Low stat stories

[sweetsaja]

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I need some hope and inspiration at this point b/c being on SDN is making me feel like I have no chance of getting into an MD school w/ my 3.3 GPA. I'm taking Kaplan over the summer, but the chances of me getting 35+ are slim. I plan on doing a 1 year informal post bacc, but still I don't think it's possible to bring my GPA up to 3.5+. I'm not a
URM. Anyone know of people who've gotten into US allopathic med school w/sub 3.5 GPAs and average MCATs? I really would like to hear stories about people that got in w/ low stats right after undergrad. Share your stories!

 

[hum3a]

you will need a good MCAT, like 33-34+, and an upward trend in your GPA.

 

[armybound]

I wish I had a good story for you. I had a 3.3 undergrad and 31 MCAT and got 4 interviews, but it hasn't turned into any acceptances yet.

 

[wally47]

armybound, love your avatar!! GO SEC

anyway... If your GPA shows an upward trend then you don't need a 33+. It's also easier depending on the state you're from. Search mdapps for some success stories.

 

[flaahless]

My ex-girlfriend (she is white) has a 31 and a 3.3 with a strong upward trend. She has had 10+ invites, she went on 8 interviews and has 5 acceptances, 1 rejection 1 waitlist and 1 pending acceptance. It can be done. Choose your schools wisely and let your application shine.

 

[RySerr21]

I need some hope and inspiration at this point b/c being on SDN is making me feel like I have no chance of getting into an MD school w/ my 3.3 GPA. I plan on doing a 1 year informal post bacc, but still I don't think it's possible to bring my GPA up to 3.5+. Anyone know of people who've gotten into US allopathic med school w/sub 3.5 GPAs and average MCATs? I'd especially like to hear stories about people that got in w/ low stats right after undergrad. Share your stories!

why so set on allopathic? i'd at least give DO programs a good look. you could apply w/ your GPA as is and be competetive.

if you go to the pre osteo thread you will see a much different enviornment. you don't need a 35+ MCAT and you dont need an upward trend of 4.0 to get into med school. look at the mdapps for those students and you will feel refreshed.

 

[magwi11]

I came to the medicine plan kind of later. My undergrad GPA was entirely unimpressive.

I did 1.5 years informal post-bacc, and got a 4.0 across 6 classes. (20 credits) of 400s level biology. This has left my BCPM still *under* 3.3 and my overall is around a 3.4, but with the positive trend, MCAT >35, TONS of research/volunteering/hospital time, 2+ pubs, and pretty shining LORs I've gotten offers from both MD only and MSTPs (MD/PhD combined degree programs). I'll be starting MD/PhD in the fall.


I am certainly not "right out of school" ('05 grad), but if you've decided that medicine is what you want, you don't have to raise the GPA fit the usual profile, you just have to prove that it's not representative of your ability or commitment. You can do that with a really stellar post-bacc GPA, but you should also try to stand out in terms of research/volunteer/hospital time. And kicking the MCAT's *** won't hurt either.

 

[ashmarj]

I've got a 3.26 cum/ 3.15 science and have had four interview invites (declined one), two acceptances, and a waitlist. I am doing an SMP...which in light of early acceptances seems a total waste since this was my first time applying...but I know that quite a few schools that I am now most likely just going to withdraw from were/are waiting for my fall semester grades.

I suppose if I was concerned with going to a top ranked US News school, I may be having more issues right now..

It is possible, but like others have said, I think the rest of your application needs to be pretty solid. I really believe that my extracurriculars were what helped save me, as well as my LORs.

Good luck to you (and to everyone else). I'm still processing that I'm actually well on my way to becoming a doctor...it seemed so far away for so long.

 

[Daydreamer2008]

I need some hope and inspiration at this point b/c being on SDN is making me feel like I have no chance of getting into an MD school w/ my 3.3 GPA. I plan on doing a 1 year informal post bacc, but still I don't think it's possible to bring my GPA up to 3.5+. Anyone know of people who've gotten into US allopathic med school w/sub 3.5 GPAs and average MCATs? I'd especially like to hear stories about people that got in w/ low stats right after undergrad. Share your stories!

Hey there! Yes it can be done. But you will rarely find someone with a low GPA and avg MCAT get in right after undergrad. If you do have low stats, you need to excel in other parts of your life: more education, more research, interesting experiences, and most of these things take time. FWIW, I'm super happy I took time off b/w undergrad and med school b/c I've had the time of my life the past few years, and would not give it up for anything!! 🙂

 

[Maxprime]

www.mdapplicants.com

 

[fireflygirl]

I have an uber low MCAT and I got into great DO schools. It has been hard to be rejected by just about every allopathic school out there, but when I looked harder at what I wanted to do, I realised that I wanted to be a doctor. And as I looked more into DO programs, I realised that I really liked them and they gave me the chance to do exactly what I wanted to do. So for me, even though the low stats were a big blow to me personally, it led me to something I would never have noticed otherwise. And I am really psyched about starting!!!

