Just Need Some Assurance Here...

[Happoldius]

Hello,

I'm 22, at 19 I dropped out of college my first year. Well, kicked out really because of poor grades.

Won't go into detail, since everyone has different bumps in their roads of life.

I ended up with an overall GPA of 1.3, the classes I failed were law/philosophy/math related, so you could say my “science classes” were not polluted during this time.

Of course many of these threads pop up on SDN, but I would really just appreciate some assurance that my current plan is the correct course of action:

1. Retake the failed classes/do some core classes at a community college to boost GPA (Doing this currently)

2. After GPA is restored, transfer to a pre-med/bachelor program at one of the state universities. (Fortunately the CC I'm attending has a partnership with most of the universities when it comes to transfer credits)

3. Achieve a yearly 4.0 for the next 3+ years, graduate, then do the MCAT/apply to Med School/etc

I'm currently working at a hospital pharmacy, and on the lookout for medical assistant openings. Will also start volunteering, and anything else that will spice up the inevitable applications.

My biggest concern is the GPA and failed classes on my record -- Is there still time to redeem this aspect of my academic record over the next 3+ years? Would a med school see my application and think "well this guy ****ed up at the start, but he did show immense improvement when he enrolled back into school"..... ?

All honest opinions and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

-Ron

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[Chimichica]

Don't bother retaking non science courses. BPCM is all that matters

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[QofQuimica]

I think your plan sounds reasonable; three years of straight As and six years of adulthood prior to applying will help distance you from your poor college record at age 19. Regarding how schools will interpret your record, I obviously can't speak for all of them, but many if not most adcoms do take into account a turnaround like that and give at least some consideration to GPA trends.

You might want to consider reaching out to one or more of your state schools now, before you get any farther along, for some pre-app counseling regarding what else they'd suggest you do to improve your app. Let them know you're interested in making your app as competitive as possible for their school and are working to overcome a poor prior GPA as you've outlined here to us.

And for the record, BPCM, while important, is not all that matters. Overall cumulative GPA is also important. Not to mention that the state U probably won't take you with a 1.3 GPA, which I assume is why you're spending a year at the CC first.

 

[Happoldius]

I think your plan sounds reasonable; three years of straight As and six years of adulthood prior to applying will help distance you from your poor college record at age 19. Regarding how schools will interpret your record, I obviously can't speak for all of them, but many if not most adcoms do take into account a turnaround like that and give at least some consideration to GPA trends.

You might want to consider reaching out to one or more of your state schools now, before you get any farther along, for some pre-app counseling regarding what else they'd suggest you do to improve your app. Let them know you're interested in making your app as competitive as possible for their school and are working to overcome a poor prior GPA as you've outlined here to us.

And for the record, BPCM, while important, is not all that matters. Overall cumulative GPA is also important. Not to mention that the state U probably won't take you with a 1.3 GPA, which I assume is why you're spending a year at the CC first.

Yes your last sentence is exactly right. I spoke with an admissions counselor at the state U I was most interested in joining, and she suggested utilizing the well known CC to improve GPA before attempting any university applications.

Regardless, I shall follow your suggestion further and speak with each one I plan on applying to, just to be more prepared for when the time comes.

Thank you very much. 🙂

 

[jkmnop]

One year of bad grades followed by 3 years of straight As (or as close as possible) will make your gpa go up and will show a good trend that you're able to fix your failures. The key hear is to follow through and don't go back to that level again.


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[esob]

Just make sure you actually get 3 years of straight A's. The non trad forums are a graveyard of people with < 10 post count who ask the same question, proclaim the same plan of action, and then are never heard from again . Find someone to hold you accountable. For me it's my kids, as I can't imagine having to explain to how or why their dad failed. So when I'm too tired to study I study anyway, when I'm so sick that any real job would send me home I go to class anyway, and when the end goal seems so far away that it will never come I simply put one foot in front of the other and cross off each day on my calendar as a testament to the day's small victory.

