Horrible GPA, don't know what to do

[PreMedMissteps]

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No, they won't. If a transcript reports it as P/F, it's kind of impossible for AMCAS to change them back.

I believe that AMCAS has a conversion for P/F grades...let me check

 

[cactusman]

I believe that AMCAS has a conversion for P/F grades...let me check

• "Courses with the AMCAS grades listed below are not included in the GPA calculations. Instead, the total hours for each of these categories are reported to medical schools under the heading Supplementary Hours.
  
   Pass/Fail – Pass
   Pass/Fail – Fail
   Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
   College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Credit"

 

[GnomeBeGone]

So many posts while typing!!

What about a formal postbacc program as opposed to a DIY postbacc?

Subjective/depends on the program and cost difference. For career changers I say sure why not, for traditional pre-meds who know what on their transcript needs fixing, is there any value-added and are all the courses a good use of your time? Post-MCAT, I don't exactly hear a lot of medical students singing the praises of how much their pre-req's helped them nail medical school. lol

Edit:
Also, I came in to Hopkins with credits and our first semester is covered grades, so by the time i finished my freshman year I had EVERY pre-med course completed. Mostly B's and the ones that were A's are not factored into my GPA because of covered grades (orgo, physics, calc, mol/cell)

Wow, that really does screw you over a bit. You should follow up with your JHU-advisors about how other students have handled this and what happens with JHU grades & AMCAS. The bottom line is the post-bacc type work is likely on your to-do list just because of how deep of a GPA hole you're in / the perception of unstable GPA trends. If you can get a copy of those unmasked grades somehow (even an unofficial copy), I say email a few SMPs directly and see what they think. You might be able to shave off a year.

Otherwise (besides pricing) I think SMP's are preferable because they can demonstrate mastery (or not) of content that is more directly relevant to success in med school.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

which prereqs did you take without a grade ('covered'/AP).

Amazing that JHU had this strange policy. I can see why it was counter-productive, but I can also see how such a policy was unfair. I'm sure a whole bunch of American premeds would have liked to have had their Orgo 1 grades covered (as yours were) or their Bio I and Gen Chem I grades covered.

 

[cactusman]

Amazing that JHU had this strange policy. I can see why it was counter-productive, but I can also see how such a policy was unfair. I'm sure a whole bunch of American premeds would have liked to have had their Orgo 1 grades covered (as yours were) or their Bio I and Gen Chem I grades covered.

Wellesley and MIT still have it.
Honestly I think covered grading is a good idea, although I know people who have been screwed over by it (tip: schedule that tough course in a subject where you have no experience first semester, so you can take an intellectual risk without shooting yourself in the foot).

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Will med schools accept premed prereqs when the grades are P/F?

 

[cactusman]

Will med schools accept premed prereqs when the grades are P/F?

Probably should check websites and ask advisors, but I really doubt Hopkins and MIT would have done it so long if it were an annoying hurdle for premeds. @altblue is a bit further in the process I think, he probably knows.

 

[GypsyHummus]

What would your advice be to someone who had a bad undergrad GPA (like 2.7), poor MCAT (below a 495) but does your school's SMP and absolutely rocks it (3.8+)? Does that student have a reasonable chance of being accepted into medical schools?

My school's SMP takes people with < 3.0. These program s are a dime-a-dozen and OP simply has to find some.



OP is the type of weak student that the Carib schools prey upon. Their business model is dependent upon them!



Depends upon the SMP. Some require the MCAT, some do. I still am amazed that some of you think that doing well on the MCAT is as easy as making pancakes, and a weak student like the OP, at that.


We have yet to see any differences in the quality of SMPs. Keep in mind that those given at med schools are taught by med school Faculty. I use the same lectures for the MS students as I do for my med students. This is why we know that someone who does well in our program or others can handle med school.


See my post above.


100% true. And I have had SMP students with terrible MCATs (< 25) who aced the SMP AND med school!



Evidence?????

BTW, in our experience, engineers have a difficult time in med school.




This is a major concern! Has the OP shown ANY evidence that her depression is under control? Med school is a furnace!

 

[Goro]

What would your advice be to someone who had a bad undergrad GPA (like 2.7), poor MCAT (below a 495) but does your school's SMP and absolutely rocks it (3.8+)? Does that student have a reasonable chance of being accepted into medical schools?

People with a history like that have been accepted into our med school. Hence, my advice is, get into an SMP with linkage.