 

[LizUMD]

Graduated in 2004 with a crappy GPA. Seriously crappy- 2.663 crappy to be exact. One year later I started this process and completed a one-year masters in education with a 4.0 while teaching high school math. Then three years ago started informal post-bac and finished over 50 credits of all upper level math electives and sciences with all A's, one A- and one B. My overall rose to 3.22 and science came out to 3.53. With great work experience (Teach For America and then a few additional years teaching in inner city Baltimore), a D.O. for a mother for whom I had worked all through college- which meant hundreds of hours of medical experience, and most importantly a >35 MCAT (with 14 verbal) I had no problem scoring plenty of interviews. I went to 8 or 9 of them (mid-tier allopathics and a few osteopathics) and was accepted at 6. I don't like sharing what school I will be going to, but I am very satisfied.

Are you outright opposed to D.O.?

 

[aaj117]

just make sure that gpa is the only weakness on your app. Study your butt off for the mcat and don't take it untill you know you're ready and you can rock it. Make sure your extracurriculars and LORs are outstanding and make sure you tell your story well. Have tons of people read over your PS and make sure that it's not "good", it's phenominal. It needs to stand out to set you apart from the 20,000 applicants with a 3.7+. But it can certainly be done.
PS check out my mdapps

 

[finaaqua]

I need some hope and inspiration at this point b/c being on SDN is making me feel like I have no chance of getting into an MD school w/ my 3.3 GPA. I plan on doing a 1 year informal post bacc, but still I don't think it's possible to bring my GPA up to 3.5+. Anyone know of people who've gotten into US allopathic med school w/sub 3.5 GPAs and average MCATs? I'd especially like to hear stories about people that got in w/ low stats right after undergrad. Share your stories!

I am a post-bacc, so not right after undergrad- but you can still get in- see my stats below (I am female, not a URM)

MCAT: V13 B10 P9 (I took it three times)
Overall GPA: 3.3
BPCM: 3.08
MPH GPA: I think it's 3.7ish


I had a good deal of work interesting experience.

If you look at my signature you can see where I am going this year! Good luck!

 

[doctorFred]

I need some hope and inspiration at this point b/c being on SDN is making me feel like I have no chance of getting into an MD school w/ my 3.3 GPA. I plan on doing a 1 year informal post bacc, but still I don't think it's possible to bring my GPA up to 3.5+. Anyone know of people who've gotten into US allopathic med school w/sub 3.5 GPAs and average MCATs? I'd especially like to hear stories about people that got in w/ low stats right after undergrad. Share your stories!

my science gpa was a 2.9. i'm at an allopathic school. i didn't do a post-bac. i did relatively well on my mcats (34) though.

 

[ianian28]

i was accepted this cycle to an above-average, private, US allopathic medical school with a 3.0 GPA and a 33 mcat.

edit - to be more clear, i am not an underrepresented minority. what helped, i think, was my research background.

 

[BoilerWolverine]

Read my story from back in the day. Its taken a lot of hard work, but now I'm in at a school I'm really happy about. Its doable!

 

[alfred4442]

I was accepted to two medical schools (one of them a top 20 school) with a 3.40 GPA and 27 MCAT. I think the trend of your grades is alot more important than the ultimate overall gpa.

It can be done!! Hang in there!

 

[ashbrant]

I wasn't too serious about school until my junior year, so my overall undergrad is only 3.0 but I have a positive trend and got 3.5+ my senior year. Took the mcat junior year and scored 27. Obviously, I didn't get into med school with those stats. I was pretty disapointed, but I know that taking time off from school allowed me to grow personally and professionally.

After graduation I got a job as a research fellow at the CDC. Did that for a year. Studied my butt off and took the mcat; scored 33. Went to grad school and got a MPH (I considered working in public health instead of medicine). Did well in grad school; 3.85 gpa but not many science courses. I also spent a lot of time volunteering for causes that are meaningful to me. I actually think my extracurriculuars are what made the adcoms give me a second look, but who really knows. I've been accepted at an allo school and an osteo school.

