How much does community college GPA influence my application?

[jrohazn]

Hello all, new here. To start some basic information, I'm a 2nd year sophomore student at a community college who will be transferring to a UC this fall as an Economics major. My main question/worry is how greatly do medical schools look at community college GPA? I had a 3.7 gpa but my dad died unexpectedly, so I got all B's except 1 A, which dropped my grade down to a 3.53. Would they be looking at your cumulative GPA, or your science GPA? I haven't taken many requirements except for Bio 1, Bio 10(a Biochemistry course), Math 3a (calc 1), and 3b (calc 2). These are all I've taken at my community college. How would I go about doing it in a way to complete the prerequisites in time to apply to medical school? And lastly, do I even have a chance?

Writing 1: B
Music 1: A

Math 2(Pre-calc)-B
Econ-A
Jap-A

Writing 2-A
Comm - A
Business Stat Econ-A

when my dad passed away.
Math 3A-B
Psych - A
Econ - B
Bio 10 - B

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[kamakazi5]

You are doing fine and your story is not uncommon (beginning at CC and moving to a 4 year). All DO schools and most MD schools will be fine with this. Just take your time, start getting some ECs, and bring your grades back up a bit. If you can get back to around a 3.6-3.7 (they look at science and cumulative) with a good MCAT and you'll be good to go.

 

[jrohazn]

You are doing fine and your story is not uncommon (beginning at CC and moving to a 4 year). All DO schools and most MD schools will be fine with this. Just take your time, start getting some ECs, and bring your grades back up a bit. If you can get back to around a 3.6-3.7 (they look at science and cumulative) with a good MCAT and you'll be good to go.

I'm kind of worried, since I'm an economics major, I won't be able to finish my science courses in time. Would I just be starting them in my upper division? And what sGpa should I aim for, since it's kind of low.

 

[kamakazi5]

I'm kind of worried, since I'm an economics major, I won't be able to finish my science courses in time. Would I just be starting them in my upper division? And what sGpa should I aim for, since it's kind of low.

What do you mean when you say you won't be able to finish your science courses in time? There's no time frame required for applying to medical school. Finish your prerequisites and then take the MCAT when you are ready. If you need to take an extra year then so be it.

sGPA is practically negligible at the moment since you only have 2 courses. Your goal should obviously be to shoot as high as possible but a 3.6-3.7 sGPA and cGPA would likely be fine.

 

[jrohazn]

What do you mean when you say you won't be able to finish your science courses in time? There's no time frame required for applying to medical school. Finish your prerequisites and then take the MCAT when you are ready. If you need to take an extra year then so be it.

sGPA is practically negligible at the moment since you only have 2 courses. Your goal should obviously be to shoot as high as possible but a 3.6-3.7 sGPA and cGPA would likely be fine.

Don't I need to apply to medical school around the time when I graduate from my university? Otherwise how would I finish up courses?

 

[kamakazi5]

Don't I need to apply to medical school around the time when I graduate from my university? Otherwise how would I finish up courses?

The classic timeline was to start college and finish prerequisites around junior year, take MCAT junior year, and then apply senior year in order to matriculate into medical school just after graduation. This typically takes place over 4 years but more and more people are taking longer to graduate. It's also becoming more and more common to take a gap year after graduating to bolster extracurriculars and maybe even focus on taking the MCAT then instead of while in school.

What I'm getting at is you don't need to apply at any specific time. Go at your own pace to make the best possible application before you apply. This could take 4-6 years depending on the individual situation. Hell, if I count my undergrad and then the post-bacc classes I've taken since changing careers I've technically been a pre-med for 9 years.

 

[jrohazn]

The classic timeline was to start college and finish prerequisites around junior year, take MCAT junior year, and then apply senior year in order to matriculate into medical school just after graduation. This typically takes place over 4 years but more and more people are taking longer to graduate. It's also becoming more and more common to take a gap year after graduating to bolster extracurriculars and maybe even focus on taking the MCAT then instead of while in school.

What I'm getting at is you don't need to apply at any specific time. Go at your own pace to make the best possible application before you apply. This could take 4-6 years depending on the individual situation. Hell, if I count my undergrad and then the post-bacc classes I've taken since changing careers I've technically been a pre-med for 9 years.

I was interested in going the more traditional route that you've mentioned. But it would take longer to graduate, since I would take my prerequisities in my upper-division undergraduate career, cause I didn't take any pre-med courses at my CC, correct? Sorry for asking so many questions.

