Postbac GPA

[janetlover04]

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What do medical schools expect or like to see out of the postbac year? What is the min GPA that can be made during the postbac year to be seriously considered for medical school (MD or DO)? Thanks for the help! If any additional info is needed to answer this question just let me know

 

[Midifelder10]

No hard proof but heard as a feedback that two consecutive semester of upper level bio courses (at least 6 cr hrs) and doing well in those. Please check with others but unfortunately you are at a disadvantage.

 

[occams_razor]

No hard proof but heard as a feedback that two consecutive semester of upper level bio courses (at least 6 cr hrs) and doing well in those. Please check with others but unfortunately you are at a disadvantage.

doing post-bac work doesn't put you at a disadvantage

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

doing post-bac work doesn't put you at a disadvantage

Yeah I'm not sure what he meant by that either...

 

[Aerus]

No hard proof but heard as a feedback that two consecutive semester of upper level bio courses (at least 6 cr hrs) and doing well in those. Please check with others but unfortunately you are at a disadvantage.

Conceivably, those doing a post bac actually have an advantage over peers with the same resultant GPA/similar MCAT score, as (one would assume) those who are doing post baccs are more mature than their 21 year old counterpart applicants.

Other than that, doing a post bacc definitely does not put you at a disadvantage.

 

[Catalystik]

What do medical schools expect or like to see out of the postbac year? What is the min GPA that can be made during the postbac year to be seriously considered for medical school (MD or DO)? Thanks for the help! If any additional info is needed to answer this question just let me know

It depends on the cGPA and BCPM/sGPA you have from college. And the strength of the MCAT score. But a 3.7+ postbac is a good goal for MD.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

Don't expect MD schools to overlook poor undergrad grades just because you did well in a postbac. I took all the prereq classes in a self-constructed postbac and got a 4.0. It didn't change the fact that my cGPA was a 3.14. Almost all of the MD schools I applied to rejected me or have been ignoring me since July. I applied early, I have really, really good ECs, and I still only got one interview invite from eleven applications. DO schools seemed to be more willing to consider my postbac grades and not my first round of college; I got six interviews from nine applications with them.

 

[darkjedi]

All things equal, being a post-bac/career changer places you at an automatic ADvantage

 

[Napoletana1007]

Don't expect MD schools to overlook poor undergrad grades just because you did well in a postbac. I took all the prereq classes in a self-constructed postbac and got a 4.0. It didn't change the fact that my cGPA was a 3.14. Almost all of the MD schools I applied to rejected me or have been ignoring me since July. I applied early, I have really, really good ECs, and I still only got one interview invite from eleven applications. DO schools seemed to be more willing to consider my postbac grades and not my first round of college; I got six interviews from nine applications with them.

How many hours of post-bac classes did you take and how hard of classes were they? I have a 2.97 sGPA (granted I have a physics degree=tough) but I have a 3.9 post bac gpa with 23 hours of all hard "weed-out" bio classes. I was accepted to my top school (MD) oct. 15 and have had several iis MD and DO. My advisor said you have to take at least 18 hours of post bac classes bf schools seriously look at your post bac gpa.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

How many hours of post-bac classes did you take and how hard of classes were they? I have a 2.97 sGPA (granted I have a physics degree=tough) but I have a 3.9 post bac gpa with 23 hours of all hard "weed-out" bio classes. I was accepted to my top school (MD) oct. 15 and have had several iis MD and DO. My advisor said you have to take at least 18 hours of post bac classes bf schools seriously look at your post bac gpa.

I took 38 credits. They were the basic prerequisite classes plus statistics. My one MD interview invite led to an acceptance so I'm happy enough, but my point is that postbac grades can never really replace the cGPA, at least for MD schools.

 

[janetlover04]

Thanks for the responses! For my first semester I am probably looking at 4 A's and 2 B's. I am going to try to get more A's next semester because my undergrad gpa was less than stellar. I have lots of good EC, volunteer/clinical experience, research, and I graduated from a top 20 school (not sure how much that matters). Do you think that taking one of those Kaplan MCAT courses will help me get my MCAT score up in the 30's range? I have not taken a practice test quite yet. I am just worried about what exactly I need to do to get acceptances into medical school (MD or DO). Also, I am doing an informal postbac instead of a formal program.

