Low GPA. Stay at Undergrad to Raise GPA or Start Anew at a Different School

[DrBelle]

I have lots of details but the question comes down to this.

I have to start over with about 2 new years of undergrad work to raise GPA, show a new trend because last time I was at my undergrad a few years ago, my cum. gpa hit rock bottom. Life is different and better now. Went as a non degree last semester and did really well with my lowest grade being a B+

If it were you. Would you go back to your undergrad (great state school, teaching hospital and med school attached) where your gpa is low to do 2 more years of undergrad work

OR

Transfer or outright graduate and start anew at a new undergrad for the next 2 years? The new undergrad would be an expensive, very highly regarded private school. More than half of my tuition is taken care of but I would need to work for the rest.

I'm a new nurse, either way, I'll be logging hours for the sake of my app.

I don't know enough to know what the upside or downside of any of these options are available to me and I don't have anyone who can advise me irl. Story of my life.

How do I make a smart decision here?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Relentless15]

Not really enough information here to help specifically. However, I was in a similar boat when I went back to undergrad. I had actually received an associates degree and had 75 attempted credit hours. GPA was awful (about 2.72) with multiple withdrawals and failing grades.

After 10 years I went back to school at a different University (similar credentials to the one you have taken classes at). I switched majors meaning I basically had to take 100 credit hours to earn a bachelors. That turned out to be the best decision I ever made. After 3 years of straight A's, I interviewed at 60% of the schools I applied to and earned an acceptance to my top choice (with an acceptance rate of 2.4%). By the way, I only applied to Allopathic (M.D.) schools. Oh, and I am in my 40's.

That said, based on my experience, the school you go to does not matter. Choose one that is a University if possible (although I did take a couple classes at community college to get my grades up high enough to get into a University). Make sure it is a school you want to be at and fits you. Most of all, make sure you can succeed there. Don't bank on school reputation being worth that much to the adcoms, I interviewed with applicants from Berkley, Michigan, and Princeton although my University was relatively middle-of-the road reputation wise. Also, give yourself a chance to shine. If you are serious this has to be a FULL TIME commitment. The more full time semesters you can take between now and graduation, the better. You need to figure out how to limit your hours to half time or less and take on 14 credit hours or more with more than half of those being science classes each semester. You need to get A's, not B+'s. It sounds impossible, but it's not. If you really want it, and you are willing to study twice as hard as the kids around you, you can do it. Good luck.

 

[DrMidlife]

There's no erasing a transcript. You have to submit every college transcript you ever got when you apply to med school. Yes they know.

DO schools will allow you to retake classes, and to have only the new grades count in GPA. You have to account for this class by class.

Texas will allow you to use a fresh start, where you start over and only your new grades count. You still have to compete for undergrad admission and med school admission, with fresh start on your app. Can't leave Texas until residency. Can't use this without establishing grown-up Texas domicile. (Other states allow undergrad fresh start that isn't recognized by med schools. Caveat emptor.)

So what do you do? For any given undergrad disaster, there's at least one story on SDN in nontrad/reapp/postbac that starts off worse and ends up in med school. Search SDN widely on "low GPA" and read until your eyes fall out.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DrBelle]

There's no erasing a transcript. You have to submit every college transcript you ever got when you apply to med school. Yes they know.

DO schools will allow you to retake classes, and to have only the new grades count in GPA. You have to account for this class by class.

Texas will allow you to use a fresh start, where you start over and only your new grades count. You still have to compete for undergrad admission and med school admission, with fresh start on your app. Can't leave Texas until residency. Can't use this without establishing grown-up Texas domicile. (Other states allow undergrad fresh start that isn't recognized by med schools. Caveat emptor.)

So what do you do? For any given undergrad disaster, there's at least one story on SDN in nontrad/reapp/postbac that starts off worse and ends up in med school. Search SDN widely on "low GPA" and read until your eyes fall out.

Best of luck to you.

