Extra Classes to raise cGPA worth it?

[AB92]

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I currently have a cGPA of 3.45 and sGPA of 3.60. Is it worth taking additional classes to get my cGPA to a 3.50?

I would need to take 4 classes, and get A's in them to to raise the cGPA to 3.50. They would be online psychology classes and online public health classes, as I've finished all my science pre-req's.

Would this be beneficial or just a waste of money? The classes seem interesting, but I would be doing it solely to raise my cGPA. Also, I'm scared this would look pretty obvious to adcoms that I was taking those classes just to raise my GPA.

Thanks!!

 

[Goro]

You're fine for any DO school right now, and probably your state MD schools as well.

Do you have a rising GPA trend? These are always good.

 

[etp123]

I currently have a cGPA of 3.45 and sGPA of 3.60. Is it worth taking additional classes to get my cGPA to a 3.50?

I would need to take 4 classes, and get A's in them to to raise the cGPA to 3.50. They would be online psychology classes and online public health classes, as I've finished all my science pre-req's.

Would this be beneficial or just a waste of money? The classes seem interesting, but I would be doing it solely to raise my cGPA. Also, I'm scared this would look pretty obvious to adcoms that I was taking those classes just to raise my GPA.

Thanks!!

Speaking strictly from a data standpoint, 3.40-3.59 are lumped together according to AAMC's facts tables so it is difficult to say what difference there is if any. There's a difference in acceptance rates between 3.2-3.39 vs. 3.40-3.59 vs. 3.60-3.79 for instance, but hard to say internally whether 3.45 or 3.5 will really change your odds.

I would take those 4 classes if your previous academic record was spotty and you do not already have evidence of a strong upward trend. To your latter point, I wouldn't worry so much. Adcoms understand the purpose of postbac work and that you're aiming to boost your GPA, it's a valid reason and they're not going to penalize you for that. Many med schools and universities affiliated with med schools offer postbac options for those reasons, so it would be extremely odd for them to turn back around and say "This applicant was looking to improve their GPA? How dare they!"

 

[AB92]

You're fine for any DO school right now, and probably your state MD schools as well.

Do you have a rising GPA trend? These are always good.

I do have a rising trend! My sophomore year took a hit (down to 3.1) due to navigating a diagnoses with anxiety (which I am definitely prepared to talk about if needed!), but since then, my GPA has risen every year since then, and I have a 4.0 in my DIY post-bacc classes.

My degree is in biosystems engineering. I know adcoms don't usually differentiate or care about that a major is harder than others, but it at least adds some explanation as to why my GPA is what it is. Is this something adcoms would at least acknowledge or take into consideration?, @Goro ?

 

[etp123]

Is this something adcoms would at least acknowledge or take into consideration?

Yes it is on record from AAMC surveys that adcoms do somewhat take into consideration undergrad major, but you are correct in that they don't view it as importantly as other factors.

If you've done very well in your prereqs and have been doing well in school since your sophomore year, I think you won't have anything to worry about 🙂

 

[AB92]

Awesome- thanks for your input!

 

[NeuroendoHolism]

I read posts on here about filler courses after my B in Orgo 2. After Orgo 2 I paid for 17 credits of biology from two local community colleges. I have a bachelor's with 130 credits so I knew that acing these classes wouldn't affect my overall GPA, but definitely my science GPA. I made sure that I handpicked classes given through a Bio department, I took them online, I worked full time, I got fired, but I aced all those damn classes and raised my science GPA from 3.5 to 3.7. I'm taking Biochemistry at UNE in 5 days. Worry about the numbers, pay for the numbers, but doing it thru a CC? If you have the money to do it thru a standard school, go with that, I'm out of dough so I couldn't justify it.

 

[NeuroendoHolism]

Also I'm a little bit extra because I do want to go back to NY for a liberal environment in school or Tel Aviv actually, I really want it bad, I wanna end up in NYC one day, I'm not stopping till I'm there =) I have the same cum GPA as you from undergrad, I haven't actually done the numbers and ordered the transcripts to see how much the cum GPA will go up but here's hoping!

 

[AB92]

I read posts on here about filler courses after my B in Orgo 2. After Orgo 2 I paid for 17 credits of biology from two local community colleges. I have a bachelor's with 130 credits so I knew that acing these classes wouldn't affect my overall GPA, but definitely my science GPA. I made sure that I handpicked classes given through a Bio department, I took them online, I worked full time, I got fired, but I aced all those damn classes and raised my science GPA from 3.5 to 3.7. I'm taking Biochemistry at UNE in 5 days. Worry about the numbers, pay for the numbers, but doing it thru a CC? If you have the money to do it thru a standard school, go with that, I'm out of dough so I couldn't justify it.

I completely understand! I have a bachelor’s with 139 hours so it takes A LOT to move my overall GPA. I work full time, and support myself, so CC is really my only option since the state schools around here all offer classes during the day. I haven’t gotten to the point yet where I think I need to quit my full time job to take some extra classes at a 4 yr university. My plan, as of now, is to crush the MCAT, apply broadly to DO/MD, and if I don’t get in the first cycle, then I’ll look into a formal post bacc.

 

[NeuroendoHolism]

Hey nothing wrong with that! Also, I took them online buddy, and I'd do it all over again. The transcript will look really nice with the full load of A's at the end. It was a little less that 5k to take 17 credits, but that UNE course is ridiculously expensive and that's why I waited a cycle to apply anyways, I hear that looks really good too. The biochem I mean.