How long should I continue trying to raise my GPA?

[surfguy84]

---

Members do not see this ad.

A brief background on myself: I'm 7 years out since graduation and my cumulative undergrad GPA was a 2.8. My science GPA was a 3.5.

I needed to take 6 pre-reqs and am almost finished with them. My post-bacc GPA is so far a 4.0 and I anticipate it winding up in the 3.8 range. With my post-bacc GPA + a couple grade replacement classes, I've raised my cumulative GPA to a 3.06 (may be able to add another .05 if I do well in my remaining pre-reqs) and my science GPA to a 3.9.

The only classes I can replace with better grades (C or lower) are the freshmen level courses I did poorly in (and resulted in the 2.8 gpa to begin with) i.e., art history, english 101, health 101, etc. Will my doing awesome in health 101 or art history really even matter at this point?

As an added X factor, I have a killer EC which has been confirmed by at least two admission officers as being quite significant.

My question is this... do you think my great science GPA, post-bacc GPA, great EC, and maturity/time since my poor performance will overcome that 3.06 cGPA? OR should I still keep trying to raise that cGPA; and if so, at what point is enough, enough? I'm never going to get it to a 3.5...at least not before I'm 35.....is an extra year or two of classes and a .2 jump in GPA enough to merit the time/expense/delaying of medical school?

Sorry if this question got a bit convoluted.... Thanks for your help guys.

 

[as1212559]

Your science GPA is massive. Your cGPA is > 3.0 so it clears the screens and if your EC's and maturity are what you say they are, no one on the DO side will look twice at your cGPA and Cs in art history.

Get a good MCAT and you're home free.

 

[surfguy84]

Your science GPA is massive. Your cGPA is > 3.0 so it clears the screens and if your EC's and maturity are what you say they are, no one on the DO side will look twice at your cGPA and Cs in art history.

Get a good MCAT and you're home free.

Thanks for the confidence boost man.

 

[Temperature101]

your science gpa is massive. Your cgpa is > 3.0 so it clears the screens and if your ec's and maturity are what you say they are, no one on the do side will look twice at your cgpa and cs in art history.

Get a good mcat and you're home free.

+1...

 

[Temperature101]

A brief background on myself: I'm 7 years out since graduation and my cumulative undergrad GPA was a 2.8. My science GPA was a 3.5.

I needed to take 6 pre-reqs and am almost finished with them. My post-bacc GPA is so far a 4.0 and I anticipate it winding up in the 3.8 range. With my post-bacc GPA + a couple grade replacement classes, I've raised my cumulative GPA to a 3.06 (may be able to add another .05 if I do well in my remaining pre-reqs) and my science GPA to a 3.9.

The only classes I can replace with better grades (C or lower) are the freshmen level courses I did poorly in (and resulted in the 2.8 gpa to begin with) i.e., art history, english 101, health 101, etc. Will my doing awesome in health 101 or art history really even matter at this point?

As an added X factor, I have a killer EC which has been confirmed by at least two admission officers as being quite significant.

My question is this... do you think my great science GPA, post-bacc GPA, great EC, and maturity/time since my poor performance will overcome that 3.06 cGPA? OR should I still keep trying to raise that cGPA; and if so, at what point is enough, enough? I'm never going to get it to a 3.5...at least not before I'm 35.....is an extra year or two of classes and a .2 jump in GPA enough to merit the time/expense/delaying of medical school?

Sorry if this question got a bit convoluted.... Thanks for your help guys.

Spend your time studying for the MCAT. 27+ score will make you competitive for most DO schools...

 

[surfguy84]

Appreciate the replies.

So it seems the consensus is, the other things going for me can outweigh that 3.1-ish cGPA.

One other question...does that hold any weight as far as MD schools go?

 

[cabinbuilder]

Appreciate the replies.

So it seems the consensus is, the other things going for me can outweigh that 3.1-ish cGPA.

One other question...does that hold any weight as far as MD schools go?

Will have a tough time getting past the computerized cut off's at MD schools with your low overall GPA. Remember that DO schools do grade replacement. If you want to be a doctor don't get hung up on "MD", apply where you are most likely to get in. You are 7 yrs out, 33, non-trad, with low overall GPA, I wouldn't waste my $$ on the MD side. I was in your position about 14 years ago, been there.

 

[Goro]

Strongly concur; MD is no longer an option. Concur also witht he other posts that doing well on MCAT, plus your great sGPA, will negate the low cGPA at many schools. Good luck!

Will have a tough time getting past the computerized cut off's at MD schools with your low overall GPA. Remember that DO schools do grade replacement. If you want to be a doctor don't get hung up on "MD", apply where you are most likely to get in. You are 7 yrs out, 33, non-trad, with low overall GPA, I wouldn't waste my $$ on the MD side. I was in your position about 14 years ago, been there.

 

[surfguy84]

Will have a tough time getting past the computerized cut off's at MD schools with your low overall GPA. Remember that DO schools do grade replacement. If you want to be a doctor don't get hung up on "MD", apply where you are most likely to get in. You are 7 yrs out, 33, non-trad, with low overall GPA, I wouldn't waste my $$ on the MD side. I was in your position about 14 years ago, been there.

Thanks for your opinion (Goro too). I'm not hung up on MD for the prestige/title, I'd just like to keep as many career options open as possible.

