Low GPA, High MCAT, high post bacc GPA

[Fluxx]

Da stats:

I graduated from a top liberal arts school with a BS and a GPA of 2.56.

I'm taking 1 years worth of science courses + summer session (so 46 credits in total) and will likely have around a 3.8 GPA (so all the harder sciences, orgo, physics II, 400 level bio classes etc.) at a CUNY school (in NYC). On practice MCATs I've been scoring around a 35, and I might be able to improve more in the few months before I take it officially (this Sept).

I've been volunteering (w/ direct clinical contact) at Planned Parenthood for the past few months (and will continue for the next year or so), and am a member of the activist council member there.

I know I'm not exactly a shoe in anywhere because of my disastrous ug GPA (and might just get automatically cut off due to GPA at some places), but I'm thinking I at least will have a shot at some of the less competitive DO schools that take trends into account in addition to hard stats (IE Lake Erie avg. MCAT is a 28 and GPA is 3.4)

I'm also applying to other grad programs as a contingency plan.

Thoughts? Anyone else in a situation like mine who improved via post bacc classes and got in?

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[Pons Asinorum]

1. If you have a "few months" left to prep for the MCAT, don't burn through all the AAMC practice exams just yet. Keep prepping hard, save the AAMC's for the last month.

2. If you do well (~35 or higher) you will be fine with regards to acceptances, DO and some MD, if you apply broadly. Sure some GPA screens will get you, but that's why you cast a wide net. Non-trad + really strong upward trend is a good thing.

3. Not sure what the "activist council" is, but word it carefully on your AMCAS. Overt political references do better when they are put mildly. Regardless of political affiliation/activities, you don't want anyone involved in the process to feel like you're a bomb thrower. Medicine is hierarchical and inherently conservative, just remember your audience and you'll be fine.

Best of luck.

 

[Fluxx]

Not sure what the "activist council" is, but word it carefully on your AMCAS. Overt political references do better when they are put mildly. Regardless of political affiliation/activities, you don't want anyone involved in the process to feel like you're a bomb thrower. Medicine is hierarchical and inherently conservative, just remember your audience and you'll be fine.

Best of luck.

Thanks so much for your input! The activist council promotes women's reproductive rights (pro-choice), and is overtly political. I was going to talk in my personal statement about how during my year teaching in Ecuador I saw how lack of access to contraceptives really impacted their country, endangered women etc, which is why Planned Parenthood/becoming a Dr. is so important to me. Should I scrap that and make as little reference as possible to anything about being pro-choice? Do you think even talking about contraceptives is too blatantly liberal?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Thanks so much for your input! The activist council promotes women's reproductive rights (pro-choice), and is overtly political. I was going to talk in my personal statement about how during my year teaching in Ecuador I saw how lack of access to contraceptives really impacted their country, endangered women etc, which is why Planned Parenthood/becoming a Dr. is so important to me. Should I scrap that and make as little reference as possible to anything about being pro-choice? Do you think even talking about contraceptives is too blatantly liberal?

No, just tread carefully. I don't think you have to couch your desire to extend/improve the access that economically-disadvantaged women have to health care in pro-choice/pro-life terms. Just talk about giving women access to care; being pro-life doesn't mean one is anti-contraceptive or anti-access to care. Use your PS to show your passion about access to care and providing that care. That's not a political issue. Not sure if I'm expressing that point well; you can be passionate about a politically-loaded subject without being overtly political.

 

[wanderedtoolong]

From what I've heard from ADCOMs, many of them will look at your app because of your MCAT (if it is 35 or above) and your postbac work will show that some true change has taken place. Be sure to explain your shift in academic accomplishment (ugpa due to disease/disadvantage/ or just immaturity and lack of direction) in your app. I've heard that a stellar postbac can almost completely compensate for poor undergrad performance. Apply very broadly and you should get in somewhere (MD).
good luck!

 

[Goro]

You'll be fine for most DO programs, thanks to AACOMAS grade replacement policy. This will do wonders for your GPA.

