How to explain two terms of straight F's to med school admissions

[drizzt3117]

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I think the OP is doing their math wrong. Let's be nice and say that their two terms of all Fs were low credit (12 each) giving them 24 credits of 0.00 GPA, then they got their act together and did eight straight terms with 16 units of 4.00 GPA. That gives them a total of 512 grade points over 152 credits for a cGPA of 3.37. Not horrendous, but still far below the applicant and matriculant means for any MD school...

 

[UnlonelyRoad]

To the OP:

I think the simple truth is that we don't have enough information from this to give you an idea. We don't know your courseload and even if we did, we don't go to your school, so we don't know how hard it is anyways. With that said...

The short answer is, no, you are not definitely screwed. It's certainly not good that you had these troubles earlier in life, but it will not necessarily keep you out of medical school. If being a doctor is important to you, I would not let this stop you, it is surpassable. Work as hard as you can. Take the most interesting classes that you can find and do as well in them as you can. Besides the required pre-med classes, don't take courses just because you think they'd be good for medical school applications. It's much more rewarding to take classes you'd enjoy and you'll have a much easier time in interviews if you can discuss something that was interesting to you, regardless of if it was Russian literature or basic science.

Study hard for your MCAT, it will matter even more for you that it would for other people. The same applies to extra-curriculars. If you can volunteer at a local hospital, do so. Shadowing is always a plus, as is research. Basically, stay interested and stay involved. In addition, your plan move to a university is a good one, regardless of the direction you want to take.


Now, my advice aside, there is one thing I'd like to clarify because I think some of the folks on this board have it wrong. It seems to me that your failing grades were in pre-business classes. I may be wrong, as I don't have your transcript, but I think this is likely the case. AMCAS and medical schools calculate two separate GPAs, a total GPA and a BGEN (basically math and science) GPA. The latter matters much, much more in applications. It's possible that your BGEN GPA may still be rather high, if your failing courses are in different subjects. This said, you are still going to have to explain why the difference between your two GPAs occurred and how you've made changes to prevent this from happening again. So, it's possible these bad grades haven't hurt you as much as you think. I'm not saying you're sitting in the clear, but it probably isn't the end of the world.

You've got a long, long road ahead of you and there are many things that could happen to you that would hurt or improve your chances beyond what you speak about here. I had a somewhat similar (though not as acute) situation in college and I took some time in my AMCAS (not all of it!) to explain my situation, what happened and how I changed things for the better. Med schools are worried about burn-out, this is true, but they are mostly worried about burn-out from students that did four years of college right after high school and then went straight to med school. Kids who may not have never been seriously scholastically challenged and find that they don't enjoy working this hard. If you can demonstrate that you have been tested, broken, fixed yourself and returned to your studies with a fervor that accompanies one who has looked hard at themselves and learned what it is to overcome this sort of adversity, I dare say you'd be in a better position then if you'd just taken a simpler path.

This doesn't mean you get a free ride though, you've still got to demonstrate (or rather demonstrate more) that you are a changed person, this is not easy, but if you're determined you can make it happen. Some medical schools will not be interested in the sort of transcript you will provide. Nothing can change that. But if you work hard and dedicate yourself to this profession your story will resonate with some.

Best of luck.


P.S. This applies to everyone. Do not go to a D.O. school just because you don't think you can get into an M.D. school. Everyone is cheapened by this. D.O. schools have a different philosophy towards medicine than M.D. schools. If their philosophy appeals to you, then by all means go for it! Just don't look at them like a second place prize, they are much more than that.

 

[just one]

I think the OP is doing their math wrong. Let's be nice and say that their two terms of all Fs were low credit (12 each) giving them 24 credits of 0.00 GPA, then they got their act together and did eight straight terms with 16 units of 4.00 GPA. That gives them a total of 512 grade points over 152 credits for a cGPA of 3.37. Not horrendous, but still far below the applicant and matriculant means for any MD school...

While your example is true, the OP stated the courses failed were at a CC where each term is 1/5 of a year. Failing two terms is not 24 credits, more like 12-14.

 

[Le Rendezvous]

Thanks for the help and advice. After doing more math I came up with a more accurate plausible GPA of 3.61 if I complete 4 years of straight A's. I think about what I could do to take more courses and therefore raise my GPA. If I took a certificate program at the community college, I could get 60-90 more credit hours to add to my GPA. Would that be a good idea?

