GPA less than 3.2 and interviews?

[ayj]

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Hey guys,

This thread is a little self-serving but I hope you guys don't mind posting. My GPA science and cumulative is 3.1 and 36 MCAT.

Maybe you could add to this

GPA/MCAT/interviews
3.1/36/none

 

[cabruen]

I fall in this category. I have a 3.19 GPA and 35 MCAT. You can find my interviews at my website.

Keep the faith. Schools are willing to look at low GPA applicants as long as there other balancing good things in your application.

Best of luck.

 

[Sweet Tea]

3.1 undergrad gpa, 4.0 post-bacc (not a program...i just took classes) 32 MCAT. 1 interview (at one of my top choice schools). wish me luck!! 😉

And good luck to you!
😀

 

[xaelia]

3.19 GPA and 35S MCAT, just like cabruen...but it looks like he's done more nifty stuff in his longer time out of college than I have, and is getting more interviews....

I've been to:
U. Cincinnati
Ohio State (accepted)
Case Western Reserve
U. Minnesota
Albert Einstein
Columbia
U. Pittsburgh
Vanderbilt (waitlisted)
Emory
Boston University
Jefferson Medical College

I declined to visit St. Louis University, and I expect to hear from my home state OHSU in the near future....

 

[care bear]

so have any of you been grilled in interviews about the disparity between your good MCAT and low GPA? if so, what did you say? ( i also fall this category, so it's a really helpful question for me. . .)

 

[xaelia]

Originally posted by care bear
so have any of you been grilled in interviews about the disparity between your good MCAT and low GPA? if so, what did you say? ( i also fall this category, so it's a really helpful question for me. . .)

Well, my undergrad was computer science, so I just made up a slightly exaggerated story about how when you're preparing for a career in technology, your coursework is irrelelvant...which it is, really, in your interviews you get asked about programming languages and projects, not about academic performance. So I said I had my priorities in line with my career preparation and was eschewing grades for extracurricular experience.

Of course, the reality of it was just that I was screwing around and sleeping through classes....

 

[Tweetie_bird]

YOU ALL ROCK!!!

Keep up the good work. This is restoring my faith in the application system.

Xaelia and Cabruen--your interview list as long as a freakin epic poem!! Good work.

 

[cabruen]

Originally posted by care bear
so have any of you been grilled in interviews about the disparity between your good MCAT and low GPA? if so, what did you say? ( i also fall this category, so it's a really helpful question for me. . .)

Fair question. I have not had an issue made of it during the interview, though it is hard to know how much weight it is given in the eventual final admission decision.

During the interview (if it comes up at all) I can usually dismiss it with satisfactory nods from the interviewer with the following explanations.

-- very good MCAT score

-- Those grades were from many years ago, and I was imature/naive at the time

-- the grades were from MIT which is the most difficult school in the country (not entirely true, but people believe that it is true which helps my case)

-- I did very well in the pre-med requirements over the last year and that is what is most important.

-- the bad grades were in engineering which is very dhard and I didn't have my complete heart in it since medicine is much more important to me (again, not entirely true but atleast it sounds believable)

PS. Xaelia got an S on the MCAT and I got only an R. 😀

 

[thesaint]

hey, are you a texas resident?

 

[brownman24]

Undergrad GPA:3.19,
MPH GPA: 3.8
MCAT: 34Q

3 interviews: 2 acceptances, one waitlist.
Waiting for seven schools to make up their mind about whether to invite me for an interview or reject me. Haven't heard anything for 2 months, I might be waiting till march. I hate that.

I don't get asked why is there such a difference between my MCAts and grades. I get more of the "explain why your grades were so bad (2.5) for the first half of college".
So i tell them that i wasn't ready for the workload that the courses required...didn't know how to study...its all a learning process...
They seem to be OK with that, as it is the truth.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

GPA 3.29 (I know that's overachieving, but my science/major GPA was 2.8)
MCAT 32
Interviews at U of Wash and USUHS

Now in MS1 year at USUHS...

 

[calipremed]

GPA <3.2
MCAT mid-30's

Interviews:
UMinn
UMich
Oregon
UIC

Waiting on several other schools.

