GPA & Context

[Parecelsus]

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I'm a pre-medical student and up until a semester ago, my GPA (both overall & science) matched the average accepted at my goal medical schools.

However, recently a parent passed away and naturally, my grades dropped (both GPA's are 0.1 lower). Do medical school admissions take these kinds of things into considerations? How do they factor this into their decision? (I unnderstand this isn't a quantitative factor). I come from a pretty good school with (I'd guess) a more-than-average rigorous curriculum. I am not a URM nor am i particularly economically disadvantaged...

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Yes they will understand. Your grade didn't drop by much so you can still get it up. But yah, losing a parent's a hard ordeal, medical schools will understand that.

 

[bunnytwix709]

In the pre med seminar I took recently this year, I asked the same question about a parents death because one of mine died last october which was the beginning of my freshman year at college, so obviously between the freshman transition and the death of my father my grades suffered tremendously and my gpa went from a 2.42 fall qtr to 2.0 winter, which was the time it hit me the hardest, then jumped to 2.87 spring qtr, but my average gpa is about 2.43 now. My professors and the speakers who were on med school boards told me that as long as you show an upward trend afterwards then they definitely see that as improvement and they do not really look down upon it because you have a personal legitimate reason for your grades to suffer.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

In the pre med seminar I took recently this year, I asked the same question about a parents death because one of mine died last october which was the beginning of my freshman year at college, so obviously between the freshman transition and the death of my father my grades suffered tremendously and my gpa went from a 2.42 fall qtr to 2.0 winter, which was the time it hit me the hardest, then jumped to 2.87 spring qtr, but my average gpa is about 2.43 now. My professors and the speakers who were on med school boards told me that as long as you show an upward trend afterwards then they definitely see that as improvement and they do not really look down upon it because you have a personal legitimate reason for your grades to suffer.

Well other then the thread hijacking. Your gpa wasn't good to begin with so they won't give you as much regard. However if you do improve and when I say improve i'm taking 3.8+'s.
Not to mention you might need to retake some of those classes if your grades in the sciences were below C's.

 

[bunnytwix709]

Well it did happen like the second month into my first year of college, I know my grades are terrible I am not proud of them at all especially since I have not gotten lower than one B on my report card in hs. Going into college and having ur dad die like ur third week of college, which is true because we didnt start school until like sept 20th, and he passed away in the middle of october does not help my gpa for my first or second qtr of college. Im not trying to harp on it or use it as an excuse but everyone I talk to about medical school and my gpa keeps lecturing and making me feel terrible about my grades when I already want to kill myself over them and I know they will look terrible to med schools.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Well it did happen like the second month into my first year of college, I know my grades are terrible I am not proud of them at all especially since I have not gotten lower than one B on my report card in hs. Going into college and having ur dad die like ur third week of college, which is true because we didnt start school until like sept 20th, and he passed away in the middle of october does not help my gpa for my first or second qtr of college. Im not trying to harp on it or use it as an excuse but everyone I talk to about medical school and my gpa keeps lecturing and making me feel terrible about my grades when I already want to kill myself over them and I know they will look terrible to med schools.

Well to be honest. It's not over yet. You have a lot of time and a lot of methods at your disposal to get into medical school. So don't feel bad, it's of course difficult to lose a parent, but from now on you need to start working hard. The upward trend will help massively so don't give up and lose hope. You got time 🙂.

 

[bunnytwix709]

Thanks sorry to go off a little its just I feel like the only people who support my wanting to be a doctor are my friends and family because they love me, and when I talk to advisors or people who do not know me well they all tell me the same thing which I already know but it makes me feel like the one thing I have wanted to do since I was five and I worked so hard to get to where I am now is now a pipe dream because of my freshman year gpa.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Thanks sorry to go off a little its just I feel like the only people who support my wanting to be a doctor are my friends and family because they love me, and when I talk to advisors or people who do not know me well they all tell me the same thing which I already know but it makes me feel like the one thing I have wanted to do since I was five and I worked so hard to get to where I am now is now a pipe dream because of my freshman year gpa.

Like I said. Freshman gpa will be a thorn in your ass. But it was in no way prevent you from getting into medical school. Medical school admissions is a game. If you can manipulate the system to your liking you have many ways of becoming a doctor. So don't worry you'll be fine, just work hard and be diligent.

 

[morning]

What's your current GPA? There are several avenues you can take now...

1) Work very hard, do well, apply to MD schools, cross your fingers and nail the interviews.

2) Work very hard, do well, do a post-bacc, apply to MD schools.

3) Retake those classes you did poorly in and apply to DO schools. DO schools use your new GPA for classes you have retaken, but MD schools don't.

4) Look into the Caribbean.

 

[bunnytwix709]

Its a 2.41 :'(, a horrible first year of college gpa, but I think I was pretty content with what I got because I saw so many people actually fail classes around me and my lowest grade was a C- in Calc 21A but when I switched from engineering math to medicine math my grade went from a C- in 21a to C in 17b then B+ in 17c. So I definitely have an upward trend in my math grades which is good. And after trying different methods of studying and working habits I finally found the best ways for me to study and learn and I'm looking into buying books so I can pre learn and read about ochem and physics since i am taking them for the first time next year, so I won't be too lost next year. But idk if that's a good idea because idk what exactly I will be learning next year. So what do you think?

 

[Espadaleader]

You're beyond the point of no return. It is over for you. Do an SMP program after your undergrad. It is disrespectful to even consider medical school with a 2.41. Wait. If you can at least 3.5 or better every semester until you graduate and retake the poorer classes you could stand a shot at DO/low tier MD.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

You're beyond the point of no return. It is over for you. Do an SMP program after your undergrad. It is disrespectful to even consider medical school with a 2.41. Wait. If you can at least 3.5 or better every semester until you graduate and retake the poorer classes you could stand a shot at DO/low tier MD.

She's a sophomore. She still has time. If it comes to getting a SMP then that will be a option. At the moment she should work hard and show a upward trend.