 

[just one]

Thanks for the help and advice. After doing more math I came up with a more accurate plausible GPA of 3.61 if I complete 4 years of straight A's. I think about what I could do to take more courses and therefore raise my GPA. If I took a certificate program at the community college, I could get 60-90 more credit hours to add to my GPA. Would that be a good idea?

60-90 hours, Are you crazy?

 

[flip26]

Thanks for the help and advice. After doing more math I came up with a more accurate plausible GPA of 3.61 if I complete 4 years of straight A's. I think about what I could do to take more courses and therefore raise my GPA. If I took a certificate program at the community college, I could get 60-90 more credit hours to add to my GPA. Would that be a good idea?

So how many total CC hours are you talking about? And how many total UG hours (CC + 4 year institution)?

I think what you are suggesting is a bad idea - pretty transparent attempt to boost a dog doo GPA with CC hours...

 

[naijaboi]

The bolded is the key.

From what has been written here, the OP doesn't have "the right stuff" to do this (e.g., his attitude towards DO is ridiculous).

OP, most of the posters on SDN will try to bring you down - do not listen to them. I have 5 F's and a few C's from a community college. I also completed a significant amount of my premed course work there. I was a 3.97 student during the rest of my academic career. My final GPA was 3.37. I don't think that my GPA has affected my cycle very much as I received 16 invites out of the 20 schools I applied to, including at several top 10 programs. Just make sure that you maintain that 4.0 GPA from now on. Perfection is your only choice. If you have a compelling reason for your grades, address it in your PS. If it was just immaturity, own up to it, and show your growth and most schools will forgive you - especially if you were a compelling and interesting candidate.

With a compelling statement, excellent LORs and ECs you will do just fine.

Apply broadly and by all means include DO schools, but I think you can get into an MD program.

 

[naijaboi]

So how many total CC hours are you talking about? And how many total UG hours (CC + 4 year institution)?

I think what you are suggesting is a bad idea - pretty transparent attempt to boost a dog doo GPA with CC hours...

Flip26 is right. I would take as few classes in CC as possible, transfer to a four year college and complete the rest of my premed requirements there. Also, it would be in your best interest to major in an advanced science course of study - perhaps biochemistry. Good grades in advanced science classes can overcome early bad performance in your premed classes. You want to prove that you can handle medical school course-load, and that your grades were a fluke - which I am sure they are.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Thanks for the help and advice. After doing more math I came up with a more accurate plausible GPA of 3.61 if I complete 4 years of straight A's. I think about what I could do to take more courses and therefore raise my GPA. If I took a certificate program at the community college, I could get 60-90 more credit hours to add to my GPA. Would that be a good idea?

No, it is a ridiculous idea.

Based on your crappy math skills alone, you'll never get into med school.

I am now ready to announce my conclusion:

TROLL.

 

[Arjuna]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the obvious option: The Caribbean. Then the O.P can have his cake AND eat it too; hell, he can blend it and slurp it all down, along with the blender. O.P, you can still get your M.D and do a residency at Johns Hopkins for all I care, if you choose to go the Caribbean route. Just be ready to shell out hard cash. BUT ever give up hope. And if not the Caribbean (Hope Medical Institute, Aruba, St. Georges, etc) there's always a fresh start at Kasturba Medical College in India and a couple other options, for starters. However, if you do choose to apply the traditional route, through AMCAS, you have an incredibly low chance. You see, AMCAS will still count your previous grades, its just that if you retake them, the courses will count as a separate attempts; in other words, you could take any 3 credit course (even basketweaving) and it would have the same effect on your GPA. If you need more advice, feel free to PM me. Not all hope is lost. Trust me.

 

[Arjuna]

No, it is a ridiculous idea.

Based on your crappy math skills alone, you'll never get into med school.

I am now ready to announce my conclusion:

TROLL.

Why are you so on this guy's back? Jeez, he's been through hell and back and all you're doing is grilling him. I hate when people pull stuff like that on here. Get off your self righteous pedestal and wake up. No one care about your opinion outside of SDN, if that.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Why are you so on this guy's back? Jeez, he's been through hell and back and all you're doing is grilling him. I hate when people pull stuff like that on here. Get off your self righteous pedestal and wake up. No one care about your opinion outside of SDN, if that.

Well, that is certainly true!!

