Looking for some REALISTIC advice

[InquisitiveDoc]

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I am currently a 4th year senior at a really good public university. Right now, my overall gpa is a 2.777 and my science gpa is a 2.4. I do have 2 more semesters to complete with approximately 24 more science credits which will give me the opportunity to increase both gpa's. But i dont think that'll be enough to enter medical school. I have had some unfortunate events that have happened throughout college (my uncle passed away of postrate cancer last year and 15 days later, his wife died of a massive heart attack. 4 months later, my great-grandmother died of natural causes). I just want to be given the opportunity to prove to medical schools that I am a competitive student but I just have had some rough patches.

Any advice from anyone?

 

[Perrotfish]

Your course of action:

1) Get As in all your remaining classes

2) Take additional undergraduate classes until you get to a 3.0 cumulative GPA

3) Take, and rock, the MCATs

4) Spend a year doing a Special Masters Program (read over this forum for details). Do really, really well there

5) Go to medical school.

Other possibilities

-Skip step 2, but do really, really well on the MCAT. Maybe get in to an SMP with the sub 3.0 GPA (this is what I did)

-Skip step 4, apply to DO schools, maybe get in

-Skip steps 2 and 4 and slightly screw up step 3, Apply to the Carribbean, maybe get in

-Seriously screw up the MCAT: retake it or find a new career

-Screw up at the SMP: find another career

I am currently a 4th year senior at a really good public university

ADCOMs

I have had some unfortunate events that have happened throughout college

Don't

my uncle passed away of postrate cancer last year and 15 days later, his wife died of a massive heart attack. 4 months later, my great-grandmother died of natural causes).

Care


Good luck

 

[Lokhtar]

Well first, calculate what your GPA will be after those three semesters. Likely, it will need a lot of improvement afterwards. Do you have all the pre-reqs? If so, study hard and ace the MCAT. Then either do an SMP for allopathic schools or a post-bac of upper level sciences and apply to DO or Caribbean schools.

Make sure you get a 4.0 in the next 24 credits, or as close to it as possible (3.8 minimum) to show improvement.

 

[Isoprop]

you could ace the remaining classes you have, get a good mcat score and go the SMP route and apply the coming cycle (2008-2009). when are you planning to take the mcat?

 

[Isoprop]

ADCOMs Don't Care

not entirely true. if there were extenuating circumstances (preferably documented circumstances), you could write off maybe 1 or 2 semesters. but an overall gpa of 2.78 is NOT going to be excused by this.

but the "good public university" doesn't carry much weight. as long as it's reputable (e.g. not devry).

 

[Lokhtar]

not entirely true. if there were extenuating circumstances (preferably documented circumstances), you could write off maybe 1 or 2 semesters. but an overall gpa of 2.78 is NOT going to be excused by this.

but the "good public university" doesn't carry much weight. as long as it's reputable (e.g. not devry).

Well, it'll be something they may take into account, but as you said, its certainly not going to excuse such a GPA.

 

[mR LaZy]

i'm in the same boat, nothing much can help with the low gpa since you've taken soo many classes already. the only thing i believe is to do exceptionally well on the mcat and hopefully one of those SMPs will let you in. do really well in the smp and get in somewhere that are favorable to the SMPs