 

[Midifelder10]

Sorry I was not clear. Post Bacc is definitely not a disadvantage but low GPA unfortunately hounds you, that is what I mean. Post bacc will definitely help.

 

[Midifelder10]

I took 38 credits. They were the basic prerequisite classes plus statistics. My one MD interview invite led to an acceptance so I'm happy enough, but my point is that postbac grades can never really replace the cGPA, at least for MD schools.

Not trying to discourage but this person made it clearer. I have same problem but don't give up.

 

[janetlover04]

bump

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

Thanks for the responses! For my first semester I am probably looking at 4 A's and 2 B's. I am going to try to get more A's next semester because my undergrad gpa was less than stellar. I have lots of good EC, volunteer/clinical experience, research, and I graduated from a top 20 school (not sure how much that matters). Do you think that taking one of those Kaplan MCAT courses will help me get my MCAT score up in the 30's range? I have not taken a practice test quite yet. I am just worried about what exactly I need to do to get acceptances into medical school (MD or DO). Also, I am doing an informal postbac instead of a formal program.

For anyone to estimate your chances, we'll need to know your exact GPA. "Less than stellar" is kind of vague. No matter what, you will need to bring your cGPA up over a 3.0 to avoid getting automatically screened out at most schools. Have you considered retaking classes for DO schools? They will allow you to replace a bad grade with a good one if you retake the class, MD schools won't.

 

[Ser Demetrius]

They expect 3.8+

 

[ErrantWhatever]

Before I even began my post-bac program (career-changer here), my advisor, who has been involved with the AAMC for 20+ years, simply said, "You need to do everything you can to get A's." I distinctly recall the need to get my game face on for the next 1.5 years, and I was coming in with a strong undergrad GPA (3.9+).

Good luck to the OP, and congrats on the acceptance!

 

[occams_razor]

They expect 3.8+

that's what adcoms like to see from everyone, whether you are post-bac or not. But plenty of people still get in with 3.5s. I say this because a friend of mine did the career changer post-bac route and she had a 3.5 in undergrad and a 3.6 in post-bac pre-reqs and has 2 acceptances already this cycle.
so you should aim for a 3.8+ but if you end up getting a 3.5-3.6 you still have a shot.

edit: I should note that if you have poor undergrad grades then this probably doesn't apply, in that case you definitely need A's to make up for the poor undergrad grades

 

[janetlover04]

For anyone to estimate your chances, we'll need to know your exact GPA. "Less than stellar" is kind of vague. No matter what, you will need to bring your cGPA up over a 3.0 to avoid getting automatically screened out at most schools. Have you considered retaking classes for DO schools? They will allow you to replace a bad grade with a good one if you retake the class, MD schools won't.

My undergrad gpa was a 2.8. I failed two courses (bio and calc) during a really tough year for me which seriously hurt my overall gpa. In addition to that, my grades that I made during my semester abroad did not count toward my gpa despite the fact that I made all A's

 

[janetlover04]

Will medical schools factor in my study abroad gpa into my total gpa even though my undergrad school did not?

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

I don't know about the international credits. I think there are agencies that will certify your international work as equivalent to US credit, but that's a different topic. It sounds like your best bet will be to retake the classes you got bad grades in and apply to DO schools, which will replace the bad grades with better ones if you retake the classes. A few retakes and you'll be reasonably competitive for them. A year ago I was in a similar situation to yours. I had a 2.9 GPA with two failed classes after finishing undergrad in 2004. After a year of postbac work in which I took the prereqs and retook statistics, I brought my cGPA up to a 3.1. I had a good MCAT and really good ECs, and when application season came I got more DO interview invites than I knew what to do with.

 

[janetlover04]

I don't know about the international credits. I think there are agencies that will certify your international work as equivalent to US credit, but that's a different topic. It sounds like your best bet will be to retake the classes you got bad grades in and apply to DO schools, which will replace the bad grades with better ones if you retake the classes. A few retakes and you'll be reasonably competitive for them. A year ago I was in a similar situation to yours. I had a 2.9 GPA with two failed classes after finishing undergrad in 2004. After a year of postbac work in which I took the prereqs and retook statistics, I brought my cGPA up to a 3.1. I had a good MCAT and really good ECs, and when application season came I got more DO interview invites than I knew what to do with.

I do not mind applying and possibly attending DO schools. I will apply about evenly to both and see what comes of it. Thanks so much for your advice.