Look, his story is not endearing or credible to me. I'm not grilling him, I just don't find him to be someone who is realistic about his own situation and he wants a "magic bullet" to fix all his mistakes.

"If I get 40 As will I get in? No? How about 80 As? 90?"

"And what is this averaging thing of which you speak? How do I do that thing?"

Absurd.

And is anti-DO attitude really turned me off, I'll admit. And others obviously have had the same reaction.

But I'll lay off him.

 

[Schemp]

How is it even possible to have 2 consecutive terms of all Fs? No scholastic probation at this college? How does that even work? Can you really continue at a college after a term of all Fs?

An adcom will need to see some genuine maturation. Making As since then is a start. But I see this as a character issue - one that can be overcome - but the last thing I would want to read is a litany of excuses (GF left me, dog died, chronic diarrhea).

Okay, I'm not going to start text-yelling here, but comments like this really make me want to. This is absolutely unfounded and ignorant of people's differences.

The fact is that many people, myself included, do not (or at least did not) see grades in college as a reflection on someone's character. It's a reflection on their values at best, and what's so wrong with not valuing grades? It's certainly not the safest way to go about your education, but to say him doing poorly in school is a CHARACTER issue is almost an outright slander.

It took me two years at community college to figure out what I thought I wanted to do, which was become a Japanese translator because I loved the language. My grades meant absolutely nothing to that career except that I needed a bachelor's and obviously years of language instruction. I put a tremendous effort into learning Japanese but very little into the coursework itself, and even less into other classes. Does this somehow make me a worse person than you, or a character flaw is I needed to overcome?

Your statements reek of someone who grew up being told by his parents that nothing but your grades matter and without good grades you'll never be successful in life. Well, guess what: 1) you're wrong, and 2) it comes off as incredibly judgmental. It's sad how many people feel the same as you.

 

[The Poet Sings]

Okay, I'm not going to start text-yelling here, but comments like this really make me want to. This is absolutely unfounded and ignorant of people's differences.

The fact is that many people, myself included, do not (or at least did not) see grades in college as a reflection on someone's character. It's a reflection on their values at best, and what's so wrong with not valuing grades? It's certainly not the safest way to go about your education, but to say him doing poorly in school is a CHARACTER issue is almost an outright slander.

It took me two years at community college to figure out what I thought I wanted to do, which was become a Japanese translator because I loved the language. My grades meant absolutely nothing to that career except that I needed a bachelor's and obviously years of language instruction. I put a tremendous effort into learning Japanese but very little into the coursework itself, and even less into other classes. Does this somehow make me a worse person than you, or a character flaw is I needed to overcome?

Your statements reek of someone who grew up being told by his parents that nothing but your grades matter and without good grades you'll never be successful in life. Well, guess what: 1) you're wrong, and 2) it comes off as incredibly judgmental. It's sad how many people feel the same as you.

now i can't speak for the particular person you're talking about, but my impression is that people are thinking this is how the schools will look at it, as a character flaw. and yes you can be successful in life with bad grades, but generally, that is in fields other than medicine, like how you said you were interested in translating and grades don't matter there. having a strong upward trend can drastically make a difference, and a few have pointed that out as well.

op, can you explain your reasons for not considering going do? although i wouldn't want you taking a spot away from someone who would choose do over md (yes, those people exist), perhaps if you were more educated on the degree you would see that it is a perfect choice in your situation.

 

[Schemp]

now i can't speak for the particular person you're talking about, but my impression is that people are thinking this is how the schools will look at it, as a character flaw.

I understand many people think that, but I don't think it's true. At least not indiscriminately. There are a million reasons someone could have done poorly in school that have nothing to do with character. That's what personal statements are for, and why doing poorly in the past will not be a serious impediment to his acceptance to medical school if he works hard and proves he is serious his school work and becoming a doctor.

 

[The Poet Sings]

I understand many people think that, but I don't think it's true. At least not indiscriminately. There are a million reasons someone could have done poorly in school that have nothing to do with character. That's what personal statements are for, and why doing poorly in the past will not be a serious impediment to his acceptance to medical school if he works hard and proves he is serious his school work and becoming a doctor.

i think you're (partially) right. i know some schools screen automatically for gpa and/or mcat, so if the op doesn't meet such cutoffs then nothing they can write in their personal statement will help, right? i don't know how serious they are about their restrictions or if they'll look at trends and stuff.

what i seriously don't understand is how someone can fail two terms in a row. not in terms or character or any of the other potential reasons, but how this could be allowed to happen. why didn't the school step in? was the second term a retake of the first, or were new classes allowed to be taken? i'm just so confused at the situation and i hope the op has taken whatever steps necessary to ensure they are never in such a position again. because it will be rough, but it is still possible to get into med school. just don't commit any felonies... i heard those make it practically impossible to get in!

