if you have below 3.0 undergraduate GPA...

[Neuro27]

but have 4.0 graduate GPA, will you still be automatically screened out by computer?

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[Mixtli]

but have 4.0 graduate GPA, will you still be automatically screened out by computer?

Possibly, you'll need a killer MCAT scores (35+) to compensate for that undergrad GPA. Since graduate GPA is usually inflated compared to undergraduate GPA.

 

[njbmd]

Possibly, you'll need a killer MCAT scores (35+) to compensate for that undergrad GPA. Since graduate GPA is usually inflated compared to undergraduate GPA.

Hi there,
A high MCAT will not compensate for a poor undergraduate GPA. Your graduate work will not compensate for an poor undergraduate GPA. You can put everything together and hope that the whole package is enough but a poor undergraduate GPA can still tank you at many allopathic schools. It might be time to look at osteopathic schools since they have a different formula for computing your GPA. The benefit is that you attend osteopathic medical school; you become a physician and your poor undergraduate GPA is not as much of a liability.

njbmd 🙂

 

[NonTradMed]

I'd slightly disagree with the above two assessments. There is grade inflation in grad school, but it's not so much that a 4.0 will be seen on par with a 3.0 undergrad. You typically get a higher caliber to students in graduate vs. undergraduate schools within the same school, so getting an 'A' is not necessarily easier in grad school, at least in my experience.

Your grad school GPA will be looked on positively but your problem is that some schools may automatically screen you on for a 3.0 GPA. Your best bet is to do well on the MCAT (at least > 30), and this may possibly get you beyond the initial screening and then when they see your grad school GPA, they may realize that you are capable of good work. You may want to consider doing a post-bacc to up your undergrad GPA just to cover all your basis, and you have a good shot. I suggest going to the post-bacc forums to get a better idea of what needs to be done.

 

[RxnMan]

Hi there,
A high MCAT will not compensate for a poor undergraduate GPA. Your graduate work will not compensate for an poor undergraduate GPA. You can put everything together and hope that the whole package is enough but a poor undergraduate GPA can still tank you at many allopathic schools...

Check out my profile. I am living proof that these statements are true.

 

[NonTradMed]

Check out my profile. I am living proof that these statements are true.

I've seen your profile, sucks be to you but it sounds like you just need to take some post-bacc courses to up your undergrad GPA, everything else about you is to kill for (especially that MCAT score).

 

[RxnMan]

I've seen your profile, sucks be to you but it sounds like you just need to take some post-bacc courses to up your undergrad GPA, everything else about you is to kill for (especially that MCAT score).

Thanks. Now that I think about it, that was one of the first things I remember investigating when I first decided to go pre med. But I calculated that my number of ugrad hours is so high I can't raise the ugrad GPA above a 3.0, even after earning a PhD. I thought it was futile, so I went in other directions. Depending on how my next interview goes, I may revisit the idea. If nothing else, it's the only thing I can do to improve my app, short of curing cancer.

 

[QofQuimica]

but have 4.0 graduate GPA, will you still be automatically screened out by computer?

You definitely can be. I have a 4.0 GPA for my PhD, and a 43 MCAT, but no undergrad grades or GPA. (My college was completely P/F.) Several schools did not want to send me a secondary initially. In fact, some still did not send me one even after I explained my unusual college transcript to them in detail and gave them copies of my narrative evaluations. It seems that if you can at least hit that 3.0 UG GPA mark, you can avoid being automatically eliminated by most schools that screen. I would recommend doing that if it all possible, or else re-taking a few of your lowest graded classes at the UG level and then applying DO like njbmd suggested. The DO schools will replace your previous low grade with the new higher grade, which quickly boosts your GPA if you're replacing Cs, Ds and Fs with As and Bs.

 

[amandil]

But I calculated that my number of ugrad hours is so high I can't raise the ugrad GPA above a 3.0, even after earning a PhD. I thought it was futile, so I went in other directions.

While it may not raise your GPA number, I think schools look very positively on an upward trend...

To the OP: I would highly recommend post-bacc classes, not towards a graduate degree. These courses would count for your undergrad GPA. In my opinion the reason why schools have GPA cutoffs is because the average matriculant GPA factors into their rankings. A low ugrad GPA would bring down their average, while a grad GPA would do nothing for their rankings. Therefore, I think a graduate degree program would be less helpful for you.

good luck!

 

[NonTradMed]

While it may not raise your GPA number, I think schools look very positively on an upward trend...

To the OP: I would highly recommend post-bacc classes, not towards a graduate degree. These courses would count for your undergrad GPA. In my opinion the reason why schools have GPA cutoffs is because the average matriculant GPA factors into their rankings. A low ugrad GPA would bring down their average, while a grad GPA would do nothing for their rankings. Therefore, I think a graduate degree program would be less helpful for you.

good luck!

Didn't see it that way, but I guess that may be why med school's are so hung up on undergrad courses. I'd also like to add to the OP that there are special masters for pre-health professionals. Those are kind of worth going into if they have a bridge program to a med school....just something to think about.