 

[kamakazi5]

I was interested in going the more traditional route that you've mentioned. But it would take longer to graduate, since I would take my prerequisities in my upper-division undergraduate career, cause I didn't take any pre-med courses at my CC, correct? Sorry for asking so many questions.

Yes, you are probably looking at 3 years before you can graduate if you go at a normal pace. You could cut that down by taking summer classes and taking an extra course each semester. Remember though that not only do you need to be getting mostly A's but you need a couple hundred hours of volunteering (between clinical and non-clinical), 50-100 hours shadowing, and lots of people do research which is usually a huge time sink as well. At some point you will need to study for the MCAT which will also take hundreds of hours of your time for several months.

You aren't really that far behind but being a non-science major and still needing pretty much all of your prerequisites will add time.

 

[jrohazn]

Yes, you are probably looking at 3 years before you can graduate if you go at a normal pace. You could cut that down by taking summer classes and taking an extra course each semester. Remember though that not only do you need to be getting mostly A's but you need a couple hundred hours of volunteering (between clinical and non-clinical), 50-100 hours shadowing, and lots of people do research which is usually a huge time sink as well. At some point you will need to study for the MCAT which will also take hundreds of hours of your time for several months.

You aren't really that far behind but being a non-science major and still needing pretty much all of your prerequisites will add time.

Ah gotcha. Thank you so much for being so helpful!! Much appreciated.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

You're too fixated on a graduation deadline, OP.

Plenty of people do a degree (in whatever field) then decided they want to go to medical school, take their pre-reqs (after a prior graduation), take the MCAT, get some good ECs, then apply.

I listened in on a talk show on the radio the other day discussing how it was almost "impossible" to go the traditional route anymore with the ever increasing requirements and competition of medical school application. I don't think it's IMPOSSIBLE, but most people I've talked to haven't been able to do it (too much partying as a freshman, not knowing what they wanted to do until later, a break from school, etc.)

Just a warning to you: ease yourself into a science-dense class schedule. If you take on too much at once and end up tanking a semester because you tried to be overly ambitious, you'll end up having to take those classes over again, adding onto your totally time in school. You have to also take into account that you're transferring from a community college to a university; where I come from CC transfer students often suffered academically their first year at my university because the classes were much harder than at CC. Maybe this won't be the case for you, but keep that in mind.

Ease into your science classes, start looking for a volunteering experience you can dedicate a few hours to a week and maintain over the next couple years, look for opportunities to shadow here and there, and you'll be fine. You have a good GPA; keep it up.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, the above posters idea about taking a class or two during the summer to speed things up is a great idea. I did this as well (I switched to pre-med after two years at my university.) Heed the potential for burnout though! Gotta have fun every now and again.


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[Geo16]

Heed the potential for burnout though! Gotta have fun every now and again.

I was going to Chip in early on and say that: just a heads up, you have a lot to finish within 2 years.
However, it seemed that I was putting my nose into your business too much, so I deleted it.
But since someone mentioned it, I thought it should be okay to tell you about this page and tell you what's ahead:
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/comparison-between-ucla-usc-cal-for-pre-med.1217265/
On this page, I've listed all the courses you need to complete in order to meet the med-school requirement (both MD and DO).

So, here it goes:
Let's assume you've finished General Bio 1 requirement (but, you need second semester). Also, let's set UCLA and HAAS as an example.
UCLA:
4 Lower Div Econ Requirement + 43 UpperDiv Econ requirement + 9 units Bio2 + 34 Units G/Ochem + 17 Units Physics
= 107 units
1 + 9 econ lec + 5 Chem Lec + 2 Bio Lec + 3Phys Lec = 20 courses [+ 7 econ lab (inc. 103L) + 4 Chem Lab + 2 Phys Lec = 13 Labs Total:33]
Cal:
32 Credit UpDiv requirement+ 14 Chem+Ochem credit + 8 Phys Credit + 4 Bio2 credit = 58 credit
8 Econ Lec + 3 Chem Lec + 3 Chem lab+ 1 Bio Lec + 2 Phys Lec = 14 courses

Like you, I'm in my 2nd year at one of CCC and I was going to apply and get into UC after just completing General Chem and Physics.
But then, with 70 credit + Upperdivision requirement + Ochem/Bio requirement, I was going to hit the unit ceiling.
For me, it was best to take another year at CC, avoiding unit ceiling and not jeopardizing my way of getting a bachelor (LOL).
For you, you aren't likely to the unit ceiling, but I just want you to know that with only Gen Bio 1 and Biochem finished, you are going to have to work really hard. Econ's hardness + Premed coursework at UC... it's kind of likely that you'll burn out.

