Need some motivation, is being a doctor even possible?

[treadlightlyx]

Hey Guys

I'm a long time lurker who just decided to make an account. Got outta undergrad last year with a horrendous GPA (2.5 cumulative, 2.3 science). Tons of EC's, good leadership but horrible grades. Started at a college near my house (not CC). Last semester re-took a few classes, got a 3.73 with mainly A's. This semester I'm anticipating a (hopefully) similar GPA, hopefully even above a 3.8.

I don't think I'm competitive at all. Even with the grade replacement, schools will look at my UG GPA and I wouldn't be surprised if they threw away my app after that. I've had advisor after advisor after advisor tell me how I have no shot at anything. Even with a stellar MCAT, I feel hopeless. I know what I did, and I know how I overcame it and I think I can articulate it very well but I don't think I will even receive an interview invite to get a chance to discuss it.

Anyone in a similar situation or have been in the same situation? Any help/suggestions? I'd appreciate it. Thanks guys

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[Elevencents]

The beauty of retakes is that if you're willing to put in the effort you can turn a 2.5 to a 3.5. I've seen people on here with 10+ retakes. Just keep it up.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Everything is possible. In 2008, my GPA for the first 60 units of my undergrad was 2.4. Fast forward to 2012, and after maintaining A- performance and retaking 6 courses, I had a GPA that is a tab below 3.4.

Last June, I applied smartly and broadly and was blessed to receive more positive responses than I had anticipated.

 

[mke520]

when i first started college i was college athlete who didn't really care about grades and had no desire to pursue medicine or any type of grad school, so C's were plenty good enough for me at the time (C's got degrees). so let's just say my GPA sucked really bad my first couple years of college (~2.0). it wasn't until my third year of college when i decided to choose medicine as my career and i knew i dug myself into a pretty big whole and i had to kick some serious ass to get out and be competitive for medical school. long story short, i went to undergrad for 6 years to make up for the first two years of school. so i transferred to a new school after my second year of college, got the right mindset, and maintained a 3.96 cGPA with a 4.0 sGPA over the next four years majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. i also rocked the MCAT which landed me multiple medical school acceptances. if you want it bad enough like i did, then you'll do whatever you need to do to get an acceptance somewhere. and trust me, if i was able to do it so can you. Just keep pushing forward, and keep doing well in your classes. it may take a while to get there but it'll be worth it in the end if becoming a doctor is what you really want

 

[Goro]

100% concur. DO schools beleive in reinvention. So start retaking all F/D/C science coursework and let the magic begin on your GOA.

And work on the self-esteem.

The beauty of retakes is that if you're willing to put in the effort you can turn a 2.5 to a 3.5. I've seen people on here with 10+ retakes. Just keep it up.

 

[Mad Jack]

You can most definitely do it. You are not even close to a list cause. Keep up the hard work and knock out some retakes.

 

[treadlightlyx]

Thanks for all your replies guys. It's just so frustrating given how many people have told me that my GPA is extremely low, even with retakes. I've had so many advisors, even an admissions director of a DO school tell me that even though I am showing improvement, that 2.5 is still a huge thing weighing me down even though its not my current and still very low for their standards. It just really makes me wonder if there's a point in applying at all. But I'm going to rock my classes, and I'm going to study my butt off and rock my MCATs and hopefully receive some love from somewhere.

 

[Plecopotamus]

Thanks for all your replies guys. It's just so frustrating given how many people have told me that my GPA is extremely low, even with retakes. I've had so many advisors, even an admissions director of a DO school tell me that even though I am showing improvement, that 2.5 is still a huge thing weighing me down even though its not my current and still very low for their standards. It just really makes me wonder if there's a point in applying at all. But I'm going to rock my classes, and I'm going to study my butt off and rock my MCATs and hopefully receive some love from somewhere.

I don't think you understand the function of retakes. In the DO application, they replace your prior grades in the GPA calculation. That is the GPA that osteopathic schools will use . . . it's not some trick where they tell you to do retakes and then still treat you as the 2.5 applicant.

MD programs are a whole different game in this regard. Most advisers will only be thinking of those when they tell you that you aren't ever going to have a shot.

 

[treadlightlyx]

I don't think you understand the function of retakes. In the DO application, they replace your prior grades in the GPA calculation. That is the GPA that osteopathic schools will use . . . it's not some trick where they tell you to do retakes and then still treat you as the 2.5 applicant.

