Low GPA from highly difficult school?

[Orlandeau]

Hey everyone,

my girlfriend is about to graduate from Wake Forest with a 2.8ish GPA in Health and Exercise Science and has around a 2.5 in prereq's. Most of this is due to her going to Wake Forest, since I can assure you that she'd have around a 3.5 or higher at the local state schools (Wake is crazy intense with medicine, with their own undergraduate cadaver labs and everything). She has solid volunteer experience and a good essay.

Do you all know of any programs that would prioritize going to such a vigorous school over having a higher GPA at an easier one? I recommended her emailing programs to get an idea (I'm getting interviews at Physician Assistant schools despite my 3.0 undergrad GPA due to a 3.7 prereq GPA on prereqs, most of which I took after I graduated. I found out which schools were sensitive to such things by emailing them).

I have a friend who is in medical school and they considered his GPA 0.5 points higher since he went to Wake (kind of ridiculous, but he found one).

Unfortunately, it seems like schools seem to favor high GPAs at easier schools over mid-level GPAs at harder ones, making me think people should just pick a super easy major and take the bare prereqs and hold an 3.8 Anyone know of one?

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[Myosin]

Hey everyone,

my girlfriend is about to graduate from Wake Forest with a 2.8ish GPA in Health and Exercise Science and has around a 2.5 in prereq's. Most of this is due to her going to Wake Forest, since I can assure you that she'd have around a 3.5 or higher at the local state schools (Wake is crazy intense with medicine, with their own undergraduate cadaver labs and everything). She has solid volunteer experience and a good essay.

Do you all know of any programs that would prioritize going to such a vigorous school over having a higher GPA at an easier one? I recommended her emailing programs to get an idea (I'm getting interviews at Physician Assistant schools despite my 3.0 undergrad GPA due to a 3.7 prereq GPA on prereqs, most of which I took after I graduated. I found out which schools were sensitive to such things by emailing them).

I have a friend who is in medical school and they considered his GPA 0.5 points higher since he went to Wake (kind of ridiculous, but he found one).

Unfortunately, it seems like schools seem to favor high GPAs at easier schools over mid-level GPAs at harder ones, making me think people should just pick a super easy major and take the bare prereqs and hold an 3.8 Anyone know of one?

Here's the problem with what you're saying, it implies that she would have made a 3.5 at a "lesser" school. There's really no way to actually prove that. The DPT program doesn't know whether it was an extremely difficult program or if she was just a party girl who didn't study. All they have to judge her on is her gpa. There were obviously people in her field of study who graduated with much higher gpas. What if another person from Wake Forrest, in her field of study, applies with an actual 3.5? Imagine how that would look for her.

I'm not trying to be rude or antagonistic, just stating what I would assume would be the logical thought process of the committee looking at her application.

I have never heard of a DPT program giving a .05 bonus based on college. A low gpa at a high college is still a low gpa. Even if that were true, it still wouldn't make that big of a difference for a 2.8 gpa.

Remember that schools love to brag about their statistics. No school wants their average gpa lowered by taking in applicants under 3.0. Obviously not the case for schools who look at the individual over the numbers, but it definitely applies to schools that only care about raw numbers.

Some people here swear that schools look at where you take your classes, and some will swear that the majority just don't care. It's up to her to decide based on each school she applies to.

I would not use this mindset as her main strategy when applying to schools. Worst case scenario, she gets rejected and just retakes her prereqs at a local community college. It would bring both gpas into a competitive range.

 

[Orlandeau]

I definitely appreciate the feedback, but was more looking for people that knew of programs that were more conducive to someone in her situation. By no means am I implying that other schools are lesser, simply that the ones in our immediate area are much easier in terms of grades, but are probably pretty comparable in terms of didactic efficiency (I know since I went to one of these schools for pre-PA. It was rather easy to obtain a 3.6 or above).

Basically, I'm not debating quality of teaching, rather looking for programs that may be sympathetic to graduates from schools that are well-known for "grade deflation" (Wake's overall GPA is close to public schools, but sciences being are an outlier). So, I understand that the internet is an easy place to find hives of scum and villainy and arrogrant people, but I'm really just looking for program information from those who are in the process of applying are have applied. (I went to a college whose tuition was under 4k per semester, so I'm by no way implying elitism here, simply GPA discrepancy. If she doesn't get in, I'd recommend the same to her). I'm not here to debate superiority.