There are MD programs that like people who reinvent themselves, so seek them out (like Drexel, BU, Albany, SUNY Upstate)

Da stats:

I graduated from a top liberal arts school with a BS and a GPA of 2.56.

I'm taking 1 years worth of science courses + summer session (so 46 credits in total) and will likely have around a 3.8 GPA (so all the harder sciences, orgo, physics II, 400 level bio classes etc.) at a CUNY school (in NYC). On practice MCATs I've been scoring around a 35, and I might be able to improve more in the few months before I take it officially (this Sept).

I've been volunteering (w/ direct clinical contact) at Planned Parenthood for the past few months (and will continue for the next year or so), and am a member of the activist council member there.

I know I'm not exactly a shoe in anywhere because of my disastrous ug GPA (and might just get automatically cut off due to GPA at some places), but I'm thinking I at least will have a shot at some of the less competitive DO schools that take trends into account in addition to hard stats (IE Lake Erie avg. MCAT is a 28 and GPA is 3.4)

I'm also applying to other grad programs as a contingency plan.

Thoughts? Anyone else in a situation like mine who improved via post bacc classes and got in?

 

[peanutp]

Goro, in your opinion where would be the best place to look for more information on other MD programs that look favorably on candidates who reinvent themselves?

 

[wanderedtoolong]

Goro, in your opinion where would be the best place to look for more information on other MD programs that look favorably on candidates who reinvent themselves?

this forum- also, I've heard there are schools actively recruiting non-trads at the "oldpremeds" conference - http://www.oldpremeds.org/conference/
I'm sorry I did not attend last year, as it would be really advantageous to have a connection with someone in admissions before your app goes in as one of 10K or so.

Tulane and UVM are also well known for being "non trad friendly". Tulane in particular has a lot of students with less than stellar undergrad stats and interesting life stories (full disclosure, I'm probably headed there in August).

 

[JShen]

Hi all,
I'm a non-traditional and wanted to see your thoughts on my chances.

Undergrad GPA: 3.3
Post-Bacc GPA: 3.8
I have many volunteering and work hours, and around 50 shadow hours.
I'll be taking the mcat in June, and based on practice tests, im expecting a 31-33.
I'll be applying to both MD and DO programs, and wanted to see which MD programs you guys thought I have a chance at.

 

[shogun4877]

Can you tell me which CUNY school? I have the same ug GPA and am thinking of applying around NYC in the fall. Thanks!

 

[Fluxx]

Can you tell me which CUNY school? I have the same ug GPA and am thinking of applying around NYC in the fall. Thanks!

Lehman. I suggest Hunter tho, the have a better record of getting people into health/med schools. Also, apply as a 2nd degree transfer student, that way you get first registration and can get all the classes you need. They fill up quickly.

On another note...

For many, most DO schools, I just saw there is a technical requirement that states:

*Applicants need to earn a "C" or better in all pre-requisite courses. Applicants must repeat pre-requisite courses in which the grade earned is a C- or lower.
​

(I've never seen this for MD schools.)

Most also state that prereqs. may be in progress at the time of application.

I got a C- in Physics I during undergrad, and am taking Physics II this fall as a post bacc (and lets just assume for arguments sake I get an A). Would I really need to then take Physics I in the spring to get out of that technicality of no C-'s? I probably will either way, but it just seems so futile.

 

[rain4venus]

Out of curiosity, when are you applying? For 2015 admission?

 

[Fluxx]

Out of curiosity, when are you applying? For 2015 admission?

I'm planning to apply to DO schools after my fall 2013 grades are completed. So a bit late in the cycle, I know. My MD apps will go out while my fall grades are still in progress.

 

[Back 5]

I saw a thread in OPM forum of a person getting accepted to an allopathic school with a 2.6X gpa.

They haven't posted in quite a while, so I doubt I will be able to find out what factors they used to narrow down their school lists, but perhaps folks here can offer some advice.

Do we simply narrow down the MSAR by schools who don't auto screen, to get through the initial cut?