Please help! 3.3 GPA with 39 MCAT

[Frogfish101]

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Hello all!

Please help me out here, what do y'all think my chances are? I'm pretty nervous because of my low GPA. Below is a concise 'resume'...if you need more info just ask 🙂 I am a junior at Duke, so my science GPA is my projected GPA for the end of this semester, presumed that I keep the same grades I have now.

science GPA: 3.34 (Overall: 3.41), with an intended Major in Biomedical Engineering and an already completed Minor in Biology at Duke University. I really screwed up freshman year, but got a 3.4 spring semester freshman year and have been trending upwards in GPA.

MCAT: 39, taken only once

Extracurriculars: Leadership positions in 2 major school clubs (1 club sport), worked 7000+ hours in 2 labs (1 clinical, 1 biochemistry) since high school, published as author on 3 journal articles ( 1 in Nature). 200+ hours clinical volunteering, shadowed 2 physicians for 120+ hours. My summers were spent working full time in labs, volunteering and shadowing.

Michigan resident, Asian background


I have a feeling my GPA will come back to haunt me.

 

[Catalystik]

While your terrific MCAT score will probably compensate for your low cGPA at some schools, your BCPM GPA needs to get much higher. I suggest some As in upper-level Bio courses to reassure adcomms that you can consistently perform well in classes similar to those in med school. Unfortunately, your major isn't going to help you much with its traditionally difficult coursework.

Your ECs look good. You might consider some nonmedical, noncampus community service on a weekly basis if you don't have that.

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Duke is a top ten university, you're taking engineering as well as pre-medical classes, you have good ec's, and your MCAT is through the roof. Your gpa is not ideal, but also not comparable to a 3.3/3.4 at most schools since yours is much more competitive and rigorous. Pull your gpa up as high as you can, but even with your stats now I see no way you will not get in at least one medical school. I'd expect at least a handful of interviews. Make sure you apply very broadly. Good luck.

 

[image187]

Certainly apply DO also

 

[Frogfish101]

Thanks guys! That makes me feel better 🙂

Knowing that I severely limited my chances with a horrendous semester freshman year, I knew that I would need to look into DO and Dental schools as well. I want to know what my chances are for DO school and Dental school? From what I have read, it seems that I would be competitive for DO school. But what about Dental school? I took that DAT and received a 23. I know that I lack shadowing a DDS/DMD, so I started doing that this semester (so far have about 30 or so hours).

 

[Frogfish101]

Unfortunately, your major isn't going to help you much with its traditionally difficult coursework.

Yeah I realized that, but I was too bull-headed to change. Something that I am kicking myself now for...wish I wasn't so prideful and stubborn sometimes.

Thanks for your input! Will look into nonmedical community service opportunities!

 

[Frogfish101]

Also, how much will an extremely upward trending GPA play into the decision of the adcomms?

 

[Catalystik]

I want to know what my chances are for . . . . Dental school? I took that DAT and received a 23. I know that I lack shadowing a DDS/DMD, so I started doing that this semester (so far have about 30 or so hours).

There is a Pre-Dental Forum further down on the SDN list where you'll find more folks knowledgeable about dental school application processes and requirements.

 

[Catalystik]

Also, how much will an extremely upward trending GPA play into the decision of the adcomms?

Applying with a downward trend is never a good idea. In your case (depending on your science grade trend, which we don't know), it's possible you could get into a less-selective MD school as you are, but for a shot at more selective schools, I think a steep upward trend would be very important. How much work you need to do depends on how ambitious you are.

 

[Frogfish101]

Applying with a downward trend is never a good idea. In your case (depending on your science grade trend, which we don't know), it's possible you could get into a less-selective MD school as you are, but for a shot at more selective schools, I think a steep upward trend would be very important. How much work you need to do depends on how ambitious you are.

That's what I am asking. My GPA has been upward trending. I got a:
Semester:GPA(# of classes)

1st sem: 2.125(4)
2nd: 3.4(5)
Summer: 4.0(2)
3rd: 3.5(5)
4th: 3.7(5)
5th (proj): 3.8(5)

Would this warrant a look from adcomms, or would they still trash my app due to low my BCPM gpa?

 

[Catalystik]

You do have an upward grade trend in cGPA. Can you give the same data for your BCPM GPA each of those semesters? Is there any upper-level Bio in those grades?

 

[Frogfish101]

Hello Catalystik! Here is my BCPM gpa:

1st Semester: 2.125(4)
2nd: 3.0(2)
Summer: 4.0(1)
3rd: 3.5(5)
4th: 3.7(5)
5th (proj): 3.8(5)

Yes, since I completed a Bio minor I have taken 5 upper-level courses in Biology (2 were graduate level, another was a vertebrate anatomy class) and received A's in all. I also took Biochemistry sophomore year and received an A-. Math has really screwed my gpa, and I have received a couple B's in physics/engineering class. I failed linear algebra 1st semester freshman year, and I retook it and got a B-

Thanks for all your help Catalystik. I plan on taking more upper level bio courses too. Do you think it would be worth it to apply for the next cycle (after my senior year) so I can boost my gpa even more? Since that will afford me a year off, will medical admissions care about what I do that year off?

 

[Catalystik]

Knowing the explanation for the low BCPM, that you've done well in upper-level Bio, and seeing the upward grade trend, I think it is reasonable for you to apply after 6 semesters if you can continue to do as well as you project for this semester, provided you're going to target a broad selectivity range of schools. If you are more ambitious, then you could wait until after your senior year, but regardless, your senior year grades need to continue being terrific. And you would need to continue building your ECs. Update letters about activities and new grades during the cycle have been known to sway adcomms positively. Adcomms do care about what you do in a year off, and will ask about it in Secondaries and at interviews, so living in your parents' basement and playing video games for that year is not a good option.

 

[Frogfish101]

Great thanks for all your help Catalystik!

 

[Catalystik]

Let us know what you decide to do for an application time line.

 

[csheng89]

I'm a senior at Duke right now actually applying in this cycle. I think that with ur high mcat, u should get a look from at least some of the top tier. Of course, there will be schools that screen u out immediately cuz of ur gpa, but I wouldn't worry about those anyways. U dont want a school where all they care about is picking ppl with high stats.

Idk if u've been to dean scheirer's kickoff workshop thing yet, but he'll probably give u a little bit more specifics. Basically, if ur not too concerned with the "prestige" of the school, most duke undergrads interested in medicine will end up in one med school or another so there's nothing to worry about there. Plus, ur publications are looking good. If u really want to go to like a top 20, then u should probably take a year off. Even then however, u should keep in mind that top tier schools are a crap shoot even with good stats... so think to urself, is going to a top tier school worth taking the year off? U'll be a doctor regardless, but ultimately its a decision u should talk over with ur parents. I would totally understand where ur coming from if u did decide to take a year off cuz some of my friends are doing the same. Just shoot me a pm if u wanna ask more. Good luck!

 

[jhamaican]

You are published in NATURE with a 39 MCAT. Not to mention all this at a top 10 university. You will not only get in somewhere, you will get in somewhere excellent. As you probably already know, a nature publication is the culmination of a career for many professors. Calm down.

 

[HEATBAG]

Yes, just remember to have fun