Major GPA vs cGPA and sGPA

[pinkbows39]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So, one of the main reasons I want to go into medical school is to go into psychiatry.
Obviously, I am open to many other fields when I am exposed to them during med school, but all throughout college I was greatly interested in psych.

My cGPA by the end of senior year should be close to a 3.5 (but I may retake a C+ and C- I received in Calc and Bio freshmen year). However, my psych GPA is a 3.88. My psych-associated minor is also 3.85. If I have a bunch of psych-related research experience on my resume and express my passion about wanting to go into psychiatry, would this GPA balance out my cGPA?
My sGPA is also very poor as well, but with those 2 retakes and taking a few more upper level science courses, I hope to balance everything out.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Here is how much each GPA matters for med school admissions, with 10 being the highest and 0 being the lowest:

sGPA: 10/10
cGPA: 9.5/10
Major GPA: 0.5/10

Also note that for MD, re-taking a class will not replace the grade, only add another grade - both are factored into your GPA. However, for DO, the grade is replaced.

If it wasn't clear, your major GPA will not matter at all. A cGPA of 3.5 is a little low, but still well within the "acceptable" range. How low is your sGPA?

 

[efle]

Major GPA? Is this a thing? I don't think this is a number admissions sees.

 

[P0ke]

Yeah science gpa counts the most. I discovered early on that I couldn't make up for a bad grade in physics by taking a bunch of music appreciation courses.
Cumulative counts too, but I think science is weighted a lot more. Major GPA only counts insofar as it affects the other two. It won't be calculated and they really don't care what your major is.

 

[mimelim]

Major GPA? Is this a thing? I don't think this is a number admissions sees.

We do not typically know which classes are a part of someone's major. Thus, unless a letter writer mentions it, nobody would ever know what your "major gpa" is. It is expected that you will do well in most of your classes, regardless of if it is your 'passion' or not.

 

[7331poas]

We do not typically know which classes are a part of someone's major. Thus, unless a letter writer mentions it, nobody would ever know what your "major gpa" is. It is expected that you will do well in most of your classes, regardless of if it is your 'passion' or not.

Wouldn't it say on their transcript?

 

[JustAPhD]

Your transcript says your major, but the classes that were taken for your major are not distinguished from the others.

Edit: As mimelim said below, why should they care? If you pulled a 4.0 in your basket-weaving major it doesn't really matter. It's reflected in your cGPA but unnecessary to report as yet another statistic.

 

[mimelim]

Wouldn't it say on their transcript?

Say what? We know what your major is and then we get the classes that you took and the grades that you got in them. We then get your AMCAS gpa, you don't tell AMCAS which classes are a part of your major.

The bigger point is, why should we care?

 

[7331poas]

Say what? We know what your major is and then we get the classes that you took and the grades that you got in them. We then get your AMCAS gpa, you don't tell AMCAS which classes are a part of your major.

The bigger point is, why should we care?

You shouldnt. I was asking the question in a vacuum.

 

[flyingeagle]

So, one of the main reasons I want to go into medical school is to go into psychiatry.
Obviously, I am open to many other fields when I am exposed to them during med school, but all throughout college I was greatly interested in psych.

My cGPA by the end of senior year should be close to a 3.5 (but I may retake a C+ and C- I received in Calc and Bio freshmen year). However, my psych GPA is a 3.88. My psych-associated minor is also 3.85. If I have a bunch of psych-related research experience on my resume and express my passion about wanting to go into psychiatry, would this GPA balance out my cGPA?
My sGPA is also very poor as well, but with those 2 retakes and taking a few more upper level science courses, I hope to balance everything out.

Major GPA is something that psychology graduate schools like to see, but medical schools don't care at all about it. It helps that you've done well in those classes since it boosts your cGPA, but you should also focus on improving your sGPA (e.g. retakes and more upper level sciences you can kill).

 

[deleted446889]

Is there a ballpark minimum sGPA for MD schools? What about DO? Is there a cutoff point where they just throw your application out without further review?

 

[pinkbows39]

Major GPA? Is this a thing? I don't think this is a number admissions sees.

Oh okay thanks so much everyone.
On my student account for my university, we have Major GPA under it separately so I was just wondering if this was a thing they would look at..
since I've never heard of such a thing either.

My sci GPA is terrible.. probably around 3.1.. But I plan on retaking my lower 2 classes I got Cs in and taking several upper levels.
Hopefully this will boost my sGPA enough =/

 

[Goro]

We don't look at what your GPA is in your major. Wee look at cGPA and sGPA.

So, one of the main reasons I want to go into medical school is to go into psychiatry.
Obviously, I am open to many other fields when I am exposed to them during med school, but all throughout college I was greatly interested in psych.

My cGPA by the end of senior year should be close to a 3.5 (but I may retake a C+ and C- I received in Calc and Bio freshmen year). However, my psych GPA is a 3.88. My psych-associated minor is also 3.85. If I have a bunch of psych-related research experience on my resume and express my passion about wanting to go into psychiatry, would this GPA balance out my cGPA?
My sGPA is also very poor as well, but with those 2 retakes and taking a few more upper level science courses, I hope to balance everything out.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Below 3.0 you're going straight into the trash. Below 3.4 you're going straight into the trash unless you blow up the MCAT or have some other very compelling reason they should overlook the gpa (like top of your SMP class, military service, etc)

 

[deleted446889]

Below 3.0 you're going straight into the trash. Below 3.4 you're going straight into the trash unless you blow up the MCAT or have some other very compelling reason they should overlook the gpa (like top of your SMP class, military service, etc)

I see. Does this go for DO schools as well?

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I see. Does this go for DO schools as well?

For the most part. They are slightly more lenient with GPA, but a 3.1 sGPA will leave you nearly DOA most places. Unless you have stellar ECs, >95th percentile MCAT, powerful SMP performance, or impressive leadership/public service (military, peace corps, etc.)

Remember that DO's accept grade replacement, so you can raise your GPA substantially for those schools.