 

[shorrin]

3.15
and
30 O mcat

accepted UIC

Illinois res. in case you were wondering. I'm currently an M1. It can happen guys. Keep the faith and have a good a holiday!!

 

[nina512]

Thank you everybody!!!!
It gives me so much hope

 

[wolferman]

Undergrad GPA:2.61
Post bac GPA: 3.90
MCAT: 28O
Interviews: 7

 

[lakun]

undergrad gpa: 2.80
postbacc gpa: 3.01
MCAT:25M
Interviews:5

 

[Gleevec]

Also depends a ton on whether you are URM or not.

 

[wolferman]

I'm going to start a flame war. Whoops. It looks like Gleevec beat me to it. Damn!

 

[DW]

Originally posted by wolferman
I'm going to start a flame war. Whoops. It looks like Gleevec beat me to it. Damn!

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by wolferman
I'm going to start a flame war. Whoops. It looks like Gleevec beat me to it. Damn!

😉

 

[cbpremed]

Wasn't going to respond but....why not!


Well, there have been some NON-URM students that DO get in with similar stats, but no one makes a big deal about it if they do.


Let the flames continue!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[neofight]

Whether or not a student is URM, it's still a matter of the student setting him/herself apart from the rest of the pack. So similar GPAs only tell part of the story.

 

[jennie 21]

GPA: 3.35
Science GPA: 3.22
MCAT: 38-40Q (12 BS, 13 PS, 13-15 V)

Interviews: NYU
Albert Einstein
Columbia
Wash U.
Waitlisted at Columbia and NYU. Waiting to hear post-interview from Wash U. and Einstein.

My situation was somewhat unique. I was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder during my junior year in college, and once I started taking medication my grades improved tremendously. I went from struggling to get a C+ or B- in orgo and biochem, to getting A's and A-minuses in most of my classes, almost overnight. My pre-med advisor mentioned my diagnosis in the letter she wrote for me, and I think that that explanation, combined with good grades junior year, helped make up for my cumulative GPA. Still, I definitely haven't done as well with interviews and acceptances as I would have if I'd been earning a 3.8 all along. I think the fact that I was coming from Princeton helped too--a similar GPA from a lesser-known school probably wouldn't have been looked on as kindly. Also, I have three years of experience as an EMT and three summers of research experience.

My advice would be that a strong upward trend in your GPA and high MCATs can compensate somewhat but not entirely for a low cumulative GPA. And apply early to a wide range of schools. I didn't do this which is why I'm sitting here in March without an acceptance in my hand.

 

[OB1🤙]

GPA: 3.19
MCAT: 34
Interviews: 3. 2 waitlists, still waiting to hear from the other.
Non-URM.

 

[Sweet Tea]

update: 2 interviews, no word from either school yet. (getting rather impatient...)

 

[JZZZZZZZs]

I must say that this is a rather motivational thread! It's great to hear of all of us who may have stumbled as undergrads getting into med school despite numbers.
I have a question for those who've gone before me (if you guys are still around). What type of post-bacc. programs did you usually undertake? And how long did it take to get your GPA up to a decent level? I took classes on my own this year and earned a 4.0. Only 4 classes though since I also worked part time in research. Had 1 interview this year and was waitlisted. Now, I'm looking at Masters programs and trying to decide whether to apply this cycle or wait it out another year. (The only thing is then I won't get in until 2005!!!!) eek! What do you guys/gals think I should do? Do the master or reapply this cycle? Other than the research and the 4 classes (planning on taking 3 more classes this coming quarter), not much on my app has changed.
BTW, Hawaiian Bruin, I also went to UCLA. What year did you graduate? Just curious. 🙂

 

[sperry]

I'll add my stats to the mix:

Uva sci. undergrad - 3.2
G'twn master prog - 3.1
UPenn post bacc (random courses) - 4.0

MCAT - 34P

Interviews: Drexel, Jefferson
Accepted: Jefferson

Non-URM 😉

As far as post-bacc/degree programs go - they can be a good time filler (if you're not accepted this year) and good for the GPA, but bad for the wallet. 😉 If you've taken a bunch of undergrad sci courses tho' - it takes a lot to raise the GPA, mine didn't budge much despite 8 additional post-bacc A's. The G'twn program and other masters programs don't count towards undergrad GPA's, so keep that in mind. If you're taking courses outside of a formal program, keep on doing that - but make sure it's at a reputable univ. - courses at community colleges arent' looked upon very favorably. In the meantime, work on improving your EC's outside of research. 🙂 Good luck!

