How to keep pushing through? Sub 3.0 gpa with 47 postbacc credits

[TheCryingCloud]

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Hi all.

I'm experiencing a wave of distress. Long story short, I did awful in undergrad. Literally all throughout undergrad with some good grades scattered throughout. Chemistry has been my primary problem child with numerous repeats and withdrawals. My most recent awful grade being a in 'D' in Orgo II for my last semester in undergrad this past January.

I am currently working on an informal postbacc at CC, and it's been hitting me so hard lately that what if I'm wasting time and money? My postbacc has been going well so far *knocks on wood* and I currently have a 3.8 gpa with 47 credits. However, because I took an insane number of credits in undergrad (I spent 8 1/2 years.....), my gpa is permanently trash, and I'm doubtful that it will get over a 3.0 for both my cumulative and science. I really wanted to reapply (yes, my idiotic behind actually applied last year) next cycle, but I've been hit with several waves of emotions and a ton of self-doubt.

I went the DIY postbacc at a CC route strictly due to finances. I'm considering taking a course at UC Berkeley Extension in the spring, but one course is pretty much my entire monthly income. So, I'll have to move mountains to make it work financially. I'm just really stressed out and doubting myself now. I was okay and in good spirits the last few months, but last night this realization and wave of self-doubt hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm feeling like how I did when I was put on academic probation 6 years ago. Hopeless as ever. I feel like my plan has been dismantled and feel blurry eyed. I'm so mad at myselfn and down, I can't even pray about it lol (disregard if you're not religious xd).

Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you keep pushing forward? How do you overcome such negative thoughts about your journey?

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

The main thing that sticks out to me is that you spent 8.5 years on undergrad, apparently taking a lot of credits. Sometimes people take a long time to finish because they're forced to go part time but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Also, you only finished up last year and have continued taking classes since then. So you've basically been in undergrad for... 10 years?

How tf did your school's registrar even let you continue taking credits? My undergrad forced people to graduate once they had like an extra semester on top of the credits required to graduate with a BS. This seems negligent AF on their part to let you just continue taking coursework with no apparent plan.

My honest suggestion? Go work and be a normal person for a few years if you've mainly been a student until your late 20s. You should not reapply next year imo. Some space from academia will likely help you chill out, give more weight to the fact that you've grown a lot since being a person who almost failed a class last year, and overall achieve more than some course credits. Frankly, with a rough GPA as described, you need more on your resume than classes.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Not to say you couldn't be a great doctor, but you've put yourself in a position where you really need to prove it now.

 

[TheCryingCloud]

The main thing that sticks out to me is that you spent 8.5 years on undergrad, apparently taking a lot of credits. Sometimes people take a long time to finish because they're forced to go part time but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Also, you only finished up last year and have continued taking classes since then. So you've basically been in undergrad for... 10 years?

How tf did your school's registrar even let you continue taking credits? My undergrad forced people to graduate once they had like an extra semester on top of the credits required to graduate with a BS. This seems negligent AF on their part to let you just continue taking coursework with no apparent plan.

My honest suggestion? Go work and be a normal person for a few years if you've mainly been a student until your late 20s. You should not reapply next year imo. Some space from academia will likely help you chill out, give more weight to the fact that you've grown a lot since being a person who almost failed a class last year, and overall achieve more than some course credits. Frankly, with a rough GPA as described, you need more on your resume than classes.

Thank you replying.
I should have specified, but didn't want the OP to be too long. I was a part time student for 3-4 years due to working (housekeeping, amazon, caregiving). There were also some semesters when withdrew from most of my courses and only took one. Last fall, I wasn’t enrolled in any courses and was just working as a research tech and PCT. I was able to save enough to retake Orgo 2 in the spring, and somehow found myself taking biochemistry at CC in the same semester. I was using biochem as mcat prep, but ended up never registering for the exam. So far, this postbacc journey has been my first time being of a full-time student status in years.

Edit: Ahh the registrar just made me pay more. Most of my credits come from attempts and withdrawing late in the semester :/

 

[Rapsidy]

I never breached a 3.0 for my cumulative GPA, mostly because I was a trash student going through tough **** in undergrad.

Since my masters degree wasn’t included in the scaling, I think I ended up with a 2.95 CGPA and a like 3.6 science GPA, since I had to take all the science courses at my own DIY CC plan.

I was given love by my state school, but I believe it was more because I fit their mission than being an ideal student for them. So if you do apply, make sure you really look into the missions of the schools and target those that reward reinvention. Also apply broadly to many DO schools as well.

Just make sure you REALLY want to do this. Doing medical school in my mid 30’s has been a lot harder on me than my peers in their mid 20’s.

 

[Faha]

If you accumulate 60 hours in your DIY post bacc with a GPA of 3.8 you will be seen as a reinventor by some schools. As long as your MCAT is 500 or higher you could receive interviews at some DO schools. If your MCAT is 510+ you could receive interviews at some MD schools. Post your MCAT score here in the future when available.

 

[Goro]

Hi all.

I'm experiencing a wave of distress. Long story short, I did awful in undergrad. Literally all throughout undergrad with some good grades scattered throughout. Chemistry has been my primary problem child with numerous repeats and withdrawals. My most recent awful grade being a in 'D' in Orgo II for my last semester in undergrad this past January.

I am currently working on an informal postbacc at CC, and it's been hitting me so hard lately that what if I'm wasting time and money? My postbacc has been going well so far *knocks on wood* and I currently have a 3.8 gpa with 47 credits. However, because I took an insane number of credits in undergrad (I spent 8 1/2 years.....), my gpa is permanently trash, and I'm doubtful that it will get over a 3.0 for both my cumulative and science. I really wanted to reapply (yes, my idiotic behind actually applied last year) next cycle, but I've been hit with several waves of emotions and a ton of self-doubt.

I went the DIY postbacc at a CC route strictly due to finances. I'm considering taking a course at UC Berkeley Extension in the spring, but one course is pretty much my entire monthly income. So, I'll have to move mountains to make it work financially. I'm just really stressed out and doubting myself now. I was okay and in good spirits the last few months, but last night this realization and wave of self-doubt hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm feeling like how I did when I was put on academic probation 6 years ago. Hopeless as ever. I feel like my plan has been dismantled and feel blurry eyed. I'm so mad at myselfn and down, I can't even pray about it lol (disregard if you're not religious xd).

Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you keep pushing forward? How do you overcome such negative thoughts about your journey?

Your post back Journey shows that the U of now is not the view of them. At this point is no longer about the cgpa, but about what your post back GPA shows.

You will need to apply strategically to those schools that reward reinvention, and especially have a decent MCAT score. That and good extracurriculars, especially those for service to others. You do not, I repeat you do not need research.

The schools that reward reinvention tend to like service

 

[Marcus Aurelius 64]

@Goro Is there a list somewhere on here for schools that reward reinvention? I'm a non-trad and I see that talked about a lot on here but I don't see where to get that school list from

 

[Goro]

@Goro Is there a list somewhere on here for schools that reward reinvention? I'm a non-trad and I see that talked about a lot on here but I don't see where to get that school list from

I've posted it several times, but it will depend upon your stats post-reinvention.