Hey thanks for this. Yes I know they see everything but I was wondering if there is some sort of benefit in staying in your original undergrad vs starting somewhere else. Any benefit staying in a state school with a teaching hospital and med school vs an expensive but highly regarded private school willing to give you a chance. My advisor is one of the heads of the department at my old school and she made it clear she doesn't know how to advise me but then again she was never really on board for the med school thing. When I first came to the school, the premed advisor was no help either. I've never had anyone who could help me sort this med school thing into a realistic plan so I made so many mistakes just not knowing what I don't know. I'm afraid of moving forward with that same disadvantage. I would be the first one in my family doing higher education let alone this. I'm tired of feeling like I'm 10 steps behinds. I just want to accept my lot, know what the right thing to do is, and do it. Thanks for listening

 

[DrBelle]

Not really enough information here to help specifically. However, I was in a similar boat when I went back to undergrad. I had actually received an associates degree and had 75 attempted credit hours. GPA was awful (about 2.72) with multiple withdrawals and failing grades.

After 10 years I went back to school at a different University (similar credentials to the one you have taken classes at). I switched majors meaning I basically had to take 100 credit hours to earn a bachelors. That turned out to be the best decision I ever made. After 3 years of straight A's, I interviewed at 60% of the schools I applied to and earned an acceptance to my top choice (with an acceptance rate of 2.4%). By the way, I only applied to Allopathic (M.D.) schools. Oh, and I am in my 40's.

That said, based on my experience, the school you go to does not matter. Choose one that is a University if possible (although I did take a couple classes at community college to get my grades up high enough to get into a University). Make sure it is a school you want to be at and fits you. Most of all, make sure you can succeed there. Don't bank on school reputation being worth that much to the adcoms, I interviewed with applicants from Berkley, Michigan, and Princeton although my University was relatively middle-of-the road reputation wise. Also, give yourself a chance to shine. If you are serious this has to be a FULL TIME commitment. The more full time semesters you can take between now and graduation, the better. You need to figure out how to limit your hours to half time or less and take on 14 credit hours or more with more than half of those being science classes each semester. You need to get A's, not B+'s. It sounds impossible, but it's not. If you really want it, and you are willing to study twice as hard as the kids around you, you can do it. Good luck.

This is amazing!!! This is exactly what I want to do!!! Hero.
Both are universities but one is public, one is private. I worry I don't even trust myself to know whats right anymore but I'm going to work through this crippling anxiety and take some ownership and make some decisions. I've been at such a disadvantage financially and health wise in the past that I always like I was on the outside looking in where choosing this career is concerned. So I worry that my bad experiences in those environments wrongly color my perspective in what is actually good for me because I'm in a different place now and can afford to go. In your opinion, would you graduate and start a second bachelors if the opportunity was available to you? Or would you still just change your major and do those 100 credits like you did? With the number of credits I have I can do either option. But again I lack the foresight on how that can help or hurt me.
Also, I need to learn how to achieve straight A's at the University level. I know I have the aptitude but I need to develop a new skill set and longevity to do this. I've never personally seen it done outside of sdn.
Thank you for the robust, excellent advice!

 

[DrMidlife]

I suggest taking one class as a warmup. Dive into a little pool before you take on the shark tank. Think of that first A as your ticket to the shark tank diving board. If you need more time to warm up, take it.

Generally it's not going to matter whether you continue at school A or move to school B, or major in X vs. Y, or get another bachelors. How those choices will be perceived by med schools wouldn't be on the top 5 list of factors to consider. Think about where you're going to be most comfortable. Think about what you need to do to get registration priority and permission to take a boatload of science classes. If there are waitlists to get into science classes, you're screwed (usually argues toward the private option). Cost matters, debt matters. Access to faculty who will give you the time of day, and write you letters, matters. Access to classmates who will push you and help you matters. Imho having great places to study alone and in groups matters.

 

[DrBelle]

I suggest taking one class as a warmup. Dive into a little pool before you take on the shark tank. Think of that first A as your ticket to the shark tank diving board. If you need more time to warm up, take it.

Generally it's not going to matter whether you continue at school A or move to school B, or major in X vs. Y, or get another bachelors. How those choices will be perceived by med schools wouldn't be on the top 5 list of factors to consider. Think about where you're going to be most comfortable. Think about what you need to do to get registration priority and permission to take a boatload of science classes. If there are waitlists to get into science classes, you're screwed (usually argues toward the private option). Cost matters, debt matters. Access to faculty who will give you the time of day, and write you letters, matters. Access to classmates who will push you and help you matters. Imho having great places to study alone and in groups matters.

Oh no, I went back last semester and took 5 classes at the university level. A's in 4 of them, B+ in the fifth. I'm back
Your advice is gold and something I can work with. I'm going to work it all out on paper right now. Thank you so much!