How much does an upward trend help?

[avi530]

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[avi530]

Anything guys?

 

[basketcase0a0]

Frankly it varies so much from school to school that it almost isn't even worth it to worry about upward trends. Some adcoms will prefer to take a 3.5 with an upward trend over a 3.5 that's stable or decreasing, but at the end of the day a 3.5 is a 3.5.

That being said, do really well on the MCAT (>33) and you'll get in somewhere.

As for undergraduate institution, I'd say that matters even less than your trend does. If you went to Princeton or Yale maybe it would bump you a little, but in all honesty adcoms don't really care that much where you did your undergrad in general. There is a whole host of length debates on the topic on these boards somewhere, and it essentially boils down to computing your LizzyM score (gap*10+MCAT) and using that as a guide for schools.

 

[Goro]

With that, I'll bet you'll be fine at several of the UCs, and other schools as well.

I graduated from UC Davis with a 3.5 overall GPA with a degree in NeuroBio and Physio. I know my GPA is a bit low, but I have ALL As (and A-s) my fourth year. The classes that I have As in include reproductive physio, GI physio, cell bio, neurobio, environmental physio. Will this upward trend in hard upper div classes help me a lot? Or is this upward trend thing an exaggeration. Also, does going to UC Davis help me out at all? Its a really competitive public university where the curve is brutal. Im wondering if this is factored into ADCOMS decisions. Or maybe im insane and UC Davis isnt looked at as a difficult university. Any insight would be nice.

Thanks Guys.

 

[avi530]

With that, I'll bet you'll be fine at several of the UCs, and other schools as well.

Really that GPA is okay for UCs? I'm applying broadly and have one bad MCAT on record. I'm waiting for my second score right now but have submitted my primary so my grades can be verified. I feel that the second mcat went better. Hopefully that score is much better.

 

[avi530]

My ECs are About 450 hours of clinical experience in a free medical clinic in which I held a leadership position, autism research for about 250 hours, about 100 hospital hours, and 150ish shadow hours of a cardiologist.

I'm just worried about my next mcat score 🙁

 

[avi530]

Oh and what have u guys heard about med schools increasing their seats cuz of Obama care? I've heard that most schools will be letting more people in this cycle. Is that true?

 

[Pasmal]

Oh and what have u guys heard about med schools increasing their seats cuz of Obama care? I've heard that most schools will be letting more people in this cycle. Is that true?

Your time would be better spent worrying about the things you can control - your personal statement, secondaries, etc. I tried to micromanage every little thing when I applied, but all it gave me was more stress, less time and less confidence.

You sound uncomfortable with your GPA, which is okay. I was too. Have you heard the saying, "it won't keep you out, but it's not going to get you in"? Your GPA is what it is, and it's not bad. Make the rest of your application stand out (MCAT, PS, recs, ECs, secondaries), apply broadly and intelligently, and forget the rest.