 

[rHinO1]

Well, that is certainly true!!

Look, his story is not endearing or credible to me. I'm not grilling him, I just don't find him to be someone who is realistic about his own situation and he wants a "magic bullet" to fix all his mistakes.

"If I get 40 As will I get in? No? How about 80 As? 90?"

"And what is this averaging thing of which you speak? How do I do that thing?"

Absurd.

And is anti-DO attitude really turned me off, I'll admit. And others obviously have had the same reaction.

But I'll lay off him.

I promise you that 4+ years is not a "magic bullet." In fact there is nothing "magic" about it. It takes an incredible amount of hard work, focus, intelligence, perseverence, and determination. By recovering from a terrible start by bouncing back with YEARS of good grades the OP will go a long way toward painting a positive picture of himself.

The fact is that many people, myself included, do not (or at least did not) see grades in college as a reflection on someone's character.

I agree with this. I would never use someones grades to measure what type of person they are. Grades can indicate intelligence, work ethic, and motivation to some degree, but it tells you nothing about morals or character.

now i can't speak for the particular person you're talking about, but my impression is that people are thinking this is how the schools will look at it, as a character flaw. and yes you can be successful in life with bad grades, but generally, that is in fields other than medicine, like how you said you were interested in translating and grades don't matter there. having a strong upward trend can drastically make a difference, and a few have pointed that out as well.

I would rather form a judgement based on my own opinions rather judge someone based on what I think an adcomms reaction will be. I'd be inclined to think at least some adcoms will recognize when someone has learned from their mistakes and turned things around.

 

[Morsetlis]

I would rather form a judgement based on my own opinions rather judge someone based on what I think an adcomms reaction will be. I'd be inclined to think at least some adcoms will recognize when someone has learned from their mistakes and turned things around.

I agree. Committees bring to mind Congress, which brings to mind the opposite of progress 😎

 

[flip26]

Okay, I'm not going to start text-yelling here, but comments like this really make me want to. This is absolutely unfounded and ignorant of people's differences.

The fact is that many people, myself included, do not (or at least did not) see grades in college as a reflection on someone's character. It's a reflection on their values at best, and what's so wrong with not valuing grades? It's certainly not the safest way to go about your education, but to say him doing poorly in school is a CHARACTER issue is almost an outright slander.

It took me two years at community college to figure out what I thought I wanted to do, which was become a Japanese translator because I loved the language. My grades meant absolutely nothing to that career except that I needed a bachelor's and obviously years of language instruction. I put a tremendous effort into learning Japanese but very little into the coursework itself, and even less into other classes. Does this somehow make me a worse person than you, or a character flaw is I needed to overcome?

Your statements reek of someone who grew up being told by his parents that nothing but your grades matter and without good grades you'll never be successful in life. Well, guess what: 1) you're wrong, and 2) it comes off as incredibly judgmental. It's sad how many people feel the same as you.

So you disagree with me, and to make your point, you challenge my character and values?

Nice.

Of course this diatribe is coming from someone with a 3.20 GPA. Ironic? Good luck in podiatry school, buddy.

 

[Le Rendezvous]

Thanks to everyone who provided insightful replies and sincere help. It is much appreciated, but after reading over some users comments, something came across my mind: Some of you people are completely negative towards other people on a regular basis, and you want to become doctors? You spend your time degrading others while pursuing a career as selfless as medicine? Isn't being a doctor about helping other people? If someone comes in with a broken leg, are you going to first judge them and then let your bias towards their socioeconomic background or prior community college GPA determine the type of treatment they receive?

I come from a low income family, and the reason I dropped out of community college was to support myself. Since the age of 18, I have been working two full time jobs to support myself. Honestly, after graduating high school, I didn't have the time management and focus to balance work and school while helping my family back at home keep food on the plate and get my own place to live. After working so much, I came to the realization that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life working in positions where every day I felt like I was just slaving away, not contributing to society or making a positive change in someone's life.

