Low GPA Success Stories

[girl8996]

Stressing out right now. Don't want to take a gap year. Have a low gpa. Do anyone have any success stories of getting into D.O school with low gpa? Just want to know if anyone else struggled as badly as i did and was able to improve and get into D.O school.
sGPA 3.1
cGPA 3.0
300+ hours of clinical experience as CNA
50 hours of physician shadowing experience
50 hours of tutoring
No Research
MCAT will be taken on January 28

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[Mr. D.O.five]

People have gotten in with sub 3.0 GPA for DO and MD. I think you should wait until you get your MCAT scores back before evaluating. A lot of your chances depend on what score you get.

 

[Marrowist]

3.25/3.25 here. 2 acceptances so far, 3 pending. MCAT is key.

 

[BelieveMeChile]

Very similar GPA to what you have--my MCAT was a 514, however. But I did get 4 interviews, attended 3, and was accepted to 2. Focus on crushing that MCAT and you can get in!


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[bigindian4891]

Similar to the others, <3.1 undergraduate GPA, however, 514 MCAT and >3.9 graduate GPA. Accepted to one so far, and one interview next week! Only one rejection thus far, so plenty more to hear back. Kill the MCAT, show progress, and you have a great story.

 

[girl8996]

Similar to the others, <3.1 undergraduate GPA, however, 514 MCAT and >3.9 graduate GPA. Accepted to one so far, and one interview next week! Only one rejection thus far, so plenty more to hear back. Kill the MCAT, show progress, and you have a great story.

someone told me on another thread that i need to take a gap year...do you think i do? i mean obviously i have to if i don't get in.. but i really want to get in my first try

 

[0dee]

This all depends on your MCAT, as you have seen the trend already. The lower your GPA is, the higher your MCAT has to be to get a real shot at getting an acceptance. Stop worrying about taking a gap year, and focus on getting a good score on the MCAT.

Also, you should not apply to schools that screen out GPAs below 3.25.

 

[naivePremed]

3.25/3.25 here. 2 acceptances so far, 3 pending. MCAT is key.

What was your MCAT score?

 

[jenniferdamit]

Very similar GPA to what you have--my MCAT was a 514, however. But I did get 4 interviews, attended 3, and was accepted to 2. Focus on crushing that MCAT and you can get in!


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What materials did you use if you don't mind be asking and how long did you do spend on content review before doing straight to practice tests?

 

[BelieveMeChile]

What materials did you use if you don't mind be asking and how long did you do spend on content review before doing straight to practice tests?

I studied for 6 months since I hadn't taken physics, biochem, or organic chemistry--so I had to teach myself the basic concepts in all of those. I started taking practice tests right away; in my opinion it is by far the most crucial study activity. I used my results to figure out where to direct my studying--I.e what were my weak spots, and whether or not I was misunderstanding questions. The test is so much more than a test of content knowledge, it really does test your critical thinking skills and ability to apply new information. I also had subscribed to like 5 or 6 "question a day" websites that I would answer every day, and had a few apps on my phone that had flash cards and questions to go over.


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[Doggowar7]

accepted.

 

[pseud0]

^there is a ~*~massive~*~ difference between a 3.47 and a 3.0.

You also got a 510 MCAT. You do not count as an underdog for DO schools, at all.

 

[Doggowar7]

edit

 

[Etm5515]

3.25 cGPA 3.3 sGPA, 501 MCAT 2II's, 2 acceptances

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

But for MD.






























and

at many DO schools, my GPA is below average matriculant.

Nobody cares. You aren't even close to an underdog or in the same situation as the OP so stop. And this is a DO thread so nobody cares either about how your stats compare to MD averages.

 

[Doggowar7]

Nobody cares. You aren't even close to an underdog or in the same situation as the OP so stop. And this is a DO thread so nobody cares either about how your stats compare to MD averages.

Nobody cares Anatomygrey12. Get off your high horse

 

[pseud0]

ugh why edit your post now mine makes no sense

 

[Doggowar7]

ugh why edit your post now mine makes no sense

because anatomygrey12 is on a personal vendetta to moderate the forums. needs to get off his high horse

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Nobody cares Anatomygrey12. Get off your high horse

because anatomygrey12 is on a personal vendetta to moderate the forums. needs to get off his high horse

I see you there spacehamsterboo...

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

For OP, I agree with everything said above. Your MCAT score will be a huge factor for you. Retake some classes if possible to get the GPA above 3.25 as that seems to be a magic line of sorts where schools don't really question your GPA as much as below that.

 

[Doggowar7]

I see you there spacehamsterboo...

what?

 

[kelminak]

what?