 

[Isoprop]

I need some hope and inspiration at this point b/c being on SDN is making me feel like I have no chance of getting into an MD school w/ my 3.3 GPA. I plan on doing a 1 year informal post bacc, but still I don't think it's possible to bring my GPA up to 3.5+. Anyone know of people who've gotten into US allopathic med school w/sub 3.5 GPAs and average MCATs? I'd especially like to hear stories about people that got in w/ low stats right after undergrad. Share your stories!

Official Low GPA thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=125347

 

[PreMD86]

I was accepted to two medical schools (one of them a top 20 school) with a 3.40 GPA and 27 MCAT. I think the trend of your grades is alot more important than the ultimate overall gpa.

It can be done!! Hang in there!

...clicking the URM box doesn't hurt either

 

[Jolie South]

...clicking the URM box doesn't hurt either

can we please not go there?

 

[MsJLewis]

Um, there is no "URM" box. You report your race/ethnicity and the school decides if you are URM or not. There is a Disadvantaged box though..

 

[aaj117]

...clicking the URM box doesn't hurt either

was that really at all necessary? the OP asked for support and success stories, and everyone is sharing those. we have no control over what race/ethnicity whatever we are, and we don't need to be reminded EVERY THIRTY SECONDS on these forums if we're a minority. WE HAVE MIRRORS! We know, thanks. What purpose does posting that possibly serve except to irritate people? And the comment "Applying as white" in your mdapps? You mean, honestly checking off whatever race you are? 😱 why do you try to stir people up like that?

 

[caliprincess]

was that really at all necessary? the OP asked for support and success stories, and everyone is sharing those. we have no control over what race/ethnicity whatever we are, and we don't need to be reminded EVERY THIRTY SECONDS on these forums if we're a minority. WE HAVE MIRRORS! We know, thanks. What purpose does posting that possibly serve except to irritate people? And the comment "Applying as white" in your mdapps? You mean, honestly checking off whatever race you are? 😱 why do you try to stir people up like that?

OMG THANK YOU! Sometimes ppl on here bug the crap out of me with their ignorance....

 

[Cataract]

I have a 28Q and 3.65GPA with 6 MD interviews and 1 acceptance so far. The only catch is that I'm a biomedical engineering major with a strong upward trend to a 4.0. Give em hell throughout the entire process and show genuine interest in the schools.

 

[UnderdogMD]

was that really at all necessary? the OP asked for support and success stories, and everyone is sharing those.

I don't know if it was necessary, but I am certain it is relevant considering the admissions process. It is also relevant whether the OP is URM or not. If you are considered URM and you are sharing a success story I think it is important to include it when telling others. There are certain realities of the admissions process that cannot be ignored. A person would want success stories that are somewhat applicable to them. The problem with said comment is people cannot leave it alone as a fact. Almost always URMs get defensive and then nonURMs come in with their bitterness/unfairness tirade and it usually results in flaming. People (URMs and nonURMs) should just accept it as a true statement and move on.

 

[majik1213]

i have a 29 mcat and a 3.67 GPA .. I got 3 interviews so far (2 waitlists, 1 yet to occur), 2 rejections, and 1 silent treatment (applied late to only 6 schools)

I have a 28Q and 3.65GPA with 6 MD interviews and 1 acceptance so far. The only catch is that I'm a biomedical engineering major with a strong upward trend to a 4.0. Give em hell throughout the entire process and show genuine interest in the schools.

Cataract brings up a decent argument .. give them hell .. I wrote Temple saying how foolish I'd be to ignore the 8VR score .. then I went on to explain truthfully that I haven't given up the struggle to raise my VR (it's at a 9 finally .. consistently too) and within a week I got an interview invite .. address your weaknesses boldly, tell them you've been working to improve .. I read on mdapplicants.com that a kid who got waitlisted in March received a call from Temple, and the caller said that his waitlist chances would improve drastically if he wrote an LOI .. stuff like that is what people with weak application stats need to do. To be certain, hounding the school shows a strong desire/strong work ethic, traits that have the absolute highest correlation to success in medical school .. a correlation that is way higher than that of GPA (although to an extent GPA reflects that very trait) and significantly higher than the MCAT (although to a lesser extent the MCAT reflects that trait).

 

[sosarah]

Well here's some genuine hope. You can read my mdapps for the details but here's a quick summary:
-white chick
-GPA = 3.4
-BCPM = 3.2
-MCAT = 26N
-Applied to 3, Interviewed at 2, Accepted to 1 so far

It CAN be done! Just don't lose hope and but the hell out of them until they tell you what you want to hear! 🙂

Good Luck!

 

[Luxian]

I had a low GPA, but high MCAT (3.1 and 37). Good thing is you can always improve your MCAT, but improving your GPA is awfully hard.