I came to the realization that I wanted to be a doctor because it would allow me to help other people: something I've always loved doing. Determined, I kept my two jobs and simultaneously enrolled in community college as a full time student. I go to work from 7-3 on weekdays and go to school monday through thursday. On the weekends I work 15 hour days and pick up extra hours on fridays to get over the required 32 hours to maintain full time status at my second job. I continue to work this much every day.

I think that med school admissions might come to see my insatiable ambition and work ethic and look past what happened during those two terms. It occurs to me that admissions officials might have what some call experience in "real life" and see what I have gone through. I am not someone who spent my years away from campus drinking or doing drugs and I truly feel that when I look at my past and realize how hard I have worked to come to where I am now that others might notice as well.

For those who were curious, there were 22 credit hours of F's. All but 8 credits have been retaken.

I do not have the option to "go Caribbean, dude" because I am engaged to someone else pursuing a career in pharmacy and actively in school in Cincinnati.

I am trying to get into University of Cincinnati's med school, not Harvard.

 

[flip26]

Thanks to everyone who provided insightful replies and sincere help. It is much appreciated, but after reading over some users comments, something came across my mind: Some of you people are completely negative towards other people on a regular basis, and you want to become doctors? You spend your time degrading others while pursuing a career as selfless as medicine? Isn't being a doctor about helping other people? If someone comes in with a broken leg, are you going to first judge them and then let your bias towards there socioeconomic background determine the type of treatment they receive?

I come from a low income family, and the reason I dropped out of community college was to support myself. Since the age of 18, I have been working two full time jobs to support myself. Honestly, after graduating high school, I didn't have the time management and focus to balance work and school while helping my family back at home keep food on the plate and get my own place to live. After working so much, I came to the realization that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life working in positions where every day I felt like I was just slaving away, not contributing to society or making a positive change in someone's life.

I came to the realization that I wanted to be a doctor because it would allow me to help other people: something I've always loved doing. Determined, I kept my two jobs and simultaneously enrolled in community college as a full time student. I go to work from 7-3 on weekdays and go to school monday through thursday. On the weekends I work 15 hour days and pick up extra hours on fridays to get over the required 32 hours to maintain full time status at my second job. I continue to work this much every day.

I think that med school admissions might come to see my insatiable ambition and work ethic and look past what happened during those two terms. It occurs to me that admissions officials might have what some call experience in "real life" and see what I have gone through. I am not someone who spent my years away from campus drinking or doing drugs and I truly feel that when I look at my past and realize how hard I have worked to come to where I am now that others might notice as well.

For those who were curious, there were 22 credit hours of F's. All but 8 credits have been retaken.

I do not have the option to "go Caribbean, dude" because I am engaged to someone else pursuing a career in pharmacy and actively in school in Cincinnati.

I am trying to get into University of Cincinnati's med school, not Harvard.

Your first post left out key information, some of that included here.

Your first post also indicated that you were clueless about the Fs counting against you in the AMCAS GPA, so people were setting you straight on that.

Then you really stepped into it when you dismissed out of hand the possibility of DO, even though that is far and away your best shot since retakes "replace" the Fs.

Good luck - you're gonna need it. Apply very broadly, to like 40 schools - tying your hopes to one med school is crazy. Peruse these threads and you will learn that applicants with such a significant black mark on their academic records have to go to extremes to overcome it.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Thanks to everyone who provided insightful replies and sincere help. It is much appreciated, but after reading over some users comments, something came across my mind: Some of you people are completely negative towards other people on a regular basis, and you want to become doctors? You spend your time degrading others while pursuing a career as selfless as medicine? Isn't being a doctor about helping other people? If someone comes in with a broken leg, are you going to first judge them and then let your bias towards their socioeconomic background or prior community college GPA determine the type of treatment they receive?

I come from a low income family, and the reason I dropped out of community college was to support myself. Since the age of 18, I have been working two full time jobs to support myself. Honestly, after graduating high school, I didn't have the time management and focus to balance work and school while helping my family back at home keep food on the plate and get my own place to live. After working so much, I came to the realization that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life working in positions where every day I felt like I was just slaving away, not contributing to society or making a positive change in someone's life.

I came to the realization that I wanted to be a doctor because it would allow me to help other people: something I've always loved doing. Determined, I kept my two jobs and simultaneously enrolled in community college as a full time student. I go to work from 7-3 on weekdays and go to school monday through thursday. On the weekends I work 15 hour days and pick up extra hours on fridays to get over the required 32 hours to maintain full time status at my second job. I continue to work this much every day.

