How do admissions committees view graduate school GPA?

[ambrown6]

I am a non-traditional student who was unsuccessful in last year's application cycle and am now working on a 2-year MS degree. My overall undergrad GPA was a 3.4. I've heard that some medical schools will disregard your undergraduate GPA and look at your graduate GPA if you have at least a certain number of graduate hours, other schools will do so after you've completed the degree. Can anyone confirm this, and know which schools those might be? I'm trying to decide whether to apply again for medical school after my first year to avoid a gap year or if it is better to wait until I am done with my graduate program.

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[gyngyn]

Graduate school grades are not generally considered comparable to undergrad grades.
They do not remediate a weak undergraduate performance.
They are considered to be inflated (SMP's may be considered differently).
This is not intended as a slam on the rigor of any particular program...

 

[HopefulSlav]

Depends on which state you're in...

 

[Isoval]

Graduate school grades are not generally considered comparable to undergrad grades.
They do not remediate a weak undergraduate performance.
They are considered to be inflated (SMP's may be considered differently).
This is not intended as a slam on the rigor of any particular program...

Having taken a few graduate courses during my undergrad, I wholeheartedly agree. In one case, the professor made the class average an A-.

 

[thedarkniteeee]

I always thought it was because they can't publish masters gpa; only undergrad

 

[Catalystik]

I am a non-traditional student who was unsuccessful in last year's application cycle and am now working on a 2-year MS degree. My overall undergrad GPA was a 3.4. I've heard that some medical schools will disregard your undergraduate GPA and look at your graduate GPA if you have at least a certain number of graduate hours, other schools will do so after you've completed the degree. Can anyone confirm this, and know which schools those might be? I'm trying to decide whether to apply again for medical school after my first year to avoid a gap year or if it is better to wait until I am done with my graduate program.

There are a minority of MD schools that claim to consider grad GPA (in addition to most DO schools). Here is a thread that discusses various SDNers experience in this respect and a list of schools. You'd probably want to confirm that policies haven't changed. Consider adding your experience to the thread:
Grad School GPA - does it actually matter?

 

[mydogmolly]

Having taken a few graduate courses during my undergrad, I wholeheartedly agree. In one case, the professor made the class average an A-.

Yea I've had a mixed bag of experiences. I took a cancer bio graduate class that was the most difficult course I've ever done (averaged to a C), and another class called "Current Topics in Parasite Pathogenesis" (sounded interesting). Zero homework. Just a weekly P/F quiz and a presentation at the end that basically everyone got an A on regardless of quality lol.

 

[DameJulie]

What about post-bacc grades? How does adcom view DIY post-bacc grades if we don't have any graduate grades?

I understand that AMCAS separates the GPA between UG and post-bacc, but I am wondering if the adcom views post-bacc classes as just additional UG classes and look for the trend.

 

[Doctor-S]

What about post-bacc grades? How does adcom view DIY post-bacc grades if we don't have any graduate grades?

I understand that AMCAS separates the GPA between UG and post-bacc, but I am wondering if the adcom views post-bacc classes as just additional UG classes and look for the trend.

Post-baccalaureate grades will be averaged into your undergraduate GPA.

 

[mariposas905]

Post-baccalaureate grades will be averaged into your undergraduate GPA.

What if these post-bacc classes are graduate classes taken in non-degree status after undergrad? Would these still be factored into undergrad GPA since it's not a formal grad program?

 

[mariposas905]

Are they part of a postbacc certificate program? Are they graduate level courses? Or are they undergraduate level courses taken as part of a formal certificate program

They are graduate level classes taken as non-degree after completion of undergrad degree. They are not part of any certificate program...