inspiration for sub-3.0 gpa applicants

[AndyDufrane]

---

Members do not see this ad.

to all those applicants who think they have no shot because of a stinky under grad gpa, stay the course and you'll get there...graduated in '99 from a small state school in western NY with a 2.93 gpa in Bio, followed by a an MS from Univ at Buffalo and 30 MCAT and AmeriCorp year, and no , i am not an underrepresented minority, in fact, I am south asian, so my ethnicity probablity didn't help, so all in all, it took 4 years and 2 application cycles, and I am a MS1 at age 26 and loving every bit of it, I think I appreciate it alot more than somebody who might have had an easier time getting in...sorry, I am rambling, i should be studying for my microanatomy practical, but I want all you underdogs to keep going, no matter what, cause you will have to crawl through a mile of fecal matter, but you will get there, remember, you can only sharpen a knife by grinding it against something harder than the knife

 

[MDmiracle]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have been stressing with a 3.04 GPA and a 32 MCAT, great EC's. This process is driving me insane. I appreciate any advice or wisdom that you can share. Again thanks for the peptalk.

 

[Robz]

I'll never argue inspiration. I can always use it. I keep the faith all the time as I truely believe it will all work out in the end. Then again.... a little luck wouldn't hurt anyways. 🙂

I am a scrapper, as I held a not so great GPA around 2.0 (about a hundred credits worth) before I found my love of medicine. Since then I have not looked back when I transferred to another school and amassed a 3.65 GPA there. (again another 100 credits of that) When you add all my credits together they are a little below a 3.0 but I have not had a semester in the last 6 years less than 3.5. I'm taking the long hard road to obtain my goals. I kinda relish the underdog role. 😉

Thanks again for the words of encouragement. If you can dream it you can do it.

 

[AndyDufrane]

from my experiences, i can pass you guys this advice...you will be asked about your sub-par performances by every interviewer, and when they do, take a deep breathe and tell it like it is, be honest, but just don't dwell on the past either, just explain but try to put a positive spin on it, I did much better in grad school and my MCAT, so I told them the lessons I learned from my mistakes in undergrad, and don't go into the interview with the thought of how you are going to explain your bad grades, you have other strong qualities if you are invited to the interview, so be confident, because somebody in the admissions office thinks you have the potential to be a medical student otherwise they wouldn't waste their time inviting you... so relax, and enjoy yourself, remember , as one of my interviewers told me, one of the points of the interview is alslo to sell the school to you, so if you come across enthusuastic about the school and medicine in general, it will help

 

[ma-bas]

That's just what I need today. I've got an UG gpa of 2.9, but I have an M.S. in nutrition, work experience and MCAT of 36. I keep seeing all of these people getting multiple interviews at schools I applied to and I get nervous. I've got one interview so far, and I have to keep telling myself it is early. I don't have any friends going through this with me, everyone is years out of school, into theit careers like myself. Thanks again for the inspiration. As for Robz and MDMiracle, best of luck to you!

 

[Amy B]

That's a great story. I am glad things worked out form you and you didn't give up until you got what you want. Sometimes the stats we earn don't reflect what we really are and our potential as future doctors.

Way to go Andy Durfrane

 

[cupcake_queen]

Thank you. This is just what I needed especially on a Monday in lab. It's nice to know that there are very nice people out there.

 

[exmike]

Here is some more inspiration for Sub 3.0's. I'm not in yet, but I have six interviews so far in this application cycle.

My sci GPA was essentially sub 3.0 (it was a little above). and my total GPA was barely above that. I took a year off doing research, got a MPH in infectious diseases, got a 35p on my MCAT, and am doing the one year SMP at georgetown. This is also my first time applying.

After my first two years of college my cum was about a 2.3. It has been a daily struggle since then to get to where I am now, but I think im proof that perserverance pays off. You guys can definitely do it if I can. Have faith, plan well, and work hard, and you'll make it!

 

[TTSD]

Don't fret. A lot of people actually DO get in with sub-3.0's. I know of one guy who got a couple of D's, way below 3.0 get into a top tier medschool. Partly from a great resume and stellar MCATs.

But the moral of the story is that it DEFINATELY can be done.. you just have to sell yourself.

 

[AndyDufrane]

to all those who are pre-meds who are just starting off in college or who aren't too far into college, the number one piece of advice for getting into med school is not to screw up early on, do whatever you have to do to keep that GPA high, whether it be changing majors or spreading out the pre-med classes, remember, be whatever major you want to be, in fact, you probably stick out more if you are other than a science major like biology or biochem, because every pre-med and their brother is a bio or biochem major, so feel free to try on majors like english or anthro etc. also, start volunteering early on to show a consistent pattern, I would suggest going to a local hospital volunteer program or even volunteering in a local community health center, I remember when I was an AmeriCorp member pre-med college students worked for the summer and got paid, i dunno if it was some sort of AmeriCorp program just for the summer, just look around, and also a research experience over the summer or even during a semester,esp like big name places like Memorial Sloan Kettering that have summer research programs for college students, all in all, its not one particular thing that gets you in, its your over application and a little bit of luck

 

[superdevil]

good story, indeed, Andy. congrats.

i was just browsing the MSAR (2003-2004), and noted this: under the "Selection Factors" section for the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, it quotes and handful of stats from the upcoming entering class, among them, that, "average GPA was a 3.51 (93% under 3.0). so...7% of the entering class were sub-3.0ers. not too bad, i say.

i'm sure other schools have stats like that, i'm just too lazy to look😀

 

[drumming207]

Originally posted by superdevil
good story, indeed, Andy. congrats.

i was just browsing the MSAR (2003-2004), and noted this: under the "Selection Factors" section for the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, it quotes and handful of stats from the upcoming entering class, among them, that, "average GPA was a 3.51 (93% under 3.0). so...7% of the entering class were sub-3.0ers. not too bad, i say.

i'm sure other schools have stats like that, i'm just too lazy to look😀

Some characteristics of the entering class were: Undergraduate average GPA, 3.5 (93 percent above 3.0)

 

[superdevil]

Some characteristics of the entering class were: Undergraduate average GPA, 3.5 (93 percent above 3.0)

sorry about the typo. thanks for the correction, drumming😀