I think that med school admissions might come to see my insatiable ambition and work ethic and look past what happened during those two terms. It occurs to me that admissions officials might have what some call experience in "real life" and see what I have gone through. I am not someone who spent my years away from campus drinking or doing drugs and I truly feel that when I look at my past and realize how hard I have worked to come to where I am now that others might notice as well.

For those who were curious, there were 22 credit hours of F's. All but 8 credits have been retaken.

I do not have the option to "go Caribbean, dude" because I am engaged to someone else pursuing a career in pharmacy and actively in school in Cincinnati.

I am trying to get into University of Cincinnati's med school, not Harvard.

This additional information about your situation is very helpful. Best of luck to you.

 

[The Poet Sings]

Thanks to everyone who provided insightful replies and sincere help. It is much appreciated, but after reading over some users comments, something came across my mind: Some of you people are completely negative towards other people on a regular basis, and you want to become doctors? You spend your time degrading others while pursuing a career as selfless as medicine? Isn't being a doctor about helping other people? If someone comes in with a broken leg, are you going to first judge them and then let your bias towards their socioeconomic background or prior community college GPA determine the type of treatment they receive?

I come from a low income family, and the reason I dropped out of community college was to support myself. Since the age of 18, I have been working two full time jobs to support myself. Honestly, after graduating high school, I didn't have the time management and focus to balance work and school while helping my family back at home keep food on the plate and get my own place to live. After working so much, I came to the realization that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life working in positions where every day I felt like I was just slaving away, not contributing to society or making a positive change in someone's life.

I came to the realization that I wanted to be a doctor because it would allow me to help other people: something I've always loved doing. Determined, I kept my two jobs and simultaneously enrolled in community college as a full time student. I go to work from 7-3 on weekdays and go to school monday through thursday. On the weekends I work 15 hour days and pick up extra hours on fridays to get over the required 32 hours to maintain full time status at my second job. I continue to work this much every day.

I think that med school admissions might come to see my insatiable ambition and work ethic and look past what happened during those two terms. It occurs to me that admissions officials might have what some call experience in "real life" and see what I have gone through. I am not someone who spent my years away from campus drinking or doing drugs and I truly feel that when I look at my past and realize how hard I have worked to come to where I am now that others might notice as well.

For those who were curious, there were 22 credit hours of F's. All but 8 credits have been retaken.

I do not have the option to "go Caribbean, dude" because I am engaged to someone else pursuing a career in pharmacy and actively in school in Cincinnati.

I am trying to get into University of Cincinnati's med school, not Harvard.

i sincerely hope i wasn't one of the people who came off as being harsh. however, we aren't going to sugarcoat things on here. it is going to be very hard, especially since you have one exact school in mind. chances are you're going to have to be long distance with your fiance(e). if there is absolutely only one school you want to go to, you need to be talking to those admissions people to find out what you have to do to make them consider you. and don't be surprised/shocked/hurt if they don't like what they see because each school has something different in mind (and this goes for everyone, not just you).

 

[schrizto]

I do not have the option to "go Caribbean, dude" because I am engaged to someone else pursuing a career in pharmacy and actively in school in Cincinnati.

I am trying to get into University of Cincinnati's med school, not Harvard.

If you're limited to a certain geographic area for med school, you may be at even more of a disadvantage because you can't apply as broadly as someone who can travel anywhere for med school. If you are very set on going to Cinci, you might want to consider applying EDP to maximize your chances there, although I recommend it reluctantly because it will make your app late for other schools if you don't get in the EDP round.

 

[Jihad]

If you're limited to a certain geographic area for med school, you may be at even more of a disadvantage because you can't apply as broadly as someone who can travel anywhere for med school. If you are very set on going to Cinci, you might want to consider applying EDP to maximize your chances there, although I recommend it reluctantly because it will make your app late for other schools if you don't get in the EDP round.

No, EDP is for high achievers usually. This would not be the way to go because it would cripple him from applying broadly. At this point, if he is too stubborn to consider DO I would advise applying to at least 20 MD schools. If he only applies to Cincinatti his chances are extremely small. However, if he only wants to go there he probably will not have a problem applying multiple years in a row. I know someone w/ a double major, 38 MCAT nearly 4.0 gpa, great extra curriculars who only wanted to go to his instate school after graduation. That was the only place he applied and he got rejected his first year.