That being said, given the large amount of programs, any help would be appreciated. Once again, thanks for the feedback.

 

[Snugglyjeff]

I definitely appreciate the feedback, but was more looking for people that knew of programs that were more conducive to someone in her situation. By no means am I implying that other schools are lesser, simply that the ones in our immediate area are much easier in terms of grades, but are probably pretty comparable in terms of didactic efficiency (I know since I went to one of these schools for pre-PA. It was rather easy to obtain a 3.6 or above).

Basically, I'm not debating quality of teaching, rather looking for programs that may be sympathetic to graduates from schools that are well-known for "grade deflation" (Wake's overall GPA is close to public schools, but sciences being are an outlier). So, I understand that the internet is an easy place to find hives of scum and villainy and arrogrant people, but I'm really just looking for program information from those who are in the process of applying are have applied. (I went to a college whose tuition was under 4k per semester, so I'm by no way implying elitism here, simply GPA discrepancy. If she doesn't get in, I'd recommend the same to her). I'm not here to debate superiority.

That being said, given the large amount of programs, any help would be appreciated. Once again, thanks for the feedback.

No such thing my dude. Schools dont care where you graduated from. A 4.0 from a no-name 4 yr institution still looks better than a 3.0 from a prestigious school.

 

[nomattic]

Putting all of the school superiority debating aside, I think the bottom line here is that a 2.5 prereq GPA is below even the lowest minimums I've seen. I think I said this in another thread, but the lowest minimum pre-req GPA that I know of is 2.75 (once again, if someone knows of a school with a lower minimum, please interject.). While her cumulative of 2.8 makes the cut, her pre-req GPA falls a decent amount below.

My point is, if your girlfriend had at least the minimum she could definitely take the liberty of explaining her situation in essay or short answer format, both of which are provided in the PTCAS application. However, with a GPA below the minimum such an effort would be for naught as her application would not be reviewed.

I have a very low cumulative GPA and took every opportunity to explain the reason behind it, making a strong case for freshman year screw ups, positive grade trend via post-bacc, maturation, etc. I think your girlfriend's best chance at admission is to retake prereqs and/or upper division biology courses, do AWESOME in them, and spin a similar story of focus and dedication.

 

[Azimuthal]

The 2.5 prereq is the current barrier. Contact some programs and ask if a high GRE will compensate or if there are exceptions to their minimum requirements rule. Also, can she retake some courses and get A's?

 

[Orlandeau]

The 2.5 prereq is the current barrier. Contact some programs and ask if a high GRE will compensate or if there are exceptions to their minimum requirements rule. Also, can she retake some courses and get A's?

She definitely could and will probably be forced to do so. They will be at another institution though, since a year past graduation at Wake would be without scholarship help. If she takes the courses where I did, I see no reason why her pre-requisite GPA would be below a 3.5. Then it would be more about schools that look more at pre-req GPA than cumulative science.

I had found a few PA programs that are less about cumulative data and more about essay/experience/pre-req GPA, so that's really what I was looking for here. A family financial issue had caused me to drop 3 classes post-withdraw date my final semester in college. I still graduated, but those 3 classes were all sciences (not all pre-reqs, but going for a science minor at the time). This caused me to get an F in all 3 classes, severely deflating my GPA. A few years have passed since graduation and I went back recently to take the pre-reqs, getting around a 3.7 on them, so she may have to follow a similar route. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[469738]

i agree with the other posters, that a lower GPA at a harder school (now sure you can actually prove) verse a Higher GPA at a "Easier" school is not going to get you much sympathy or help your chances by getting into a doctoral graduate program. I would not even think that having one of the most difficult majors with a lower GPA would even help you much. I have a 3.15 undergrad (not including some pre-reqs) in electrical engineering and I am doing pre-reqs to apply to schools in another year. I suggest you discussion your situation with someone from one of the schools you want to apply to and see what advice they give you. A great GRE will help your case, as well as retaking and doing well in some pre-reqs. Retake pre-reqs at a community college (they might be easier there, if wake forest is very hard). Good luck!

 

[Nick88893]

What about a good GPA from a prestigious school versus someone who got good grades from a community college. Would a DPT admissions look at that?

