FAILED multiple classes can i still get into med school??

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Ramenoodles

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I retook 6 of my science based classes in undergrad. It wasn't that I didn't get the material. The problem was I had horrible study skills and always procrastinated. The second time around I got A's and B's on all of them. But my previous grade still shows on the transcript. How badly will this affect my admission into med school? Is there ANYTHING else I can do to increase my chances?? please give me some suggestions im desperate. My MCAT score is high. I also volunteer and work so i can add that to my application as well.

I know I won't get into "top" schools but honestly i'll just be glad if i get accepted anywhere.

ps. please don't leave rude or snarky comments im already upset at myself for messing up this bad and already feel like a failure

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Find an Amcas excel for gpa and plug it all in and then see what your cGPA is going to be.
 
Find an Amcas excel for gpa and plug it all in and then see what your cGPA is going to be.
Cumulative is 2.9 barley. Even if I did really well the second time around I bombed the first attempt so that decreased it a lot. Thanks for replying so fast I really appreciate it. If you have any suggestions/ advice it would be super helpful.
 
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What year are you now? When do you loosely plan on applying? Have you considered post-baccalaureate education or a master's program to raise your GPA? I really doubt a 2.9 is going to be enough.
 
Cumulative is 2.9 barley. Even if I did really well the second time around I bombed the first attempt so that decreased it a lot. Thanks for replying so fast I really appreciate it. If you have any suggestions/ advice it would be super helpful.

You could maybe get into newer DO schools that reward reinvention. If you're boning for an MD you're gonna need a SMP most likely.
 
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Get those cum and sci over 3.0 and that with NO grade replacement? How high is your MCAT?
You can either get into a decent DO or SMP into a MD maybe.
 
Cumulative is 2.9 barley. Even if I did really well the second time around I bombed the first attempt so that decreased it a lot. Thanks for replying so fast I really appreciate it. If you have any suggestions/ advice it would be super helpful.
Not gonna lie. The cards are stacked against you. If you manage to get around a 3.2 and a decent MCAT you can likely get into a new school
 
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Bro i had a 0.7 freshman year. Nail the MCAT, nail an smp and nothing is impossible. Harder path for sure but it can be done
 
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I retook 6 of my science based classes in undergrad. It wasn't that I didn't get the material. The problem was I had horrible study skills and always procrastinated. The second time around I got A's and B's on all of them. But my previous grade still shows on the transcript. How badly will this affect my admission into med school? Is there ANYTHING else I can do to increase my chances?? please give me some suggestions im desperate. My MCAT score is high. I also volunteer and work so i can add that to my application as well.

I know I won't get into "top" schools but honestly i'll just be glad if i get accepted anywhere.

ps. please don't leave rude or snarky comments im already upset at myself for messing up this bad and already feel like a failure
Read this:
 
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I retook 6 of my science based classes in undergrad. It wasn't that I didn't get the material. The problem was I had horrible study skills and always procrastinated. The second time around I got A's and B's on all of them. But my previous grade still shows on the transcript. How badly will this affect my admission into med school? Is there ANYTHING else I can do to increase my chances?? please give me some suggestions im desperate. My MCAT score is high. I also volunteer and work so i can add that to my application as well.

I know I won't get into "top" schools but honestly i'll just be glad if i get accepted anywhere.

ps. please don't leave rude or snarky comments im already upset at myself for messing up this bad and already feel like a failure
Ask if this is the right path for you -- struggling in the basic sciences in UG might indicate that med school could eat you alive. Seriously take some time to consider if this is the right path and if there's anything else that could make you happy -- if so do that other thing. 10/10 not worth it if you can see yourself doing something else.
 
you'll never know, if you don't try!
 
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For what it's worth, I had multiple F's, W's, C's early in my undergrad career, but managed to gain admission into a DO school this year. Considering your high MCAT (and hopefully adequate ECs), my practical advice would be to take more science classes (preferably upper-division) and get your GPAs around/above a 3.2, then apply DO programs early (especially to all the newer schools). This is just my opinion.
 
