From Photoshop to Harvard? Impossible?

[shreds]

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Hey guys. This is my first thread here but I have been reading posts for a while. I have some questions that I can't seem to find the answers to.


I am graduating as a Graphics Design Major in May 2011. Naturally I didn't take any science courses and they were not even offered at my school.
So I decided to apply to Pre-Med Post Bacc programs. Now my problem is the following.

My cumulative undergrad GPA will probably be around 2.8-2.85 (I have 3 D's in total).

Let's just assume for a minute that I get accepted to a pre-med program. If I ace all the classes and the MCAT followed by doctor-shadowing, volunteer work, community based activities etc.etc.

Will I have the slightest chance of getting accepted to Med-school? Will I have a chance at say, Harvard Medical School? Or will they take one look at my crappy undergrad record and throw me to the lions?

In other words: If everything I do after my undergrad is top-notch, can I get into a school like Harvard? How can I prove myself?


And please be honest but not mean. I've seen some pretty nasty responses to questions similar to mine.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

 

[shreds]

Wow.. thanks.

 

[Verbrandhathe]

Hey guys. This is my first thread here but I have been reading posts for a while. I have some questions that I can't seem to find the answers to.


I am graduating as a Graphics Design Major in May 2011. Naturally I didn't take any science courses and they were not even offered at my school.
So I decided to apply to Pre-Med Post Bacc programs. Now my problem is the following.

My cumulative undergrad GPA will probably be around 2.8-2.85 (I have 3 D's in total).

Let's just assume for a minute that I get accepted to a pre-med program. If I ace all the classes and the MCAT followed by doctor-shadowing, volunteer work, community based activities etc.etc.

Will I have the slightest chance of getting accepted to Med-school? Will I have a chance at say, Harvard Medical School? Or will they take one look at my crappy undergrad record and throw me to the lions?

In other words: If everything I do after my undergrad is top-notch, can I get into a school like Harvard? How can I prove myself?


And please be honest but not mean. I've seen some pretty nasty responses to questions similar to mine.

If you can get all A's and some nice EC's (say, winning an Olympic gold medal or playing a role in the next Harry Potter) then yeah, definitely.

 

[bucks2010]

Med school is a possibility for you assuming you can get your cumulative GPA to around 3.3 or better (3.3 would be pretty low for MD schools).

Harvard students average a 3.9 undergrad GPA and a 36 MCAT, along with some very impressive ECs. Do well in your post-bacc program, then you can decide which of the 130+ schools you should apply to.

 

[skyhyp2009]

Hey guys. This is my first thread here but I have been reading posts for a while. I have some questions that I can't seem to find the answers to.


I am graduating as a Graphics Design Major in May 2011. Naturally I didn't take any science courses and they were not even offered at my school.
So I decided to apply to Pre-Med Post Bacc programs. Now my problem is the following.

My cumulative undergrad GPA will probably be around 2.8-2.85 (I have 3 D's in total).

Let's just assume for a minute that I get accepted to a pre-med program. If I ace all the classes and the MCAT followed by doctor-shadowing, volunteer work, community based activities etc.etc.

Will I have the slightest chance of getting accepted to Med-school? Will I have a chance at say, Harvard Medical School? Or will they take one look at my crappy undergrad record and throw me to the lions?

In other words: If everything I do after my undergrad is top-notch, can I get into a school like Harvard? How can I prove myself?


And please be honest but not mean. I've seen some pretty nasty responses to questions similar to mine.

I can't say "no" since very few things in life are final...

but even with straight A's and a 40+ on your MCAT, I would think "most likely not."

You can always try solving world hunger - that'll be a sure way of getting into Harvard Medical School. Or, of course, you can lower your standards and be EXTREMELY thankful if you even get into ONE medical school.

 

[shreds]

Med school is a possibility for you assuming you can get your cumulative GPA to around 3.3 or better (3.3 would be pretty low for MD schools).

Thanks for your answer (the first one that wasn't an image of a troll or the oldest joke in the book: "to win a gold medal").

Do pre-meds get GPA's? When you are saying that a cumulative of 3.3 is pretty low, are you talking about undergrad GPA or Pre-med GPA? Because my undergrad GPA will not go above 2.8)

Thanks again.

 

[the duck]

If you get near straight A's, which seems unlikely considering you did so poorly in undergrad and science courses will be a lot harder, you have a decant shot at a medical school. Don't even be thinking about Harvard though. Work hard, and you can get into medical school. However, its more than just pre-reqs. You gotta volunteer, gain clinical experience, leadership etc.

Best of luck!

 

[rhesuspieces]

I understand wanting to aim for the "best" medical school, but at this point you need to focus on getting into medical school, period. Ace your post-bac work and get some great EC's going, and you *might* have a chance at a top-30 school.