He was a notorious troll that got banned. Anyway, I don't think you had ill intent by posting your stats, but you are in no way applicable to this thread.

 

[Doggowar7]

He was a notorious troll that got banned. Anyway, I don't think you had ill intent by posting your stats, but you are in no way applicable to this thread.

ahh, i the reason i posted my stats is because I went to two institutions. Had a great gpa first two years but had a 3.1 the second two years--that's a low GPA.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

ahh, i the reason i posted my stats is because I went to two institutions. Had a great gpa first two years but had a 3.1 the second two years--that's a low GPA.

But your cumulative is just south of 3.5. That isn't low. If your cumulative was a 3.1 then yeah you would be applicable but it's not. Especially with a 510.

 

[SailorHg]

I'm applying right now with a 2.98 cGPA! I don't have any good news yet tho haha

 

[Doggowar7]

But your cumulative is just south of 3.5. That isn't low. If your cumulative was a 3.1 then yeah you would be applicable but it's not. Especially with a 510.

Since when did you become an expert on the admissions process?

You have a really bad habit/streak of touting yourself as a know it all; it's really annoying.
Let's look at the average DO matriculant GPA, then discuss if I'm underdog.

 

[pseud0]

You'd probably get into every single DO school in your state with that MCAT as long as you dont **** the bed in the interview. Not an underdog. Kids get into DO school with 498 and 3.2, THATS an underdog.

 

[Doggowar7]

You'd probably get into every single DO school in your state with that MCAT as long as you dont **** the bed in the interview. Not an underdog. Kids get into DO school with 498 and 3.2, THATS an underdog.

can i hold you to that?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Since when did you become an expert on the admissions process?

You have a really bad habit/streak of touting yourself as a know it all; it's really annoying.
Let's look at the average DO matriculant GPA, then discuss if I'm underdog.

You are not an underdog. Period. It's that simple. Stop spamming your issues on other people's threads.

Seeing the success I have had this cycle I think I know what I am talking about. Maybe get some interviews and acceptances before you start telling people they don't know what they are talking about. I will no longer engage the space hamster in conversation.

 

[Doggowar7]

You are not an underdog. Period. It's that simple. Stop spamming your issues on other people's threads.

Seeing the success I have had this cycle I think I know what I am talking about. Maybe get some interviews and acceptances before you start telling people they don't know what they are talking about. I will no longer engage the space hamster in conversation.

space hamster what are you talking about?

 

[Aestivas]

Okay... anyways. Ignoring the trolling.

I have a similar GPA as you, but I buffered it with a 507 and a looooot of ECs/experience. I have 4 IIs and 2 acceptances. Do well on the MCAT, keep improving your ECs, and apply broadly and to newer schools. You'll be fine OP, have faith.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

can i hold you to that?

No one is trying to moderate you, but you were obviously either trolling this thread or humble bragging or something. Even a cursory look through the first page of this forum will show you that a 3.47 is not underdog status, especially with a 510. Maybe for MD, but this is the pre-DO forum. When you come into a thread where the OP has ~3.0 and share your troubles with a 3.47, it adds nothing to the thread and makes the OP feel like crap.

You should know that your cGPA and sGPA are what matter, not the individual institutional GPAs.

 

[Doggowar7]

No one is trying to moderate you, but you were obviously either trolling this thread or humble bragging or something. Even a cursory look through the first page of this forum will show you that a 3.47 is not underdog status, especially with a 510. Maybe for MD, but this is the pre-DO forum. When you come into a thread where the OP has ~3.0 and share your troubles with a 3.47, it adds nothing to the thread and makes the OP feel like crap.

You should know that your cGPA and sGPA are what matter, not the individual institutional GPAs.

Perhaps, but AACOMAS calculates multiple GPAs and you should know that. No trolling, or humble bragging; I'm admitting, I think I'm an underdog, I think all applicants are underdogs in this process...admissions are competitive and nothing is guaranteed.
Weaknesses, are weaknesses.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Perhaps, but AACOMAS calculates multiple GPAs and you should know that.
Weaknesses, are weaknesses.

No. Just stop. No one is going to agree that you are a weak applicant, and the more you insist you are, the more everyone will just write you off as a troll.

 

[pseud0]

I have a 3.9 sGPA and i'm more of an underdog than this guy. I don't think he realizes how good a 510 is for DO school admissions.

 

[Doggowar7]

I have a 3.9 sGPA and i'm more of an underdog than this guy. I don't think he realizes how good a 510 is for DO school admissions.

I downplay the importance of the MCAT. yeah it's a standardized test...but a GPA is an effort of multiple years. I think GPA is a better metric than a test of one day's worth of performance.