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Honestly, it will be very very difficult but not impossible. I graduated undergrad with a 2.9 science gpa and 3.1 gpa. I did have to take two years off and did a one year masters where I graduated #1 in my class with a 4.0 gpa. I believe that was the only reason I got accepted. It is possible to get in but you would likely have to do either a post-bac/masters and kill it to show admissions you are capable. Even when I did that I was waitlisted and got lucky enough to get in. I know the feeling, best of luck.
 
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There are plenty of threads on similar topics-- their situations might be slightly different, but the overall advice is the same. Also, please note that AACOM is no longer doing grade replacement, so the setting has changed a bit since the 2000s.

Here's the thing: you can sit here and download a gpa calculator and try to figure out what your gpa might be and how many credits of 4.0 you need to hit 3.X and what classes you can fit in and how many years before you can apply and etc. etc. etc. I have been in that exact same situation (finished my sophomore year with a 2.5) and have spent and ungodly amount of time doing that. But the major thing you need to figure out is HOW you are going to do better. Plenty of people say "I know I can do better" when they haven't gotten an A since high school. They end up using their same study habits (either partying all the time or studying ineffectively all the time) and continuing to perform at a low standard. If it's problems at home, maybe take some time off. If you're repeatedly underperforming in science classes, cut your courseload to 0 or 1 science courses per semester and slowly scale back up. Even if it takes you an extra year or 2/3, its worth it (especially now that grade replacement is gone). Look over all your old exams, pick out which questions you got wrong, why you got them wrong, and how you're going to change your study strategy to not get them wrong in the future. These steps are key to identifying and addressing the issues you have. Sounds like your a procrastinator-- if it were me, I would take each major benchmark (ex. bio exam), create intermediate goals (by X date I will have read X chapter, by X date I will have taken and analyzed a practice exam, etc), and create penalties for every goal you miss (burpees have worked phenomenally for me). Could work it as a rewards system, but tbh I've found punishment more effective. All of this is just to give you an example of the things you should be thinking about, you now have to run your own diagnostics and put in the hard miles.

After (and only after) you've identified and addressed your issues (aka semester gpa > 3.5), time to start to figure out next steps (note: this may be during undergraduate or post-bacc, depends how long it takes you). The 3 adcoms I've talked to told me that to be considered adequate for med school, you need 3 years of good academic performance (I understood this as 3.5 minimum). Once you've done that, you're looking at MCAT (I'd guess you'd need 510+ alongside the 3.0-3.3 ugpa), potentially more post-bacc, or an SMP with a strong linkage (because IMO the ones without are just trying to beat you up and take your lunch money). But all of this is AFTER you figure out what is going on, do that first paragraph, and get some success.

My basis: I have been in those shoes and am applying now (3.0, 516, SMP at 3.5+, extensive shadowing and volunteer/professional experience). I can barely get DO schools to look at me after multiple cycles (have been told its for quantitative reasons). It's not impossible to get in from your position--but it requires immediate and intensive action before you dig a deeper hole for yourself (aka me).

Sorry if this seemed ranty/rambley/mean, just wish someone had done this to me a few years back...
 
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There are plenty of threads on similar topics-- their situations might be slightly different, but the overall advice is the same. Also, please note that AACOM is no longer doing grade replacement, so the setting has changed a bit since the 2000s.

