Post-Bac Advice for a Motivated Student with a Low GPA

[browndeo]

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Hello everyone! My undergraduate GPA is around a 2.5 and my science GPA is even lower. I was in a very competitive Microbiology major at a UC. I have pretty much taken all the basic science pre-reqs and completed all upper-division requirements. My science/undergraduate GPA would have been a lot higher if not for unfortunate circumstances. Anyway, could someone recommend me an excellent post-bac to help raise my undergraduate GPA? Or what course of action I should take to get myself on the right track. I have never taken the MCATs so I figure SMPs are out of the question.

 

[DrSumdae]

You can go to the AAMC website (www.aamc.org) and search for post-bac programs that might fit your needs.
Have you tried doing a practice MCAT, just to see how you do?

 

[Hindiana_Jones]

I would recommend doing a post-bac. I'm certain there are programs out there, like Drexel, that don't require a minimum GPA. After you do some research into where you want to go and figure out how long it will take to get a BCOMP of >3.0 then decide when you want to take the MCAT. Most schools consider a score valid for three years, so only take it if you want to go to apply within three years of that test date.

 

[seabreeze811]

also, try looking at the post-bacs at the UC...UCI and UCLA have really good postbac programs...

 

[kealaq]

Design your own post-bacc program!

That's what I did, picking the classes I needed at my own schedule, & completing them at my own pace. I did this at Cal State. The goal was to keep the grades at B or higher.

If you can redo some pre-req science classes again (g-chem, o-chem, physics, bio) & get them to B or higher, then the admissions committies will know that you are dedicated to academics. You should shoot for a pre-req post-bacc science GPA of 3.4 or higher, in order to be competitive for any DO or MD medical school in the USA.

Also, shoot for an MCAT range for 25-28 for DO schools, & 28-30 for the less selective MD schools.

Good luck with the application process.

 

[Maxprime]

The goal was to keep the grades at B or higher.

If you can redo some pre-req science classes again (g-chem, o-chem, physics, bio) & get them to B or higher, then the admissions committies will know that you are dedicated to academics. You should shoot for a pre-req post-bacc science GPA of 3.4 or higher, in order to be competitive for any DO or MD medical school in the USA.

Also, shoot for an MCAT range for 25-28 for DO schools, & 28-30 for the less selective MD schools.

With the rising number of applicants and competitive scores, I would suggest that the original poster shoot for much higher numbers. With a 2.5, you really need a 4.0 in post-bacc and you need to do extremely well on the MCAT to even have a shot at MD schools. MD schools are seeing applicants with 3.5 GPA & 30-31 on the MCAT, they're not going to take a 2.5/30 over that. I don't know details on DO schools, but if you're serious about medicine you really have no excuse not to bust your butt and get a 4.0 in your post-bacc.

There are applicants with 3.0's & 40's on the MCAT that aren't getting in to any med schools - it's rough out there.