Low GPA Nontraditional Applicant

[TheRabbit]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey guys, really need some advices here.

I am now 26 studying master of bioinformatics in a top 10 university. I first came to US for college in 2011. As an ESL, my GPA went up and down in the first few years depended on if the class is "English heavy". The worst part happened in the sophomore year which I got an unexpected surgery and ended up getting an F in one of the BCPM classes. Though my GPA is great in my senior and post-bac years and all "A"s in master program so far, the damage was made.

Here is my stat for undergrad:
overall GPA: 3.2
BCPM GPA: 2.9
Volunteer: 200+ hrs
Shadowing: 50+ hrs
Work: 1yr management experience
Publication: nothing much but I just got a position at NIH

I haven't take the MCAT yet and am trying to hit as highest score as I possible can. With my situation, what is my chance, or what else I can do to make myself a better applicant? Thanks!

 

[Goro]

Hey guys, really need some advices here.

I am now 26 studying master of bioinformatics in a top 10 university. I first came to US for college in 2011. As an ESL, my GPA went up and down in the first few years depended on if the class is "English heavy". The worst part happened in the sophomore year which I got an unexpected surgery and ended up getting an F in one of the BCPM classes. Though my GPA is great in my senior and post-bac years and all "A"s in master program so far, the damage was made.

Here is my stat for undergrad:
overall GPA: 3.2
BCPM GPA: 2.9
Volunteer: 200+ hrs
Shadowing: 50+ hrs
Work: 1yr management experience
Publication: nothing much but I just got a position at NIH

I haven't take the MCAT yet and am trying to hit as highest score as I possible can. With my situation, what is my chance, or what else I can do to make myself a better applicant? Thanks!

How many credits in post-bac? In MS? What kind of MS is it? There are med schools that reward reinvention. Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[TheRabbit]

How many credits in post-bac? In MS? What kind of MS is it? There are med schools that reward reinvention. Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

Thank you for the advices from the link.
For the med school science class, I only need to take one (5 quarterly credits) during the postdoc time, which I got an A-.
I also took CS classes (15 credits) before I got in to MS in bioinformatics (not SMP), and I got all As. In my master program, I needed to take molecular biology and genetic which I got an A for both as well. Not sure if med school will see them as reinvention.

 

[curbsideconsult]

If your grades depended on whether or not the class was "English heavy," you're going to need to focus a lot of your time beefing up your reading and comprehension skills. Have you seen any practice MCATs? Even the science portions are very reading heavy. I assume your English reading/writing/speaking skills have improved significantly over the last few years based on the fact that you said you're now at a top 10 university and got an NIH position, but I don't think it would hurt for you to continue to improve your abilities. A lot of passages that the MCAT uses are obscure and written in a style that even native English speakers have a difficult time comprehending.

 

[TheRabbit]

If your grades depended on whether or not the class was "English heavy," you're going to need to focus a lot of your time beefing up your reading and comprehension skills. Have you seen any practice MCATs? Even the science portions are very reading heavy. I assume your English reading/writing/speaking skills have improved significantly over the last few years based on the fact that you said you're now at a top 10 university and got an NIH position, but I don't think it would hurt for you to continue to improve your abilities. A lot of passages that the MCAT uses are obscure and written in a style that even native English speakers have a difficult time comprehending.

Pretty much what you said are all correct. My English has improved a lot since freshmen (6,7 years ago) but CARS is still one of my biggest struggle even I am doing decent in other sections of MCAT. My weakness is definitely reading and comprehension skill like you said.

 

[TheRabbit]

@Goro, I have a question about advance science classes for reinvention in my case. I took molecular biology, cell biology and epigenetic (all A) during my non-SMP master program. I understand that a non-SMP program is not helpful in terms of MD application, but is there anything else that I can do in the application to show those improvement?

I also planned on taking some more science classes in a community college while I am completing my master degree. Should I take genetics still, since I already took molecular biology in my master program.

My undergrad school only offered 1 quarter of org chem and 2 quarter of biochem (which I took them and got B+ for all classes), should I take a series of organic chemistry in CC (2 semester), or will it consider a retake?

Thank you for your advice!

 

[Goro]

No, take something else. No need to reinvent the wheel

 

[TheRabbit]

No, take something else. No need to reinvent the wheel

Thank you for the reply. There no other upper level course offer at the CC around my area. I guess I may have to look for other formal post-bacc option then.