Medical school and undergrad GPA

[ThePig]

What do medical schools look at primarily in terms of GPA? I've searched around the web and haven't been able to find a straight answer.

If someone could help me (and others in the future reading this) sort this out, can you arrange this in ascending order:

a. The GPA given by the university from which you graduate according to their rules
b. Your cummulative GPA (including, say, some junior college courses taken while in high school, or a school from which you have transfered)
c. Your science/math GPA (or is it just science and not math?)

Also, what's the deal with repeating courses and the "medical school GPA"? Say I get a B- in course X, and re-take it over the summer to get an A. My university keeps the B- in the transcript, but only counts the repeat grade (the A) in the GPA. Would medical schools take this similarly into account and disregard the first grade, not counting it into the GPA?

ENLIGHTEN ME!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mauberley]

What do medical schools look at primarily in terms of GPA? I've searched around the web and haven't been able to find a straight answer.

If someone could help me (and others in the future reading this) sort this out, can you arrange this in ascending order:

a. The GPA given by the university from which you graduate according to their rules
b. Your cummulative GPA (including, say, some junior college courses taken while in high school, or a school from which you have transfered)
c. Your science/math GPA (or is it just science and not math?)

Also, what's the deal with repeating courses and the "medical school GPA"? Say I get a B- in course X, and re-take it over the summer to get an A. My university keeps the B- in the transcript, but only counts the repeat grade (the A) in the GPA. Would medical schools take this similarly into account and disregard the first grade, not counting it into the GPA?

When applying to allopathic (MD-granting) schools, the GPA reported by your colleges are not used. Rather, you enter the grades and credits for all college courses taken into the AMCAS application, which then determines your GPA. If you're curious how that works, please Google "AMCAS GPA." It's been explained ad nauseum. When retaking courses, all attempts are counted, not just the last one. Osteopathic (DO-granting) schools do use grade replacement as described, but the application process (AACOMAS) is separate from AMCAS.

If you have more questions, please Google first.

 

[ozzi22]

what about if for example, you took a class at cc which was listed as 4 credits but you transferred to your university as 3 credits, would you recored 3 credit hours on amcas?

 

[ThePig]

When applying to allopathic (MD-granting) schools, the GPA reported by your colleges are not used. Rather, you enter the grades and credits for all college courses taken into the AMCAS application, which then determines your GPA. If you're curious how that works, please Google "AMCAS GPA." It's been explained ad nauseum. When retaking courses, all attempts are counted, not just the last one. Osteopathic (DO-granting) schools do use grade replacement as described, but the application process (AACOMAS) is separate from AMCAS.

If you have more questions, please Google first.

Thanks bro.

 

[mauberley]

what about if for example, you took a class at cc which was listed as 4 credits but you transferred to your university as 3 credits, would you recored 3 credit hours on amcas?

No, you would report having taken the class at the CC, with the grade and credits reported by the CC. You would not report any transfer credits granted by your university.

 

[ozzi22]

No, you would report having taken the class at the CC, with the grade and credits reported by the CC. You would not report any transfer credits granted by your university.

thanks

 

[Tapepsi]

Also keep in mind that some MD schools look unfavorably/are indifferent to retakes. The school I am matriculating at said that anyone can do well the second time in a course, and so only the first grade will be looked at.

 

[3v0]

I have one question I can't find in the search function. For classes that give a letter grade but arent factored into ur gpa, how do those count?

For example, I have a math class I got a B in but it is not factored into my GPA.
How does that work? Will they take that B and into account as it's own grade for how ever many credits the class was for?

 

[karkatvantas]

Does anyone know what they do if you went to a school that doesn't give out grades? My first two years of college were at a liberal arts college that didn't use letter grades (we had written evaluations). I'm transferring to a state university that offers letter grades for my last two years.

I just want to know what happens because I have 4 semesters that were pass/fail with written evaluations and will have 4 semesters that are letter graded, and all my pre-reqs except bio 2 were done at the first school. I know of people who've gone to med school from my first school, so I know it's possible (in-state, to a good school, but I'd prefer to go out of state because this one is just too damn hot), I'm just wondering how my GPA will be calculated. Does anyone here have experience in this?

 

[mauberley]

Does anyone know what they do if you went to a school that doesn't give out grades? My first two years of college were at a liberal arts college that didn't use letter grades (we had written evaluations). I'm transferring to a state university that offers letter grades for my last two years.

I just want to know what happens because I have 4 semesters that were pass/fail with written evaluations and will have 4 semesters that are letter graded, and all my pre-reqs except bio 2 were done at the first school. I know of people who've gone to med school from my first school, so I know it's possible (in-state, to a good school, but I'd prefer to go out of state because this one is just too damn hot), I'm just wondering how my GPA will be calculated. Does anyone here have experience in this?

They obviously can't factor into your GPA, but you still need to include them in your course work listing. From page 51 of the instruction manual:

Narrative Evaluations
All narrative evaluations received from registrars will be forwarded to your designated schools along with your application. If you have received narrative evaluations for some or all courses in lieu of letter grades (e.g., A, B, C, etc.) at a college:
Include this institution in Schools Attended. Do not select Pass/Fail as the Special Course Type even if your transcript reflects a Pass/Fail grade for narrative evaluation course work. Enter all required course data.

 

[mauberley]

I have one question I can't find in the search function. For classes that give a letter grade but arent factored into ur gpa, how do those count?

For example, I have a math class I got a B in but it is not factored into my GPA.
How does that work? Will they take that B and into account as it's own grade for how ever many credits the class was for?

Yes. From page 8 of the instruction manual:

AMCAS GPAs are almost always different from those calculated by the school(s) you have attended. Therefore, AMCAS does not in any way attempt to compare our calculations with those appearing on your official transcripts.

Also, on page 36 (emphasis mine):

When entering course work, you must include information and corresponding grades for every course in which you have ever enrolled at any U.S., U.S. Territorial, or Canadian post-secondary institution, regardless of whether credit was earned.