help please

[ravikc]

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hey guys...i am new to this site and my buddy recommended it to me...

i did my undergraduate from Pitzer College in Claremont California in Science, Technology, & Society with premed courses along the way.

My overall gpa is approx 2.4-2.6
My science gpa is close to 2.0

i have taken my mcats once and received low 20s and will be taking it again in the next few months

i need help trying to figure out programs to do my M.A.M.S or MS in bio or post bac programs to help boost my gpa and allow me entrance to prehealth schools (medical/dentistry)

any and all help would be appreciated...thanks

 

[DrMidlife]

Your GPA and MCAT are very low for SMPs. I suggest you post in the postbac forum to see what you might be able to do. The DO-hosted SMPs might be your best bet.

 

[ravikc]

isnt this the post bac forum?

 

[Perrotfish]

Hi, this is the postbac forum. Welcome. I´m afraid this might sound harsh, please be aware that everyone on this forum needed to do something extra for an admission, so don´t take offense or think it´s snobbery.

ANYway, your MCAT is bad and your GPA is terrible. Actually your GPA is so bad that no miracle MCAT is going to get you in until you improve it. What you need to do if you want medical school:

1) Get your GPA up to around a 2.8 by taking more undergraduate courses, I´d guess with science course because your science GPA is not good. This is around the minimum acceptance range for an SMP.

2) Do VERY well on the MCAT. With a 2.8, you´d need at least a 33 for an SMP. If you want to get in with a 30, you need to get your GPA over a 3.0.

3) Do the SMP and ace it.

4) Shadow a DO and get a letter of rec from that Doctor so that you can apply to DO schools. Apply very broadly.

5) Go to medical school.

Your other options:

Mainly, your other option is to improve your GPA through grade replacement, to at least a 3.2 with a similar science GPA, and apply to DO schools. Did you have a very bipolar GPA (Ds and Fs, Bs, and As) with very few science classes? If so this may be a good option for you. Lots of Cs and you were a science major? In that case this might actually take longer than the SMP.

If you can get your GPA to a 3.0 and get your MCAT to a 30 you might also be able to get admitted to the Carribean. Keep in mind, though, that a large portion of the Carib students fail out, and a large portion of what´s left don´t get residencies.

Please keep in mind that the average matriculant for medical school last year had a 3.7, a 31 on the MCAT, and stellar extra cirriculars. The average for Cali residents was even higher. You are trying to convince medical schools that they should take a spot from someone with a 3.7 and a 31 and give it to you instead. This can be a difficult process.

If you´re African American or certain kinds of Latino, this process does get a little easier, BTW.

This is going to be a long and expensive process, I´m sorry to say. You might want to try acing the MCAT just to make sure you can, since that´s the cheaper hurdle, and once you know you can get past it you at least know you can get in. Also, of course, you need to clear up whatever issue got you the 2.6 in the first place. If you really want this, you can do it. Many have before, with stats even worse than yours. Just make sure you understand what you´re getting yourself into.

Dental school is almost as bad, so you know.

Also if your school has a premedical advisor, go talk to him/her.

Good luck, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[DrMidlife]

isnt this the post bac forum?

D'oh. Sorry! Senior moment.

 

[ravikc]

perrotfish...i appreciate the commentary and take no offense to it..unfortunately this is my situation whether i want it or not...im aware of what got me here and have rectified that situation

in any case - you are saying my best bet is to bulk up on undergrad classes for the next year or so and ace them to the point that pulls my gpas up - then apply to smp/post bac and then head to either dental/medical school ...correct?

my question now is ...is it even worth taking my mcats immediately or is it better to put it off? right now im slated to take my mcats end of may..but i realistically have this gut feeling that event tho my practice tests are in the 30+ range that it will ultimately make no difference until i am able to bring up my core gpa's

let me know if i am hearing you correctly

thanks for the help guys

 

[Perrotfish]

in any case - you are saying my best bet is to bulk up on undergrad classes for the next year or so and ace them to the point that pulls my gpas up - then apply to smp/post bac and then head to either dental/medical school ...correct?

Yes. If you are planning on applying DO retake the classes where you had the worst grades, and maybe don´t do the SMP. If you want allo add new science classes, and definitely do the SMP. For allo only don´t even consider retaking a class unless it was a prereq and you got less than a B (maybe less than a C) Either way, yes, more undergrad.

my question now is ...is it even worth taking my mcats immediately or is it better to put it off? right now im slated to take my mcats end of may..but i realistically have this gut feeling that event tho my practice tests are in the 30+ range that it will ultimately make no difference until i am able to bring up my core gpa's

Work out your timeline. MCATs last for 3 years. If you plan to apply to SMPs in less than 3 years and your scoring well now take them now. Also if you just want to reassure yourself maybe take it now. Otherwise put it off.

Also, again, you´re planning out a long timeline here. Talk to your premedical advisor if you have one to make sure you understand your schedule.

Good luck

 

[ravikc]

okay ..that makes sense...my premed advisor is horrible really

regardless i will give it some thought and work out a good timeline

thanks for the help

 

[CoolSpot7Up]

Hi, this is the postbac forum. Welcome. I´m afraid this might sound harsh, please be aware that everyone on this forum needed to do something extra for an admission, so don´t take offense or think it´s snobbery.

ANYway, your MCAT is bad and your GPA is terrible. Actually your GPA is so bad that no miracle MCAT is going to get you in until you improve it. What you need to do if you want medical school:

1) Get your GPA up to around a 2.8 by taking more undergraduate courses, I´d guess with science course because your science GPA is not good. This is around the minimum acceptance range for an SMP.

2) Do VERY well on the MCAT. With a 2.8, you´d need at least a 33 for an SMP. If you want to get in with a 30, you need to get your GPA over a 3.0.

3) Do the SMP and ace it.

4) Shadow a DO and get a letter of rec from that Doctor so that you can apply to DO schools. Apply very broadly.

5) Go to medical school.

Your other options:

Mainly, your other option is to improve your GPA through grade replacement, to at least a 3.2 with a similar science GPA, and apply to DO schools. Did you have a very bipolar GPA (Ds and Fs, Bs, and As) with very few science classes? If so this may be a good option for you. Lots of Cs and you were a science major? In that case this might actually take longer than the SMP.

If you can get your GPA to a 3.0 and get your MCAT to a 30 you might also be able to get admitted to the Carribean. Keep in mind, though, that a large portion of the Carib students fail out, and a large portion of what´s left don´t get residencies.

Please keep in mind that the average matriculant for medical school last year had a 3.7, a 31 on the MCAT, and stellar extra cirriculars. The average for Cali residents was even higher. You are trying to convince medical schools that they should take a spot from someone with a 3.7 and a 31 and give it to you instead. This can be a difficult process.

If you´re African American or certain kinds of Latino, this process does get a little easier, BTW.

This is going to be a long and expensive process, I´m sorry to say. You might want to try acing the MCAT just to make sure you can, since that´s the cheaper hurdle, and once you know you can get past it you at least know you can get in. Also, of course, you need to clear up whatever issue got you the 2.6 in the first place. If you really want this, you can do it. Many have before, with stats even worse than yours. Just make sure you understand what you´re getting yourself into.

Dental school is almost as bad, so you know.

Also if your school has a premedical advisor, go talk to him/her.

Good luck, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Solid advice. 👍