Is this worth anything?

[SuperSaiyan3]

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Hey guys, I was just curious and kinda new at this so I was hoping I could get some opinion on my GPA.

I just calculated the whole tidbit one by one, weighted it correctly (0.5 credits i divided the GPA score by 2), etc

It came out to be 3.465. Now I already know that this GPA is garbage for med school. But here's the situation. I did fairly well in my first year, but my 2nd year was an absolute disaster (filled with 70s).

I heard that some med schools only look at the last 2 years or may drop certain years or marks. To what extent are these rumours and facts?

If I could get some insight on this, that'd be great. Thanks.

 

[FlowLimited]

Hey guys, I was just curious and kinda new at this so I was hoping I could get some opinion on my GPA.

I just calculated the whole tidbit one by one, weighted it correctly (0.5 credits i divided the GPA score by 2), etc

It came out to be 3.465. Now I already know that this GPA is garbage for med school. But here's the situation. I did fairly well in my first year, but my 2nd year was an absolute disaster (filled with 70s).

I heard that some med schools only look at the last 2 years or may drop certain years or marks. To what extent are these rumours and facts?

If I could get some insight on this, that'd be great. Thanks.

I've never heard of this happening, so don't count on it.

 

[Mattabet]

I heard that some med schools only look at the last 2 years or may drop certain years or marks. To what extent are these rumours and facts?

Mostly rumor, with a pinch of fact. Most programs are not just going to ignore large chunks of your transcript. AMCAS sure doesn't, and every MD school sees the same primary.

That being said, if you have two mediocre years followed by two great years, schools are going to see that you were able to get your ducks in a row and really excel when you put your mind to it. This would work in your favor, and might be almost as good as if they ignored those first years especially because many people's 2-year GPAs are sitting significantly lower than ~3.4).

The other thing, of course, is that DO schools allow you to retake classes and use the higher grade for your GPA, so you can inflate your cumulative GPA if you decide to go the DO route. But if you can get your grades up a bit for your last two years of undergrad; I think you can be competitive in MD programs - if that's the route you want to go.

 

[SuperSaiyan3]

Mostly rumor, with a pinch of fact. Most programs are not just going to ignore large chunks of your transcript. AMCAS sure doesn't, and every MD school sees the same primary.

That being said, if you have two mediocre years followed by two great years, schools are going to see that you were able to get your ducks in a row and really excel when you put your mind to it. This would work in your favor, and might be almost as good as if they ignored those first years especially because many people's 2-year GPAs are sitting significantly lower than ~3.4).

The other thing, of course, is that DO schools allow you to retake classes and use the higher grade for your GPA, so you can inflate your cumulative GPA if you decide to go the DO route. But if you can get your grades up a bit for your last two years of undergrad; I think you can be competitive in MD programs - if that's the route you want to go.

sorry, but what is "DO"?

I'm assuming... dentistry?

 

[MedYEP]

sorry, but what is "DO"?

I'm assuming... dentistry?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Osteopathic_Medicine

 

[FlowLimited]

sorry, but what is "DO"?

I'm assuming... dentistry?

DO is the degree earned from a school of osteopathic medicine. This is in contrast to the MD degree earned from a school of allopathic medicine. The degrees are comparable in almost all respects. Osteopathic medicine has a stronger focus on holistic treatments and teaches a technique called osteopathic manipulation.

 

[Mattabet]

DO is the degree earned from a school of osteopathic medicine. This is in contrast to the MD degree earned from a school of allopathic medicine. The degrees are comparable in almost all respects. Osteopathic medicine has a stronger focus on holistic treatments and teaches a technique called osteopathic manipulation.

I believe that they are also taught, at least informally, to explain what their degree is, as society at large (unfortunately) tends to assume that it is dentistry, veterinary, or pretend.

 

[BlueElmo]

DO is the degree earned from a school of osteopathic medicine. This is in contrast to the MD degree earned from a school of allopathic medicine. The degrees are comparable in almost all respects. Osteopathic medicine has a stronger focus on holistic treatments and teaches a technique called osteopathic manipulation.

And DO schools are easier to get into than MD schools.

 

[FlowLimited]

I believe that they are also taught, at least informally, to explain what their degree is, as society at large (unfortunately) tends to assume that it is dentistry, veterinary, or pretend.

That's so sad, but so true.

 

[circulus vitios]

A 3.465 isn't THAT bad, is it?

 

[Mattabet]

A 3.465 isn't THAT bad, is it?

No, it's really not. And if the applicant has got other things going for them, one can skate on a 3.5. But it's probably not doing you any favors, and if it drops much below 3.4, it starts to become a liability.

 

[mmmcdowe]

sorry, but what is "DO"?

I'm assuming... dentistry?

The most epic DO quote evah!