 

[swolecat]

I think one reason schools even look at the GRE is to differentiate between program grades. If you have low grades BECAUSE you went to a difficult school, prove it by smashing those community college losers with a huge GRE score. If, however, you score similar to them, how can you prove your 3.2 at Harvard is any better than the 3.8 at treasure valley community college?

 

[engmedpt]

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[kle0008]

I doubt many schools will care at all where you were for undergrad. My school is actually considered to be pretty difficult to receive an A at, even though it is a public school. I don't believe that many admissions committees will care, or spend the time to figure this out. That being said, I also think most people that are accepted to difficult schools also know they are difficult going on. I think the problem is that most DPT admissions committees don't want to read through someone explaining why they have "x" GPA. They want to see someone who meets their requirement, no questions asked.

 

[ktachiba]

I think schools will only compare undergrad institutions when deciding between candidates with similar grades. I went to U.C. Irvine for undergrad, and took my pre-requisite courses at a local community college. I was surprised to see many students that were taking classes there that had already graduated from UCLA, or other good colleges. Some of the professors taught at U.C. Irvine as well. So community college isn't just filled with young, lazy, unintelligent students.

 

[engmedpt]

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[zippo]

OP put this up 2 years ago guys.....................fyi if youve got a 2.5 in exercise science at any school, then youre doing something wrong.....its exercise science, not STEM

Ha ha... this is funny because its true and condescending. But yes, everybody thinks their school and major are special otherwise they would have gone somewhere else. Most private schools like Wake Forest are notorious for grade inflation, and when checking the stats, I would say they are a bit guilty. Attending a rigorous program also doesn't guarantee a student is prepared for graduate school. There must be some accountability on the student to learn said rigorous material.

http://www.gradeinflation.com/wakeforest.html

 

[TheDarkKnight14]

Interesting reviving this thread, but I had a discussion with my friend, who is also applying, about this. He was a humanities major as an undergrad and took all his prereqs at a CC and now has a 4.0 in them whereas I took nearly all of my prereqs at my 4 year. Got a bit bummed out because my cumulative GPA is about 3.4 on PTCAS and prereq at about a 3.3. I recently retook a physics class at a CC and absolutely destroyed it. What the hell is the point of my undergrad in science if all schools care about is my GPA regardless of where I went. This part of the application just baffles my mind sometimes.

 

[engmedpt]

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[engmedpt]

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[ptisfun2]

^^^^pt school doesn't have as rigorous a process as med.....med will evaluate cc vs university prerecs but at this point in time, they don't care. That may change. In the last fifteen yrs, pt admission rates became what med used to be, of course med now is twice as competitive. Pt admissions will probably eventually change in prerec eval.

We are currentntly analyzing data from our last 3 applicant groups to see if we want to make this change now or later. I agree....PT schools are going to do so, and I am guessing, some, like us, are already using data to consider it.

 

[SwampPT]

We are currentntly analyzing data from our last 3 applicant groups to see if we want to make this change now or later. I agree....PT schools are going to do so, and I am guessing, some, like us, are already using data to consider it.

Are you a member of an admissions committee somewhere? If so, do you think programs will start looking at non traditional students more favorably? I maintained a 3.77 over the past four and a half years while working 50 hours a week. Not to mention that I have lived life and have no doubt as to what I want. Oops, I did mention it

 

[CAphanatic]

We are currentntly analyzing data from our last 3 applicant groups to see if we want to make this change now or later. I agree....PT schools are going to do so, and I am guessing, some, like us, are already using data to consider it.

Are you saying that your school and possibly others will stop accepting PreReqs from CC's? Or that they will be weighted less than a University? Because that could really throw a wrench in my plans... Im just starting school at a CC and plan to take as many Pre Reqs as I can as I go.

 

[engmedpt]

I would assume that person is referring to their school in particular. Contact your goal schools and ask if you will get accepted in time. You may have to enroll in university and deal with the competitive nature of the university system with its tenure accruing professors and curve based classes.