 

[pseud0]

tell that to the admissions office.

 

[deleted244469]

Stressing out right now. Don't want to take a gap year. Have a low gpa. Do anyone have any success stories of getting into D.O school with low gpa? Just want to know if anyone else struggled as badly as i did and was able to improve and get into D.O school.
sGPA 3.1
cGPA 3.0
300+ hours of clinical experience as CNA
50 hours of physician shadowing experience
50 hours of tutoring
No Research
MCAT will be taken on January 28

Retake some of your low grade science courses and destroy them. Also, score >500 on the MCAT and work on getting some more non-clinical experiences. Your clinical experience looks pretty good already, so I would focus on non-clinical as I stated above. Do something you enjoy. I was involved in a lot with coaching youth hockey in my area, as well as university club sports and university leadership positions.

I have a 3.15 cGPA/3.2 sGPA/503 MCAT and received an II a day after submitting my secondary application.

Keep chugging!

 

[ctran019]

My undergrad transcript reads 2.7 sGPA/ 3.1 cGPA and myMCAT score report reads 500 & 504. There is always hope my son.

 

[Doggowar7]

My undergrad transcript reads 2.7 sGPA/ 3.1 cGPA and myMCAT score report reads 500 & 504. There is always hope my son.

I always knee you could do it muh boi

 

[Papa Oso]

I downplay the importance of the MCAT. yeah it's a standardized test...but a GPA is an effort of multiple years. I think GPA is a better metric than a test of one day's worth of performance.

I don't want to start a flame war, but from the research I have done on the admissions process, adcoms care more about the MCAT because it is more fair since there are more variations across all of the undergraduate institutions and fewer variations with the MCAT. Sure, people can have off days, but you can always retake the MCAT. You can't really "retake" your undergrad (unless you count doing a Post-Bacc as "retaking").

 

[Mr. D.O.five]

2 II for now.

 

[Mr. D.O.five]

I have a 3.9 sGPA and i'm more of an underdog than this guy. I don't think he realizes how good a 510 is for DO school admissions.

A high MCAT is honestly not the "holy grail" of a DO II or acceptance. 512 and only 2 II, although I submitted late. They really do look at the whole applicant. IMO, I think a 3.9 GPA is far better than a 510.

 

[Papa Oso]

A high MCAT is honestly not the "holy grail" of a DO II or acceptance. 512 and only 2 II, although I submitted late. They really do look at the whole applicant. IMO, I think a 3.9 GPA is far better than a 510.

This might be true depending on where you get a 3.9. Getting a 3.9 at a CC is different than getting a 3.9 at an Ivy League school.

 

[Doggowar7]

A high MCAT is honestly not the "holy grail" of a DO II or acceptance. 512 and only 2 II, although I submitted late. They really do look at the whole applicant. IMO, I think a 3.9 GPA is far better than a 510.

nah

 

[YayPudding]

AACOMAS 3.46 cum. undergrad 3.55 post-bacc.

Numerous withdrawals given the tumult and lack of motivation I went through as an idiot 18 year old. However, I worked for excellent ECs, research and got a 514 on the MCAT. Interviews from nearly every DO program and a few MD. Maximize the good and minimize the bad, folks.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

I was in your shoes a bit over a year ago.

I had a 2.20 after my sophomore year of college and I applied this cycle with a 3.33/3.42. I have received 10 interview invites so far, and was accepted into medical school back in early September.

If you need a gap year, there is no shame. I took one instead of applying with ~3.1/3.1 and it is paying off tremendously. It also gave me time to study for the MCAT properly, and enhance other areas of my application (research, tutoring, further establishment of my upward grade trend, a couple strong LORs, etc.)

Don't rush! Do it right. If you aren't ready, don't apply. It will save you time and money. You have the rest of your life to be a doctor.

That being said, like others have said, it is possible with a good ( shoot for balanced 505+) MCAT. I just wanted to let you know that a gap year can do wonders for you, and that there is no shame in taking one.

Good luck op!

 

[hnorc]

3 IIs and 3 acceptances this year. 3.3 cum/science GPA, took the MCAT 3x, 506 last try. I'd recommend a gap year to seriously up your clinical experience game, that's mostly what did it for me.

 

[arc5005]

what's wrong with taking a gap year? If you're young, it might be nice to take some time to work, pay off debt, travel, replace bad grades, etc... before you dive into 4 years of med school followed by 3-7 years of residency.

 

[ysonerdy]

Just got my first acceptance last week! I have a 3.0 sGPA and a 3.2 cGPA and a 504 MCAT. I am also currently a 2nd year grad student in public health with lots of EC/Research and volunteer hours. You can definitely do it