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GPA trend question

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Doctor or bust

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5+ Year Member
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Okay, so my freshman year was abysmal and resulted in a 2.5 GPA. I was going through medical problems throughout which once resolved after my freshman year made medicine my priority. Along with the 2.5 GPA that year I also ended up with a marijuana possession charge which was expunged from being a misdemeanor. I have subsequently changed and worked very hard the last few years and currently have a 3.6 cGPA and a 3.9 sGPA. I still have a bit more time left along with taking the MCAT this coming summer but after having done the math I don't believe that I will be able to bring up my cGPA above a 3.7 at this point even if I get straight As until I graduate. By the time I graduate I'll have a few hundred hours of research which hopefully becomes a publication along with some shadowing and volunteering. All of this is also assuming I do reasonably well on the MCAT.

I have bumps in my profile as listed above but is medicine still something that I have a reasonable shot at or am I pushing my luck? With the strong upwards trend in my GPA, should I still only look at schools with the same cGPA as mine or should I attempt to push a little higher? Thank you for your time.
 
Okay, so my freshman year was abysmal and resulted in a 2.5 GPA. I was going through medical problems throughout which once resolved after my freshman year made medicine my priority. Along with the 2.5 GPA that year I also ended up with a marijuana possession charge which was expunged from being a misdemeanor. I have subsequently changed and worked very hard the last few years and currently have a 3.6 cGPA and a 3.9 sGPA. I still have a bit more time left along with taking the MCAT this coming summer but after having done the math I don't believe that I will be able to bring up my cGPA above a 3.7 at this point even if I get straight As until I graduate. By the time I graduate I'll have a few hundred hours of research which hopefully becomes a publication along with some shadowing and volunteering. All of this is also assuming I do reasonably well on the MCAT.

I have bumps in my profile as listed above but is medicine still something that I have a reasonable shot at or am I pushing my luck? With the strong upwards trend in my GPA, should I still only look at schools with the same cGPA as mine or should I attempt to push a little higher? Thank you for your time.

With a strong upward trend and a >3.6 GPA (and a strong MCAT score to match), you will have a fair shot at MD schools.
 
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Medicine is very doable. Just keep up the good work!!!!!

Rising GPA trends are always valued. We like underdogs and come-from-behind stories. It's in our national DNA.



Okay, so my freshman year was abysmal and resulted in a 2.5 GPA. I was going through medical problems throughout which once resolved after my freshman year made medicine my priority. Along with the 2.5 GPA that year I also ended up with a marijuana possession charge which was expunged from being a misdemeanor. I have subsequently changed and worked very hard the last few years and currently have a 3.6 cGPA and a 3.9 sGPA. I still have a bit more time left along with taking the MCAT this coming summer but after having done the math I don't believe that I will be able to bring up my cGPA above a 3.7 at this point even if I get straight As until I graduate. By the time I graduate I'll have a few hundred hours of research which hopefully becomes a publication along with some shadowing and volunteering. All of this is also assuming I do reasonably well on the MCAT.

I have bumps in my profile as listed above but is medicine still something that I have a reasonable shot at or am I pushing my luck? With the strong upwards trend in my GPA, should I still only look at schools with the same cGPA as mine or should I attempt to push a little higher? Thank you for your time.