lower than average gpa stories

[premedstudent93]

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I'd like to hear some more stories about lower than average gpa people getting into MD programs. What was your gpa, mcat, and what did you do to better your chances?

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

There's a low gpa thread in the non-trad forum.

I should add that low gpa success stories are often deceiving on the surface because someone with a 3.2 who was accepted to an MD program likely had a strong mcat and a 3.9 for their last 30-40 credits.

 

[maydaymalone]

Or they are urm

 

[Mansamusa]

I have been accepted to 6 schools so far, ranging from low-tiers to a top 50 school. I had a science GPA between 3.25 and 3.3 (4 Cs, many B+s), with my science GPA from the last two years being 3.15-3.4. My MCAT is balanced and in the 33-36 range. I am so white that I glow in the dark.

I'm very grateful for my cycle. I owe my success to a combination of things coming together: applying early and broadly, coming from a top school, having a lot of interesting life experiences- including well-developed non-science interests, my two science LORs coming from professors who asked me if they could write a letter on my behalf, and being a personable interviewee and being able to joke around with interviewers. I've also been told throughout my school career that I should be a writer or lawyer, so I think my writing was solid

 

[Optimus-Prime]

3.3 w/ 32, had a 4.0 my last 3 semester, did a master's in applied biology 3.8, 2 years of research at the NIH, 1 year of clinical research

3 cycles, 1 MD Acceptance

 

[trini818]

3.5 GPA/30 MCAT. Acceptance into top 20 school.
I have a PhD and my variety of extracurriculars probably helped as well. Since I have been asked before, I am not URM.

 

[maydaymalone]

@trini818 that means youre gonna be Dr^2!

 

[heybubbaa]

3.0 GPA, 39 MCAT. Five years ago I was a college dropout with an abysmal GPA, so I did have a large upward trend. I feel like I have pretty decent EC's, and I think that I had put a decent amount of time between the app cycle and my bad grades. I am also enrolled in an SMP, and did fine in my first semester.

 

[trini818]

@trini818 that means youre gonna be Dr^2!

I have a friend who was joking that I should demand to be called Dr. as an M1. I think that would be looked down upon.

 

[mimelim]

I have an advisee this cycle with a 3.3 cGPA, 3.5 sGPA, 37 MCAT and multiple top 5 acceptances. Easily has among the best ECs I've ever seen. *shrug*

 

[starspells]

I have an advisee this cycle with a 3.3 cGPA, 3.5 sGPA, 37 MCAT and multiple top 5 acceptances. Easily has among the best ECs I've ever seen. *shrug*

Sorry to bump an older thread but would you be allowed to say what his ECs were like? I'm guessing he was a research superstar. IIRC you were too when you applied a decade ago?

 

[mimelim]

Sorry to bump an older thread but would you be allowed to say what his ECs were like? I'm guessing he was a research superstar. IIRC you were too when you applied a decade ago?

I have to be vague or it is too easy to identify. They are a leader of a national organization with a multi-million dollar budget. Over the last 5 years they have done more for healthcare in the US than I will likely do for the duration of my career, largely credited to someone who is still in the first half of their 20s.

I had a strong research background.

 

[wavvvvvves123]

i have a 3.5 gpa but a 516 and some really great ECs that my interviewers were impressed to hear about when i met them. i also think my essays made me seem like a good fit at the schools i applied to. ive come out of this cycle with 9 acceptances so far, and ive gotten into my 3 top choice schools as well 🙂

 

[Goro]

Of my SDN advisees who have been successful despite a low cGPA and/or MCAT (but rarely both), a common meme is that they have compelling life stories, have massive rising trends that followed disastrous first year or years in UG, or some very impressive ECs. Examples of the latter are hundreds if not 1000s of hrs of volunteering and/or clinical experience and strong, productive research credentials.

This is excluding people who aced SMPs or post-bacs.

I'd like to hear some more stories about lower than average gpa people getting into MD programs. What was your gpa, mcat, and what did you do to better your chances?