from .5 to 3.2 GPA ... Is MD possible?

[peanutbuttersmoothie]

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Hello everyone 🙂 this is my first post so forgive me if I'm a little long winded.

I'm a 23 y.o female URM currently an undergrad premed (3rd year) graduating Spring 17

I've had a disturbingly awful academic past. Attended a state school 09-11. Ended with a 1.35 GPA

Left that school willingly and ended up at a community college from 12-13. Left that school UNwillingly with a whopping .5 GPA.

Honestly I try not to make excuses for destroying my academic record. I blame myself, my laziness, my arrogance, and lack of motivation. My grades were in NO WAY indicative of my intellectual ability.

Im now at my current school in another state as an Information Technology major with a cumulative 3.2 GPA after this past semester. (With all intentions of raising it to at least a 3.4 before I graduate)

Thankfully after years of maturing I have changed COMPLETELY. As a person and as a student, but I know that I will never be 100% satisfied in life unless I am accepted into medical school and become a physician. Here is my issue ..... I used UNSF's AMCAS GPA calculator and my 2 prior transcripts lower my overall GPA to a 1.8 or so, crushing all hope I had. This means I now have at least a year and a half of post-bacc work before I can see a 3.0 the highest.

I really need some sound advice. Is it humanly possible to raise my AMCAS calculated cGPA to above a 3.4 in less than 2 years post-bacc ?
In order to matriculate by 2019 ?
And complete RESIDENCY by 35 y.o.?
Would any MD school even consider me with those 2 horrendous transcripts ?
Or am I just dreaming ?

EC's:

-Student Government Association School of Technology Senator
-Emergency Department Volunteer 80+ hours
-Started an After-School Art Therapy program at the YMCA
-Member of Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students
-current Student Ambassador/Director in school's Pre-Professional Scholars Program
-Registered for EMT classes Fall 2015
-Recently interviewed to be volunteer at a new hospital

 

[Goro]

What community do you represent?

Rising trend (especially steeply rising trends), are appreciated by a good number of med schools. If you can get a great MCAT score (>33), there are med schools that reward reinvention.

If you have repeated sciences coursework, it's worth calculating your GPAs via AACOMAS for DO schools.

 

[ZedsDed]

Well, I have to say kudos on the comeback. Have you had straight A's recently?

 

[peanutbuttersmoothie]

What community do you represent?

Rising trend (especially steeply rising trends), are appreciated by a good number of med schools. If you can get a great MCAT score (>33), there are med schools that reward reinvention.

If you have repeated sciences coursework, it's worth calculating your GPAs via AACOMAS for DO schools.

African American and Hispanic. I'm trying to staying away from DO and foreign schools, even though my GPA doesn't really give me much of a choice

 

[peanutbuttersmoothie]

Well, I have to say kudos on the comeback. Have you had straight A's recently?

Thank you ! I have mostly A's and the rest are Bs. GPA took a pretty hard hit with a D in Calculus. I literally need all A's in every class for the next 3 years to get > 3.0 wish seems nearly impossible. But I'm sure there are people out there that do it

 

[ComputerGuy365]

I have to say kudos for that insane turnaround. I'll tell you what I tell everyone who has lower grades but wants med school. You have to work hard. Be prepared to spend more time digging yourself out than the time it took for you to dig that hole. URM should help you, I would advise you look at the AAMC chart for you to get a rough idea of what your chances are. Also, what is your sGPA?

Maybe @Goro + @gyngyn can tell you what they think, as they are both adcoms.

Heres the chart(s):
https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/app...mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html

 

[ZedsDed]

Thank you ! I have mostly A's and the rest are Bs. GPA took a pretty hard hit with a D in Calculus. I literally need all A's in every class for the next 3 years to get > 3.0 wish seems nearly impossible. But I'm sure there are people out there that do it

If you go MD than that will almost certainly be necessary. A high MCAT score is a given, obviously.
Your chances are much better for DO. You're right to want to stay away from Caribbean schools

 

[Goro]

Being a URM will open lots of doors. Foreign schools? Only if you become Faculty!

African American and Hispanic. I'm trying to staying away from DO and foreign schools, even though my GPA doesn't really give me much of a choice

 

[peanutbuttersmoothie]

I have to say kudos for that insane turnaround. I'll tell you what I tell everyone who has lower grades but wants med school. You have to work hard. Be prepared to spend more time digging yourself out than the time it took for you to dig that hole. URM should help you, I would advise you look at the AAMC chart for you to get a rough idea of what your chances are. Also, what is your sGPA?

Maybe @Goro + @gyngyn can tell you what they think, as they are both adcoms.

Heres the chart(s):
https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/app...mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html

Thanks. Looking at that table, Im actually a little more hopeful. I didnt realize that being an URM was SUCH a big advantage when your grades are subpar. Currently my sGPA is 2.5 but because my major consists of so many of my IT classes, I really havent taken that many science classes, so i have ample time to raise that.

 

[ComputerGuy365]

Thanks. Looking at that table, Im actually a little more hopeful. I didnt realize that being an URM was SUCH a big advantage when your grades are subpar. Currently my sGPA is 2.5 but because my major consists of so many of my IT classes, I really havent taken that many science classes, so i have ample time to raise that.

There's one thing you need to be aware of. You said you haven't taken that many science classes. You gotta complete those pre-req's. Most people take the MCAT junior year, so you should plan accordingly. 3.4 + Decent MCAT as a URM should likely get you a DO acceptance. You will have to KILL the MCAT if you want a shot at MD schools. You will have to spend a lot of time. Your EC's are good. How good are your recommendations?

 

[edgerock24]

Why not consider DO schools?