The happy ending? I've just been accepted to one of my two top schools (amongst those I interviewed with.) You can do it!

 

[thoffen]

3.45 32 with success here (check out mdapps). Good luck. There is a lot more to this process than MCAT/GPA, but you do have to get their attention or otherwise be a resident of the right state.

 

[hermit]

I was accepted to two medical schools (one of them a top 20 school) with a 3.40 GPA and 27 MCAT.

URM

 

[aaj117]

URM

hey, why don't you try scrolling up? this was already obnoxiously pointed out and there's no need to make people uncomfortable about supporting others.

 

[hermit]

hey, why don't you try scrolling up? this was already obnoxiously pointed out and there's no need to make people uncomfortable about supporting others.

Ummm....it's relevant.

If I get accepted to Harvard with a 3.0 GPA and a 25 MCAT, people are going to want to know what gives. Oh yeah, I was executive director of the Peace Corps for 15 years. Is this really a success story that would motivate the OP? Not unless they've got something comparable. The same holds true for URM status. Unless the OP is a URM, their stories of acceptances coupled with ridiculously low stats are of little value.

 

[MsJLewis]

Umm... no one is denying its relevance. Its definitely a relevant thing to consider.

But its already been pointed out (if you bothered to read through the thread). That is what aaj was trying to tell you.

 

[aaj117]

yes, it has alreayd been pointed out and discussed. Not only that, but that individual has their ethnicity in their mdapps profile, so it's not like they were keeping it a secret. However, there are plenty of non-URM applicants on this thread who reported doing well with lower stats--which means that being a minority is not the only way someone with low stats can get in. It happens for white people too! So that might not be the ONLY reason it happened for a minority.
If this person, fully admitting their ethniciy by posting it on their mdapps, wants to write and try to support the OP, they should be able to do so without having to worry about being attacked for it or being told thats the ONLY reason they're getting in. It's a factor, but every part of their application is a factor, just like the white and asian students who are reporting success with lower stats.

 

[littlealex]

I don't think the stories are of little value. It shows that it could be done. However, I do agree to some degree that it is relevant.
Most of the low stat/low mcat success stories I see are relevant only towards other URM applicants. There are very very few similar success stories for the white kid from the suburbs. At the same time, he probably had better opportunities and less of a reason for his low scores. It's difficult to judge (and not up to us to judge) but the URM status is relevant.

 

[BoilerWolverine]

I've gotten in with LOW GPA... However, it took 4 extra years of work to do it. Had I been an URM, I doubt I would have needed to spend an extra undergrad's worth of time clawing my way back into contention. It IS possible for anyone to get in if they are willing to do the work, it is just a little easier if you are an URM. Not that I'm bitter or anything. 😉

 

[UofM527]

As others have already posted, it is definitely possible, and don't discount DO schools either...my stats, both GPA and MCAT are very average....but if you have great ECs, LORs, essays, and interviews, it can work out...also, apply very early, broadly, and reasonably (don't just shoot for top ranked schools) - these are probably some of the most important things to consider with a slightly weaker application...wish you the best of luck!!

And b/c people love to point these things out...yes, I'm half cuban, which doesn't merit URM status....but I won't discount the fact that yes, perhaps I got some sort of bonus points for adding to class diversity or something...(however, my very Caucasian friend managed to get into Michigan with very similar stats, a school that rejected me, so yes, it can work for anyone!!)

 

[aaj117]

\\
Most of the low stat/low mcat success stories I see are relevant only towards other URM applicants. There are very very few similar success stories for the white kid from the suburbs.

ummm i repeat my prior statement of "scroll up". The majority of these posts were made by self-reported caucasians and asians:
ashmarj, fireflygirl, finaqua, zahque, majik1213, sosarah, thoffen, and boilerwolverine.

then there were a bunch of posts by ppl w/o mdapps or whose races we don't know:
magwill, maxprime, lizUMD, ianian28, ashbrant, cataract, and luxian

meanwhile, 2? urms posted, and that is getting all of the attention? GET OVER IT. this OP did not ask for a debate about urms, they asked for support and success stories. We're all trying to help her out. if you're posting in this thread NOT doing that, and just obnoxiously repeating the same thing that has been said over and over again, why are you bothering? can we get back to the point of the thread?

 

[ianian28]

just to be clear, i'm not a URM and made it in with a 3.0 GPA. so, it can be done.