Here's the thing: you can sit here and download a gpa calculator and try to figure out what your gpa might be and how many credits of 4.0 you need to hit 3.X and what classes you can fit in and how many years before you can apply and etc. etc. etc. I have been in that exact same situation (finished my sophomore year with a 2.5) and have spent and ungodly amount of time doing that. But the major thing you need to figure out is HOW you are going to do better. Plenty of people say "I know I can do better" when they haven't gotten an A since high school. They end up using their same study habits (either partying all the time or studying ineffectively all the time) and continuing to perform at a low standard. If it's problems at home, maybe take some time off. If you're repeatedly underperforming in science classes, cut your courseload to 0 or 1 science courses per semester and slowly scale back up. Even if it takes you an extra year or 2/3, its worth it (especially now that grade replacement is gone). Look over all your old exams, pick out which questions you got wrong, why you got them wrong, and how you're going to change your study strategy to not get them wrong in the future. These steps are key to identifying and addressing the issues you have. Sounds like your a procrastinator-- if it were me, I would take each major benchmark (ex. bio exam), create intermediate goals (by X date I will have read X chapter, by X date I will have taken and analyzed a practice exam, etc), and create penalties for every goal you miss (burpees have worked phenomenally for me). Could work it as a rewards system, but tbh I've found punishment more effective. All of this is just to give you an example of the things you should be thinking about, you now have to run your own diagnostics and put in the hard miles.

After (and only after) you've identified and addressed your issues (aka semester gpa > 3.5), time to start to figure out next steps (note: this may be during undergraduate or post-bacc, depends how long it takes you). The 3 adcoms I've talked to told me that to be considered adequate for med school, you need 3 years of good academic performance (I understood this as 3.5 minimum). Once you've done that, you're looking at MCAT (I'd guess you'd need 510+ alongside the 3.0-3.3 ugpa), potentially more post-bacc, or an SMP with a strong linkage (because IMO the ones without are just trying to beat you up and take your lunch money). But all of this is AFTER you figure out what is going on, do that first paragraph, and get some success.

My basis: I have been in those shoes and am applying now (3.0, 516, SMP at 3.5+, extensive shadowing and volunteer/professional experience). I can barely get DO schools to look at me after multiple cycles (have been told its for quantitative reasons). It's not impossible to get in from your position--but it requires immediate and intensive action before you dig a deeper hole for yourself (aka me).

Sorry if this seemed ranty/rambley/mean, just wish someone had done this to me a few years back...
Any IAs?
Did you do your SMP at a medical school?

Have a DO LOR? Shadowed a DO?

In your case, I suspect a bad LOR.
 
Finished my freshman year with a sub 1.0 GPA. Retook all of my classes, showed significant and sustained improvement and rocked the mcat. Have had a few DO interviews this cycle. If this is something you really want to do, it can be done.
 
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There are plenty of threads on similar topics-- their situations might be slightly different, but the overall advice is the same. Also, please note that AACOM is no longer doing grade replacement, so the setting has changed a bit since the 2000s.

Here's the thing: you can sit here and download a gpa calculator and try to figure out what your gpa might be and how many credits of 4.0 you need to hit 3.X and what classes you can fit in and how many years before you can apply and etc. etc. etc. I have been in that exact same situation (finished my sophomore year with a 2.5) and have spent and ungodly amount of time doing that. But the major thing you need to figure out is HOW you are going to do better. Plenty of people say "I know I can do better" when they haven't gotten an A since high school. They end up using their same study habits (either partying all the time or studying ineffectively all the time) and continuing to perform at a low standard. If it's problems at home, maybe take some time off. If you're repeatedly underperforming in science classes, cut your courseload to 0 or 1 science courses per semester and slowly scale back up. Even if it takes you an extra year or 2/3, its worth it (especially now that grade replacement is gone). Look over all your old exams, pick out which questions you got wrong, why you got them wrong, and how you're going to change your study strategy to not get them wrong in the future. These steps are key to identifying and addressing the issues you have. Sounds like your a procrastinator-- if it were me, I would take each major benchmark (ex. bio exam), create intermediate goals (by X date I will have read X chapter, by X date I will have taken and analyzed a practice exam, etc), and create penalties for every goal you miss (burpees have worked phenomenally for me). Could work it as a rewards system, but tbh I've found punishment more effective. All of this is just to give you an example of the things you should be thinking about, you now have to run your own diagnostics and put in the hard miles.