What are typical cut-offs for med schools? For the most part, I've noticed 3.0 listed as minimum GPA on school websites. Is the cut-off actually higher than the minimum GPA schools are listing? If not, and since I'm > 3.0, wouldn't I meet the cut-off and at least get my application in front of a human being?

EDIT: Out of curiosity I posted this over on MD forums...most posters over there are indicating that since my GPA is > 3.0, I will at least get my application in front of an actual person. I'm not implying you are incorrect, but are these posters unaware of something you aren't? Thanks!

 

[cabinbuilder]

Thanks for your opinion (Goro too). I'm not hung up on MD for the prestige/title, I'd just like to keep as many career options open as possible.

What are typical cut-offs for med schools? For the most part, I've noticed 3.0 listed as minimum GPA on school websites. Is the cut-off actually higher than the minimum GPA schools are listing? If not, and since I'm > 3.0, wouldn't I meet the cut-off and at least get my application in front of a human being?

EDIT: Out of curiosity I posted this over on MD forums...most posters over there are indicating that since my GPA is > 3.0, I will at least get my application in front of an actual person. I'm not implying you are incorrect, but are these posters unaware of something you aren't? Thanks!

Since I was in your shoes I know that my application was rejected by just about every MD school I applied to initially. What makes you think you won't have options as a DO? Unless you are planning neurosurgery or rad onc? But at 33 now, I would think you would be looking at the least amount of residency years? Don't always believe what people write especially when their own status says premed - which means they know NOTHING about the journey.

 

[surfguy84]

Since I was in your shoes I know that my application was rejected by just about every MD school I applied to initially. What makes you think you won't have options as a DO? Unless you are planning neurosurgery or rad onc? But at 33 now, I would think you would be looking at the least amount of residency years? Don't always believe what people write especially when their own status says premed - which means they know NOTHING about the journey.

I hear ya. Just as reference I'm 29, not 33.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I hear ya. Just as reference I'm 29, not 33.

Sorry, somewhere you mentioned starting at 35? Was trying to extrapolate your age. 29 is when I went back and did a year post-bacc. Took all the pre-req's over in one year. Took me three years of applying before I was accepted and started medical school at 32.

 

[surfguy84]

Sorry, somewhere you mentioned starting at 35? Was trying to extrapolate your age. 29 is when I went back and did a year post-bacc. Took all the pre-req's over in one year. Took me three years of applying before I was accepted and started medical school at 32.

Ah yes, I was being sarcastic about saying I'd try to raise my GPA until I was 35 ...I see how you could be confused though.

I'm totally fine with DO, and I agree, I have no desire for neurosurgery/plastics or anything else that will have me in residency for more than 4-5 years.

That said, I REALLY would not be happy with family med or internal med unless I was able to secure a fellowship in a more specific field, which isn't a guarantee. I'm afraid (perhaps unnecessarily) that I may be relegated to something like that if I go DO.

As of right now, my interests are (and I realize they are all over the board)..

PMR, anesthesia, psychiatry, diagnostic radiology.

About rad above - I realize rad-onc is a very very long shot for a DO...any idea about diagnostic rads? Thanks again for your continued assistance!

 

[cabinbuilder]

Ah yes, I was being sarcastic about saying I'd try to raise my GPA until I was 35 ...I see how you could be confused though.

I'm totally fine with DO, and I agree, I have no desire for neurosurgery/plastics or anything else that will have me in residency for more than 4-5 years.

That said, I REALLY would not be happy with family med or internal med unless I was able to secure a fellowship in a more specific field, which isn't a guarantee. I'm afraid (perhaps unnecessarily) that I may be relegated to something like that if I go DO.

As of right now, my interests are (and I realize they are all over the board)..

PMR, anesthesia, psychiatry, diagnostic radiology.

About rad above - I realize rad-onc is a very very long shot for a DO...any idea about diagnostic rads? Thanks again for your continued assistance!

DO degree is perfect for PM&R - tons of DO's in that field. We get 200 hours extra of OMM and muskuloskeletal training that MD's don't. Doesn't mean you have to use OMT but you sure learn your muscle groups and what actions they do. Anesthesia is full of DO's and so is psych. Radiology is doable but your board scores better be high and you would need to take USMLE for sure. Looks like MD residencies are being shut to DO's so that may be a huge ? here in the near future. No one will ever force you to go into FP or IM as a DO - it just doesn't work that way. Even if you don't match and end up scrambling into an intern year its still up to you to decide what track you ultimately try to match in. I have a friend who is a DO ortho surgeon. He didn't match ortho, did his intern year. Worked urgent care for 3 years and kept applying into ortho until he was accepted because there just wasn't anything else he wanted to do. He is excellent at what he does and I commend him for sticking to what he wanted and not "settling" because he didn't match the first time.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Check out this post in the Osteopathic forum by a DO rads guy. That should answer your question about getting in that field.


Hey Guys,

I am a PGY-1 at Brookhaven Radiology in New York and we just finished putting together our website for the upcoming interview season. If you're interested in AOA/osteopathic radiology, stop by and check us out.

http://www.brookhavenradiology.com

Good luck with the upcoming interviews!

Joshua C. Ewell, DO
Department of Radiology
Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center