low GPA considering DO, how to raise GPA?

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casurfer88

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  • 2.15 cumul GPA
  • 508 MCAT taken Sept 2016---- should I retake? do I need a higher score? can i get my GPA up in 3 years to still use this score?

I was immature in college and didn't take it seriously, half way through I changed from bio to public health since I was not doing well. I have C and Ds in most of my bio and chem classes. Labs are all B range, and Math B and Cs.

I've been working in the public health field now for almost 3 years, I have been a clinical research coordinator in oncology for the past year, started shadowing physicians, took my MCAT and would like to try again. I know MD is out of the mix, so I was wondering what I would have to do to get my application ready for a DO school?

Would I have to retake all the classes again, kind of like a second BS? Is a mixture of community college, UC, and state schools ok? Ideally the cheaper it could be the better, but if its best to do UC than I would invest the money. Time is not an issue, since I plan on working and studying and my schedule is flexible. But best case scenario under that 3 year mark so the MCAT I took still stands.

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I honestly do not think I have the best advice for you because the 2.15 cumul gpa seems like an app killer. The only thing I can say is to do your best to get it close to a 3.0 and try a post bac. @Goro may have better information for you.
 
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So if this is the current advice for someone in my shoes three years ago, it truly may be that I'm screwed in my chances next cycle...sigh


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  • 508 MCAT taken Sept 2016---- should I retake? do I need a higher score? can i get my GPA up in 3 years to still use this score?

Your MCAT is fine for any DO schools. Don't retake it unless it expires.

I'm curious why you took it so long before you were ready to apply, but you scored well. Good job on that.

  • 2.15 cumul GPA
If you go down this path, make sure you know what you need to have a chance. Use Excel or a GPA calculator to figure out how many credits at a 4.0 you would need to get your GPA up to a 3.0. You have years of work ahead of you to fix that GPA without any guarantee of an acceptance when you are done. DO schools no longer do grade replacement, so your ceiling on how high you can get that GPA is going to be lower than it was for previous students.

Traditional advice was to retake all C,D,F coursework, but without grade replacement you are in less charted territory. Retake any prerequisites that are below a C. Outside of that, you will probably get more benefit from getting A's in upper level sciences. An SMP may help you, but you will probably need to raise your GPA to get into a decent one (I don't know much about them).

You will find many people on this site who had poor GPAs but managed to reinvent themselves and gain an acceptance. Almost all of them took several years to convincingly prove they were different students then their previous selves.

Some helpful Links:

Low GPA success stories (for encouragement and to see how others managed it): https://forums.studentdoctor.net/th...ntrads-already-accepted-to-med-school.675835/

Low GPA what do I do: https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/the-low-gpa-what-do-i-do-thread.827879/#post-11083370 . The post by DrMidlife (3rd post in thread) is probably the best advice you are likely to ever get for your situation.

Below 3.0 gpa Support Group/Thread: http://www-forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/below-3-0-gpa-support-group-thread.1015398/


It can be done, but it won't be easy. Check back in here periodically to let us know how its going.
 
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+1 to what was posted by @holdthemayo

Also, while DO schools no longer do grade replacement, AACOMAS does include graduate grades in GPA calculations. Any chance you picked up an MPH?


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@Goro or anyone else if I took medical micro under health sciences college (HEALTH 300) would you think that if I retook it under the biology (BIOL 301) if the grades would be averaged or would they count separately? AMCAS customer service gives varying answers depending on who you talk to. (It's alot like talking to Verizon customer service -_- )

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I would assume that they'd be averaged AND counted separately.



@Goro or anyone else if I took medical micro under health sciences college (HEALTH 300) would you think that if I retook it under the biology (BIOL 301) if the grades would be averaged or would they count separately? AMCAS customer service gives varying answers depending on who you talk to. (It's alot like talking to Verizon customer service -_- )

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If the 2.1 is over more than 100 semester units, it's time to plan for an alternative career.
 
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