How high does my CUMULATIVE GPA need to be to be competitive?

[ButAtYourBest]

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Also, when people here say "Science GPA" do they mean Pre-Req's GPA? Or do they mean all science courses?

And do you really present two GPA's (cum and pre-reqs)? Or is that just our way of interpretting how they weight things, but they just look at the whole transcript?



And like the title says, I'm wondering how high I would need to get my cumulative GPA in order to be competitive. I am doing my pre-req courses as a post bac (majored in psych as undergrad), so I think I can get a 3.8 or so for my pre-req GPA. However, my cumulative will be a bit lower. I'm going to take some electives in order to further boost my overall GPA (biochem, anatomy, molecular biology, ands tuff like that). But I COULD take more electives, perhaps even some non-science ones, if I felt it would be really helpful to boost my cumulative GPA. But if not, I might focus on other things.

So again, what kind of cumulative GPA do I need to have in order to be competitive? Maybe even break down the tiers, like bare minimum, or not good enough to get seriously looked at by top schools...etc.

 

[oaklandguy]

3.5+ is competitive, you can make up for a sub-par GPA with an awesome MCAT score though, but I would say 3.5 or higher is a solid GPA. Although top-tier schools cumulative GPA average is 3.8, maybe even higher. The science GPA is Biology, Physics, Chem, and Math I believe (not 100% sure). Not pre-reqs, but all the classes you take under those categories. If you really need to get the GPA up you can take some really basic science courses, although it helps to get good grades in upper level science courses to show medical schools that you can handle the material.

 

[apumic]

While a 3.65 is average, a 3.7+ is necessary to really be competitive at most allopathic schools. A 3.5 will probably get you a few interviews if your MCAT is strong (30+). Of course, people do get in with weaker than a 3.7/30, but you asked what it takes to actually be competitive not just get in by the skin of your teeth. Strong applicants to most schools will have significant and preferably long-term research, clinical, and volunteering experience and a 3.7/30 with all subscores on the MCAT in double digits (10+).

 

[ButAtYourBest]

While a 3.65 is average, a 3.7+ is necessary to really be competitive at most allopathic schools. A 3.5 will probably get you a few interviews if your MCAT is strong (30+). Of course, people do get in with weaker than a 3.7/30, but you asked what it takes to actually be competitive not just get in by the skin of your teeth. Strong applicants to most schools will have significant and preferably long-term research, clinical, and volunteering experience and a 3.7/30 with all subscores on the MCAT in double digits (10+).

Ok...but keep in mind I am asking about the CUMULATIVE GPA. I anticipate my SCIENCE/PRE-REQ GPA to be about 3.8 or so. However, My Cumulative GPA will be lower. Also, I anticipate my MCAT score to be relatively better than my cumulative GPA.

What looks better, a 3.8 science/3.4 cum or a 3.6 science/3.7 cum?

 

[ButAtYourBest]

While a 3.65 is average, a 3.7+ is necessary to really be competitive at most allopathic schools. A 3.5 will probably get you a few interviews if your MCAT is strong (30+). Of course, people do get in with weaker than a 3.7/30, but you asked what it takes to actually be competitive not just get in by the skin of your teeth. Strong applicants to most schools will have significant and preferably long-term research, clinical, and volunteering experience and a 3.7/30 with all subscores on the MCAT in double digits (10+).

Ok...but keep in mind I am asking about the CUMULATIVE GPA. I anticipate my SCIENCE/PRE-REQ GPA to be about 3.8 or so. However, My Cumulative GPA will be lower. Also, I anticipate my MCAT score to be relatively better than my cumulative GPA.

What looks better, a 3.8 science/3.4 cum or a 3.6 science/3.7 cum?

 

[shindotp]

^Depends on the medical school.

 

[IHeartNerds]

What looks better, a 3.8 science/3.4 cum or a 3.6 science/3.7 cum?

This is splitting hairs to the nth degree. Your GPA ends up being whatever it ends up being. Do your best and let the chips fall where they may.

I just saw the entering class statistics for here at Penn, average gpa (cumulative) was 3.84 and mcat was 36q. Yikes...

 

[mfrizzo3]

3.7+

 

[vinniekan]

This is splitting hairs to the nth degree. Your GPA ends up being whatever it ends up being. Do your best and let the chips fall where they may.

I just saw the entering class statistics for here at Penn, average gpa (cumulative) was 3.84 and mcat was 36q. Yikes...

And how naive for me to think that with my stats and being an ORM (yes over) I would even get an interview

They did send me a secondary though, just wanted my dough...like everyone else