 

[Happoldius]

Just make sure you actually get 3 years of straight A's. The non trad forums are a graveyard of people with < 10 post count who ask the same question, proclaim the same plan of action, and then are never heard from again . Find someone to hold you accountable. For me it's my kids, as I can't imagine having to explain to how or why their dad failed. So when I'm too tired to study I study anyway, when I'm so sick that any real job would send me home I go to class anyway, and when the end goal seems so far away that it will never come I simply put one foot in front of the other and cross off each day on my calendar as a testament to the day's small victory.

Yes sir, my wife gave birth to our first son recently, and the paternal desire to give him a good life is very overwhelming.

Thank you for the very relateable advice.

 

[Goro]

Your plan is sound and there are MD schools (and all DO0 that reward reinvention, provided you ace your coursework now, and MCAT as well. The trick is proving that the you of now is not the you of then.

Hello,

I'm 22, at 19 I dropped out of college my first year. Well, kicked out really because of poor grades.

Won't go into detail, since everyone has different bumps in their roads of life.

I ended up with an overall GPA of 1.3, the classes I failed were law/philosophy/math related, so you could say my “science classes” were not polluted during this time.

Of course many of these threads pop up on SDN, but I would really just appreciate some assurance that my current plan is the correct course of action:

1. Retake the failed classes/do some core classes at a community college to boost GPA (Doing this currently)

2. After GPA is restored, transfer to a pre-med/bachelor program at one of the state universities. (Fortunately the CC I'm attending has a partnership with most of the universities when it comes to transfer credits)

3. Achieve a yearly 4.0 for the next 3+ years, graduate, then do the MCAT/apply to Med School/etc

I'm currently working at a hospital pharmacy, and on the lookout for medical assistant openings. Will also start volunteering, and anything else that will spice up the inevitable applications.

My biggest concern is the GPA and failed classes on my record -- Is there still time to redeem this aspect of my academic record over the next 3+ years? Would a med school see my application and think "well this guy ****ed up at the start, but he did show immense improvement when he enrolled back into school"..... ?

All honest opinions and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

-Ron

 

[ngrd2]

Hello,

I'm 22, at 19 I dropped out of college my first year. Well, kicked out really because of poor grades.

Won't go into detail, since everyone has different bumps in their roads of life.

I ended up with an overall GPA of 1.3, the classes I failed were law/philosophy/math related, so you could say my “science classes” were not polluted during this time.

Of course many of these threads pop up on SDN, but I would really just appreciate some assurance that my current plan is the correct course of action:

1. Retake the failed classes/do some core classes at a community college to boost GPA (Doing this currently)

2. After GPA is restored, transfer to a pre-med/bachelor program at one of the state universities. (Fortunately the CC I'm attending has a partnership with most of the universities when it comes to transfer credits)

3. Achieve a yearly 4.0 for the next 3+ years, graduate, then do the MCAT/apply to Med School/etc

I'm currently working at a hospital pharmacy, and on the lookout for medical assistant openings. Will also start volunteering, and anything else that will spice up the inevitable applications.

My biggest concern is the GPA and failed classes on my record -- Is there still time to redeem this aspect of my academic record over the next 3+ years? Would a med school see my application and think "well this guy ****ed up at the start, but he did show immense improvement when he enrolled back into school"..... ?

All honest opinions and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

-Ron

I was told by my pre-med advisor, after getting a C and a C+ last semester (long story, road bump), that if it didn't bring my gpa down below a 3.9 (it didn't) and my science gpa down below a 3.7 (it's 3.78) that I was okay. She told me that she's seen vast changes in the 35 years she's been a pre-med advisor but that a relative constant was that the MCAT was the great equalizer. If I went to a smaller private college with science teachers vs. (often brilliant) researchers who aren' great teachers I'd probably be doing better, but I think the important parts are consistency and determination, both of which it seems like you're displaying, so I would just keep an eye on the MCAT for how well it matches up with the classes you're taking. (MCAT's idea of organic chem is a tinker toy version of what I had to take, but I have no complaints.) So just keep doing what you're doing, you're young and I don't think admissions committees are going to expect you to have had your life totally figured out at 18 or 19.