GPA question

[medstudent17]

If I want to increase my undergrad GPA (as it is competitive to get in to med school) would you recommend to add a major, so double major or graduate and go on to get a masters?

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[medstudent17]

If I want to increase my undergrad GPA (as it is competitive to get in to med school) would you recommend to add a major, so double major or graduate and go on to get a masters?

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

If I want to increase my undergrad GPA (as it is competitive to get in to med school) would you recommend to add a major, so double major or graduate and go on to get a masters?

First of all, what is your GPA? Have you taken the MCAT? If so, what was your score?

I would definitely take more undergrad classes until you have raised it to where you want. If that means adding another major and you have the resources to do it, go for it!

Good Luck!

 

[armybound]

the masters won't help your GPA

 

[glamqueen]

Make sure you do the math. Doing another major was only able to raise my 3.56 to a 3.65- and that's if I get an A in every single class. Every single one! Ha! I'm aiming for a 3.6 something....So you have to evaluate based on that how much you can actually raise it.

 

[geogil]

If I want to increase my undergrad GPA (as it is competitive to get in to med school) would you recommend to add a major, so double major or graduate and go on to get a masters?

YOu already posted this question in pre allo, but i'll answer it here. Are you boosting the GPA to overcome some bad science grades? If so, youi might consider retaking them. If you do retake, adcoms will expect you to do well since this will be the second time you've had the material. On the ACMAS application, they will see every class you've ever taken and what grade. There is no grade forgiveness on the AMCAS, this is a premed myth.
Adding a major should not be done for GPA reasons, but because you're interested in studying the material in question. If you're interested in it, you'll do much better thanif you were grubbing for grades.
An alternative to doing a masters is to do a postbacc, either formal or informal. This is where you take undergrad courses at a university after you've recieved a bachelor's degree.

 

[soeagerun2or]

If I want to increase my undergrad GPA (as it is competitive to get in to med school) would you recommend to add a major, so double major or graduate and go on to get a masters?

You should transfer to a community college. Classes there are easier so your GPA will increase.

 

[MattEvers]

Make sure you do the math. Doing another major was only able to raise my 3.56 to a 3.65- and that's if I get an A in every single class. Every single one! Ha! I'm aiming for a 3.6 something....So you have to evaluate based on that how much you can actually raise it.

I would agree.

If you are taking undergrad classes just to raise your GPA to get into Medical School, I would take a step back and look at other options to help your chances of getting in... (EC's, higher MCAT, etc.) It's a lot easier and less time consuming to raise your MCAT than to raise a GPA 120 hours in.

 

[patrickd223]

check the post bacc forums. the most popular choice is to go to a program that is designed for people who need to get into medical school. go with a masters.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

I think a masters, especially in a medically related field such as population health or an area of biological science, would strengthen your application even if it might not pad your GPA that much. However, this option really only makes sense if you are interested in the field you get your masters in and plan to use it in some way in the future. If you dislike the masters work and end up with poor grades or even dropping out of the program, you will end up right where you left off or perhaps worse. I think masters is preferable to adding another major -- as others have said, adding a major won't necessarily raise your GPA that much, and a masters degree indicates a higher level of achievement with more difficult graduate-level classes rather than more undergrad classes.

As others have said, GPA isn't everything. Take a good look at the rest of your application and be sensible about where you apply (ie - don't apply only to schools that are known for being very competitive GPA-wise).

 

[BoingFlip]

What if the masters program does not involve a whole lot of science (i.e. I got accepted into the University of the Sciences Biomedical Writing masters program)? In this case, would it be worth it to go and do that or attend a post-bacc. program? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[ssquared]

What if the masters program does not involve a whole lot of science (i.e. I got accepted into the University of the Sciences Biomedical Writing masters program)? In this case, would it be worth it to go and do that or attend a post-bacc. program? Any advice is appreciated.

The reason people go to SMPs and post-bac programs is to show that they are capable of doing upper level and graduate level coursework in the sciences. A writing program, while interesting, wouldn't provide a ton of helpful information on your skills with regards to science classes.

Where you go I suppose depends on your undergrad GPA and how much of a boost you need, and how good the rest of your app is.

 

[Sondra]

I thought that your undergrad GPA and science GPA were calculated and your graduate GPA was calculated seperately. If this is the case, take more undergrad classes because once you graduate, you won't ever be able to improve your undergrad GPA.

 

[badasshairday]

what the hell is an SMP and MSTP? It's so confusing how acronyms are thrown around here all the time.

 

[alesdu1]

1) master gpas are not avged together or anything w undergrad. your gpa will always be reported as 3.5 undergrad, and 3.7 masters. aka- your undergrad will haunt you forever.

2) having said that, the only way you can try to alter it is by taking more classes. everyone has already addressed this in terms of how hard it is to raise your gpa. what are you getting Bs in anyway? sciences? if thats the case, screw the other major (unless its like chemistry) and just focus on those classes

3) I would also recommend changing your username medstudent17 dont be the pre-med that wears scrubs to your BIO 101 lectures

 

[ssquared]

what the hell is an SMP and MSTP? It's so confusing how acronyms are thrown around here all the time.

SMP: special master's program

MSTP: medical scientist training program....aka MD/PhD

 

[Alshera]

YOu already posted this question in pre allo, but i'll answer it here. Are you boosting the GPA to overcome some bad science grades? If so, youi might consider retaking them. If you do retake, adcoms will expect you to do well since this will be the second time you've had the material. On the ACMAS application, they will see every class you've ever taken and what grade. There is no grade forgiveness on the AMCAS, this is a premed myth.
Adding a major should not be done for GPA reasons, but because you're interested in studying the material in question. If you're interested in it, you'll do much better thanif you were grubbing for grades.
An alternative to doing a masters is to do a postbacc, either formal or informal. This is where you take undergrad courses at a university after you've recieved a bachelor's degree.

I have been told repeatedly (on these forums!) that AMCAS takes the better of the two grades for classes you take over. Is that wrong??

 

[twohearted]

I have been told repeatedly (on these forums!) that AMCAS takes the better of the two grades for classes you take over. Is that wrong??

That is wrong. Both grades count, so in effect they are averaged, but both times taking the course will be shown on the AMCAS transcript.

It would look something like this:

English 101 F 0 4 hrs. 0 qual points

-----Later on in transcript-----

English 101 A 4 4 hrs. 16 qual points

So they both show up. You might be thinking of DO schools. Their system omits the retaken course.