GPA Question

[IWant2BeADoctor]

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If I have a 3.3 overall and a 3.5 BCPM and a decent 30+ MCAT will a D and an F on my transcript significantly hurt my chances of acceptance. The D was in Women's History, missed the final by accident.🙁 The F was in a Math class I took over the Summer where I just didn't put in the effort.🙁

 

[Depakote]

If I have a 3.3 overall and a 3.5 BCPM and a decent 30+ MCAT will a D and an F on my transcript significantly hurt my chances of acceptance. The D was in Women's History, missed the final by accident.🙁 The F was in a Math class I took over the Summer where I just didn't put in the effort.🙁

The D and F will hurt, but I don't think they'll kill you.

A few follow-up questions:

1.) How long ago were they?

2.) Did you retake the classes? (AACOMAS will replace the grades when calculating your GPA, but the grade will still show up on your application)

3.) Did you receive any sort of institutional action? (You will have a chance to explain yourself on your application)

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

The D and F will hurt, but I don't think they'll kill you.

A few follow-up questions:

1.) How long ago were they?

2.) Did you retake the classes? (AACOMAS will replace the grades when calculating your GPA, but the grade will still show up on your application)

3.) Did you receive any sort of institutional action? (You will have a chance to explain yourself on your application)

The F was towards the end of my Freshman year. The D was in the beginning of my Sophomore year. Ever since than I've been doing much better GPA wise. Retook the math class got an A. Haven't retaken the history class but am considering it since I'm confident I can pull an A in it. I leaning towards not retaking it since I took higher level History class and got an A in it and have good grades in all my other humanities. That and I don't think I can make room for it on my schedule. There's simpy too many classes I need to take since I switched majors as a Sophomore.

Nothing happened. My school only takes action if your cul GPA falls below 2.0 for a semester. For the Women's History all I can say is I was sloppy and missed the final. Either way I don't think I can make up any good exuses for either of those poor grades.

But a friend of mine has said a high MCAT 30+ and continued academic excellence would likely be able to offset these blemishes. Do you agree?

 

[HristosKaran]

If you have a strong upward trend (I know its like hearing an echo) then you should be okay. I definitely think above a 30 shows you are capable of Med school and with strong current grades...it should give you a pretty good shot

 

[StringerBell]

But a friend of mine has said a high MCAT 30+ and continued academic excellence would likely be able to offset these blemishes. Do you agree?

A 30+ MCAT will certainly be in your favor, but there are a few things to remember. First of all, it's not easy to break 30...a lot of your SDN brethren will tell you that...still, if you can manage to do that, it will be a very positive development. Secondly, since AACOMAS does grade replacement, your GPA will reflect your higher math grade...but your previous grade will still be listed on your application. It won't be a killer, but it will likely be mentioned during your file review, and you'll have some 'splainin to do. I recommend retaking that class, and rocking the MCAT. It seems like you already know what to do, but you just needed someone to tell you to go do it. So do it! 🙂

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

Well thanks for the encouragement guys. 😉
There are times I wished I had done better but you can't change the past, you got to move on.

 

[StringerBell]

Well thanks for the encouragement guys. 😉
There are times I wished I had done better but you can't change the past, you got to move on.

Indeed. I was a really immature undergrad (admittedly) and I didn't know how to study. I can't change my UG GPA, but I can try and make it better. If I even had some kind of decent GPA now to go along with my 34 MCAT, I'd be in good shape. But like you said, you can't change the past.

Good, though, that you've realized that and you're ready to make changes to what you can change. Good luck with applying!

 

[t-funk]

I have a D in a graduate course I took my second to last semester of undergrad, SEM. The SEM broke down and everyone had to take Is. The professor, who was also my undergraduate advisor told me that since I didn't need the class to graduate, I could just finish it after graduation when the SEM was fixed. Well, that info wasn't accurate and my grade was converted immediately upon graduation. The professor, who was too into his own research, didn't really care and wasn't willing to fight the system for me. Oh well. I got a D.

All I know is that if I am asked about this in interviews, I am not going to make a single excuse and take full responsibility. Something to the effect of, 'I was an undergrad and just wasn't ready for grad work yet.' You're right, you can't change the past. I think if you give them too many positives to focus on, they won't have enough time to focus on the negatives.

 

[StringerBell]

I have a D in a graduate course I took my second to last semester of undergrad, SEM. The SEM broke down...All I know is that if I am asked about this in interviews, I am not going to make a single excuse and take full responsibility.

I'm all for taking full responsibility for things that you're actually responsible for. But were you really responsible for this? I would think that in this situation, you would be giving your interviewers a "reason" and not an "excuse."

I also took an SEM class...if the machine had broken down, we would've been screwed. I would understand, however, that if a person put off all their lab-time until the end of the semester and the machine broke down, that might conceivably be their fault. But if the breakdown were an issue for everyone, I don't think it's your fault at all, and you're shouldering the responsibility for it, unnecessarily.

But...on the other hand...maybe you're right and there's nothing you can do about it after-the-fact. But I would still respond with a concise but thorough answer about if, if asked on my file-review.

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

Indeed. I was a really immature undergrad (admittedly) and I didn't know how to study. I can't change my UG GPA, but I can try and make it better. If I even had some kind of decent GPA now to go along with my 34 MCAT, I'd be in good shape. But like you said, you can't change the past.

Good, though, that you've realized that and you're ready to make changes to what you can change. Good luck with applying!

I knew how to study I just didn't do it. Well I guess I was a bit naive on the importance of attending class and taking notes.😀 If I knew I wanted to go to Med school and how damn competitive it is I would have worked 10x harder and likely gotten a much higher GPA. But oh well.

I guess the only up side is I'll feel that much better if and when I do achieve my Med school dreams. And if my kids ever want to go into Medicine they'll be getting some good advice since I've made ever mistake a Pre-med can make.

 

[t-funk]

Thanks StringerBell, maybe if I can think of a more tactful way of putting it. When I play the situation out in my head, it sounds like I'm blaming the professor, and that's the last thing in the world I want to sound like.

Anyway, I guess I was just trying to say that I don't think that D's are the end of the world and it is possible to recover from them. Just give the adcom something better to look at. I hope I am not wrong, for my sake.

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

Thanks StringerBell, maybe if I can think of a more tactful way of putting it. When I play the situation out in my head, it sounds like I'm blaming the professor, and that's the last thing in the world I want to sound like.

Anyway, I guess I was just trying to say that I don't think that D's are the end of the world and it is possible to recover from them. Just give the adcom something better to look at. I hope I am not wrong, for my sake.

I wouldn't be too worried about it either assuming it's an isolated incidence. You can replay all these different scenarios in your head about how Adcoms are going to act but the fact is you'll never know until you meet them face to face.

But from what I have heard people have gotten in to Med school both MD and DO even after failing out Freshman year. And trust me that's a lot worst than 1 D in a graduate course.

Have you already applied? If so tell us how it goes. 😉

 

[t-funk]

No, I will be next month and I'll take the MCAT May 31st. You?

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

I'm looking to apply next cycle. I'm still a Sophomore after all.😛

 

[t-funk]

Oh, I hope I didn't miss reading that somewhere. Well, good luck. You've got some time to turn stuff around!