How low is too low-GPA?

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I have a uGPA of 3.6 but a community college gpa of 2.8 prior to transferring with an upgrade progression of almost straight A's before transferring. How much will the low community college gpa hurt me?

Not nearly as much as if it had happened in reverse order (As in CC, 2.8 in 4 year).

May not hurt you at all, depending on your cum BCPM?

 

[STAT EKG]

I applied with a 3.02/3.13 and a 30 and got 2 MD interviews. No rejections, no acceptances, one waitlist (supposedly in a good spot), and waiting for about a week on the other.

...However, and this is a *HUGE* however - I made 0.0< my GPA < 0.5 my freshman year and have had > 3.7 consistently over the last eight semesters, so... it's a little different.

When I made a post on WAMC, I was overwhelmingly told that my only shot, which was still a long shot, was to do an SMP. What I've heard at my interviews seemed to discredit this, but I'd still obviously MUCH prefer to be in a position where I had a 3.7+ throughout undergrad instead ofmy current situation.

Long story short - I think the 3.4 is a good cutoff, but if you have a lower GPA, when/why you made the bad grades becomes a big deal.

 

[royalewthcheese]

Uh... Wow.

So, I had a 3.2 cGPA, Non-Ivy, 34 MCAT, non-trad with a lot of clinical experience at a highly regarded institution, no formal post-bacc. 2 publications. Caucasian male.

2 MD Interviews, 2 acceptances. 2 DO interviews, 1 DO acceptance. All out of state.

The eerie-ness continues: 17 applications.

That's just awesome. Congrats on getting accepted!! I'm pretty thrilled myself, and judging from the fact that we are actually the same person, I'm sure you agree 😉

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

That's just awesome. Congrats on getting accepted!! I'm pretty thrilled myself, and judging from the fact that we are actually the same person, I'm sure you agree 😉

I am so confused by this inside joke, if it is one. Two usernames for the same person? You would actually comment on your own comment?
😕

I'm going to go lay down.

 

[MiniMoo]

I am so confused by this inside joke, if it is one. Two usernames for the same person? You would actually comment on your own comment?
😕

I'm going to go lay down.

No, it's just a joke. It's 2 people who happen to have very similar stats and both applied to the same # of schools. If you reread the first page with their comments, it makes more sense.

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

No, it's just a joke. It's 2 people who happen to have very similar stats and both applied to the same # of schools. If you reread the first page with their comments, it makes more sense.

I read it all, which is the sad part.

 

[Mackey]

That's just awesome. Congrats on getting accepted!! I'm pretty thrilled myself, and judging from the fact that we are actually the same person, I'm sure you agree 😉

You too! Go us. When we graduate, lets open a practice. "Black sheep MDs"

Though, apparently yes, we're the same person.

 

[MiniMoo]

I read it all, which is the sad part.

Oh.. hmm.. yea go lay back down then. 😉

 

[GlideYearComing]

3.57, 32P

this got me three interviews and two acceptances.

state residency also plays a big part on top of EC's

 

[surftheiop]

deleted, sort of off topic for thread

 

[vc7777]

Just like the question says...I know every medical school has its own averages but at what point would you start to freak out? (And if you say 3.9...I might have to kill you, j/k) 🙂

Any one single metric in your application is not sufficient to describe you or your chances of getting in. You will find Extremophiles like myself who are 'outliers' in one or more of the standard metrics...

2.87 GPA
38S MCAT
5 MD Acceptances (all OOS, 2 private)
2 Full-rides

 

[Narmerguy]

Any one single metric in your application is not sufficient to describe you or your chances of getting in. You will find Extremophiles like myself who are 'outliers' in one or more of the standard metrics...

2.87 GPA
38S MCAT
5 MD Acceptances (all OOS, 2 private)
2 Full-rides

Also an outlier in many non-statistical factors. Age 33 😱

 

[Morsetlis]

Uh... Wow.

So, I had a 3.2 cGPA, Non-Ivy, 34 MCAT, non-trad with a lot of clinical experience at a highly regarded institution, no formal post-bacc. 2 publications. Caucasian male.

2 MD Interviews, 2 acceptances. 2 DO interviews, 1 DO acceptance. All out of state.

The eerie-ness continues: 17 applications.

Looks like your overwhelming amount of clinical+research overcame the low GPA. Your MCAT is also average/above average.

 

[vc7777]

Also an outlier in many non-statistical factors. Age 33 😱

...Well, all my children think I'm immature for my age, FWIW. 🙂

 

[Handinhand]

Also an outlier in many non-statistical factors. Age 33 😱

Also Hispanic.


This thread really makes me feel better about my chances. I'm going to be applying with a 3.5-3.6 cGPA and sGPA, and have been a little nervous about it. We'll see when the time comes I guess.

 

[apk7]

x

 

[vc7777]

Also Hispanic.

