Low GPA, need life advice!

[arielxx]

Right now I have a GPA of 2.74. I screw up during my freshmen and sophomore year of undergraduate. I raised my 2.0 gpa to a 2.74, but it still not good enough for medical school or post-bac programs. I had some difficult time during my first two years, but I tried to get my **** together. I did activities such as volunteering at hospitals in surgery units and medical clinic abroad. Participated in a research lab for 3 years and had multiple leadership positions in the American Red Cross. I am graduating this spring, and I don't know what to do to raise my gpa up to a 3.5. I know there are master and post bad programs, but most of them needs a minimum of 3.0.

I need advice, please help!

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[AnotherLawyer]

If I were in your shoes, I would do a high value EC for two years (e.g. peace corps, military, or TFA, which you may not qualify for with your grades) and then kill it in an SMP program.

But before I dedicated three years of my life and a year of tuition and foregone income to this process, I would want to be fairly sure I could do okay on the MCAT and perform well in the SMP. So honestly assess yourself both as a student and standardized test taker before investing your time and money.

 

[Dr-Mo]

IF you truly had some tough times that you dealt with which caused your GPA to suffer then you'd do fine through the med school curriculum. But, if you aren't the best test taker and if you don't have the best studying skills then I'd encourage you to take more classes, bump up your GPA a bit before you start medical school.

Is Caribbeans an option for you? Some brilliant colleagues of mine have come out of there, though I'm in Family Medicine and it sounds like you're more the scrub type.

 

[Goro]

Do a DIY post-bac, and ace it, along with MCAT. There are a number of MD schools (and all DO) that reward reinvention.

Right now I have a GPA of 2.74. I screw up during my freshmen and sophomore year of undergraduate. I raised my 2.0 gpa to a 2.74, but it still not good enough for medical school or post-bac programs. I had some difficult time during my first two years, but I tried to get my **** together. I did activities such as volunteering at hospitals in surgery units and medical clinic abroad. Participated in a research lab for 3 years and had multiple leadership positions in the American Red Cross. I am graduating this spring, and I don't know what to do to raise my gpa up to a 3.5. I know there are master and post bad programs, but most of them needs a minimum of 3.0.

I need advice, please help!

 

[Crayola227]

#NeverTrump
#NeverCarribbean

 

[HopefulSlav]

I would throw out the arbitrary number of 3.5. Have you thought about getting a second bachelor's? What state are you in?

 

[shouldigomd]

#NeverTrump
#NeverCarribbean

So I guess I made a mistake that led me to have interviews at 10+ mid tier university programs. I swear these forums are filled with arrogance.

 

[shouldigomd]

Raising your GPA is important but thats not what they want to see in a candidate. They want to see someone who will succeed. a 3.5 from someone who takes forever with easy/medium coarse loads in obscure sciences means much much less than a 3.5 in someone who takes 3-4 semesters with a coarse load like calculus, physics, gen chem, biology. Do that for a few semesters and you will get an opportunity somewhere. Like previously stated the # of your GPA isn't really what is important.

 

[Crayola227]

So I guess I made a mistake that led me to have interviews at 10+ mid tier university programs. I swear these forums are filled with arrogance.

Testy testy. That was in response to another poster not far above that asked if you should consider Carribbean schools. I don't think someone should go there for any reason including GPA. Great for you if you went and had success. Without sharing details it's hard to know if your experience with Carribbean schools is generally applicable to anyone besides yourself.

Maybe you're the arrogant one. You have 115 posts in 5 years and want to declare Carribbean as a positive way to go with someone with a 2.7 GPA. Schools look at GPA precisely because it can be a way to gauge scholastic success. I would worry that someone who struggled in undergrad would struggle in the Carribbean, and given how you need to succeed to overcome the negative stigma it has, that could be far worse than struggling in a stateside school.

Tell me gritty details how you do post match and we'll see if YOUR arrogance is warranted.

 

[shouldigomd]

Testy testy. That was in response to another poster not far above that asked if you should consider Carribbean schools. I don't think someone should go there for any reason including GPA. Great for you if you went and had success. Without sharing details it's hard to know if your experience with Carribbean schools is generally applicable to anyone besides yourself.

Maybe you're the arrogant one. You have 115 posts in 5 years and want to declare Carribbean as a positive way to go with someone with a 2.7 GPA. Schools look at GPA precisely because it can be a way to gauge scholastic success. I would worry that someone who struggled in undergrad would struggle in the Carribbean, and given how you need to succeed to overcome the negative stigma it has, that could be far worse than struggling in a stateside school.

Tell me gritty details how you do post match and we'll see if YOUR arrogance is warranted.

Please explain how that comment made me arrogant? It is the facts from someone who actually lived the experience. One of thousands of people and one of thousands of graduates. You can see the resident rosters from schools across the country and see the match list from the big carib schools. You make a blanket statement coming from someone who has never experienced a carib school saying nobody should ever go there. I am here to say I am one of many thousands who struggled in college but succeeded. A sub 2.5 GPA to graduating med school with honors and top board scores. I guess that makes me arrogant too? Nobody said anything about it being a positive thing for anybody. I think it is clear that carib MD is a last resort. Regardless of where you choose if you struggle in college you should think about whether med school is right for you.

Gritty details about what man? Even if I get my 10th spot I would be at a mid tier university program...

Oh... and wtf does my post count have to do with anything? Clearly I don't spend much time here. Does that make me arrogant to?