Engineering gpa low post grad work going good

[2010hopefully]

I graduate in Engineering a few years ago, never really liked my jobs. I'm working on Post Grad classes to improve my science GPA. My overall GPA in undergraduate was a 2.4. My science GPA in undergraduate was a 2.75. My post Grad GPA is 3.6, so far I have taken 24 additional credit hours. My MCAT score was a 33, but I'm considering taken it again. I have been doing volunteering, shadowing, and clinical work. Do you think I have a chance or are my chances over because of my low GPA from undergrad. I would like to apply to DO or MD schools for 2010.

Also both my undergrad and Post Grad work are from respected Universities

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[Mobius1985]

While your grad school GPA is very nice, I don't think you have any chance at MD schools with that low undergrad GPA. The MCAT is good, but automatic screening will not get you past such a low undergrad GPA. Have you figured how much unofficial post-bacc work you'd need to do to raise it up? I think the lowest any DO school goes for cut-offs is a GPA of 2.75, so even to apply there you'd need to do a lot of repair work first. If you repeat some of the lowest-grade classes, the DO application service will substitute the newer grade. MD schools will average the two together.

 

[2010hopefully]

I'm not in Grad school, I'm just taking post Bac classes, If I transfered into the school for a second degree in Biomedical, and completed the 60 credits to finish up the degree, then if I applied to that schools MD program would they just look at my Second degree? Or would they still look at my previous degree from a different University even know that degree would have been in Engineering?

Thanks for the feedback,

My biggest worry is spending time and money on something I have no control over. At the same time I would like to take my chances, because I know this is what I want to do

 

[2010hopefully]

Also, all my low grades are from Engineering Classes. All my under grad science GPA are Listed below.

Undergrad Class GPA from sciences 2001-2004

Physics 1 for Engineers-2.5 Probably should repeat
Physics 2 for Engineers-3.0 Probably okay

Chem intro to inorganic-3.0
Chem 1 2.0 probably will repeat
chem 2 3.0 probably OK
Chem 2 lab 3.5

Those are all the science classes I took in undergrad.

Also I did take an EPI class in 2002 and received 2.5, I'm not sure if that goes against my science GPA
ENT class in 2004 did really bad, never went to class received 1.5, also I'm not sure if that class will reflect on my science GPA, If it does than I differently have to retake

 

[Mobius1985]

Sorry I misunderstood. It's great you've already begun to repair your undergrad GPA with post-bacc classes. My figures show that if you complete an additional 60 hours, and get a 4.0 for all, your final GPA including (estimated) 120 hours+24 hours+ 60 hours=3.0 or very close to that. If some of those additional hours are repeats of classes with low grades, your GPA with ACOMAS (DO) would be even higher. With your MCAT of 33, and recent upward trend in grades, I think you'd have a good chance at some DO schools.

Neither MD or DO schools will look only at your second degree. They will consider all post-high school coursework in aggregate, though (with AMCAS) it's displayed year by year for undergrad, then listing post-bac work grouped together regardless of year taken.

Consider making an appointment with your institution's med school admissions program and discussing your potential application and plan as above. Maybe they would give you a break since you are one of their own, and give a much higher weight to more recent coursework.

I don't know what you intend EPI (epidemiology?) and ENT (ear, nose, and throat?) to stand for.

 

[Mobius1985]

Also, you're getting a good start with your ECs. By the time your're ready to apply, your clinical experience should be very solid. Perhaps you could get in some research over the next two years as well.

You might consider passing your plan by the folks in pre-osteo as well. They have a thread, rather than a separate forum for "What are my Chances?"

 

[2010hopefully]

Thanks for the feedback, ENT was a class on pests, society and environment, I talked with a DO advisor recently, and on my APP they would see a GPA for science and overall. I'm thinking my science GPA would be around a 3.5 total. My overall would be around a 2.7, so I'm wondering if they would weigh the science GPA and MCAT scores higher than my overall.

Also I'm hoping that chemical engineering classes do not weigh in the Science GPA area on the APP, if they do, then I'm in trouble.

From what I know my science GPA should only be from Chem and physic classes I took in undergrad and then my post Bac science classes. If that is true I would have a good chance for my science GPA to be over 3.5.

 

[Mobius1985]

AMCAS "science" GPA includes all biology, chem, physics, and math, but not engineering classes (oddly enough). AO GPA (All Other) and total GPA are also in separate columns, after AMCAS certifies your transcripts.

If your AACOMAS "science" GPA was science/physics only, and no math, and your science GPA was >3.5, that would look pretty good. Schools would definitely know you were capable of performing well in upper-level science classes at the med school level. Maybe the AACOMAS website could shed some light on whether engineering classes would be included in their science GPA.

 

[2010hopefully]

So are saying all Math classes ever past Calc 2 would be calculated as part of your science GPA for MD or DO?

If thats the case, that would effect me, because my over all GPA in Math is about 3.15. I have taken 24 credits in math going one book past Calc 4 (differential equation).

So I would have to re-do a couple (2.5 GPA) upper level Calc classes, which would be very tough, because of how long its been.

 

[Mobius1985]

For MD schools, all math grades are included in the BCPM ("science") GPA. I think this is not true for DO, but check their forum to be sure. It seemed like this was what your DO advisor said, from what you stated above.

 

[2010hopefully]

So from my understanding,

DO schools will count all Engineering and Science course as your Science GPA, and all other courses as your overall GPA

Or will just science courses be calculated a your science GPA and then your overall GPA will be your science, math Engineering, etc....

MD schools will count science and math courses as your science GPA and then all other courses including science and math would be in your overall GPA.

Example for a DO APP
BIO 32 credits 3.5
Chem 20 Credits 3.6
Physics 8 credits 3.25

Overall for science GPA=3.5

Overall total GPA=2.7 from all credits taken at all universities attend through out undergrad and Post Bac

Does this make sense or am I missing something. If this does make sense is this good enough to get into a DO program with a 33 MCAT

I'm not sure if I miss understood, but from what a DO advisor told me to apply for a DO school, all CHEM, BIO, and Physics will count towards your science GPA.

Then all other classes including science courses will count towards your total GPA. But she also said they look more at your science GPA than your overall.

I also just read that Engineering classes count as other sciences courses and would be calculated into your science GPA.

If Engineering courses are part of your science GPA, then I'm in trouble for sure.

 

[Mobius1985]

Maybe this will help.

Check this thread with a link to an AACOMAS GPA Calculator spreadsheet: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=450050

And here is a link to the AACOMAS organization so you can get detailed instructions about what counts as science: https://aacomas.aacom.org/

 

[2010hopefully]

Wow, all Engineering courses are counted as other sciences and the DO schools count other sciences, BIO, CHEM, Physics under there science GPA.

This is really bad for me, because all the Engineering classes I did poorly in, I would have to repeat.

The major problem is pre-recks, and remembering how to use the pre-reck courses to complete higher level engineering courses. It will be very tough almost impossible to raise engineering courses I took years ago

Thanks for help. I just wonder if there is a loop hole around engineering courses taken a long time ago.