Itching to apply

[Mimnguyen]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi everyone,

I've been a member at SDN for a long time now. I came on for advice a couple of years ago. Now, I'm back 😀. I just used a GPA calculator and I'm pretty excited, but unsure. Here's my story.

UG cum GPA: 2.768 2003

21 A's at a City college 2004-2007
(for fun + to be a Surgical Tech to pay loans & bills and to mingle with the docs and to get some excellent LORs)

Currently - informal post-bacc: upper division UG science classes
15 units at State college (EXPECTing A's) Fall 2007
also working 30h/wk
12 units at State college (EXPECTing A's) Spring 2008
MCAT + volunteer @ clinic in women's shelter this spring


If all goes as planned...
"calculated" overall GPA: 3.29
"calculated" BCPM GPA: 2.9

I know they'll see my increase in GPA is from taking those diddly classes at the city college and not even going full time, but at the time I couldn't afford to go part/full time at the state college. I'm going full time at a state college now and taking upper div UG science classes and plan on pulling a 4.0. I know that doesn't offset a 2.9 BCPM, but do I have a chance?

1. Should I apply this summer assuming I do stellar on the MCAT?

OR

2. Do a formal post-bacc to increase my BCPM GPA?

OR

3. Just take another year of upper division undergrad science courses at my state college?

I really don't want to wait another year, but I only want to apply ONCE. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Mimi

 

[kronickm]

did you ever originally take the med school pre-reqs (bio, chm, phy, o-chm) and do poorly?


Either way I would say, assuming you do stellar on your MCAT (35 or so) and don't get carried away with reach schools, and maybe throw in some osteopathic schools, you could apply. That is not to say that your chances of getting in would be necessarily good.

I think obviously you would likely be a better applicant a year from now with more science classese and a better bcpm gpa.

You really need to weigh your variables of: your chances of success vs. how much you don't want to wait a year vs. how much you don't want to apply twice. (Personally I would apply to a few schools I really wanted and if I didn't get in apply again next year.)

 

[drizzt3117]

Hi everyone,

I've been a member at SDN for a long time now. I came on for advice a couple of years ago. Now, I'm back 😀. I just used a GPA calculator and I'm pretty excited, but unsure. Here's my story.

UG cum GPA: 2.768 2003

21 A's at a City college 2004-2007
(for fun + to be a Surgical Tech to pay loans & bills and to mingle with the docs and to get some excellent LORs)

Currently - informal post-bacc: upper division UG science classes
15 units at State college (EXPECTing A's) Fall 2007
also working 30h/wk
12 units at State college (EXPECTing A's) Spring 2008
MCAT + volunteer @ clinic in women's shelter this spring


If all goes as planned...
"calculated" overall GPA: 3.29
"calculated" BCPM GPA: 2.9

I know they'll see my increase in GPA is from taking those diddly classes at the city college and not even going full time, but at the time I couldn't afford to go part/full time at the state college. I'm going full time at a state college now and taking upper div UG science classes and plan on pulling a 4.0. I know that doesn't offset a 2.9 BCPM, but do I have a chance?

1. Should I apply this summer assuming I do stellar on the MCAT?

OR

2. Do a formal post-bacc to increase my BCPM GPA?

OR

3. Just take another year of upper division undergrad science courses at my state college?

I really don't want to wait another year, but I only want to apply ONCE. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Mimi

I'm having a little trouble understanding your math.

Lets say your UG was pretty standard (120 units), and your 21 courses at the city college were all three units (63 total units). I'm getting 3.21 overall GPA. 27 more units of straight As yields 3.43 or so overall... did you take a lot more than 120 units in UG or a lot less than 63 in city college?

 

[gman33]

BCPM seems pretty low overall with your "expected" A's.
Is your avg for the pre-reqs less than 2.0?

In any case, I think with a below 3.0 science GPA you will have a hard time getting an interview at allo schools. If you really only want to apply once, I would take another year of upper-level science classes before you apply.

 

[Mimnguyen]

did you ever originally take the med school pre-reqs (bio, chm, phy, o-chm) and do poorly?

I think obviously you would likely be a better applicant a year from now with more science classese and a better bcpm gpa.

I have taken them and did poorly. And you are absolutely right.

I'm having a little trouble understanding your math.

did you take a lot more than 120 units in UG or a lot less than 63 in city college?

My UG is 215.5 quarter units and mostly in BCPM classes [Bio Sci B.S. @ UCD]
At city is 68 units [not BCPM]

I used some kind of spread sheet that someone created.

BCPM seems pretty low overall with your "expected" A's.
Is your avg for the pre-reqs less than 2.0?

In any case, I think with a below 3.0 science GPA you will have a hard time getting an interview at allo schools. If you really only want to apply once, I would take another year of upper-level science classes before you apply.