 

[aaj117]

just to be clear, i'm not a URM and made it in with a 3.0 GPA. so, it can be done.

okay so that's 9 people who are definitely not a minority, 6 people who didn't report but probably aren't from what i've read of their other posts, and 2 people who are URMs, who shared success stories. So why is it, with numbers like that, that multiple people have to obnoxiously point out the URM post and say that's the reason and it's not relevant to the OP? While yes, it often contributes, it's not the only reason that someone could get in with lower stats; if it is, then we wouldn't have so many whites and asians posting in this thread. So leave it alone. people who feel the need to repeatedly point it out, you're only making minorities feel uncomfortable posting at all in this forum, and we shouldn't be made to feel uncomfortable supporting other pre-meds. ok? ok.

 

[BoilerWolverine]

After reading through this thread, I think some people are being too sensitive. It all started by saying, "...clicking the URM box doesn't hurt either." While it might have some negative undertones, is it not true that applying URM helps an applicant?

 

[aaj117]

After reading through this thread, I think some people are being too sensitive. It all started by saying, "...clicking the URM box doesn't hurt either." While it might have some negative undertones, is it not true that applying URM helps an applicant?

we didn't say that it didn't help, but we don't need multiple people pointing out the one or two individuals that are urms. Especially when it happens every single time you post trying to support someone, you become a little bit more sensitive to it; people on this site act like its the ONLY reason we get in with low stats, meanwhile plenty of non-urms are admitted with lower stats too-- it's an individual basis kind of thing. But if they can get admitted with lower stats too, then it means it's not ONLY the urm thing that could possibly be why we got in. so why do we need to be reminded every 30 seconds? it's like people constantly telling us that we didn't earn anything and we're not as good. it gets OLD.
PLUS, we don't APPLY URM. i don't know how many times we have to repeat that. it's not like oh score i can get an edge by checking off this extra box; we report honestly what we are, and someone else decides that for us.

 

[flaahless]

It is disgusting how quickly people will pull the urm card. Just a quick look in this thread you can see that there are plenty of non-urm success stories. There are plenty of exceptional applicants, both urm and non-urm, that have overcome their low stats. I don't know if it's arrogance or insecurity, but people really need to stop viewing urm applicants as mere recipients of beneficial treatment. That mentality has the potential to be very destructive.

 

[Cataract]

okay so that's 9 people who are definitely not a minority, 6 people who didn't report but probably aren't from what i've read of their other posts, and 2 people who are URMs, who shared success stories. So why is it, with numbers like that, that multiple people have to obnoxiously point out the URM post and say that's the reason and it's not relevant to the OP? While yes, it often contributes, it's not the only reason that someone could get in with lower stats; if it is, then we wouldn't have so many whites and asians posting in this thread. So leave it alone. people who feel the need to repeatedly point it out, you're only making minorities feel uncomfortable posting at all in this forum, and we shouldn't be made to feel uncomfortable supporting other pre-meds. ok? ok.

Make it 10 people that are not URM. I also have one of the lowest MCAT/GPA stats here 🙁

 

[LovelyMD]

After reading through this thread, I think some people are being too sensitive. It all started by saying, "...clicking the URM box doesn't hurt either."

Given what has been going on in recent threads during the past few days, this should not be surprising at all.

 

[thoffen]

I think an even bigger advantage than URM for some people who have had success with low stats is state of residency. There are a few states out there that are very friendly to in-state products with marginal scores.

 

[MossPoh]

Of course, it would be a bit of a contradiction of the majority of people on these boards were minorities. 😛 So, is it REALLY that unexpected to have a 9:2 or 10:2 ratio? I do agree it is a moot point at this time. I just found the count kind of funny.

It is possible. I'm in your boat though. Tanked freshman year, had no goals sophomore and junior, so I got lots of Bs and now I get almost all As. I think I am in the 3.35 or 3.4 range...haven't calculated it. I'm trying to make sure that my gpa is the lowest point of application and that it is relatively easy to notice that the bulk of that is from early on and not just a steady trail of Cs throughout college.

Aside from that stuff I have a bunch of ECs to kind of round out my app. President of a club, TA, curriculum developer thing, 2 study abroads, TONS of shadowing, tutoring, about 1.5 years of research involving direct medical stuff, relay for life, big brother big sister, humane society, soon to be at a free clinic, penn state THON..yada yada yada.

 

[aaj117]

Of course, it would be a bit of a contradiction of the majority of people on these boards were minorities. 😛 So, is it REALLY that unexpected to have a 9:2 or 10:2 ratio? I do agree it is a moot point at this time. I just found the count kind of funny..

the point of the count was that if there are only two, they shouldn't be focused on, and it's not the only reason that one can get in with low stats. it's exactly in line with what you'd expect, which means it's not like you're automatically in as a urm no matter how crappy your stats, unlike what some people make it seem like.