Even with extremely well qualified applicants there is 0 guarantee of even getting an interview at any one particular school. The reality is that everyone plays the odds and usually applies to multiple schools. OP should realize this when planning his future..

 

[jhamaican]

you probably will not get the chance

 

[schrizto]

No, EDP is for high achievers usually. This would not be the way to go because it would cripple him from applying broadly. At this point, if he is too stubborn to consider DO I would advise applying to at least 20 MD schools. If he only applies to Cincinatti his chances are extremely small. However, if he only wants to go there he probably will not have a problem applying multiple years in a row. I know someone w/ a double major, 38 MCAT nearly 4.0 gpa, great extra curriculars who only wanted to go to his instate school after graduation. That was the only place he applied and he got rejected his first year.

Even with extremely well qualified applicants there is 0 guarantee of even getting an interview at any one particular school. The reality is that everyone plays the odds and usually applies to multiple schools. OP should realize this when planning his future..

If you're saying that EDP is only for high achievers based on a single example of anecdotal evidence, then it's not reliable, because if someone was rejected with a "near 4.0 and 38" applying EDP to an instate school, then there was probably something wrong with their application other than their numbers. IIRC, EDP is ideal for someone limited to a geographic area and the school is their first choice.

 

[MD1985]

Two weeks after graduating from high school, I went straight to community college as a business computer database administration major. There, I very quickly got burnt out on school and got two straight terms of all F's. After that, I dropped out. I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my life at that time and stayed out of school for three and a half years.

Now, I'm back in school (at community college again) and have almost completed the first two years of a bachelor's degree transfer program. I am majoring in biology, and to cut costs, have taken the first two years at the community college. After I graduate with an associate’s degree I will transfer to a local university where I will start off as a junior in their pre-medical program. Finally, after getting my bachelors, I plan on applying to that university's medical school (University of Cincinnati) among others.

I now have a perfect 4.0 GPA and have been able to get the two terms of straight F's to not be calculated into my GPA. I plan on graduating from the university with a 4.0 as well and it seems highly possible. The problem is, these grades will still appear on my transcript. I plan on dedicating a very large amount of time of the next year studying for the MCAT, and I think I will score decently.

I am left wondering how medical school admissions will view my two straight terms of F's, three year hiatus, and relatively recent 4.0 GPA. Please answer knowing that I having decent research experience, two years of clinical volunteering, and have shadowed four physicians.

Will it blow my chances? Could it be excusable if I presented it as an opportunity to show that I have matured? Just how bad could it affect my applications?

Please share your inputs.

If you think your GPA wont be good enough, University of Cincinnati has a MS in Physiology, it's a one year program that allows you to take the first year MedSchool classes. Now you will not get credit towards MedSchool but you will get a Masters degree and it will get you accepted into the Medical School.

It will set you back a year but it's probably worth it. Plus the next year when you are in Medical School you will be taking the same classes so you will have exposure. I posted the website below, give them a call and see if you are interested.

http://www.med.uc.edu/physiology/

 

[BlitzSleep]

I think it's pretty plausible to get in to University of Cincinnati's med school after reading what you guys have said.

It's true, premeds know everything.

 

[Cleavername]

Well, that is certainly true!!

Look, his story is not endearing or credible to me. I'm not grilling him, I just don't find him to be someone who is realistic about his own situation and he wants a "magic bullet" to fix all his mistakes.

"If I get 40 As will I get in? No? How about 80 As? 90?"

"And what is this averaging thing of which you speak? How do I do that thing?"

Absurd.

And is anti-DO attitude really turned me off, I'll admit. And others obviously have had the same reaction.

But I'll lay off him.

not alot of people are educated about the field of DO yet, and also they are people, its...human nature to just assume it sucks without looking into it....

lol i actually told my dad about me considering going into DO, and i even explained to him this degree allow me to hold a physician title just as well as MD. this is what he said to me, "does DO cure people with people with herbs?"

point being, i no longer take time to argue with ignorant people, its just a waste of time. besides, ignorance will cost them in the end and they wil never know it.

 

[Cleavername]

i didt mean to call any of you ignorant, i guess i shouldnt have assumed that our OP here dont want go to into DO because he doest know enough about it. ha see what i mean, i some times even catch my self in the act.