MD programs are a whole different game in this regard. Most advisers will only be thinking of those when they tell you that you aren't ever going to have a shot.

I thought they were still able to see my undergrad transcript and see that I got the 2.5, but when they see the "overall GPA" it shows it with the retakes? I may just be confused about all this

 

[touchpause13]

I thought they were still able to see my undergrad transcript and see that I got the 2.5, but when they see the "overall GPA" it shows it with the retakes? I may just be confused about all this

Schools don't actually get your transcripts. You send your transcripts to AACOMAS (the primary application service) and they calculate your GPAs. When they do this if you retake a course, the most RECENT score is the one that gets put in your gpa.

So go ahead and retake all the F's D's and C ' s you got.

 

[Plecopotamus]

I thought they were still able to see my undergrad transcript and see that I got the 2.5, but when they see the "overall GPA" it shows it with the retakes? I may just be confused about all this

you enter your grades/transcripts, and you will have to enter all of them, but aacomas will generate the gpas using grade replacement. Yes, all of your grades are there for them to see, but they recognize that people change from who they were at 17 and have a real policy of allowing grade replacement (again, you're not being tricked), such that they'll look at your retake and respective gpas as evidence of your capabilities, not the original. There have been many successful non-trads who have shown this to be effective.

you'd need to get advice from someone involved directly in their admissions, like @Goro, to find out if/when they ever hold the past performance against the applicant, but frankly it's not something I've ever seen brought up here as a significant issue. If you don't do well on your retakes, after you've supposedly reinvented yourself & found your motivation, that's a different circumstance, obviously.

 

[Goro]

100% agree with my young colleague. If you can overcome your past, we look at the you of now, not the you of then. Declining trends, or poor performance at the post-bac level imply one won't be able to habdle med school. We have pretty good evidence that a B+ or A performance in post-bac/SMP = doing well in medical school.


to find out if/when they ever hold the past performance against the applicant, but frankly it's not something I've ever seen brought up here as a significant issue. If you don't do well on your retakes, after you've supposedly reinvented yourself & found your motivation, that's a different circumstance, obviously.

 

[treadlightlyx]

I see. That makes me feel SO much better. Thanks a lot guys, I appreciate your help

 

[hippocampus503]

As long as you show your strong upward trend in your gpa you will be fine. Many schools love a comback story. Work hard on those grades and apply very early in the cycle. There is hope! If being a doctor is your dream, do not give up. You can do this!

 

[EgyptKing21]

Believe in yourself. I believe if you truly give it your all, dedicate yourself, you can achieve ANYTHING you want in life. If this is what you really want to do, everything merely becomes a speed bump towards your goal. Good luck.

 

[ctran019]

When I finished my undergrad university after 5 years. I ended with a 2.56 sGPA and 2.91 cGPA. Now I project at least a 3.3+ sGPA and a 3.5+ cGPA with A's in all 7+ retakes at a community college since I'm broke as hell. It will take me 3 years and I'll be applying come may 2015, but I can't wait to silence all those naysayers and be more than just a statistic.

 

[treadlightlyx]

When I finished my undergrad university after 5 years. I ended with a 2.56 sGPA and 2.91 cGPA. Now I project at least a 3.3+ sGPA and a 3.5+ cGPA with A's in all 7+ retakes at a community college since I'm broke as hell. It will take me 3 years and I'll be applying come may 2015, but I can't wait to silence all those naysayers and be more than just a statistic.

I wish you the best of luck, I'm sure you will be successful!

Thanks for all the confidence everyone else

 

[KittyKat00]

Wait so if I am understanding this correctly... If you retake a course does it have to be retaken at the exact same school you initially took it at or is it okay if you retake it at a community college that offers the same course? For example.. I got a D in Microbiology at a UC. If I retake it at a community college or a cal state that offers it and get an A.. Will that course grade replace my previously earned D at the UC by AMCOS?

 

[el_duderino]

Wait so if I am understanding this correctly... If you retake a course does it have to be retaken at the exact same school you initially took it at or is it okay if you retake it at a community college that offers the same course? For example.. I got a D in Microbiology at a UC. If I retake it at a community college or a cal state that offers it and get an A.. Will that course grade replace my previously earned D at the UC by AMCOS?

The D won't be in your AACOMAS GPA. It will however still count for AMCAS.