gpa and timeline of app

[biojunky]

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Hi all,
I am planning to apply this coming cycle. I am a third year with a low gpa.
My school is on a quarter system and my grades usually get sent out 3rd week of June. I'm only going to be taking very few classes this quarter since I am studying for the MCATs, so there won't be a huge change in my gpa. Should I wait to submit those grades in the application? If I don't put it in the primaries before submission and verification, can I add it in later and have the new gpa (including spring quarter grades) count? Do they do the first gpa/MCAT cut once the MCAT score gets in there with whatever updated gpa or do they do it with whatever gpa you put in the primaries when you submit?

And for another question about gpa: is it common for them to sort of pick one just to one decimal point and just throw everyone who doesn't have that out? If they do this, do they round up? In other words, is a 3.399 the same as a 3.301 OR is it that a 3.399 is the same as a 3.401? I've heard that this is different for different schools. I've seen the formula MCAT+gpa*10 used on this forum occasionally. Does anyone know how valid this is? And where does the sgpa come in if they are taking cgpa or vice versa? (I know this maybe one of those "wouldn't we all like to know" questions, but if for some reason you happen to know, please share 😛).

Thanks

 

[ksmi117]

Ok, lots of questions, hopefully I don't forget any. No you cannot update your GPA once you submit your primary application. That's the GPA the medical schools will see. AMCAS will not except later transcripts. If you don't think your classes in the spring will help your GPA, just submit without them. Earlier submissions are good.

I believe GPAs are rounded to 2 decimal places in the AMCAS application, but it could be 3. Pretty sure it's two though. Of course the formula isn't a hard and fast rule for medical schools because there is so much more to consider (ECs, LORs, etc.), but it's a good indication of how competitive your application is. The sGPA is another important part of the application that isn't in the formula, but medical schools will look at that as well.

 

[biojunky]

Another question: If you submit your primary without the MCAT and send it to one school, then you take some more classes and THEN add more schools to your application... will those schools take the new grades into account or not? would you be able to add the new grades in or is this an AAMC restriction? could you mail a new official transcript to the school? might they then take the new gpa into account, if they haven't seen your primary before?
Thanks!
-biojunky

 

[mvenus929]

Another question: If you submit your primary without the MCAT and send it to one school, then you take some more classes and THEN add more schools to your application... will those schools take the new grades into account or not? would you be able to add the new grades in or is this an AAMC restriction? could you mail a new official transcript to the school? might they then take the new gpa into account, if they haven't seen your primary before?
Thanks!
-biojunky

You can't add grades to your primary once you submit. The schools would only know about those grades if you sent them an updated transcript.

 

[biojunky]

If you did send that updated transcript, would they take the new gpa into account or the old one?

 

[ksmi117]

If you did send that updated transcript, would they take the new gpa into account or the old one?

Depends on the school I suppose. Maybe call the schools you are applying to and ask?