my MD acceptances but decided against it. Well done OP, I wish there was more posts like this on here!

 

[ChrisMack390]

@journalistdoingscience if you really want to be helpful, post more about your app, especially MCAT and ECs, and post what schools you had interviews + acceptances at.

 

[oOKawaiiOo]

Congratulations , MCAT score?

She had a 3.2 UG, 4.0 in postbacc 30 MCAT

 

[ChrisMack390]

She had a 3.2 UG, 4.0 in postbacc 30 MCAT

This contradicts the opening post.

 

[oOKawaiiOo]

This contradicts the opening post.

I delved into her +900 posts and found this.....

 

[ChrisMack390]

I'm either losing my mind or that post is from an entirely different poster...

 

[BluMist]

This thread started almost a year ago...

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

The OP is likley an M1 now and probably not using SDN anymore. And...@oOKawaiiOo the person you sent a picture of is not the OP, but someone else entirely.

 

[Avicenna]

Our friend @mimelim is now a vascular surgery resident and he had a 3.4 GPA. It's doable...one just has to apply strategically and have a good package.

Lets not pretend he was anything but an anomaly, i looked at some of his posts and its pretty clear he's at another level entirely. And what, 40+ mcat?

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Lets not pretend he was anything but an anomaly, i looked at some of his posts and its pretty clear he's at another level entirely. And what, 40+ mcat?

As awesome as @mimelim is, someone getting in with a 3.4 isnt some kind of crazy anomaly.

In fact 20% of people with a GPA between 3.2 and 3.4 get accepted. If you only look at people from 3.2-3.4 with an MCAT >30 the number is somewhere between 35% up to >50% depending on MCAT score. (All data is for white applicants, URM numbers are a little higher.)

Also, as for the OP of this page, you can see people who have a GPA just over 3.0 still stand about a ~30% shot at MD admission provided they score decently on the MCAT (30-32). Like @Goro said, it is doable if done strategically.

Edit: Source: https://www.aamc.org/download/321518/data/factstable25-4.pdf

 

[BeachBlondie]

This is quite a bump, considering the original post was from nearly one year ago...

Here are the facts:

Getting into medical school is absolutely hinged on GPA and MCAT -- one of the only ways for admissions committees to make an objective comparison between applicants is to use these quantitative metrics. This is clearly reflected in the AAMC spread that is released every year, showing the acceptance rates of applicants with low vs. high scores:

https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstable24.pdf

So, we're playing an odds game, here. But, just like Vegas, sometimes the outcomes--that seem to be stacked for or against you--pan out in a contradictory fashion. Why? Why is it that about 25% of people with a 3.0 and 30 get accepted? BECAUSE OF EXTENUATING FACTORS.

I also have a 30, and I also have a cumulative GPA of a 3.3. And I have now been interviewed for allo school, 2 years in a row (the first year, I was high-priority waitlisted, and the movement of said list sat stagnant all cycle), despite people (rightly) telling me that I probably didn't have a snowflake's chance in hell. But, I also have 6 years of research, countless publications, and extensive leadership and volunteering. So, I counsel you, dear readers, to praise the accomplishments of your underdog peers, but to also understand that the reason they have obtained success is because there is more to their file than a simple number game, otherwise they would have not been considered.

Trust me: you are FAR better off earning A's and killing the MCAT than assuming that subpar stats are jjuuuuust enough to slip you under the radar. They're not. And it's daunting (and, oftentimes, discouraging) to have to plead your case to every adcom you meet.

Having said that, congrats to the OP (who is likely drowning in an MS-1 physio block right now).

 

[Mad Jack]

This is quite a bump, considering the original post was from nearly one year ago...

Here are the facts:

Getting into medical school is absolutely hinged on GPA and MCAT -- one of the only ways for admissions committees to make an objective comparison between applicants is to use these quantitative metrics. This is clearly reflected in the AAMC spread that is released every year, showing the acceptance rates of applicants with low vs. high scores:

https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstable24.pdf

So, we're playing an odds game, here. But, just like Vegas, sometimes the outcomes--that seem to be stacked for or against you--pan out in a contradictory fashion. Why? Why is it that about 25% of people with a 3.0 and 30 get accepted? BECAUSE OF EXTENUATING FACTORS.

I also have a 30, and I also have a cumulative GPA of a 3.3. And I have now been interviewed for allo school, 2 years in a row (the first year, I was high-priority waitlisted, and the movement of said list sat stagnant all cycle), despite people (rightly) telling me that I probably didn't have a snowflake's chance in hell. But, I also have 6 years of research, countless publications, and extensive leadership and volunteering. So, I counsel you, dear readers, to praise the accomplishments of your underdog peers, but to also understand that the reason they have obtained success is because there is more to their file than a simple number game, otherwise they would have not been considered.

Trust me: you are FAR better off earning A's and killing the MCAT than assuming that subpar stats are jjuuuuust enough to slip you under the radar. They're not. And it's daunting (and, oftentimes, discouraging) to have to plead your case to every adcom you meet.

Having said that, congrats to the OP (who is likely drowning in an MS-1 physio block right now).

Yeah. Anecdotes are the exception, not the rule. I wouldn't discourage anyone with low stats from applying, but I would let them know that their chances are not stellar.

 

[prettypremed12]

Hey guys, I've been hanging around SDN for a few months now and noticed that there is a prevailing attitude that you have to have a 3.85 GPA and 42 MCAT to get into medical school which can be extremely disheartening for applicants with mediocre scores. I wanted to post a little bit about my success to hopefully help others feel more confident in their own application even if they don't have stellar numbers.
I went to school for journalism and graduated with a GPA around a 3.3. I then attended a post-bacc program where I averaged about a 3.0 due to a C and several B grades. It was the first time I was taking science classes in almost 5 years and they were tough. I was also working full-time and trying to juggle classes and it was too much. I figured this out about halfway through, slowed down and started taking classes one at a time after a particularly hard semester and my grades shot up. I still ended up applying with a cGPA of less than 3.2 and I was really worried it would preclude me from being a competitive candidate.
Despite my anxiety, I'm excited to say that I got four interviews this cycle and have been accepted into my first school as of this morning. I was terrified that my low GPA was the death knell for my dream of becoming a physician and if I had listened to some of the people (well-meaning, I'm sure) that post on here I don't know that I would have continued but I worked extremely hard every day to improve my application and I made it! All this is to say that if you're in a similar boat and you're feeling down then please take my story as encouragement and keep working as hard as you can to get into school because you can do it!

Hi, I saw you posted about applying to schools with subpar numbers which sound similar to mine. I apologize in advance if I bother- I bet a lot of people look to you for advice. I see you are a medical student. What types of schools did you apply to and what was your strategy/what did the rest of your app look like?

I tried to message you privately but did not see the option to.