 

[engmedpt]

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[shs31]

From the PT Virtual Fair on September 16, Emory University, proof attached.
"Does the undergraduate school and degree have any influence on how your application is considered?"
"The rigor of your program will have an impact on how your application is considered."
Like others have said, I wouldn't apply with the mindset of getting a GPA boost because your program is considered rigorous, and especially if you don't even meet minimum requirements. Your skills from attending a "harder" undergrad program should show in other parts of your application, such as your GRE scores and your essays. For me, my GPA is lower than average (though not as low as a 2.5), but my GRE scores were very high. Instead of trying to explain that Biomedical Engineering in Georgia Tech is a top program with lower average GPAs than other schools in the area, I wrote about how majoring in BME has taught me many invaluable skills that will make me successful at PT. A PT school does not recognize that and only cares about the numbers is not a program I want to go to. I also recommend applying to local DPT programs that are familiar with your undergrad program.

I'll let you know if I do get into Emory. Good luck.

 

[zippo]

I think differences in majors won't matter much because when you look throughout this site and at every DPT programs' average accepted GPA's, pGPAs are remarkably similar to cGPAs, despite the differences in classes, majors, and sometimes even schools. The same can be said for other healthcare programs like dental/medicine/OT. The only exceptions I see are people who do postbaccs, master's, or prerequisites (including retakes) after graduating because most know this is their last shot at PT school. It is amazingly consistent (myself included) and all this only suggests is motivation/ability will generally trump difficulty of major/classes.

 

[ptisfun2]

Are you a member of an admissions committee somewhere? If so, do you think programs will start looking at non traditional students more favorably? I maintained a 3.77 over the past four and a half years while working 50 hours a week. Not to mention that I have lived life and have no doubt as to what I want. Oops, I did mention it

I am the Chair of the Admissions Committee at a PT school. I can say we do not look at non-traditional any differently than traditional students. As a matter of fact, in our initial review of applications, we do not even download the graduation year, so we are blind to that. I think where non-traditional students may have a benefit is in the interview portion, as their experience I find helps them immensely (in addition to maturity). Although there are exceptions to every rule, including this one

 

[ptisfun2]

Are you saying that your school and possibly others will stop accepting PreReqs from CC's? Or that they will be weighted less than a University? Because that could really throw a wrench in my plans... Im just starting school at a CC and plan to take as many Pre Reqs as I can as I go.

I am saying we are analyzing admissions data on where students get pre-requisites, do any pre-requisites predict success, and how all of this impacts a student's success in PT school and NPTE. We are in year 2 of a 3 year data collection, and then any changes we have would need to 3 years notice before implementation, so applicants have sufficient planning time. Nothing is done quickly. As another recommended, contact the school you are interested in attending and ask them. The admissions process should be transparent to decrease bias.

 

[SwampPT]

I am the Chair of the Admissions Committee at a PT school. I can say we do not look at non-traditional any differently than traditional students. As a matter of fact, in our initial review of applications, we do not even download the graduation year, so we are blind to that. I think where non-traditional students may have a benefit is in the interview portion, as their experience I find helps them immensely (in addition to maturity). Although there are exceptions to every rule, including this one

I would ask what PT school you work for, but then you would be endlessly hounded on this site. I've tried to apply to schools that put more weight on "grade trend" so I can escape grades from over twenty years ago. I think grade trend and prerequisite GPA are the most indicative of success. Are PT schools looking into this also?

 

[ptisfun2]

I would ask what PT school you work for, but then you would be endlessly hounded on this site. I've tried to apply to schools that put more weight on "grade trend" so I can escape grades from over twenty years ago. I think grade trend and prerequisite GPA are the most indicative of success. Are PT schools looking into this also?

Yes I would, so my lips are sealed. I work for a public school.
We do not look at grade trend, but I think some do. I think the best piece of advice I can give you is look very carefully at schools you are applying to, and find those that meet your needs in terms of requirement, as well as cost, faculty, etc, etc. And talk to schools you are interested in....I can speak for myself, but I do not think we are much different. We do not want lots of applicants...we want the right applicants, and want to make sure people applying are not doing so blindly.

 

[SwampPT]

Yes I would, so my lips are sealed. I work for a public school.
We do not look at grade trend, but I think some do. I think the best piece of advice I can give you is look very carefully at schools you are applying to, and find those that meet your needs in terms of requirement, as well as cost, faculty, etc, etc. And talk to schools you are interested in....I can speak for myself, but I do not think we are much different. We do not want lots of applicants...we want the right applicants, and want to make sure people applying are not doing so blindly.

