Prolonging UG an extra year to raise GPA from 3.5 to 3.6, worth it??

[informme]

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I posted a reply on my topic in the My Chances area about a similar matter. But I believe that pertained exclusively to me, and I would like to expand the question to apply to anyone who would answer.


If you had a 3.5 and 33MCAT, would you take an extra year to raise the GPA to 3.6??

Why or why not would it be worth your time for the return significance??

 

[Mattabet]

Just for the tenth of a GPA point, I don't think I would.

But, there's more you can do in a year than just raise the GPA. If you take a year to raise the GPA, do some volunteering, and do something interesting that you'll enjoy, then I do think it's worth it. It's just a question of getting the most bang for your year.

 

[wingiv]

I would say it depends. What else would you do if not do extra year as an undergrad?

 

[shemarty]

I agree with Mattabet.

If the only difference is the .1 in GPA, then no it's not worth it. But presumably you can do a lot of interesting stuff during a year that would really enhance your application.

Another option: you could keep the 3.5, not prolong UG, and still take an extra year to do other stuff before applying. In fact, you'd have more time to do those other things rather than spend the time / anxiety on schoolwork.

I took a year off, my GPA hardly changed, but it was the extra experiences that made the difference. I actually had about a year and a half off because I decided not to take classes during my last 2 quarters. I was done with my major and I decided that the time would be better spent on other stuff that interested me (teaching, volunteering, research, etc) rather than raising my GPA by some marginal amount.

 

[CoolWhipp]

I would say it depends. What else would you do if not do extra year as an undergrad?

I agree with this statement.

 

[MossPoh]

Uh no. The difference of .1 with your gpa is like the difference of buying a nice used civic or waiting a year and saving up to buy a nice used civic with the upgraded stereo. Time is better spent improving nearly every area of your application or doing a SMP.

 

[flip26]

What is your BCPM? How much can you raise it?

That is usually what people are doing - taking more upper level sci classes to boost the BCPM, and it is easier to move the BCPM due to the smaller amount of BCPM credit hours...much harder to move the total GPA with over 120 hours...

 

[ygree001]

I disagree with what most people are saying. If you want to go to an MD you will have a harder time with a 3.5 than a 3.6. If you got a 33 on the MCAT, you should be able to raise your gpa, and less than 3.6 is less than the average. Bring it closer in line with your MCAT.
Also agree with above about the BCPM gpa.

 

[informme]

Thank you all for your wonderful responses, But I would like to clarify a few things:


I really really don't want to take another year.
But the bottom line is that I will if I feel I need to (In a position where I will most likely not get in with my stats). I'm honestly in a position where I'll be happy no matter where I go, as long as I'm working towards an MD.

I've just done the calculations and the GPA differences will be the following:

MCAT: 34 (I can raise it, been hitting 34/35 on practice tests, another month or two should let me hit it)

This year.........................Extra Year
cGPA: 3.542.....................cGPA: 3.621
sGPA: 3.486.....................sGPA: 3.553


I do not really plan to do anything special with my extra year while I am taking classes other than Research+published and extra shadowing/volunteering hours.
But I already have over 150 hours of volunteering, 40 hours of shadowing, and a year of research (no publications though).


I do not wish to take another year, but if you believe I don't have much of a chance the first year, I will take another year.

 

[austinap]

I posted a reply on my topic in the My Chances area about a similar matter. But I believe that pertained exclusively to me, and I would like to expand the question to apply to anyone who would answer.


If you had a 3.5 and 33MCAT, would you take an extra year to raise the GPA to 3.6??

Why or why not would it be worth your time for the return significance??

No. Go do something worth your time.

 

[flip26]

MCAT: 34 (I can raise it, been hitting 34/35 on practice tests, another month or two should let me hit it)...

Famous last words.

Retaking a 33, hoping to make a 34, is borderline crazy.

 

[informme]

Really?? why is that??

I've always been a good standardized test taker (35 ACT + 12W). Are practice tests really not representative of the actual MCAT??

 

[shemarty]

Raising a 33 to a 34 will make zero difference to your application, I think is what flip36 is saying.

If you have a 33, it's probably not worth retaking unless you know the 33 was a huge fluke and you can reproducibly get a ~36-40 on practice tests (and even then, you never know). Getting another score in the "low to mid thirties" won't make an ounce of difference.

I think. Take what I say with a grain of salt, I'm just another premed, not an adcom member.

 

[Pedsbro]

Without being brash and calling you crazy, I think it's a bad idea to take the MCAT again for one more point or to take another whole year to go up 0.1 in GPA. If you could guarantee larger improvments, then maybe it's worth it. But that's impossible to be sure of. What if you get a lower MCAT score? Some schools take the most recent score...others average them...very few take the highest. And a lot can happen in a year, especially if you'll have other commitments too. What if something happens unexpectedly in your life and you bomb an exam, and subsequently get a lower than expected grade in a class? All that time and money go down the drain and you lower your chances. As shemarty said, none of us are adcom members here, but having been through this process twice, I'm confident in telling you that 1 point and 0.1 point increases in MCAT and GPA respectively will not significantly increase your chances.

 

[flip26]

Raising a 33 to a 34 will make zero difference to your application, I think is what flip36 is saying.

If you have a 33, it's probably not worth retaking unless you know the 33 was a huge fluke and you can reproducibly get a ~36-40 on practice tests (and even then, you never know). Getting another score in the "low to mid thirties" won't make an ounce of difference.

I think. Take what I say with a grain of salt, I'm just another premed, not an adcom member.

Correct, plus he runs the very real risk of making something less than the 33 he already has...

 

[acridknight]

Just for the tenth of a GPA point, I don't think I would.

But, there's more you can do in a year than just raise the GPA. If you take a year to raise the GPA, do some volunteering, and do something interesting that you'll enjoy, then I do think it's worth it. It's just a question of getting the most bang for your year.

+1 👍

 

[MossPoh]

If you have a 3.5 and a 33 MCAT then you're going to get in SOMEWHERE if you apply to enough places, unless you have nothing else to your name or are a god awful interviewer.

I'd do a SMP before I did a year of undergrad stuff.

 

[Confused2626]

If you have a 3.5 and a 33 MCAT then you're going to get in SOMEWHERE

I'm surprised more people are not saying this. I wasn't sure if maybe I am just being wishful in thinking that these stats are fairly competitive, or that the SDN stigma of having less than 35 or 3.8 GPA means automatic rejection is shining through.

Afterall, people with OP's stats have a 73% acceptance rate of getting in to at least one school http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2008/mcatgpa-grid-3yrs-app-accpt.htm which is above the national average of 46%

 

[informme]

THank you everyone, I really appreciate the responses.

I guess the extra year of school doesn't really matter at all (a little, but not the cost). I honestly thought that the 3.62 was much much better than the 3.54, but I'm guessing that it isn't.



I'll just work hard to improve my application,
thanks for all of the help!!