Military Veteran Low GPA thoughts.

[GiantMed]

Hello Everyone.

My current GPA is okay and all my science classes so far are "A" or "B", I destroyed my first two semesters of college due to reintegrating into civilian life and not having any support. I was raised in foster care and joined the military to avoid being homeless, after being discharged due to injury I struggled really hard to build a foundation. I don't have the finances for a post-bach and don't want to use my VA educational benefits for a post-bach and have nothing left for medical school. Should I apply for these schools or just apply Caribbean?

• I am a 30-year-old African American Male. URM
• Projected GPA 2019 Application Cycle: 2.52 cum, 3.02 Sci.
• MCAT practice tests have me around 523
• I have for the last 3 semesters gotten a 4.0 and plan to continue.

• 1100 volunteering : With Homeless and Disabled Veterans.
• 3.5 years active duty : Served in Afghanistan.
• 6.5 years reserve
• 3800 hours working as an MA for the VA Hospital in many clinics: Inpatient Psych, Ortho, ENT, Surg, Pod, Internal.
• 480 hours hands on as an MA

Schools that I am thinking of applying to:

1. University of Nevada Reno : Instate school
2. Howard University: Mission of serving and caring for undeserved.
3. Tulane University
4. Albany Medical College
5. Cooper Medical
6. Case Western
7. New York Medical College
8. Nova Southeastern University Osteopathic
9. NYIT
10. Touro Nevada
11. Western University
12. SGU
13. SABA
14. ROSS

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[RNthenDoc]

If you can get your MCAT that high you might have a shot, but a sub-3.0 cumulative GPA is rough. It’s great that you have good recent grades and a valid (imho) reason for doing poorly at first.

My gut is that you’ll find a DO school that might overlook your gpa, but that may not be the case

@Goro

 

[Goro]

First off, many thanks to you for your service to our country.

You have a strong upward GPA trend, that helps a lot.

Under no circumstances consider the Carib.

I can't recommend a list until we have your MCAT score.

All HBCs (including UCLA/Drew), both U NV's need to be at the top of your list.

Having one more semester of strong grades should be enough to convince Adcoms that you can handle med school.

Forget Cooper unless you grew up in NJ.

 

[GiantMed]

First off, many thanks to you for your service to our country.

You have a strong upward GPA trend, that helps a lot.

Under no circumstances consider the Carib.

I can't recommend a list until we have your MCAT score.

All HBCs (including UCLA/Drew), both U NV's need to be at the top of your list.

Having one more semester of strong grades should be enough to convince Adcoms that you can handle med school.

Forget Cooper unless you grew up in NJ.

Thank you so much! You have helped me calm down and focus. I am studying hard for the MCAT and plan to knock it out of the park.

 

[deleted480308]

Thank you so much! You have helped me calm down and focus. I am studying hard for the MCAT and plan to knock it out of the park.

You’ll still need to likely personally contact the schools and give a polished version of “I’m concerned my prior gpa will keep you from even opening my application, but my last 2 yrs and mcat are a better representation of my potential.....can I ask that you consider at least reviewing my app so I don’t get autoscreened?”

 

[Sunna12]

Hello Everyone.

My current GPA is okay and all my science classes so far are "A" or "B", I destroyed my first two semesters of college due to reintegrating into civilian life and not having any support. I was raised in foster care and joined the military to avoid being homeless, after being discharged due to injury I struggled really hard to build a foundation. I don't have the finances for a post-bach and don't want to use my VA educational benefits for a post-bach and have nothing left for medical school. Should I apply for these schools or just apply Caribbean?

• I am a 30-year-old African American Male. URM
• Projected GPA 2019 Application Cycle: 2.52 cum, 2.95 Sci.
• MCAT practice tests have me around 523
• I have for the last 3 semesters gotten a 4.0 and plan to continue.

• 1100 volunteering : With Homeless and Disabled Veterans.
• 3.5 years active duty : Served in Afghanistan.
• 6.5 years reserve
• 3800 hours working as an MA for the VA Hospital in many clinics: Inpatient Psych, Ortho, ENT, Surg, Pod, Internal.
• 480 hours hands on as an MA

Schools that I am thinking of applying to:

1. University of Nevada Reno : Instate school
2. Howard University: Mission of serving and caring for undeserved.
3. Tulane University
4. Albany Medical College
5. Cooper Medical
6. Case Western
7. New York Medical College
8. Nova Southeastern University Osteopathic
9. NYIT
10. Touro Nevada
11. Western University
12. SGU
13. SABA
14. ROSS

You can use some months of GI Bill towards classes to improve your uGPA and still have a significant amount left for med school - I used just under 2 years worth for my post-bacc and am graduating with around $80,000 in loans from my final 1.5 years. About to enter a residency paying $55-57,000/year with +$100,000 post-graduation salary. You're sitting on a significant wealth of educational benefits- don't limit yourself from using it now if being a physician is your goal. Good luck!

 

[GiantMed]

You can use some months of GI Bill towards classes to improve your uGPA and still have a significant amount left for med school - I used just under 2 years worth for my post-bacc and am graduating with around $80,000 in loans from my final 1.5 years. About to enter a residency paying $55-57,000/year with +$100,000 post-graduation salary. You're sitting on a significant wealth of educational benefits- don't limit yourself from using it now if being a physician is your goal. Good luck!

Hello LadyShockMD,

I used a great deal of my GI BILL in undergrad already as I had switched majors unfortunately so I only have a few months left which I am using to finish my degree; I am keeping a few days so that when I go to use Vocational Rehab which is going to pay for medical school I get the full BAH rate. I have the option of waiting to apply in 2020 once my degree is done which may delay my start to medical school but would have me with a cum GPA of 3.07 and sci GPA of 3.18. My plan is to apply 2019 and if I get accepted great but if not then reapply 2020 with my end of degree cum and science GPA’s that are higher. Thank you for the advice though!

 

[GiantMed]

You’ll still need to likely personally contact the schools and give a polished version of “I’m concerned my prior gpa will keep you from even opening my application, but my last 2 yrs and mcat are a better representation of my potential.....can I ask that you consider at least reviewing my app so I don’t get autoscreened?”

I plan to both call/email schools that I plan to apply to and ask about autoscreening as well as checking the forums for student reports of autoscreening. It only takes one admission and the schools that I am truly aiming for are both Drew/UCLA and Howard University as those schools have both said that they don't autoscreen and look at the applicants profile and goals as it relates to the schools mission. Thank you for the advice, just reading student doctor sometimes steals the hope from you if you don't have a 3.75 and a 526 MCAT regardless of the reason.