Thank you for the advice. I have tried to do my due diligence by looking hard at each school. I went by location, average age of accepted students, and schools that place a higher emphasis on grade trend. By some stroke of unbelievably good luck, I have an interview at the University of Miami on October 24th. I thought they emailed me by accident until I received a follow up email . Do any PT schools have elective courses in Muscle Energy? I could almost hear the choir singing when I watched that for the first time! That is the holy grail of PT in my opinion and I would move mountains to have the privilege to learn that. Oh and thank you very much for being on this site and answering questions. You're really going above and beyond for all of us. I'm also going to ask the program directors at the schools I get interviews with if they are on here. If I run into one that program will shoot straight to the top of my list

 

[ashleya8693]

Putting all of the school superiority debating aside, I think the bottom line here is that a 2.5 prereq GPA is below even the lowest minimums I've seen. I think I said this in another thread, but the lowest minimum pre-req GPA that I know of is 2.75 (once again, if someone knows of a school with a lower minimum, please interject.). While her cumulative of 2.8 makes the cut, her pre-req GPA falls a decent amount below.

My point is, if your girlfriend had at least the minimum she could definitely take the liberty of explaining her situation in essay or short answer format, both of which are provided in the PTCAS application. However, with a GPA below the minimum such an effort would be for naught as her application would not be reviewed.

I have a very low cumulative GPA and took every opportunity to explain the reason behind it, making a strong case for freshman year screw ups, positive grade trend via post-bacc, maturation, etc. I think your girlfriend's best chance at admission is to retake prereqs and/or upper division biology courses, do AWESOME in them, and spin a similar story of focus and dedication.

Hello,
My name is Ashley. How did you explain your situation I'm having a hard time explaining my situation, I have a 3.1 cumulative gpa and I believe between a 3.2 and 3.3 pre req gpa. I ran track for three years and XC for two years because I was presented the opportunity of working as a PT Tech at a hospital. If one looks at my grades it got better as i got older because I learned how to manage my time. I re-took anatomy 3 times first two time I got a C and the last time I got A's. I know it looks bad but I want them to understand. Can you help me?

 

[yogeeeee]

Here's the problem with what you're saying, it implies that she would have made a 3.5 at a "lesser" school. There's really no way to actually prove that. The DPT program doesn't know whether it was an extremely difficult program or if she was just a party girl who didn't study. All they have to judge her on is her gpa. There were obviously people in her field of study who graduated with much higher gpas. What if another person from Wake Forrest, in her field of study, applies with an actual 3.5? Imagine how that would look for her.

I'm not trying to be rude or antagonistic, just stating what I would assume would be the logical thought process of the committee looking at her application.

I have never heard of a DPT program giving a .05 bonus based on college. A low gpa at a high college is still a low gpa. Even if that were true, it still wouldn't make that big of a difference for a 2.8 gpa.

Remember that schools love to brag about their statistics. No school wants their average gpa lowered by taking in applicants under 3.0. Obviously not the case for schools who look at the individual over the numbers, but it definitely applies to schools that only care about raw numbers.

Some people here swear that schools look at where you take your classes, and some will swear that the majority just don't care. It's up to her to decide based on each school she applies to.

I would not use this mindset as her main strategy when applying to schools. Worst case scenario, she gets rejected and just retakes her prereqs at a local community college. It would bring both gpas into a competitive range.

Just a quick note...I spoke to a pt yesterday and she said that they actually give certain schools...the example she gave was uc berkeley...a boost in gpa calculations because it is so difficult. Just saying, Idk about wake though

 

[Azimuthal]

Just a quick note...I spoke to a pt yesterday and she said that they actually give certain schools...the example she gave was uc berkeley...a boost in gpa calculations because it is so difficult. Just saying, Idk about wake though

Who are "they"? A single PT's speculation does not make it true. This is a false assumption for most, if not all programs.

 

[yogeeeee]

Who are "they"? A single PT's speculation does not make it true. This is a false assumption for most, if not all programs.

She (the pt) was on an admissions board in the bay I think and its pretty well known I guess for interviewers to make an A from stanford count slightly less and a B from UC berkeley to count slightly more for example. But you are right this could just be one instance, in any case I don't think a school can really knock a person for getting straight As anywhere.

