Plan after the retake policy change

[epoxydine]

I am as upset as everyone else about the course retake policy changing without any notice. Since posting on SDN may very well be the only thing that makes me feel better right now, I am soliciting your advice on how I should proceed with my situation.

I have a 511 MCAT. With the new retake policy, I am now at a 3.52 cGPA and a 3.14sGPA. Before it was 3.57 and 3.27 respectively thanks to a UNE retake--a huge boost for me, getting me past the 3.25 cutoff. I really thought my 3.27 sGPA was doable given the rest of my application but now my 3.14 just seems dismal.

How should I proceed? Suck it up and take another load of 4 or 5 courses to (slowly) get my sGPA up to a 3.3? Set myself back another year and apply to some kind of formal smp or post bac? Give up and become a monk instead?

I just feel like I've already sunk so much cost into this process and I'm trying to decide if I bow out now or if it will be worth it to stay in the game given how much harder the game has become. Thank you in advance for your advice, my advisor hasn't been super helpful throughout all this. I realize my situation is not as bad as many of the folks who have spent tens of thousands of dollars on retaking classes and my heart goes out to you all.

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[tony101]

Wait you have a 511 with a 3.52cGPA and 3.14sGPA? While your sGPA is pretty low, the cGPA is competitive and your MCAT score is pretty high. I would think applying next cycle just with those grades would get you into newer schools(Although I can't speak much for the far more established ones).
A good question for @Goro

Edit: Also depends on your EC's and letters of rec by the way, so if they are very strong, you should have a pretty decent chance.

 

[psu228]

I am as upset as everyone else about the course retake policy changing without any notice. Since posting on SDN may very well be the only thing that makes me feel better right now, I am soliciting your advice on how I should proceed with my situation.

I have a 511 MCAT. With the new retake policy, I am now at a 3.52 cGPA and a 3.14sGPA. Before it was 3.57 and 3.27 respectively thanks to a UNE retake--a huge boost for me, getting me past the 3.25 cutoff. I really thought my 3.27 sGPA was doable given the rest of my application but now my 3.14 just seems dismal.

How should I proceed? Suck it up and take another load of 4 or 5 courses to (slowly) get my sGPA up to a 3.3? Set myself back another year and apply to some kind of formal smp or post bac? Give up and become a monk instead?

I just feel like I've already sunk so much cost into this process and I'm trying to decide if I bow out now or if it will be worth it to stay in the game given how much harder the game has become. Thank you in advance for your advice, my advisor hasn't been super helpful throughout all this. I realize my situation is not as bad as many of the folks who have spent tens of thousands of dollars on retaking classes and my heart goes out to you all.

You're still in good shape. Maybe you could take a class or two this semester to make yourself more attractive, show commitment or whatever, but if you apply broadly I'd be very surprised if you don't get in somewhere. Your MCAT is high for all DO and certainly the new ones.

You sGPA might hold you back from the "old" DO schools, where your MCAT isn't as big of a bonus compared to your sGPA being a weakness. But if you apply to the newer programs also, some of which seem to be very solid, I think you can be successful this cycle.

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[epoxydine]

You poor poopy. How will you ever get into medical school?

I have had bad advising, I'm first gen and I have no one in my life who knows anything about this stuff, sorry to inconvenience you so

 

[epoxydine]

You're still in good shape. Maybe you could take a class or two this semester to make yourself more attractive, show commitment or whatever, but if you apply broadly I'd be very surprised if you don't get in somewhere. Your MCAT is high for all DO and certainly the new ones.

You sGPA might hold you back from the "old" DO schools, where your MCAT isn't as big of a bonus compared to your sGPA being a weakness. But if you apply to the newer programs also, some of which seem to be very solid, I think you can be successful this cycle.

This is encouraging, thank you. I'm fine with the newer schools, I'll make it work wherever. I just want to get in somewhere without having to do a goddamn smp or something similar. I'll probably try to take between four and five classes between now and next summer when I submit my app, though.

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[Goro]

sGPA is lethal at my school, but not if the OP applies broadly.

Wait you have a 511 with a 3.52cGPA and 3.14sGPA? While your sGPA is pretty low, the cGPA is competitive and your MCAT score is pretty high. I would think applying next cycle just with those grades would get you into newer schools(Although I can't speak much for the far more established ones).
A good question for @Goro

Edit: Also depends on your EC's and letters of rec by the way, so if they are very strong, you should have a pretty decent chance.

 

[epoxydine]

I was being sarcastic. You could probably apply to the newer DO schools THIS cycle and get an interview with that MCAT score. Continue retaking until you get better grades in the core classes only. Don't waste money on padding - you don't need it. Schools want to know that you have mastered the basics, so don't worry about your cumulative sGPA as long as you make As and Bs in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. Everything else is gravy.

One last piece of advice - show some backbone will ya? Crybabies and kids who can't bring themselves to seek good advice and recognize it when they hear it end up in the ass-end of medicine.

Backbone? Seeking advice? P sure that's what I'm doing here?? No offense but though I appreciate your sarcasm I don't think it constitutes good advice. I don't think it constitutes advice at all. I appreciate the actual advice everyone has provided, including you. No need to get defensive.

 

[epoxydine]

sGPA is lethal at my school, but not if the OP applies broadly.

So would you recommend taking another lot of four or five upper level science classes to boost it up to say a 3.3?

 

[Cardboard101]

So would you recommend taking another lot of four or five upper level science classes to boost it up to say a 3.3?

You have a few months before the next app cycle. Take and ace a couple upper division science classes. The MCAT and your cGPA are great. Just bring the sGPA up and show that you can handle upper level science courses. Assuming your ECs are in order and you apply broadly, you should be fine. AFAIK only one school has a sGPA cutoff of 3.25.

 

[AlteredScale]

Please keep the conversation civil and professional. Thanks.

 

[Goro]

Yes.

So would you recommend taking another lot of four or five upper level science classes to boost it up to say a 3.3?

 

[Grey Storm]

.

 

[epoxydine]

Yes.

Alright, then that's the plan. Thank you for your advice.