After (and only after) you've identified and addressed your issues (aka semester gpa > 3.5), time to start to figure out next steps (note: this may be during undergraduate or post-bacc, depends how long it takes you). The 3 adcoms I've talked to told me that to be considered adequate for med school, you need 3 years of good academic performance (I understood this as 3.5 minimum). Once you've done that, you're looking at MCAT (I'd guess you'd need 510+ alongside the 3.0-3.3 ugpa), potentially more post-bacc, or an SMP with a strong linkage (because IMO the ones without are just trying to beat you up and take your lunch money). But all of this is AFTER you figure out what is going on, do that first paragraph, and get some success.

My basis: I have been in those shoes and am applying now (3.0, 516, SMP at 3.5+, extensive shadowing and volunteer/professional experience). I can barely get DO schools to look at me after multiple cycles (have been told its for quantitative reasons). It's not impossible to get in from your position--but it requires immediate and intensive action before you dig a deeper hole for yourself (aka me).

Sorry if this seemed ranty/rambley/mean, just wish someone had done this to me a few years back...
I agree with @Goro here. I had similar stats, no SMP and had several MD IIs and over 10 DO IIs.
 
Any IAs?
Did you do your SMP at a medical school?

Have a DO LOR? Shadowed a DO?

In your case, I suspect a bad LOR.


No IAs, SMP at a top 50 med school, LOR from a DO (worked with him for a year, he told me the lor is excellent), and have shadowed a DO. Through a personal connection, managed to get a quick call with an admissions rep from one of my state MD schools (have known him since I was 8, I hope he'd tel lthe truth). Was told that the issue was low gpa. Recently got 2 DO IIs (thank you lord), lets see if I can get it over the line.

Regardless, the point wasn't to shine a light on me, so much as to highlight that anyone who is having serious GPA issues needs to actually identify their deficits, change their study strategies, and get results before trying to plan/calculate/hypothesize when they're going to get in to med school.
 
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Honestly, it will be very very difficult but not impossible. I graduated undergrad with a 2.9 science gpa and 3.1 gpa. I did have to take two years off and did a one year masters where I graduated #1 in my class with a 4.0 gpa. I believe that was the only reason I got accepted. It is possible to get in but you would likely have to do either a post-bac/masters and kill it to show admissions you are capable. Even when I did that I was waitlisted and got lucky enough to get in. I know the feeling, best of luck.

What master's did you complete?
 
What master's did you complete?
I did the one at Midwestern University. Do some research, there are plenty of programs that guarantee an interview if you meet a certain GPA/MCAT in the Master's program. Some even guarantee admission (I believe Rosalind Franklin does this).
 
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No IAs, SMP at a top 50 med school, LOR from a DO (worked with him for a year, he told me the lor is excellent), and have shadowed a DO. Through a personal connection, managed to get a quick call with an admissions rep from one of my state MD schools (have known him since I was 8, I hope he'd tel lthe truth). Was told that the issue was low gpa. Recently got 2 DO IIs (thank you lord), lets see if I can get it over the line.

Regardless, the point wasn't to shine a light on me, so much as to highlight that anyone who is having serious GPA issues needs to actually identify their deficits, change their study strategies, and get results before trying to plan/calculate/hypothesize when they're going to get in to med school.

Do you believe that shadowing a DO was necessary? I'm finding it difficult to fit DO shadowing into my schedule. have tons of MD tho.
 
Do you believe that shadowing a DO was necessary? I'm finding it difficult to fit DO shadowing into my schedule. have tons of MD tho.
A DO letter never hurts.
 
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Do you believe that shadowing a DO was necessary? I'm finding it difficult to fit DO shadowing into my schedule. have tons of MD tho.
I'd approximate they're required at about 30%, strongly recommended (written or otherwise) at another 30-40%. So I'd pretty strongly recommend.
 
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I'd approximate they're required at about 30%, strongly recommended (written or otherwise) at another 30-40%. So I'd pretty strongly recommend.
I wouldnt say DO shadowing is that required. I know one expressly required at least 16-20 hours.
 
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Sorry about hijacking the thread.

OP follow the advice of @Goro and read his guide. It’s going to take a lot of hard work
 
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