How do I go about improving this downward GPA trend?

[wannabeoysterfarmer]

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It's my senior year of college at a T20 school and I have a cumulative 3.79 GPA.

Freshmen: 3.98, 3.95
Sophomore: 3.79, 3.89
Junior: 3.69, 3.66
Senior:3.53

The dip here has been due to harder courses. I'm a chemistry and economics minor and it is often taking a bunch of upper level sciences + biochem and grad. school level course (for my senior thesis/capstone). So my GPA has dipped a bit in the junior and senior years. Is this a need to worry? And if so, how do I go about improving?

Also, I'm not aiming for a top med or something. Anything that is near a big city and gets me an MD is a good med school for me.

 

[Lifeblood_20]

Although the dip is not insignificant, your cumulative GPA is fine and I'd wager that you'll be fine.

 

[wannabeoysterfarmer]

Although the dip is not insignificant, your cumulative GPA is fine and I'd wager that you'll be fine.

Hoping to make something 3.8+ for my final semester. I think I should be able to do so...

 

[Lifeblood_20]

Hoping to make something 3.8+ for my final semester. I think I should be able to do so...

Do your best! Also Adcoms see GPAs yearly, not semesterly, so acing your last semester would help with the overall impression of your senior year.

 

[Goro]

Do your best! Also Adcoms see GPAs yearly, not semesterly, so acing your last semester would help with the overall impression of your senior year.

But we do see all coursework, and so at interviews, OP will need to be prepared for the inevitable "What happened with all these Bs in your upper years? "questions. Yes, people do ask those.

 

[KnightDoc]

But we do see all coursework, and so at interviews, OP will need to be prepared for the inevitable "What happened with all these Bs in your upper years? "questions. Yes, people do ask those.

Also, saying that your grades went down when the course work got more difficult will not win you a lot of fans on the adcom. On the other hand, a really good MCAT score will mitigate doubts about your ability to handle med school, while a mediocre MCAT combined with a downward trend as the work became more challenging will not serve you well.

 

[Goro]

Also, saying that your grades went down when the course work got more difficult will not win you a lot of fans on the adcom. On the other hand, a really good MCAT score will mitigate doubts about your ability to handle med school, while a mediocre MCAT combined with a downward trend as the work became more challenging will not serve you well.

A good MCAT score doesn't remediate weak GPAs.

 

[Engrailed]

I think an adcom on here (@LizzyM ) if I recall correctly once mentioned that a dip in the Orgo years is quite common and so adcoms hardly blink when they see that but the continuous downward trend not a good sign. Could you possibly do an extra year or something and knock out 4.0s or something close to it in those last semesters?

 

[KnightDoc]

A good MCAT score doesn't remediate weak GPAs.

Really? I was under the impression that the value of the MCAT was to equalize academic performance across different schools and majors. If a high MCAT doesn't mitigate a mediocre GPA, is it only used to validate a high GPA? In that case, does a high MCAT have any value at all with a so-so GPA (since a so-so MCAT would already be consistent)?

 

[Engrailed]

The MCAT is the equalizer for all applicants but the GPA is reflective of long term performance (and trends) that a one time exam cannot demonstrate.

 

[KnightDoc]

The MCAT is the equalizer for all applicants but the GPA is reflective of long term performance (and trends) that a one time exam cannot demonstrate.

I get that, but if a good MCAT can't overcome a so-so GPA, then it's not equalizing anything (it's merely validating), since the so-so GPA could be the product of a tough school, major or professors rather than an indication of inability to perform in med school.

 

[Engrailed]

I think for those reasons, adcoms might be more mindful of someone who has a 3.7 in something like math/engineering vs a 3.7 in the humanities. They probably also know like certain undergrad schools that are notorious for grade deflation

 

[KnightDoc]

I think for those reasons, adcoms might be more mindful of someone who has a 3.7 in something like math/engineering vs a 3.7 in the humanities. They probably also know like certain undergrad schools that are notorious for grade deflation

Yeah, but the question is, can a good MCAT fix a 3.8 that's the product of a downward trend from 4.0 freshman year? @Goro says no.

 

[Goro]

Really? I was under the impression that the value of the MCAT was to equalize academic performance across different schools and majors. If a high MCAT doesn't mitigate a mediocre GPA, is it only used to validate a high GPA? In that case, does a high MCAT have any value at all with a so-so GPA (since a so-so MCAT would already be consistent)?

I get that, but if a good MCAT can't overcome a so-so GPA, then it's not equalizing anything (it's merely validating), since the so-so GPA could be the product of a tough school, major or professors rather than an indication of inability to perform in med school.

One can not simply look at a single metric. the entire app will tell a story. A downward GPA trend telegraphs that a student is either making bad choices, has poor coping skills and/or can't handle rigorous coursework.

Yeah, but the question is, can a good MCAT fix a 3.8 that's the product of a downward trend from 4.0 freshman year? @Goro says no.

A good MCAT score combined with a weak GPA (and I'm including a downward GPA trend in this) simply emphasizes the discrepancy between the two metrics. If anything, a high MCAT telegraphs that the student was at a school with grade inflation, was lazy, was academically weak, or is simply a good standardized test taker.

My Adcom has rejected people for downward GPA trends, in spite of good MCATs.

 

[KnightDoc]

One can not simply look at a single metric. the entire app will tell a story. A downward GPA trend telegraphs that a student is either making bad choices, has poor coping skills and/or can't handle rigorous coursework.




A good MCAT score combined with a weak GPA (and I'm including a downward GPA trend in this) simply emphasizes the discrepancy between the two metrics. If anything, a high MCAT telegraphs that the student was at a school with grade inflation, was lazy, was academically weak, or is simply a good standardized test taker.

My Adcom has rejected people for downward GPA trends, in spite of good MCATs.

So, bottom line, a good MCAT is used to validate a high GPA, but does not rescue a low one, correct?

 

[Goro]

So, bottom line, a good MCAT is used to validate a high GPA, but does not rescue a low one, correct?

Correct!

 

[wannabeoysterfarmer]

Thank you all for the replies.

But we do see all coursework, and so at interviews, OP will need to be prepared for the inevitable "What happened with all these Bs in your upper years? "questions. Yes, people do ask those.

Most of them weren't Bs, but B+s. I had them in analytical chem, biochem, and a grad school chem class. Along with a B in an econ class with a really ****ty** professor. As and A- in upper level bios and stats.

 

[wannabeoysterfarmer]

Also how do I go about improving and making up for the trend? I dont want to go back to school/take more classes. How about if I work for a year or two and apply with a good mcat?

 

[Goro]

Also how do I go about improving and making up for the trend? I dont want to go back to school/take more classes. How about if I work for a year or two and apply with a good mcat?

I think it's worth a shot at trying an app cycle, and see how that shakes out

 

[Sleepingdoc]

Your gpa seems fine... As expected, your gpa may go down as the classes get harder towards your junior and senior year.

 

[Sky138]

I think your gpa trend is fine. I think adcoms can understand that it’s senior year and you may have other things on your mind such as taking the mcat, application cycle, more responsibilities volunteering/research, etc. If I were you I’d focus on finishing strong and wouldn’t worry too much about applying. Your grades are good enough to get you to most schools (if not all schools) and assuming you’re a traditional applicant, you’ll have plenty of time to polish your app if you want it.