 

[Azimuthal]

She (the pt) was on an admissions board in the bay I think and its pretty well known I guess for interviewers to make an A from stanford count slightly less and a B from UC berkeley to count slightly more for example. But you are right this could just be one instance, in any case I don't think a school can really knock a person for getting straight As anywhere.

UCSF and Samuel Merritt does not do this. It may be an inherent bias by the individual interviewer, but carries no weight, and that speaks more of the individual. I'm from the bay and I can tell you that UCB's rigor is highly inflated . And that Stanford's "grade inflation" is blown out of proportion. Those biases have no merit. Both accept only the best and brightest.

Here's my own bias: A good interviewer would know which school is consistently producing the most innovative students who become founders of the most successful startups. Hint: UCB grads work for them.

 

[Kuhdaytee]

I wish UCB was given a higher boost than it is - I didn't stand a chance at the public California schools, and I don't think my GPA was that terrible for UC Berkeley (3.27 cum, 3.3-3.6 pre-req).

I got in somewhere out of state, but it sucks that I would have had a much higher GPA if I went to one of the state universities. I retook my intro bio course at a CSU, and was floored by how much simpler the CSU biology class was compared to UC Berkeley's intro biology.

 

[Azimuthal]

I wish UCB was given a higher boost than it is - I didn't stand a chance at the public California schools, and I don't think my GPA was that terrible for UC Berkeley (3.27 cum, 3.3-3.6 pre-req).

I got in somewhere out of state, but it sucks that I would have had a much higher GPA if I went to one of the state universities. I retook my intro bio course at a CSU, and was floored by how much simpler the CSU biology class was compared to UC Berkeley's intro biology.

Which state schools did you apply to? Your stats are pretty average for a bio major from UCB, but still competitive for the state programs, except maybe CSUN. What were your GRE scores and how would you rate your overall application? I know UCD, UCB, and UCLA alumni with similar GPA (a little lower) who have gained entrance to CSUF, Sac State and UCSF. Their GRE scores ranged from 152-165. UCSF has made it known that they look at the overall candidate, even ones who had lower than average GRE's. I can tell you that many of the CSU's use a calculation based system to rank applicants (GPA, GRE, observation settings, etc.) so having a high GPA alone will not guarantee making the rankings. That is why you hear of applicants who have >3.8 GPA not making it into CSUN.

Will you attend the out of state program?

 

[Kuhdaytee]

I applied to CSUF, CSUN, and CSULB, and did not have enough pre-reqs to apply to Sac State. I dislike San Francisco for a lot of reasons and wouldn't like to live there, so I didn't apply. I had an interview at CSUF but it was a group interview and I felt like I screwed it up, at least compared to the other applicants haha

I don't feel like I stood a chance at CSUN or CSULB, and maybe had a shot at CSUF if I was more prepared for the interview. I feel like my GRE made up for my GPA, but who knows! I thought I was overall a strong applicant, so I did apply to schools that were more competitive. I agree that GPA isn't everything, but it definitely is really important and I feel like improving it would have helped a lot, since I don't know what else I could have improved haha

I wasn't super excited to stay in California any longer, so I'm glad that I was accepted at the out of state school!

University: University of California, Berkeley (5/2014)
Major: Integrative Biology
Overall Undergrad GPA: 3.28 (3.52 upper div)
Pre-Req GPA: 3.29-3.77 (Most schools are at 3.4-3.5; I got A/A+ in anatomy/physiology classes)
Community/Work/Other: Dean's Honors (1 semester), communication assistant (work study), camp counselor, wildlife rehabilitation volunteer, foster care volunteer, ran the anatomy enrichment program
Volunteer Hours: 236 total: 81 wellness, 65 orthopedics, 39 acute care hospital, 36 outpatient aquatic/pediatrics, 15 inpatient rehabilitation facility
GRE: 160V 163Q 4.5AW

Applied: (submitted PTCAS 8/8) CSULB, CSUN, CSUF, Regis, Elon, UMES, UNE, URI, Touro Nevada, UNTHSC

Rejections: CSUN (low alternate), Regis (Interview Waitlist), CSULB, CSUF (2/19)

Interviews: UMES (9/12), UNE (11/7, declined), Elon (12/5, declined), URI (pretty sure I was given an Interview but I lost the email. Declined either way.), CSUF (1/31)

Acceptances: UMES (10/1 - sent in deposit!), Touro University Nevada (10/3 - declined)

 

[Azimuthal]

Yeah, CSUN has been seeing over 12-1500+ applicants per cycle. If you decide to reapply versus going out of state, I'd say that you have a great chance of staying in California. I applied to half the school's you did and was accepted to Sac, CSUF, and Touro, but ended up going elsewhere. Did you check to see where you were on CSUN's waitlist? If you do decide on a glide year, don't forget San Diego State.

