Just a bit confused, need direction please!

[dancingdoctor]

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I was considering applying to Harvard's post-bacc. but they only suggest taking 8 credits/semester. I figured that may not be the smartest option for me since I really need to take more credits to boost my GPAs up. Even if I attended Harvard for 2 years, the amount of credits I complete will have a miniscule effect on my GPAs.

So does anyone know which post-baccs are full-time, where taking about 15 credits/semester is the norm?

Setting the idea of post-baccs aside, does anyone have other suggestions as to how I could increase my GPAs in the shortest amount of time possible? What about taking distance ed. courses at my current university upon graduation OR just staying in undergrad school for a 6th year!? (does financial aid cover distance ed. students? do med schools look unfavorably upon spending 6 years in undergrad?)

 

[dancingdoctor]

Thank you for your advice.

I'm just concerned because I've read countless times that 3.0 is the make or break point. (is this only for cumulative or BCMP as well?) My BCMP stands only at 2.14

 

[dancingdoctor]

~ 18 courses, or 67 credit hours (including 2 statistics courses, which Im not sure counts as BCMP?) Total credit hours is at 133.

 

[postbacker]

Thank you for your advice.

I'm just concerned because I've read countless times that 3.0 is the make or break point. (is this only for cumulative or BCMP as well?) My BCMP stands only at 2.14

Not sure what you mean by "make or break" point...look at the MSAR to get a feeling for the matriculation percentages at various overall GPA levels...below 3.0, the percentage of applicants who "make it" with a med school admission is extremely low, down around 1 to 2 percent by my reckoning...contrast that with the median (50th percentile) matriculation GPA of 3.6+...now you tell me what is "make or break?"

Your BCMP is dreadful. What is your overall GPA? It can't be very high if you have 67 credit hours totalling 2.14...you have dug a very deep hole, and it is highly doubtful you can repair your BCMP to the 3.0+ level, and even at that it begs the question of "is 3.0 good enough?" or as you ask, is it the "make or break" point?

You should contact several SMPs to find out what is the minimum GPA for admission and shoot for that...SMP will probably be your only chance for med school...

 

[dancingdoctor]

sorry for the confusion postbacker, I suppose I used "make or break" for lack of better terms, anyway, I meant that I believe 3.0 is the mark that you need to pass the screening process by most med schools. Certainly, I can raise my BCMP to 3.0+ because I'e sat down and figured it out. This will require a few years at the 3.8+ level of more undergrad/post-bacc work. I do not plan as of yet to do an SMP but we'll see how it goes. Will it take a LOT of work? yes. my cumulative GPA is at 2.66, however, Im on an upward trend with a 3.7 last semester.


Lokhtar: I have taken all of my pre-reqs already, but will likely retake them during the post-bacc (including other courses I did poorly on as well as some upper level sciences)