But I'm wondering, where did you do your undergrad? If your degree is from a technical school, that could really come back to bite you in the ass. I'd go as far as to say you would be better off doing undergrad all over again and getting a bachelor's from a reputable university.

 

[Ursa]

God Bless America

 

[the duck]

Thanks for your answer (the first one that wasn't an image of a troll or the oldest joke in the book: "to win a gold medal").

Do pre-meds get GPA's? When you are saying that a cumulative of 3.3 is pretty low, are you talking about undergrad GPA or Pre-med GPA? Because my undergrad GPA will not go above 2.8)

Thanks again.

There is no "pre-med major" The requirements for medical are specific courses. After you have taken them, you take the MCAT and apply. You will have a sGPA that just includes your sciences courses, and a cGPA that is all of your undergrad course work ever. Since your sGPA is a blank slate, you have a shot of getting a good GPA, which will help balance out your sub-par cGPA thus far. Bare in mind, sciences are hard and very competitive. Don't count on getting top grades. You should also investigate other jobs in healthcare, like PA, nurses, and rad techs ( to name just a few)

 

[shreds]

But I'm wondering, where did you do your undergrad? If your degree is from a technical school, that could really come back to bite you in the ass. I'd go as far as to say you would be better off doing undergrad all over again and getting a bachelor's from a reputable university.

My college is accredited but I understand your point. Is it possible to re-do college all over again?

 

[skyhyp2009]

Thanks for your answer (the first one that wasn't an image of a troll or the oldest joke in the book: "to win a gold medal").

Do pre-meds get GPA's? When you are saying that a cumulative of 3.3 is pretty low, are you talking about undergrad GPA or Pre-med GPA? Because my undergrad GPA will not go above 2.8)

Thanks again.

Your post-bac GPA should be 3.9+ (although I want to say 4.0) Your post-bac GPA will be combined with your undergrad GPA to give a cumulative overall GPA and a cumulative overall BCPM GPA - this is the reason your cumulative GPA will (even if you get a 4.0) will end up around 3.3 ish.

Unfortunately, your undergraduate GPA will not go up and will still be factored in when medical schools make their decisions.

You can do the "normal" extracurriculars like shadowing and research, but unless you do something unique or really awe-inspiring, it'll be hard for you to get into a top medical school.

There are thousands of applicants who have 4.0 GPA and 38+ MCATs, ALL with good ECs. It'll be hard for you to compete with them for a spot at HMS (I'm assuming you really want go there given the name of this thread) when you have to explain your low undergraduate GPA.

That being said, it's realistically possible for you to get into medical school. Like I said earlier, just be satisfied with getting into medical school. You'll be much happier that way.

 

[skyhyp2009]

My college is accredited but I understand your point. Is it possible to re-do college all over again?

Yes, but your old grades will always remain...

I took college courses when I was in middle school and high school. Guess what? all those grades still had to be reported to medical schools and were factored into my cumulative GPA

 

[the duck]

My college is accredited but I understand your point. Is it possible to re-do college all over again?

You don't need to retake college. You need to ACE your pre-reqs, and gain some good ECs. Then you will be competitive at decant medical schools.

 

[StudyShy]

Probably not Harvard but it never hurts to have a dream, Rudy! 🙂

 

[rhesuspieces]

My college is accredited but I understand your point. Is it possible to re-do college all over again?

Sure, but it's more reasonable to do a post-bacc. I wouldn't redo everything unless you went to a university that has commercials during daytime TV and/or its own jingle.

 

[rafflecopter]

My cumulative undergrad GPA will probably be around 2.8-2.85 (I have 3 D's in total).

So I was in a similar situation as you (3.1 cGPA, no sciences taken) when I decided to go back to school to be a doctor. I got straight As from that point forward, did terrific on the MCAT, had all of the normal ECs plus a bunch of special and awesome ones that are really unique, plus I had a really interesting story that tugged at admissions committee hearts. And I'm not going to get into Harvard. Sorry, but that's a bit unrealistic. I've had interviews at a few top 15 schools and I think those are well within the realm of possibility for people like us (but they are still a reach and not guaranteed). Do absolutely everything right from this point forward and a top 20 medical school is within grasp, but its a long road and right now your only goal should be fixing that GPA and getting those ECs started.

 

[shreds]

Yes, but your old grades will always remain...

I took college courses when I was in middle school and high school. Guess what? all those grades still had to be reported to medical schools and were factored into my cumulative GPA

Oh ok. 🙁
In that case I wouldn't stand a chance even if I did really well in pre-med and MCATs and all the accompanying ECTs etc.

I guess it was just never meant to be then. 🙁

 

[StudyShy]

Oh ok. 🙁
In that case I wouldn't stand a chance even if I did really well in pre-med and MCATs and all the accompanying ECTs etc.

I guess it was just never meant to be then. 🙁

Harvard may be out of reach, but other med schools may not be.

