In search for some very needed help...

[UTsksk]

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hello,

I'm a junior at University of Texas at Austin and I'm hoping to attend medical school in the future. Unfortunately my chances are VERY slim. My current gpa is 2.5 and I know that is no where near competitive. It's kinda overwhelming to see people worried about getting an interview with 3.5+. My advisor told me to just give up my dreams and do something else, but I can't seem to let this dream go. I am involved in some organizations and I do have volunteer hours. I plan to be EMS next semester as well. I'm currently going to transfer to another university since I don't feel comfortable here and I'm hoping a smaller university will help me reach my potential. I was just hoping for some advice of what to do from here since no one at my university seems to think I have a chance. I know I put myself in a huge hole, but I don't care how long it takes. I'm just hoping someone can tell me what to do starting now for me to reach my goal. No sugar coating please.

I also have a question...would it be better if I retake the classes that I received a C in before or after graduating with a degree? And would going to graduate school seem to buff up my application besides getting an insane MCAT?

Thanks

 

[Greonis]

You have an arduous uphill battle ahead of you, no doubts about that. But if you truly have the passion and the motivation, I believe that - with ample time - you can improve your situation and have a chance to get into medical school (either osteopathic or allopathic, with the former being more likely for you).

From your post, I gather that you already have a good sense of what needs to be done. You are involved in various extracurricular activities and, more importantly, looking for a strategy to raise your GPA. A new academic environment will certainly help, but it is unlikely to be the only factor that has led you to obtain the GPA that you currently have. Therefore, it is essential that - even before you've transferred - you determine the other factors that led you to obtain such a low GPA in the first place and make every effort to address them. A 2.5 GPA as a junior is going to be quite challenging to overcome, so this is something that you will need to do as soon as possible. Moreover, you'll want to be at (or very close to) a 4.0 each semester from this point forward, for your goal is going to be raising your GPA into the low-to-mid 3's. Medical schools look favorably on upward trends, and even if your cumulative GPA after a substantial comeback is not enough to impress higher-tier schools, you should still be able to have a competitive application for some of the less selective schools (especially your state school, if one exists).

With regards to retaking classes, that is going to depend on which ones you received a C in. The grades that you need to pay particular attention to at this point in time are your prerequisites. If you received a C in any of them, I would say that your first goal should be to look for a higher level elective in the same field of study (for example, taking one or two upper level Biology courses instead of retaking the introductory sequence). If that is not possible and/or unlikely to afford you a superior grade, then look into retaking the actual course(s) that you received a C in. For "non-essential" courses, it will depend on whether or not you are willing to go the osteopathic route. The osteopathic application process employs "grade forgiveness" where the grade for a retaken course replaces an older instance, leading to a significant GPA boost. Therefore, it is highly ideal to retake courses that you received particularly poor grades in when going the DO route, even if they are not required by medical schools. For allopathic schools, they simply average both the old grade and new grade into your GPA, so retaking is not going to have the same impact on your GPA. Taking "upper level" variants of your older courses, if feasible, is a good strategy in this case; it improves your GPA while concomitantly demonstrating that you have the skills to handle a more demanding course load. On another topic, after you graduate, I highly recommend that you look into a Special Masters Program. These programs are designed to both strengthen your scientific background and give you ample opportunity to improve your GPA. This, combined with a strong upward trend during the remainder of your undergraduate semesters, should be sufficient to give you the grades needed to be competitive.

The only extant question at this point for me to address is whether you should apply while you are enrolled in the SMP program or after you complete it. There are pros and cons to either approach, but it is probably something that you should refrain from deciding until you've gotten closer to graduating and have a better sense of where your grades stand.