Post-bac for someone who already has taken the pre-requisites in undergraduate.

[coolness]

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Should he/she take the same courses (organic chemistry, physics) over again to improve his/her gpa? Or should he/she take different science courses?

 

[medic170]

Unless you got below like a C, I'd say take other courses.

 

[junebuguf]

If you generally did poorly in *all* the pre-req courses and/or its been a while since you took them (> 4 years) retake all of them in a formal post-bacc program if you have the chance. If there was only a course or two that you did poorly in, just retake those and move on to more advanced coursework.

 

[Singing Devil]

I'd agree with everyone else. I had a similar situation (~2.3 science GPA) and I was a science major. I took what courses I could after graduating, mostly a lot of a different science major. There are, however, several postbacc programs that grant you a master's degree, so that you can avoid the whole undergrad cleanup effort, b/c it can take tons of As to average up a truly bad undergrad science GPA.

 

[911Med]

Hey guys - I am in the same boat here and did quite a bit of research on this:
The overall consensus is if you have the required courses (like me - way too many C's) shoot for the Master's Programs: Finch, Drexel, GTown, Barry, Penn, Tulane, etc - i.e upper level sciences.

This may be a bit overwhelming if you did poorly in undergrad, but you need to suck it up and tackle them -

retaking classes in an organized post-bac will show that you have matured and that you are a better student, but it will not affect your undergrad GPA. Hence, you are better off earning the Master's and doing well. Chalk up the poor undergrad to lack of maturity and focus.

Please keep me posted on how you guys are doing. People say that a low GPA is a kiss of death in the pre-med world. I disagree.

Perhaps I'm an optimist, but I am positive that mistakes I made in the past can be remedied.

If you guys are in the same boat - with the same desire - I hope the same for you.

 

[junebuguf]

Actually, 911Med, taking any post-bacc classes (whether organized or not) will count towards your overall AMCAS gpa whether the courses are at the undergrad or grad level. As long you are not formally enrolled in a graduate program, ALL classes (grad or undergrad) help prop up a poor undergrad gpa. So taking post-bacc courses is to your advantage if you have an extremely poor gpa. On the other hand, if you gpa from undergrad is decent (~3.1-3.3) then completing a special masters program or some other grad program would be more beneficial.

The way the AMCAS gpa section works, every 30-35 credit hours is considered a different designation (freshman-sophmore-junior-senior-postbacc) and all of those credits feed into your final cumulative undergraduate gpa and undergraduate science gpa (BCMP).

I, too, am shooting for a special masters, but I decided to retake all the pre-reqs, which I just completed. I wanted to do the special masters this coming year, but havent taken the mcat yet. I'm probably going to do another year of post-bacc and then apply to an SMP program for 2005-2006, which will also be the year I apply.

For 911Med and all other low gpa'ers out there, we should form our own little faction on this forum. Its been hard to find information about how to proceed, what classes to take, in what capacity (post-bacc, MS?), where to apply, how high an MCAT you need, et. So I suggest we start our own thread and keep posting with updates on how things are going. In fact, i'm going to post one right now.

 

[911Med]

I think your right on the AMCAS GPA - you basically list all BCMP classes and then formulate the GPA.
BUT - in terms of overall undergrad GPA - if you have let's say a 2.3 and 132 credits - even if you 4.0 that 4 credit orgo class, your GPA will not increase significantly.
You still have to report ALL grades on teh AMCAS correct? So even the failing grades (even if you ace them at a later date?)
I am going to be doing a Master's program that is located by my old undergrad institution. (Different schools).
My game plan is to enroll full-tim in the master's program, and then hit the undergrad classes I need to "fill in" in the spring / summer. I failed biochem my sophomore year b/c I was swimming in nationals.

Yes - I am ALL FOR the "Perseverence" thread - for those of us that made mistakes in the past.
Put me on the list.

 

[cher25]

Actually, on AMCAS, grad level courses are calculated seperately. I know this because I applied last year. They have an undergrad calculation which includes undergrad and post bac (non grad level) and then under that, they have a seperate designation for grad level courses.

 

[UCSB2004]

I'll be more than glad to be in the list. I'll be graduating in 2 weeks (maybe) with a Bio major...2.43 science GPa/2.91 overall, 16P MCAT. I'm trying to petition to stay in school as a fifth year senior so I can "finish a Spanish major" when in reality I want to save $8,000 which I would have to pay to the UCSB extension program for taking 12 units for 3 quarters.... I want to take another year of Upper Division science courses (which I haven't taken yet) so I can raise my GPA to at least be able to join a post-bac....

Although I've been told by my UCSB advisors that I should look into PA/nursing... I am also all about perseverance, so I will work until I get my little self into med school some year!

🙂

 

[OpenIntro]

For 911Med and all other low gpa'ers out there, we should form our own little faction on this forum. Its been hard to find information about how to proceed, what classes to take, in what capacity (post-bacc, MS?), where to apply, how high an MCAT you need, et. So I suggest we start our own thread and keep posting with updates on how things are going. In fact, i'm going to post one right now.

Where is the thread?! 👍 This is exactly what I have been trying to find out as well....Had a 2.83 GPA (not sure of science off the top of my head) and only a 22 first time around on the MCAT....Graduated 2 years ago, and have been working since until I figure out exactly what I want to do. Now that I am thinking MED SCHOOL, I am trying to figure out if a Masters is the right route to go....or if post-bacc with upper level sciences (plus retaking some of the courses I did NOT perform so well in) is the way to go....

I know 2.8 isn't EXTREMELY low, but it is low enough for me not to feel comfortable about my med school chances!

 

[911Med]

Join the club.
2.7
24T MCAT
Graduated 5 years ago.
BUT...
since then:
5 years clinical research
couple publications
now enrolled in a Master's Program
great LOR's
Tons of EC's (hey, I've had some time on my hands)
You watch - I'm gonna rock this Master's, retake the MCAT like
my life depends on it - and I'll get in somewhere.
I made a few poor choices - namely being a Biochem major and varsity swimmer - but we can prove it can be done.
Keep me posted on the way guys. I'll do the same.

 

[911Med]

"Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity." - Louis Pasteur

if you want to be a doctor - you'll find a way - no matter how deep a hole you dug in undergrad.

 

[junebuguf]

Actually, on AMCAS, grad level courses are calculated seperately. I know this because I applied last year. They have an undergrad calculation which includes undergrad and post bac (non grad level) and then under that, they have a seperate designation for grad level courses.

All post-bacc credits (regardless if it was undergrad or graduate coursework) feeds into the overall undergrad gpa in AMCAS. If a graduate or undergraduate class was taken as part of a Master's program (and accounted for the credits requried to complete that Masters program), that class will feed into the separate GRAD designation. Read the AMCAS instruction book for www.aamc.org, it explains their designations.