 

[Geneticist]

Doing well in a post-bacc program may allow you to apply to DO schools. That's not out of the question. But at this point, 4 years worth of credits amounting to a 2.85 is almost insurmountable, sorry.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

I guess it was just never meant to be then. 🙁

dude let's be real, you have a 2.8 in graphic design. it has nothing to do with what was or wasn't meant to be, you have only yourself to blame.

 

[rafflecopter]

dude let's be real, you have a 2.8 in graphic design. it has nothing to do with what was or wasn't meant to be, you have only yourself to blame.

Meh, its hard to get good grades if you hate what you're doing. I got a 3.1 in film production, which some might claim to be an easy major, but I didn't care about school at the time. Fast forward to now where I'm at the top of every science class I take and the only difference is now I care about school and enjoy the subject matter. Its still his fault though, so the "not meant to be" statement is garbage.

 

[Cruzerthebruzer]

dude let's be real, you have a 2.8 in graphic design. it has nothing to do with what was or wasn't meant to be, you have only yourself to blame.

I don't think the topic of which he didn't do great in really matters. Plenty of people do incredibly poorly in easy classes and extremely well when they're challenged. No reason to bash him.

 

[Ursa]

dude let's be real, you have a 2.8 in graphic design. it has nothing to do with what was or wasn't meant to be, you have only yourself to blame.

qft

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Meh, its hard to get good grades if you hate what you're doing. I got a 3.1 in film production, which some might claim to be an easy major, but I didn't care about school at the time. Fast forward to now where I'm at the top of every science class I take and the only difference is now I care about school and enjoy the subject matter. Its still his fault though, so the "not meant to be" statement is garbage.

yep. my point exactly.

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

There are other medical schools besides Harvard.

 

[bannie22]

There are other medical schools besides Harvard.

o reli

 

[the duck]

Oh ok. 🙁
In that case I wouldn't stand a chance even if I did really well in pre-med and MCATs and all the accompanying ECTs etc.

I guess it was just never meant to be then. 🙁

Medical schools like at an upward trend. I also would bet that the fact that your GPA is mostly in a fairly nonacademic subject will put even more weight on your post bacc. I think you might very well have a shot, especially at a DO school. Do schools do offer grade replacement. Meaning if you retook those D's the old grade would be removed and only the new grade would be counted. 3 D's into A's will definitely bring it up.

o reli

Welcome back! Have you worked out your issues with the mods? 😎

 

[JustUseYourHead]

Dude, you sound like an idiot when your question is whether or not this will allow you to get into harvard...how about just try to get into medical school in general...Cause if you just want to go to harvard to say you go to harvard med i already know you're in it for the wrong reasons. And to that effect if you're dead last in your class and have harvard on your diploma you're going to have just as difficult a time getting a residency as anyone else dead last in their class...

That rant being said, if you go to a good post-bacc program and get a good MCAT score you can get in to medical school...

 

[Forat2]

Your goal should be trying to get into ANY MD school in the US. Do what everyone else has already said and you could certainly get into an MD school. And yes to be accepted into any MD school in the United States is an honor above all honors, less than 40% of applicants are accepted each year.
Stay determined and you could very well be a doctor.

 

[shreds]

Thanks everyone for your helpful answers (even the angry answers are helpful although they do feel like a knife in my heart a little bit).

Dude, you sound like an idiot

And to the person who called me an idiot- you really don't have to wind yourself up like that. I don't know how these things work, so what is so wrong about me asking people who do know?

 

[the duck]

Thanks everyone for your helpful answers (even the angry answers are helpful although they do feel like a knife in my heart a little bit).



And to the person who called me an idiot- you really don't have to wind yourself up like that. I don't know how these things work, so what is so wrong about me asking people who do know?

hahah. You think this is bad? Go find the thread "doctors salaries" the poor OP got murdered. 🙁 😳

 

[Frazier]

And to the person who called me an idiot- you really don't have to wind yourself up like that. I don't know how these things work, so what is so wrong about me asking people who do know?

He said you "sound like an idiot for [.....]"

He didn't say, "Hey, op, you are an idiot."

There is a subtle, yet drastic difference.

 

[Frazier]

hahah. You think this is bad? Go find the thread "doctors salaries" the poor op got murdered. 🙁 😳

rip 🙁


😉

 

[gettheleadout]

Hey, if this is possible:

 

[rhesuspieces]

Hey, if this is possible:

Let's be serious, homelessness is a great EC.

 

[StudyShy]

Let's be serious, homelessness is a great EC.

Her story is different. She went from HS to Harvard with **** parents and living in a shelter. She's my hero. Homelessness is a great EC! 🙂

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

Also, it helps when paying for a Harvard education as well,

parents of families with incomes below $60,000 are not expected to contribute at all to college costs

-source