Low sGPA during COVID

[nessagarch]

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For context:

Undergrad: cGPA: 3.3 sGPA:2.71
Post Bacc: cGPA: 3.75 sGPA: 3.70 (expecting for it to go up)
Combined: cGPA: 3.66 sGPA 3.16

I haven’t taken the MCAT yet, I’m planning on taking it January 2026 and applying next year’s cycle.

FL resident, Hispanic/Latinx, went to a state school

Research:

• 180 hrs Health Literacy and Testicular Cancer Research (1 poster presentation at University)
• Just started working with PCOS project with the same lab, expecting ~150 hrs

Shadowing:

• 15 hrs Orthopedic Surgery
• 3 hrs Internal Med
• A bunch of online shadowing (Anesthesiology, Urology, Pulmonology, Cardiology)

Clinical:

• 900 hrs MA at Cardiology Clinic
• 50 hrs MA at Weight Loss Clinic

Volunteering:

• 10 hrs (ongoing) volunteer at food pantry
• 20 hrs Food packaging events
• 80 hrs volunteering with Planned Parenthood Peer Ed Program

I’m still racking up volunteering hours, I don’t plan to apply with less than 150 hrs.

EC’s:

• DEI Chair for undergrad organization. E-board position
• Marketing Chair for same organization.
• Currently work 30 hrs a week as a dispatcher for a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Company.
• Barista during undergrad, 20 hrs/week.

Deans list for last 2 years in undergrad, Research Scholarship, Bright Futures Scholarship.

Started college peak COVID in 2020, was dealing with immigration issues since I was a DV case. GPA dropped significantly, came back to school to finish the credits I was missing for med school and first semester back had surgery (not the greatest semester in terms of grades), but have been on a strong upward trend since then. There’s still things that I’m working on in my application, I don’t plan on applying until next year. I’m just worried my GPA will set me back.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Please organize your information as prescribed in the WAMC template.

I don't understand, but let me confirm: your undergrad did not go pass/fail during COVID? You couldn't change your grading to P/F? You couldn't withdraw or pause your schooling?

 

[nessagarch]

Welcome to the forums.

Please organize your information as prescribed in the WAMC template.

I don't understand, but let me confirm: your undergrad did not go pass/fail during COVID? You couldn't change your grading to P/F? You couldn't withdraw or pause your schooling?

Sorry, just updated!

No, they didn’t go pass fail and to my knowledge it wasn’t an option. I wasn’t able to pause my schooling due to scholarships and no stable home to go back to. I’m an immigrant and come from a low-income background, when COVID hit my mom lost her job and had to rent a room to get by, it’s only me and her in the states. I was living off of scholarships and a part time job, I was also not allowed to stay with her nor lose the little extra income I had in school.