How Do Med Schools Screen for GPA?

[LotteryPlayer]

I'm a bit confused about GPA screening, so here are the questions I have:

1. Are med schools screening for the 3.0 cutoff with the AMCAS GPA or your College Undergrad GPA?
2. Where/How are they looking at upward grade trends?

I graduated undergrad with just over a 3.1 cumulative GPA in a non-science field. I initially started college over a decade ago, and was a science major. Being the first in my family to go to college, I genuinely didn't know you could Withdraw from classes and got several Fs and Ds in science courses. I ended up taking several years off of school because I had to adopt my sibling, despite not even being 21 myself. Eventually, I returned to school, and finished my undergrad degree in a different field. My GPA after transferring from a community college to a 4-year was just under a 3.8 (yay upward trend!) Over the last two years, I did 40 credits of a formal post-bacc program at a 4-year university with a 4.0 GPA and a 526 MCAT. My extracurriculars are really good, I have plenty of shadowing and volunteering as well, and work experience from my time off school. When I use the AMCAS spreadsheet calculators, my cumulative and sGPA are both under a 3.0. So I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to be auto-screened out by every school I apply to next year (taking another year to do a research position and get more clinical hours).

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[Mr.Smile12]

Every school has a different way to address this, but we get a huge spreadsheet of GPA's. We can break down by term and science/non-science. There may be a screen based on specific GPAs but there are ways that those who show more recent success will not get screened out.

Ask each school that is high on your wishlist.

 

[gyngyn]

We use the AMCAS grade grid explained here: https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/7761/download

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

The number is the first thing they’ll see and has the most influence. That’s just human nature. If they like other components, they may look for trend and such. Biggest thing is to never make excuses.

 

[jhmmd]

The number is the first thing they’ll see and has the most influence. That’s just human nature. If they like other components, they may look for trend and such. Biggest thing is to never make excuses.

A lot of times it is automated, too.
Computers and technology are doing away with the idealized holistic review for every applicant.
It is easy to set up a logarithm to screen out AMCAS apps based on GPA and/or MCAT, which is in fact what most schools do. Then they can hire sub-committees to review individual parts of the app such as essay, LoRs, secondaries, etc.

 

[mediocrestudent97]

You should be okay if you're strong in other parts of your app especially with your MCAT. I have received 6 M.D. acceptances with a 3.0 sGPA and 3.4 cGPA and not even close to your MCAT score. Just depends on your experiences and how you present them in your personal statement.

That being said if you have above a 3.0 you should get a admissions rep to at least look over your application

 

[mediocrestudent97]

You should be okay if you're strong in other parts of your app especially with your MCAT. I have received 6 M.D. acceptances with a 3.0 sGPA and 3.4 cGPA and not even close to your MCAT score. Just depends on your experiences and how you present them in your personal statement.

That being said if you have above a 3.0 you should get a admissions rep to at least look over your application

Also.. in my interviews my interviewers have mentioned my upward trend during my junior and senior year of undergrad and asked how I changed my study habits etc. and how it would be applicable to medical school.... so I would have to say they definitely notice especially if it is a profound trend

 

[Goro]

Also.. in my interviews my interviewers have mentioned my upward trend during my junior and senior year of undergrad and asked how I changed my study habits etc. and how it would be applicable to medical school.... so I would have to say they definitely notice especially if it is a profound trend

Many med schools reward reinvention.

 

[jhmmd]

Many med schools reward reinvention.

Yes, it shows that you are even more committed if you have tried other options before deciding on one that fits.

 

[dmvmed]

You should be okay if you're strong in other parts of your app especially with your MCAT. I have received 6 M.D. acceptances with a 3.0 sGPA and 3.4 cGPA and not even close to your MCAT score. Just depends on your experiences and how you present them in your personal statement.

That being said if you have above a 3.0 you should get a admissions rep to at least look over your application

I haven't taken the mcat yet, but you have my exact stats. Did you do a masters or post bacc program? And is it ok if I dm you for your med school list, I'm kinda struggling to create my own right now.