 

[jrohazn]

I was going to Chip in early on and say that: just a heads up, you have a lot to finish within 2 years.
However, it seemed that I was putting my nose into your business too much, so I deleted it.
But since someone mentioned it, I thought it should be okay to tell you about this page and tell you what's ahead:
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/comparison-between-ucla-usc-cal-for-pre-med.1217265/
On this page, I've listed all the courses you need to complete in order to meet the med-school requirement (both MD and DO).

So, here it goes:
Let's assume you've finished General Bio 1 requirement (but, you need second semester). Also, let's set UCLA and HAAS as an example.
UCLA:
4 Lower Div Econ Requirement + 43 UpperDiv Econ requirement + 9 units Bio2 + 34 Units G/Ochem + 17 Units Physics
= 107 units
1 + 9 econ lec + 5 Chem Lec + 2 Bio Lec + 3Phys Lec = 20 courses [+ 7 econ lab (inc. 103L) + 4 Chem Lab + 2 Phys Lec = 13 Labs Total:33]
Cal:
32 Credit UpDiv requirement+ 14 Chem+Ochem credit + 8 Phys Credit + 4 Bio2 credit = 58 credit
8 Econ Lec + 3 Chem Lec + 3 Chem lab+ 1 Bio Lec + 2 Phys Lec = 14 courses

Like you, I'm in my 2nd year at one of CCC and I was going to apply and get into UC after just completing General Chem and Physics.
But then, with 70 credit + Upperdivision requirement + Ochem/Bio requirement, I was going to hit the unit ceiling.
For me, it was best to take another year at CC, avoiding unit ceiling and not jeopardizing my way of getting a bachelor (LOL).
For you, you aren't likely to the unit ceiling, but I just want you to know that with only Gen Bio 1 and Biochem finished, you are going to have to work really hard. Econ's hardness + Premed coursework at UC... it's kind of likely that you'll burn out.

So should I go 3 years to be careful?

 

[Geo16]

So should I go 3 years to be careful?

Not sure if it's still viable for you. I wouldn't.
How many UC-transferable credits do you have? Also, which UC are you looking into?

 

[jrohazn]

Not sure if it's still viable for you. I wouldn't.
How many UC-transferable credits do you have? Also, which UC are you looking into?

Would be having 60 transferable units. UCSB.

 

[Geo16]

Would be having 60 transferable units. UCSB.

DUUUUUDE, I was going to use UCSB as an example because I want to transfer there! I am TAGing there next year!
Also, I am gonna edit that post and expand it to all UC's. Currently, no future students are in-bound so I'm putting it behind a little.
Holler! UCSB!
The reason why I asked was: UCSB has 200 unit ceiling. But still, you might not hit the unit ceiling there too.
90 Unit + 40 Econ UpperDiv Unit + 33 G/OChem Unit + 12 Physics Unit + 4 Bio Unit.
Don't worry though, because I believe you can stay another year. That's for Cal or UCLA. I'm sure UCSB has similar petitions.
My major, Earth Science, has 5 year plan for BS +MS. But they don't have one for Econ. If I don't get into Med school, I am going to do MS and go for Plan B.

 

[jrohazn]

DUUUUUDE, I was going to use UCSB as an example because I want to transfer there! I am TAGing there next year!
Also, I am gonna edit that post and expand it to all UC's. Currently, no future students are in-bound so I'm putting it behind a little.
Holler! UCSB!
The reason why I asked was: UCSB has 200 unit ceiling. But still, you might not hit the unit ceiling there too.
90 Unit + 40 Econ UpperDiv Unit + 33 G/OChem Unit + 12 Physics Unit + 4 Bio Unit.
Don't worry though, because I believe you can stay another year. That's for Cal or UCLA. I'm sure UCSB has similar petitions.
My major, Earth Science, has 5 year plan for BS +MS. But they don't have one for Econ. If I don't get into Med school, I am going to do MS and go for Plan B.

LOL eyyy future alumni. I'm not really sure on the regulations with staying behind another year? You have to petition?

 

[Geo16]

LOL eyyy future alumni. I'm not really sure on the regulations with staying behind another year? You have to petition?

I meant: stay at UCSB for another year. Like, say you transfer Fall 2017. Then you take one more year and graduate in 2020.
Also, I'm pretty sure you can!