Need help with gpa. I have a strong upward trend... but still.

[Brooklyn-doc97]

So I first started off pretty bad in that I had a 3.4 cgpa and 2.7 sgpa in a community college. I had 5 W's when I was in community college with a grade of C in General Biology 1, General Chemistry 1, precal 1, and genetics. The only science classes I got an A in was in general biology 2 and General Biology 1(repeated) and a B in precal 2. All of this was done while being a part time student who was working full time. After doing pretty badly in community college I decided to take a year off to get my act together and improved drastically.

In university I now have a 3.9 cgpa and sgpa. I have been getting nothing but A's in my university as a full time student. I have an A in General chemistry 2, Organic chemistry 1&2(including labs), Cell & molecular biology, Statistics, Biostatistics, Microbiology, Development and stem cells, and Virology. The only class I ever received anything lower than an A was Physics 1, in which I got a B in. When adding my cgpa's together I have a 3.5 cgpa. With my sgpa's mixed together I have a 3.3 sgpa. Overall though, even though I try to compensate for it, my gpa's are still lack luster. I have about a year left in school to improve, so I have to take biochemistry, physics 2, and a couple of gen eds then I am done. I am estimating that I can make my cgpa a 3.6 and sgpa a 3.4 or 3.5 by the time of graduation.

Also I heard that being an URM helps too so I also wanted to disclose that I am a black male who grew up in a low SES situation if that will affect my chances. I was wondering what do you guys think? With 5 W's, part time status, and several C's in community college how bad is everything? Will they be willing to overlook the past if my current trend shows a different story, with me getting A's in upper division courses? Thank you.

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[candbgirl]

Keep doing what you are doing and racking up those As and you’ll be fine. Ws are better than Ds and Fs and you used them wisely. They aren’t in your GPAs so stop worrying about them. How are your ECs? Keep at them and allow plenty of time for MCAT studying.

 

[KnightDoc]

Keep doing what you are doing and racking up those As and you’ll be fine. Ws are better than Ds and Fs and you used them wisely. They aren’t in your GPAs so stop worrying about them. How are your ECs? Keep at them and allow plenty of time for MCAT studying.

This^^^^^. AA and low SES will help you A LOT, and your stats aren't terrible in any event.

The huge upward trend is very important, as is doing well in a 4 year school after floundering in CC. Basically, you will be fine with an okay MCAT, and will be in GREAT shape with a decent score (510+), assuming you check all the usual EC boxes.

You have done a tremendous job coming back, and honestly should have no problem, assuming you can pull at least a 505 on the MCAT. Below that it starts getting a little dicey, although still far from impossible, even for a low SES URM.

 

[YCAGA]

Medical schools want to see a high GPA because it correlates better than anything with doing well in their curriculum. The reason why having a 3.0 sGPA is "bad" is because people like that often fail out. The reason why an upward trend is so positive is because it shows the "current you" is close to a 4.0 student. Especially with a low SES background, it is an understandable and admirable story that it took a few years for you to adjust to college courses. In terms of the story that your GPA tells, you are one step below someone with a 3.9 sGPA. Even though on paper your sGPA will be below someone with a 3.5, you are a less risky student to medical schools.

And to be honest, medical schools are so desperate for URM's, especially Native American and Black males, that MD schools are accepting people with 3.4 sGPA and a flat trend, or even lower. As long as you get within MD range on the MCAT (505+), you are competitive for MD schools. If you score like (512+), I would say you are competitive for top 40 schools.

 

[Goro]

So I first started off pretty bad in that I had a 3.4 cgpa and 2.7 sgpa in a community college. I had 5 W's when I was in community college with a grade of C in General Biology 1, General Chemistry 1, precal 1, and genetics. The only science classes I got an A in was in general biology 2 and General Biology 1(repeated) and a B in precal 2. All of this was done while being a part time student who was working full time. After doing pretty badly in community college I decided to take a year off to get my act together and improved drastically.

In university I now have a 3.9 cgpa and sgpa. I have been getting nothing but A's in my university as a full time student. I have an A in General chemistry 2, Organic chemistry 1&2(including labs), Cell & molecular biology, Statistics, Biostatistics, Microbiology, Development and stem cells, and Virology. The only class I ever received anything lower than an A was Physics 1, in which I got a B in. When adding my cgpa's together I have a 3.5 cgpa. With my sgpa's mixed together I have a 3.3 sgpa. Overall though, even though I try to compensate for it, my gpa's are still lack luster. I have about a year left in school to improve, so I have to take biochemistry, physics 2, and a couple of gen eds then I am done. I am estimating that I can make my cgpa a 3.6 and sgpa a 3.4 or 3.5 by the time of graduation.

Also I heard that being an URM helps too so I also wanted to disclose that I am a black male who grew up in a low SES situation if that will affect my chances. I was wondering what do you guys think? With 5 W's, part time status, and several C's in community college how bad is everything? Will they be willing to overlook the past if my current trend shows a different story, with me getting A's in upper division courses? Thank you.

Can you give us your year-by-year GPAs?

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

This^^^^^. AA and low SES will help you A LOT, and your stats aren't terrible in any event.

The huge upward trend is very important, as is doing well in a 4 year school after floundering in CC. Basically, you will be fine with an okay MCAT, and will be in GREAT shape with a decent score (510+), assuming you check all the usual EC boxes.

You have done a tremendous job coming back, and honestly should have no problem, assuming you can pull at least a 505 on the MCAT. Below that it starts getting a little dicey, although still far from impossible, even for a low SES URM.

Thank you, so far though the MCAT would just be the only barrier keeping me from applying. Also I am lacking in my extracurriculars too. I have about 24 hours in clinical volunteering in a hospital and 21 hours shadowing an Oncologists. I estimate that my entire application won't be ready until 2023 cycle to apply in. With 2022 being focused on improving grades and building up some experiences doing clinical and nonclinical volunteering as well as more shadowing and research.

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

Keep doing what you are doing and racking up those As and you’ll be fine. Ws are better than Ds and Fs and you used them wisely. They aren’t in your GPAs so stop worrying about them. How are your ECs? Keep at them and allow plenty of time for MCAT studying.

Thank you. My extracurricular's are pretty bad at the moment, with only 24 hours put into clinical volunteering at a hospital and 21 hours put into shadowing an Oncologist. I have always struggled to commit towards doing EC's due to the time commitment. 2022 will be a much lighter and easier year so I should be able to force all of my experiences into that year and apply in 2023.

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

Medical schools want to see a high GPA because it correlates better than anything with doing well in their curriculum. The reason why having a 3.0 sGPA is "bad" is because people like that often fail out. The reason why an upward trend is so positive is because it shows the "current you" is close to a 4.0 student. Especially with a low SES background, it is an understandable and admirable story that it took a few years for you to adjust to college courses. In terms of the story that your GPA tells, you are one step below someone with a 3.9 sGPA. Even though on paper your sGPA will be below someone with a 3.5, you are a less risky student to medical schools.

And to be honest, medical schools are so desperate for URM's, especially Native American and Black males, that MD schools are accepting people with 3.4 sGPA and a flat trend, or even lower. As long as you get within MD range on the MCAT (505+), you are competitive for MD schools. If you score like (512+), I would say you are competitive for top 40 schools.

Thank you for your response. I'll take what you said in mind and will see who to apply to after taking my MCAT, then make my list from there.