I guess I know what to do. You're all telling me the same thing that I don't want to hear😀, but it's the truth and I knew it too. Thanks for the help. I'll check out the other boards for doing formal or informal for next year. I prefer the informal so I can stay where I am at and still work. Another year to increase my odds of even getting an interview or be considered at the school of my choice would be worth the wait.

 

[gman33]

If you have grades of C or below in any of the pre-reqs, you may want to retake those classes as well. It will raise your GPA and help you prep for the MCAT. DO schools will only use the re-take grade in calculating your GPA. If you are open to DO schools, this may be the way to go.

 

[Mimnguyen]

I was looking at my original post and it was posted 6 days shy of one year ago.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=331408&highlight=mimnguyen

If you have grades of C or below in any of the pre-reqs, you may want to retake those classes as well. It will raise your GPA and help you prep for the MCAT. DO schools will only use the re-take grade in calculating your GPA. If you are open to DO schools, this may be the way to go.

I want an MD for all the wrong reasons 😀 I want to know that I can do it. 🙂 But I think you're right about retaking those classes to really learn the material. If I haven't filled up my schedule with science classes I haven't take, I will retake the pre-req classes. I'm kicking arse in my classes this semester: Immunology, Medical Micro, Neurophys, Marine Bio, and Epidemiology.

 

[thoffen]

I think retaking and acing the pre-reqs is a good idea. You're taking upper-divisional sciences now and doing well in them. That should be enough.

I don't see a problem with applying next year. Your GPA should be looking a lot better soon. Are all of your credits quarter credits? I'm not sure what numbers AMCAS/AACOMAS use for semester conversion, but you might want to look into that.

How are your EC's? I think your GPA may off-put some schools initially, but when it comes down to it you have a wealth of recent studies to point to. You will want to stand out with your extracurriculars.

Also, why do you only want to apply once? Obviously you want to get in the first time you apply. But, provided you are significantly improving your application from year to year, it can't hurt you anywhere but the wallet to go for it.

Good luck Mimi!

 

[Mimnguyen]

Are all of your credits quarter credits?
How are your EC's?
Also, why do you only want to apply once?
QUOTE]

UG was quarter. Postbacc is semester.

ECs aren't that great. I work as a surgical tech and have great support from the surgeons. I'll be doing other CE's starting this year: volunteering w/ a woman's shelter and a paper w/ one of my neurosurgeons, however, I don't think the volunteering will be for a long enough time until next year, and the paper probably won't be out until the end of next year.

As for applying once, I thought it would look bad on my part, planning wise. I want to do it right the first time, unlike my college experience that put me here in the first place. More than likely I will end up applying this coming summer and still take classes to improve my GPA if I don't get in and apply next cycle.

Mimi

 

[drizzt3117]

Your numbers seem accurate given that data. You aren't going to be eligible to do a formal postbac given the fact that you have already taken the prereqs, but if you retook them anyways, you would appear to have a GPA of about 3.35 if you got all As. Given that, plus an incredibly strong upward trend (the strongest possible, something like 125 straight semester units at 4.0) and a solid MCAT (35+) you will be competitive for MD programs.

 

[thoffen]

however, I don't think the volunteering will be for a long enough time until next year, and the paper probably won't be out until the end of next year.

That's why it's important to keep sending updates to the schools you apply. Not only does it show that you are doing things to improve your application, but it also demonstrates greater interest in the school and practicing medicine.

As for applying once, I thought it would look bad on my part, planning wise.

I see your reasoning, you should apply if you're a competitive applicant. It only looks bad if you don't improve your application between cycles.

 

[Mimnguyen]

Given that, plus an incredibly strong upward trend (the strongest possible, something like 125 straight semester units at 4.0) and a solid MCAT (35+) you will be competitive for MD programs.

That's what I was looking for. I'm only 30 more units away from your estimate and I have gotten a 4.0 in the last 68 units and will get for the next 27 units. I suppose I can take 2 or 3 summer classes to hasten the increase in grades. Yea! Great idea. Should I wait to apply in 2009?

I see your reasoning, you should apply if you're a competitive applicant. It only looks bad if you don't improve your application between cycles.

If I apply this year and then next if I don't get in, the only improvement would be in my BCPM and overall GPA by maybe .1 or so. I don't think that would be very significant. I'm trying to determine if I'm competitive at all right now or if I should just risk it and apply in 2008.

Thanks for all the love, Mimi🙂

 

[Law2Doc]

2. Do a formal post-bacc to increase my BCPM GPA?

Very few of the formal postpac programs take folks who have already taken the prereqs. You might want to consider an SMP, or keep taking science classes in your own "informal" postbac to bring the BCPM up a bit..

 

[Mimnguyen]

Very few of the formal postpac programs take folks who have already taken the prereqs. You might want to consider an SMP, or keep taking science classes in your own "informal" postbac to bring the BCPM up a bit..

Thanks. Now, I can scratch the formal postbacc off my list. I'm leaning towards increasing my BCPM, because I think that is one of the things that is holding me back from even applying this summer.