 

[Neuro27]

So then it sounds like not all schools use the system of computer elimination based on numbers. Is it known which ones do and which ones don't? (link to info?) Or, is the idea that such system exists just a speculation/rumor?

 

[ND2005]

So then it sounds like not all schools use the system of computer elimination based on numbers. Is it known which ones do and which ones don't? (link to info?) Or, is the idea that such system exists just a speculation/rumor?

I think most schools just refuse to admit it. They like to claim they consider the "whole applicant", even when that's not true.

 

[NonTradMed]

I think most schools just refuse to admit it. They like to claim they consider the "whole applicant", even when that's not true.

Most schools that claim loving the 'whole applicant' is just using that to give themselves leeway to not judge by numbers because numbers can be deceiving. They also want to take into account other academic critera such as majors (engineering vs. business major), schools (harvard vs. community college), research (find a cure for cancer?). However, they tell everyone, 'we are looking for people who are devoted to medicine' etc. It's a misnomer. Grades matter. A lot. Adcoms will let the jackasses into their schools if they have high enough grades and no amount of altruism will get you into med school if your grades are too low.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

I've been suckered into the "we look at the whole applicant" idea more than once. My undergrad grades were 3.15, my MCAT is 37, and my grad grades are 3.75. The undergrad grades kept me from even interviewing at 8 of the 12 schools I applied to. Obviously having good grad grades (which isn't easy) can help strengthen an application (slightly), but from personal experience it can't make up for poor undergrad performance.

 

[OSUdoc08]

but have 4.0 graduate GPA, will you still be automatically screened out by computer?

The grades are averaged.

Unfortunately, 2 years of a 4.0 GPA in graduate school averaged with a below 3.0 GPA for 4 years = still too low.

Apply to DO schools.

EDIT: This is only true for AACOMAS.

 

[pinkey]

The grades are averaged.

You seem very sure about that. It is true that they are averaged for some schools, but certainly not for all.

 

[sendwich]

how would BUMAMS or georgetown SMP grades be calculated? the advisors say it's still counted as science grades, but would these get calculated into the overall GPA? or would they still be considered graduate level?

 

[OSUdoc08]

You seem very sure about that. It is true that they are averaged for some schools, but certainly not for all.

I was under the impression that the AMCAS averages the grades prior to submission.

Can someone verify this?

EDIT: The AACOMAS averages the grades (not the AMCAS.) On a side note, AACOMAS also does not count math in the science GPA, like AMCAS. In addition, AACOMAS replaces a retaken course grade (AMCAS just averages the two grades.)

 

[pinkey]

the advisors say it's still counted as science grades

True, but on the AMCAS application graduate courses are separate from UG (and/with post-bacc). Within the graduate courses, the BCPM is calculated separately. Take a look at a finalized AMCAS application or the AMCAS worksheet.

how would BUMAMS or georgetown SMP grades be calculated?

As far as I know, schools don't re-calculate the GPA they get from AMCAS. However it is up to the school how much importance they place on any individual portion of the report (e.g. undergrad overall GPA vs. BCPM vs. graduate GPA, etc) for the purpose of evaluating an applicant.

 

[relentless11]

I was under the impression that the AMCAS averages the grades prior to submission.

Can someone verify this?

No, AMCAS seperates grades by:

1) undergraduate
2) post-bacc
3) graduate

Post-bacc and undergraduate can be combined resulting in a GPA for ALL undergraduate coursework. Hence these are averaged together while graduate level coursework sits out there on its own.

In regards to Neuro27,

It is my impression that your undergrad GPA will still hurt you. No doubt that a graduate degree will look good, but again, the computer that screens only knows numbers rather than degrees. There may be a chance that other factors may put you into the "maybe get secondary file" where they go through your application more thoroughly to see if you're worthy of getting a secondary. But I wouldn't bet my future on that possibility.

I too am in grad school. I am currently holding a 4.0 GPA for my PhD program. As QinQuimica has shown, despite her high grad GPA and MCAT, some schools still knocked her out of the process due to undergrad grades..or lack there of..hahah🙂. My undergrad GPA is sub-3.0. There is a reason why that I am growing an ulcer by taking undergrad courses while taking my PhD requirements. It sucks but if I can get it close or at 3.0, then thats one less thing for me to worry about. The only consolation prize in terms of havnig a higher degree is stating you did a PhD or MS/MA program in your personal statement, that might raise an eyebrow and bump you up to get a secondary. Luckily not all schools screen, and the schools that do have some sort of back up to not exclude (its not perfect though) those that had a plausible reason (not excuse) to have a low undergrad GPA. Seriously what if someone had a sick child during undergrad. Their GPA was devastated because they were taking care of their kid, and paying medical bills. But their kid got better, and did post-bacc/grad school and showed they were amazing in school. 🙂

On a side note, I know of one school that specifically tells you to do post-bacc OR graduate school to boost your application. This would be UCLA. In their FAQ it states this for reapplicants. I don't now how much weight this carries, but whatever. Most other schools...actually all of them (except for UCLA) tell me to do post-bacc.