GPA Question.

[The Real Hippocrates]

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So basically, I had a really good GPA in Community College 110+ credits with a 3.7(this included The General Chem and General Biology series, as well as several college math courses). I recently transferred to a 4-year and I am planning on graduating with around a 3.3 GPA. What does this really mean in the grand scheme of things? I mean, if you were to average both GPA's, I would have around a 3.5, which seems to be pretty good for DO schools, but I also have a downward trend. Is it typical to have higher grades in your Freshman/Sophomore classes than in upper-division stuff? I would be curious to hear from any of you guys who had higher grades in a CC college than you did at a University! *Also, I have not taken the MCAT yet. Just wanted to say that so you guys don't ask what I scored on it. Thanks to anyone who can offer some insight!

 

[AlphaBeta<3]

So basically, I had a really good GPA in Community College 110+ credits with a 3.7(this included The General Chem and General Biology series, as well as several college math courses). I recently transferred to a 4-year and I am planning on graduating with around a 3.3 GPA. What does this really mean in the grand scheme of things? I mean, if you were to average both GPA's, I would have around a 3.5, which seems to be pretty good for DO schools, but I also have a downward trend. Is it typical to have higher grades in your Freshman/Sophomore classes than in upper-division stuff? I would be curious to hear from any of you guys who had higher grades in a CC college than you did at a University! *Also, I have not taken the MCAT yet. Just wanted to say that so you guys don't ask what I scored on it. Thanks to anyone who can offer some insight!

I mean, community colleges are supposed to be easier, right? It's probably because you weren't used to a university

 

[The Real Hippocrates]

That doesn't help or answer any questions I asked......but thanks?

 

[Ryomagoku]

So basically, I had a really good GPA in Community College 110+ credits with a 3.7(this included The General Chem and General Biology series, as well as several college math courses). I recently transferred to a 4-year and I am planning on graduating with around a 3.3 GPA. What does this really mean in the grand scheme of things? I mean, if you were to average both GPA's, I would have around a 3.5, which seems to be pretty good for DO schools, but I also have a downward trend. Is it typical to have higher grades in your Freshman/Sophomore classes than in upper-division stuff? I would be curious to hear from any of you guys who had higher grades in a CC college than you did at a University! *Also, I have not taken the MCAT yet. Just wanted to say that so you guys don't ask what I scored on it. Thanks to anyone who can offer some insight!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when you transferred to 4 yr university, aren't you taking whatever the GPA you had from community college to the 4 yr university? Also, it depends on what school you are at. For me, I feel that my 4 yr university's Gen Bio series were a lot harder than at community college. The genetic course I took at the community college was easier than at my 4 yr university. But, Ochem, which I am taking, is on par. I mean yes fresh/soph classes are usually easier than upper division, but I can't say for every major. I graduated with Biochem, so yeah biochem ate my life and soul. I don't know if you're only looking for an answer from those who transferred from CC to a 4 year university, but I hope this answers your question a bit.

 

[change4med]

So basically, I had a really good GPA in Community College 110+ credits with a 3.7(this included The General Chem and General Biology series, as well as several college math courses). I recently transferred to a 4-year and I am planning on graduating with around a 3.3 GPA. What does this really mean in the grand scheme of things? I mean, if you were to average both GPA's, I would have around a 3.5, which seems to be pretty good for DO schools, but I also have a downward trend. Is it typical to have higher grades in your Freshman/Sophomore classes than in upper-division stuff? I would be curious to hear from any of you guys who had higher grades in a CC college than you did at a University! *Also, I have not taken the MCAT yet. Just wanted to say that so you guys don't ask what I scored on it. Thanks to anyone who can offer some insight!

Downward trend is bad. But overall I think if you do okay on the MCAT and your ECs you'll be ok? It's "typical" to do well near the end of your undergrad cause it shows you can handle upper divs/time manage accordingly.

I had a 3.7 CC (2 years) and a 3.2 from a Uni (3 years), but my last year of Uni was an upward trend (3.4-3.8) so we're a bit different. I think that it'll hurt you from some of the better schools but it's not going to completely eliminate your chance of getting in, especially if everything else is good.

 

[The Real Hippocrates]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when you transferred to 4 yr university, aren't you taking whatever the GPA you had from community college to the 4 yr university? Also, it depends on what school you are at. For me, I feel that my 4 yr university's Gen Bio series were a lot harder than at community college. The genetic course I took at the community college was easier than at my 4 yr university. But, Ochem, which I am taking, is on par. I mean yes fresh/soph classes are usually easier than upper division, but I can't say for every major. I graduated with Biochem, so yeah biochem ate my life and soul. I don't know if you're only looking for an answer from those who transferred from CC to a 4 year university, but I hope this answers your question a bit.

I have two separate GPA's. So the 3.3 GPA from the University is completely separate and independent. If I combined my two GPA's, they would average to a 3.5 overall college GPA, but I was wondering if Medical schools would be like "Nah, he got higher grades at a CC, so we will treat that 3.7 GPA as lower in our calculations." or something along those lines.

 

[The Real Hippocrates]

Downward trend is bad. But overall I think if you do okay on the MCAT and your ECs you'll be ok? It's "typical" to do well near the end of your undergrad cause it shows you can handle upper divs/time manage accordingly.

I had a 3.7 CC (2 years) and a 3.2 from a Uni (3 years), but my last year of Uni was an upward trend (3.4-3.8) so we're a bit different. I think that it'll hurt you from some of the better schools but it's not going to completely eliminate your chance of getting in, especially if everything else is good.

That's actually pretty darn similar to my situation to be honest. How many schools did you apply to? Just DO schools, or MD+DO? Also, how did they calculate your overall GPA? Just average between the two schools? Thanks for your helpful reply!

 

[drkube]

First off, AACOMAS takes the combined grades into account, not the number average.

Ex: ((110 x 3.7) + (y x 3.3))/2
NOT (3.3+3.7)/2

Since it seems like you have more hours at your CC, your cgpa will most likely be closer to a 3.7 than a 3.3, which even a 3.6 is still pretty good. Yes a downward trend looks unfavorably, but a decent cgpa makes up for it.

I actually did worse in my CC courses and my early undergrad but graduated with a huge upward curve.

Kill the MCAT, don't worry about things you can't control.

 

[deleted610572]

Take the mcat then move on from there. They can't argue you if you get a 505+

 

[change4med]

That's actually pretty darn similar to my situation to be honest. How many schools did you apply to? Just DO schools, or MD+DO? Also, how did they calculate your overall GPA? Just average between the two schools? Thanks for your helpful reply!

Just DO's I had a really bad year my 4th and grade replacement was a must for my application. Sent primaries to 13, completed secondaries for 9, got interview for 4, waitlist 2, acceptance 1. I was very picky with my list though (which I regret), so I'm sure if you were applying broadly you'd get in somewhere- mine was very stressful with the wait between interviews and I definitely feel very lucky having gotten in. I had a 30 MCAT which is 509 I think so it helped

It's based on units, pretty much they convert your units into all semester units (idk if you did quarter units or not) and they average all that for all your schools. But there are trends based on 1st/2nd/3rd/4th year that they see. If you do a 5th year it averaged with your 4th. Then it shows 1/2/3/4 s/c GPA categorized separately. But during the interview they have your application so they can skim through all your classes and grades and where you took them and ask you about them.