Low GPA, Need Advice

[Aladin]

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Hi, I am going to try to this brief, I understand this question has been purposed multiple times, but I am just in desperate need of Advice. I am planning on graduating in May of 08, my Science GPA is slightly below 2.5, and I am enrolled in taking the MCAT in may. What should I do to improve my science gpa? I was thinking of applying to SMP, but would they really benefit me? Or should I pursue a post bacc?

 

[Lokhtar]

What's your overall GPA?

 

[amanda5]

Hi, I am going to try to this brief, I understand this question has been purposed multiple times, but I am just in desperate need of Advice. I am planning on graduating in May of 08, my Science GPA is slightly below 2.5, and I am enrolled in taking the MCAT in may. What should I do to improve my science gpa? I was thinking of applying to SMP, but would they really benefit me? Or should I pursue a post bacc?

Hi, I currently doing some research in SMP and Post bacc programs...as far as i know post bacc are for student who had obtained a bachelor degree but have no or little science background... if you are taking the MCAT, i am guessing that you have taken all of the pre reqs for med school? I guess a SMP is better for you because some SMP takes MCAT score instead of GRE... but recently i have found some post bacc that are offer as a GPA enhancer but not a lot of details are offered online about these program...so i am not very clear about that...maybe someone can help answering that question???
if you choose to enter a SMP, you would need to do very good because this is like your last chance to show med school that you can really handle the work.

 

[Perrotfish]

Hi, I am going to try to this brief, I understand this question has been purposed multiple times, but I am just in desperate need of Advice. I am planning on graduating in May of 08, my Science GPA is slightly below 2.5, and I am enrolled in taking the MCAT in may. What should I do to improve my science gpa? I was thinking of applying to SMP, but would they really benefit me? Or should I pursue a post bacc?

Yes an SMP would benifit you. You need at least a 2.8 overall GPA, and a far above average MCAT score (34+) to get into the SMP in the first place. If you get into the SMP you don't need to do anything to get into medical school other than do well in the SMP, consider it a clean slate (and a last chance).

If you want to bring your grades up just take more upper division undergraduate classes in the sciences. The exception is if you want to apply to a DO school. They only use your most recent grade in a course, so retake those pesky F/D/Cs and get As.

 

[sltho]

i'll be graduating in May as well. I have border line smp grades, and i was hoping to take the mcats in april and enroll in vcu's fall 08 smp. however, i realized that taking it slowly and spending a 5th year to retake the d's and c's as well as prepping for the summer mcats will benefit me more than trying to rush everything.

how does retaking courses work? i'm in the nyc area so i'm hoping to take courses in one of the CUNY schools because of the cheap tuition. am i just paying for the courses that i take? thanks for the help.

 

[sltho]

aladin,

i think you should get the science gpa up because even with an smp, your low science gpa can become a problem when applying to med school.

 

[Aladin]

Since I am one class away from completing my degree in Humanities, what if I did another major in chemistry or biology, and perform well in those majors. It can increase my undergrad gpa which is a plus, but would schools be concerned with the fact that I stayed an extra year in undergrad to complete another major? Would it look good or bad?

 

[Perrotfish]

Since I am one class away from completing my degree in Humanities, what if I did another major in chemistry or biology, and perform well in those majors. It can increase my undergrad gpa which is a plus, but would schools be concerned with the fact that I stayed an extra year in undergrad to complete another major? Would it look good or bad?

It won't look bad at all. As far as medical schools are concerned all that matters is your GPA, your science GPA, and (maybe) your trend. How long you spent in undergrad is your own buisness. Just make sure you can actually improve your GPA with that new major.

 

[futuredrummerdoctor]

.

 

[Facu_]

Guys, stop scaring her. Everyone knows medical school is hard. That's common knowledge. I have best friends who struggled through undergrad and are now in medical school and paying for it. We don't need to tell her what she already knows. we just need to help her. She needs to redo all her classes, study her butt off for the mcat and take a prep course/get as much help as possible with the exam, and write a very strong personal statement. She's a surgical assistant. Her resume will be fine. She needs to fix her gpa, destroy the mcat, get good letters of Rec from her premedical committee and people she works with, and shadow a good amount. I'm more than willing to bet that with determination, rewired thoughts, changed behavior,and a new mindset for success, you'll be in medical school by 27 tops. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish something. This is going to be difficult, but you can very well do it and graduate top of your class in med school. You're going to have to constantly push yourself and sacrifice a lot of stuff that you may have previously cared about. Your priorities MUST change. Just put everything else aside, including doubts and insecurities, and get it done.

You bumped an 8 year old thread just to say all that?