Good luck!

 

[Kuhdaytee]

Yeah, CSUN has been seeing over 12-1500+ applicants per cycle. If you decide to reapply versus going out of state, I'd say that you have a great chance of staying in California. I applied to half the school's you did and was accepted to Sac, CSUF, and Touro, but ended up going elsewhere. Did you check to see where you were on CSUN's waitlist? If you do decide on a glide year, don't forget San Diego State.

Good luck!

I was a low-alternate on CSUN's waitlist, and I think SDSU wanted an extra chemistry and english class that I didn't want to pay for at the time.

I've already moved to the east coast. It's a great chance for me to explore around the east coast for a few years, and it is cheaper than the California schools, even for out of state tuition. Thanks for the advice! If I didn't get into such an affordable school, I absolutely would have reapplied to the Cali schools.

 

[Orlandeau]

Wow, you guys revived this thread for a bit, didn’t you? I had forgotten I even wrote this! I’ll give an update for some tracking for future peeps. The quick answer: Yes, high GPA from a no-name school (regardless of difficulty) beats a lower GPA from a prestigious school. First, a response:

"“OP put this up 2 years ago guys.....................fyi if youve got a 2.5 in exercise science at any school, then youre doing something wrong.....its exercise science, not STEM"

Ha ha... this is funny because its true and condescending. But yes, everybody thinks their school and major are special otherwise they would have gone somewhere else. Most private schools like Wake Forest are notorious for grade inflation, and when checking the stats, I would say they are a bit guilty. Attending a rigorous program also doesn't guarantee a student is prepared for graduate school. There must be some accountability on the student to learn said rigorous material.

These two are jumping to conclusions. Exercise science at Wake is the only major that lets you in the cadaver labs. Biology doesn’t. It is incredibly challenging. The nomenclature gets confusing because most people see “exercise science” and think “well, that’s just hardly above PE, right?” Programs vary.

Also, concerning “most private schools” having grade inflation, my experience was about my girlfriend at Wake Forest. Here’s some public data on them: http://oldgoldandblack.com/?p=43446 (ignore the pie chart; that includes 1 and 0 hour classes). “Ultimately, then, only 8.4 percent of grades given in 3 credit classes were A’s.” This doesn’t even take into account difficulty within a major, which Health and Exercise Science (believe it or not) is one of the hardest majors there. So, my girlfriend had what amounted to be a 3.0 (by the end of her 4 years) at a school that only gives A’s in normal classes to 8.4% of students, which makes success incredibly difficult when you’re looking at a 3.5+ GPA to be competitive with certain graduate schools. She received no interviews nor acceptances to PT schools upon applying.

Anyway, here’s to the meat of what I found out--

I had a 3.1 from a respected university and got no interviews for physician assistant schools. I took 5 classes in 2 semesters from a local university that were, honestly, in comparison, a joke. I got all A’s. Boom, suddenly 3 interviews and accepted by my first choice.

My girlfriend took several classes at the same school, admitted they were incredibly easy, and received A’s. It now looks like she’ll get into PT school no problem (she applies in a week).

So, to sum it up, if you’re going to professional school for MD, DO, PA, PT, or whatever…it seems like the best path is to go to the easiest college around, which will not only save some $, but also allow you to have a good time and still get a 3.8. Find that 4th or 5th most popular state school around that lets everyone in and then enjoy the ride. Since there’s no requirement that school release their GPA data, there’s no way for grad schools to compare the difficulty of the 100+ different schools they get applications from, and most don’t.

My PA class has only 10% of the class from private schools (4 different ones), and none of those 4 private schools are considered vigorous around here. Also, look in states that have more programs. Here in NC, we have lots of schools. You wouldn’t believe the amount of Michigan students we have due to lack of programs and, thus, higher competition up north. Feel free to message me, anyone.