How to explain mistake in Cumulative GPA?

[neonghost]

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Hello!

I just got verified by AMCAS and my science GPA was around what I expected, 3.84, but because of an F I received a community college class (that I never took) in high school, it dropped my AO GPA to 3.48 and my overall/ cumulative GPA to 3.73

Although I explained the situation in my disadvantaged statement, I'm wondering how the admissions committee might look at this and if it's really something for concern and should dissuade me from applying to certain schools. Is the science GPA more important? Can it save me?

Thank you for your help!

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Wow, sorry to hear this. Should have been corrected before the submission. HOw did this get submitted without your knowledge?? Not that a 3.8 is that much different than a 3.7 GPA. Do you really want to waste valuable secondary information trying to explain this?? If it comes up in an interview, address it. Otherwise, if your MCAT is sound, I don't think you should worry about it.

 

[neonghost]

By the time I realized that they gave me an F for not dropping a class I had graduated high school and it was too late. I have seen that transcript like twice in my entire life.

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Well this is from HS, and with a 3.7 GPA cumulative GPA, you have almost all As for your college career. If it comes up explain it as a HS snafu (seems a reasonable explanation that you didn't drop the class). Does NOT have any impact on your college academic success.

Like I said, the difference between 3.7 and 3.8 GPA is negligible, as long as you aren't going for the top 10 with a 38 MCAT!! Good luck to you.

 

[Petrichor1]

First of all: did you know you were enrolled in this course? If that is yes, then it would hurt and I'd be confused then to ask why you didn't care anything about it.
Second: if you didn't know, you have legitimate reason to file a case to the community college and tell them. You might have to go to the high school and if you were a strong student there, I hardly believe your teachers would believe that you knowingly didn't attend the class. They would probably support your argument.

 

[ZedsDed]

This seems familiar. I suggest you take responsibility for this. Rightly or wrongly, it may come across as a shirking of responsibility if you try and place the blame elsewhere. That being said, I think you're totally fine.

 

[Petrichor1]

This seems familiar. I suggest you take responsibility for this. Rightly or wrongly, it may come across as a shirking of responsibility if you try and place the blame elsewhere. That being said, I think you're totally fine.

sometimes that is not the case if the OP didn't know. In high school, you have the teachers and school that monitors and knows you. In a college (no matter uni or community) people don't know you and if you don't show up to a class, they don't just call your home and ask if you are alright. It is a genuine problem if your highschool or some computer system put you in a class that you didn't know you were taking. I say for OP to take action and get rid of that record if they didn't know. Take responsibility of it if you knowingly enrolled in the class and slacked.

 

[ZedsDed]

sometimes that is not the case if the OP didn't know. In high school, you have the teachers and school that monitors and knows you. In a college (no matter uni or community) people don't know you and if you don't show up to a class, they don't just call your home and ask if you are alright. It is a genuine problem if your highschool or some computer system put you in a class that you didn't know you were taking. I say for OP to take action and get rid of that record if they didn't know. Take responsibility of it if you knowingly enrolled in the class and slacked.

OP has already tried to fix the situation. Predictably, it didn't work. I'm sure you can find it in his post history.

 

[Petrichor1]

OP has already tried to fix the situation. Predictably, it didn't work. I'm sure you can find it in his post history.

that is very unfortunate, I don't see how it is fair because I could easily have seen OP enrolled in a class by error and he never even knew. The worst part is that during the time he was enrolled, he might not have paid for the course since the high school might have paid for it; hence not knowing anything about it either through that way.

 

[ZedsDed]

that is very unfortunate, I don't see how it is fair because I could easily have seen OP enrolled in a class by error and he never even knew. The worst part is that during the time he was enrolled, he might not have paid for the course since the high school might have paid for it; hence not knowing anything about it either through that way.

If OP was enrolled in the class completely without his knowledge then they probably would've removed the grade. I doubt this is the scenario. Even then, the first question would be why did he wait so long to check his transcript? Does this show a lack of responsibility on his part? But it doesn't matter, and I don't want to give the OP a shellacking over this. The point is, OP will have to explain the situation truthfully. Most likely AdCom's will be merciful, as long as OP takes responsibility and doesn't try to reposition the blame. Mileage may vary from school-to-school, of course.

 

[Doug Underhill]

You have a perfectly plausible explanation that you didn't realize it was a college course because you took it in high school. Med schools don't want dishonest applicants, but they will tolerate mistakes. Just say that you misunderstood the instructions and it won't destroy you.

 

[vellez]

I could be completely off base here, but I don't think one F that you "took" during HS is anything to worry about. You have a fine GPA, and I highly doubt it'll outweigh whatever your MCAT, PS and ECs look like. I mean, if it were me, I wouldn't be concerned. I have to say that I'm obviously not an ADCOM, so perhaps they'd see it differently. If they ask about it (and they may during an interview), be honest about what happened, but don't come across as making excuses. Ultimately, you're an adult and need to fess up to your mistakes.

 

[DrHart]

You didn't look at your own transcript before you sent it?

 

[Goro]

Don't make excuses, let your transcript and ECs speak for itself. Save excuses for interviews.

Hello!

I just got verified by AMCAS and my science GPA was around what I expected, 3.84, but because of an F I received a community college class (that I never took) in high school, it dropped my AO GPA to 3.48 and my overall/ cumulative GPA to 3.73

Although I explained the situation in my disadvantaged statement, I'm wondering how the admissions committee might look at this and if it's really something for concern and should dissuade me from applying to certain schools. Is the science GPA more important? Can it save me?

Thank you for your help!

 

[neonghost]

that is very unfortunate, I don't see how it is fair because I could easily have seen OP enrolled in a class by error and he never even knew. The worst part is that during the time he was enrolled, he might not have paid for the course since the high school might have paid for it; hence not knowing anything about it either through that way.

Legitimately that is what happened. The high school counselor put me in the class after telling me I should take the courses being offered. And it was free and I never even had to go to the community college, since it was offered on campus. I didn't get any emails, calls, etc.

I tried everything I could to get it removed, the best I could do was get academic renewal, and they discounted it from my units and GPA, but AMCAS didnt...

 

[neonghost]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I definitely feel like the biggest idiot. Oh tenth grade mistakes...
I'll keep y'all updated how this cycle goes and how the ADCOMS react to this grade in case anyone has a similar problem.