 

[xaelia]

I'll update my entry....
Undergrad BCPM: 3.14, GPA: 2.99; Postbac BCPM: 3.95; MCAT VR: 12, P: 13, W: S, B: 10

Interviews (chronological order):
Vanderbilt University (waitlisted)
University of Pittsburgh (waitlisted)
Jefferson Medical College (waitlisted)
Case Western Reserve (hold)
Emory University (waitlisted)
University of Minnesota (withdrew)
Ohio State University (accepted)
University of Cincinnati (accepted)
St. Louis University (withdrew)
Albert Einstein of Yeshiva University (rejected)
Columbia University (waitlisted)
Boston University (withdrew)
Oregon Health & Science University (2/28)
University of Southern California (3/14)
Wake Forest University (3/31)


Also:
MDapplicants.com <3.2 & Interviews

 

[2ndave]

If you're taking courses outside of a formal program, keep on doing that - but make sure it's at a reputable univ. - courses at community colleges arent' looked upon very favorably.

This is not true everywhere, although it is certainly a popular opinion on SDN! I was at the admissions office at the U of Minnesota earlier this week and asked them how they felt about community colleges. They said it was just as good in their eyes as attending a four-year school. Also, two years ago, before I started as a post-bacc, I contacted a bunch of different private med schools and was told the same thing. Someone else on this site posted a few days ago and said they'd done their first two years at a CC and were going to Harvard med school in the fall.

Attitudes seem to be changing at some schools though. I sent emails last week to a few of the private schools I'd originally contacted. They responded mainly by saying that they carefully scrutinize CC coursework, and that they consider it in light of other aspects of a person's application. One school said they'd ONLY consider my application if my non-cc science coursework was strong enough to show them I could handle their curriculum.

I think if your goal is to improve your GPA as quickly as possible, then you'd probably want to do it at a 4-year school that people will recognize. Personally I just lacked the science classes. But with the money I've saved by going the CC route, I get to take a full load of upper level science classes next fall AT a four-year, while I do my med school applications. I made a point of choosing a CC with a strong science program too.

So anyway, I think the best way for people to find out what med schools think about various ways that people can complete/improve their applications is to contact them individually. For people who can't afford an expensive program, there ARE options.

 

[OB1🤙]

Originally posted by JZZZZZZZs
BTW, Hawaiian Bruin, I also went to UCLA. What year did you graduate? Just curious. 🙂

December 2000, BS in PhySci (aka physiological science)

 

[DoubleOSeven]

bump

 

[Garibaldo]

Originally posted by xaelia
I'll update my entry....
Undergrad BCPM: 3.14, GPA: 2.99; Postbac BCPM: 3.95; MCAT VR: 12, P: 13, W: S, B: 10

Interviews (chronological order):
Vanderbilt University (waitlisted)
University of Pittsburgh (waitlisted)
Jefferson Medical College (waitlisted)
Case Western Reserve (hold)
Emory University (waitlisted)
University of Minnesota (withdrew)
Ohio State University (accepted)
University of Cincinnati (accepted)
St. Louis University (withdrew)
Albert Einstein of Yeshiva University (rejected)
Columbia University (waitlisted)
Boston University (withdrew)
Oregon Health & Science University (2/28)
University of Southern California (3/14)
Wake Forest University (3/31)


Also:
MDapplicants.com <3.2 & Interviews

Damn, I saw someone with a low 3 GPA and an average MCAT from Berkeley get several acceptances and it just had to be a black woman. Oh please God, let me become a black woman before June.

P.S. Let me clarify that this is a jab against Affirmative Action and not black women.

 

[gogiants]

Please ban Garibaldo.