How much does an improved GRADUATE GPA help???

[caprisun]

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[Quix]

Sorry, but graduate GPA's don't count, as they are calculated separately (and don't factor into the interview equation). The improved MCAT will help, however.

 

[realitybias]

A 34 will probably make the difference between acceptance and rejection at some of the schools that he was previously "on the boarder" in.

I'd perhaps add more safety schools though, and less reach schools.

 

[rpm]

Sorry, but graduate GPA's don't count, as they are calculated separately (and don't factor into the interview equation). The improved MCAT will help, however.

This is incorrect information. While graduate GPA's are calculated separately, doing well can help you. The upward trend from senior year and your graduate gpa will help you land interviews. There is a reason why those SMP programs continue to send a number of students to med school each year. You may not have a chance at a top ten med school but you will get into one, maybe even a top-tier if your EC's and LOR's are really good and you do really well on the interview.

With your good grad. gpa and improved mcat, you def. have a better shot. BTW, I would highly recommend adding more safety schools.

 

[Quix]

This is incorrect information. While graduate GPA's are calculated separately, doing well can help you. The upward trend from senior year and your graduate gpa will help you land interviews. There is a reason why those SMP programs continue to send a number of students to med school each year. You may not have a chance at a top ten med school but you will get into one, maybe even a top-tier is your EC's and LOR's are really good and you do really well on the interview.

With your good grad. gpa and improved mcat, you def. have a better shot.

Allow me to clarify; there is a difference between an SMP and other graduate coursework. In general, the graduate QPA is less of a concern to admissions committees than undergraduate coursework (since the graduate program is not necessarily in relevant material). There are quite a few non-trads who went the academic route before applying to medical school, and despite stellar graduate QPA's, they are finding that schools are more concerned about post-bacc performance and undergraduate science QPA's.

 

[Robizzle]

24.8%

 

[PEN15]

Put it this way, I don't see how an improved graduate GPA can hinder you.

 

[Law2Doc]

Put it this way, I don't see how an improved graduate GPA can hinder you.

I agree. A higher MCAT and a graduate degree always look good.

The one thing I would worry about is that your 3.3/30 from an Ivy should not have been prohibitive of getting into some med school, so there may be interviewing issues or something of that ilk you needed to work on as well. You always need to address the specific issues that kept you out the last time, not just up the numbers willy nilly.

 

[belgianbeerguy]

your stats sound a bit like mine but better. I went the SMP route and got 5 interviews this year (none last year). I would add Penn State to the list. That's only because I absolutely LOVED the school. Also, they seem to be much more willing to overlook slight flaws in the application (low GPA high MCAT people).

 

[caprisun]

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[greg567]

I'm kind of in the same boat as you, low ug gpa (2.7ish) but turned that around in ms. molecular bio program with 3.7 gpa, godwilling a +30 MCAT, 10 publications, 2 abstracts plus thesis, and 4 years microsurgery experience. I just need one to say yes.

What i've been told by adcom people is that for us, it is the persistance that pays, ie staying proactive in the process, making sure its all in early, doing your best to beg for an interview. And once you're at the interview, hopefully you'll just impress the pants off of 'em

I'm going to cast a wide net, so maybe 30plus schools. You never know how its going to go with non-trads! Although I do know some schools consider non-trads completely seperately.

 

[ChristianJames1]

I was told by a former adcom that trends help greatly because they indicate how you are going to perform in the near future (ie in med school). I am sure that it helps a lot to have a 4.0 now but may not completely offset your previous undergrad GPA.

 

[caprisun]

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[PeripateticMD]

Hey Caprisun, a lot of the responses are hogwash. I got out of undergrad with a 3.1 cum and 2.7 BCPM, did a masters in public health at a very prestigious school, and had no problems getting in to a lot of places (top 10 included). BUT, i think it was to my advantage that I hadn't applied before and hadn't taken the MCAT until I was done with my masters (they actually asked this in a few interviews - which makes me believe that they prefer you don't get a masters to get into medical school, but that if you really used your masters and will apply it to your med career, they like it fine - so play that card, tell them how you'll use it and how it will improve your medical career). What I also did (that almost all interviews picked up on), was retake a few of the classes I did badly in, ie I got a C in Hum. Phys in undergrad, and an A in the same course at a much more prestigious graduate program. I think YOU need to draw out some of that connection for them in the interview and why your masters will really lend itself to your doing well in medicine. Hope this helps...

 

[BigRedPremed]

Has anyone not improved from undergrad to grad? I see a lot of low undergrad GPA's followed by 3.9+ grad GPA's on this board.