Right... 😕 And for the whole record...
Shoe Size: 13
252 lbs., 6' 1''
eyes: brown
hair: brown
Rugged Good looks
bitemporal recession
Unilateral meralgia paraesthetica
Terribly mysterious, yet perspicacious
Good Looking (worth repeating)
Good sense of humor
Eloquent
Modest

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

Right... 😕 And for the whole record...
Shoe Size: 13
252 lbs., 6' 1''
eyes: brown
hair: brown
Rugged Good looks
bitemporal recession
Unilateral meralgia paraesthetica
Terribly mysterious, yet perspicacious
Good Looking (worth repeating)
Good sense of humor
Eloquent
Modest

and.....TAKEN. :cry:

 

[vc7777]

 

[amikhchi]

3.41 cGPA/ 3.47 sGPA, 36 MCAT that would put me at a LizzyM of 70, out of 3 cycles of applications (25-35 schools per), i have 1 interview that has become a post-int hold... looks like if they don't take me, SGU it is... 🙁

and yes... i applied DO

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

3.41 cGPA/ 3.47 sGPA, 36 MCAT that would put me at a LizzyM of 70, out of 3 cycles of applications (25-35 schools per), i have 1 interview that has become a post-int hold... looks like if they don't take me, SGU it is... 🙁

and yes... i applied DO

back to back cycles? applied early enough? tons of volunteering/shadowing/non-medical volunteering?

 

[omgu8myric3]

3.41 cGPA/ 3.47 sGPA, 36 MCAT that would put me at a LizzyM of 70, out of 3 cycles of applications (25-35 schools per), i have 1 interview that has become a post-int hold... looks like if they don't take me, SGU it is... 🙁

and yes... i applied DO

late applications? poorly written essays? lukewarm LORs? lack of EC's? international students?

 

[Brigade4Radiant]

3.41 cGPA/ 3.47 sGPA, 36 MCAT that would put me at a LizzyM of 70, out of 3 cycles of applications (25-35 schools per), i have 1 interview that has become a post-int hold... looks like if they don't take me, SGU it is... 🙁

and yes... i applied DO

There is something VERY wrong with your application if you only had 1 interview in 3 years applying to 25+ schools with a 3.4 and a 36.

 

[vickpick]

Any one single metric in your application is not sufficient to describe you or your chances of getting in. You will find Extremophiles like myself who are 'outliers' in one or more of the standard metrics...

2.87 GPA
38S MCAT
5 MD Acceptances (all OOS, 2 private)
2 Full-rides

you dont count..
u did a post bacc

 

[amikhchi]

Back to back cycles, yes... applied early enough yes (first day), LoRs are fine as far as i know, i had long relationships with the professors that wrote them... plenty of community service/clinical exp (shadowing)/ also a lot of extracurricular that i suppose doesn't fall under community service...

1st two cycles had a 31 on mcat, retook mcat apr 09, and got the 36...

Everyone i have showed my PS to said good things about it...

and no, not an international student, pretty much everyone i talk to in the process of applying or in medical school says "it doesn't make sense..."

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

Back to back cycles, yes... applied early enough yes (first day), LoRs are fine as far as i know, i had long relationships with the professors that wrote them... plenty of community service/clinical exp (shadowing)/ also a lot of extracurricular that i suppose doesn't fall under community service...

1st two cycles had a 31 on mcat, retook mcat apr 09, and got the 36...

Everyone i have showed my PS to said good things about it...

and no, not an international student, pretty much everyone i talk to in the process of applying or in medical school says "it doesn't make sense..."

Did you apply to schools that screen? Did you get through those screens? maybe there's a problem at the secondary level. Did you ever get feedback from those schools that offer it post-cycle?

Cuz yeah, it doesn't make sense...

 

[naijaboi]

19 completed applications, 16 interview invites, 3 pre-interview rejections. Attended 11 interviews and accepted to 9 schools, still waiting on 2 decisions and one more interview to go. No post interview rejections as of yet.

I applied as a URM.
MCAT 33 (balanced); GPA - 3.37, sGPA - 3.66. Community college GPA very low - 2.xx, strong upward trend at 4 year college - 4.0 (hard sciences major). Tons of work experience, ECs show commitment, interesting personal story/life experience, tons of research (no publications) at a highly regarded institution, very good LORs, multiple academic and service awards. Applications were sent in middle September to Late October.

There is more to medical admissions that numerical indexes. Let your personality shine through.

 

[teenmachinery1]

Just like the question says...I know every medical school has its own averages but at what point would you start to freak out? (And if you say 3.9...I might have to kill you, j/k) 🙂

ludacris says: "lower than you know.."

 

[slowbutsteady]

2 cycles ago:

3.47 cGPA
33S MCAT
Ivy
good research
good clinical
APPLIED EARLY
25 apps

10 interviews, 6 acceptances