Really low gpa .. do I have a chance?

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snowpea25

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hi. I have a really and i mean really low undergrad gpa.. i messed up big in undergrad in junior & senior year as i compeletely didnt care about the gpa. my goal was to just get a diploma since I was running a couple of restaurant on my own by that time (family business) and didnt really plan on pursuing anything else.. well more like my parents didnt want me doing anything else... but I guess I should have done better.. perspectives and priorities in life changes as you get older...
anyway, I am 25 now. i graduted 3 years ago from UCSD in general biology with low low gpa. I had cGPA of 2.4 and sGPA of 2.3. they are similar as most of my general pre req classes were credited due to AP credits and as a bio major, most of my classes were all science & math classes. I had failed several classes (which i retook and passed later but i think i have to include all the Fs too when calculating gpas for medical school admission right? my school didnt count fs into gpa calculation if you retook the classes and passed so my actual gpa on transcript is higher than 2.4) had few withdrawals. was put on academic suspension even. did manage to graduate however. i have taken mcat three times over the years. twice when I was still in undergrad. I took them in sophmore year when i sorta thinking about going to med school. i didnt do so well. i think i got 21 and 18. I am now serious about going to med school. so i actually put in some time studying and got a 37. (13 for phy & bio and 11v.. english is my second language.. i have some difficulty in verbal section) I am currently taking upper division undergrad science classes (the ones i got Cs) at local state school. i am only into my second quarter. on my first quarter, i took 16 units. all A's.
i am taking 12 units this quarter and planning to take 8 more in summer session.

i think it will bring up to my gpa to about 2.6 only though. now i am a little confused about the post bac programs?? i think what i am doing (just taking classes as open university student) is considered informal post bac?? i am right? so would the admissions look at the grades from the classes i am currently taking separately from the actual undergrad work? would doing well in those classes actually improve my chances? also i am afraid taking more undergrad courses may seem like taking too much undergrad courses??

Also i understand its most likely i would not be able to get into US MD schools with my gpa record. but do i have any chance getting into OD school given that i ace all of my classes i am taking and plan to take over the summer? How about foreign schools?

or would it be better for me to try to enroll into a formal post bac programs? but they have the minimum gpa requirement which i do not meet.. so I am not so sure how to go about it. I read on this forum that some people with low gpas like mine got into medical school by doing extremely well in post bac or graduate programs. but how do thoses people get into those programs in the first place when they all seem to have minimun gpa requirements that are mostly higher than 2.8???

sigh i am just trying to get my stuff together now and everythings confusing. if any of you who obviously knows more about these stuff than me say i do have a chance in getting in either by doing more undergrad coursework or somehow getting into graudate / post bac program, than I am thinking about pursing this all the way and maybe hire one of those consultants to help me with my application... if all hope seems lost, than i guess i shouldnt even bother taking anymore classes.

any thoughtful input is appreciated. thanks!

btw, its the upper division science classes that i messed up most by not going to classes at all. i aces all the general ed science and math classes. you know the bios, gen. chem, org chem, and cal.. so maybe i have a chance if I make up all the upper division courses? sigh... help.. :confused:

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What is your AACOMAS GPA? (GPA for DO schools) which replaces initial grades and Math does not count in the sGPA. As long as you retook the classes and passed them very well you would have a much higher GPA for DO schools. I would say even with an outstanding MCAT your chances at MD schools are pretty much nill with that GPA. You could enroll into a post-bacc program and put in many years of work to raise your GPA up to a 3.0 but even then it would not be a guarantee. I would say that your best route would be to retake the courses get all As and raise the AACOMAS GPA as high as you can.
 
hi. I have a really and i mean really low undergrad gpa.. i messed up big in undergrad in junior & senior year as i compeletely didnt care about the gpa. my goal was to just get a diploma since I was running a couple of restaurant on my own by that time (family business) and didnt really plan on pursuing anything else.. well more like my parents didnt want me doing anything else... but I guess I should have done better.. perspectives and priorities in life changes as you get older...
anyway, I am 25 now. i graduted 3 years ago from UCSD in general biology with low low gpa. I had cGPA of 2.4 and sGPA of 2.3. they are similar as most of my general pre req classes were credited due to AP credits and as a bio major, most of my classes were all science & math classes. I had failed several classes (which i retook and passed later but i think i have to include all the Fs too when calculating gpas for medical school admission right? my school didnt count fs into gpa calculation if you retook the classes and passed so my actual gpa on transcript is higher than 2.4) had few withdrawals. was put on academic suspension even. did manage to graduate however. i have taken mcat three times over the years. twice when I was still in undergrad. I took them in sophmore year when i sorta thinking about going to med school. i didnt do so well. i think i got 21 and 18. I am now serious about going to med school. so i actually put in some time studying and got a 37. (13 for phy & bio and 11v.. english is my second language.. i have some difficulty in verbal section) I am currently taking upper division undergrad science classes (the ones i got Cs) at local state school. i am only into my second quarter. on my first quarter, i took 16 units. all A's.
i am taking 12 units this quarter and planning to take 8 more in summer session.

i think it will bring up to my gpa to about 2.6 only though. now i am a little confused about the post bac programs?? i think what i am doing (just taking classes as open university student) is considered informal post bac?? i am right? so would the admissions look at the grades from the classes i am currently taking separately from the actual undergrad work? would doing well in those classes actually improve my chances? also i am afraid taking more undergrad courses may seem like taking too much undergrad courses??

Also i understand its most likely i would not be able to get into US MD schools with my gpa record. but do i have any chance getting into OD school given that i ace all of my classes i am taking and plan to take over the summer? How about foreign schools?

or would it be better for me to try to enroll into a formal post bac programs? but they have the minimum gpa requirement which i do not meet.. so I am not so sure how to go about it. I read on this forum that some people with low gpas like mine got into medical school by doing extremely well in post bac or graduate programs. but how do thoses people get into those programs in the first place when they all seem to have minimun gpa requirements that are mostly higher than 2.8???

sigh i am just trying to get my stuff together now and everythings confusing. if any of you who obviously knows more about these stuff than me say i do have a chance in getting in either by doing more undergrad coursework or somehow getting into graudate / post bac program, than I am thinking about pursing this all the way and maybe hire one of those consultants to help me with my application... if all hope seems lost, than i guess i shouldnt even bother taking anymore classes.

any thoughtful input is appreciated. thanks!

btw, its the upper division science classes that i messed up most by not going to classes at all. i aces all the general ed science and math classes. you know the bios, gen. chem, org chem, and cal.. so maybe i have a chance if I make up all the upper division courses? sigh... help.. :confused:

OD school?--optometry? If you mean D.O. you will only get in if you do grade forgiveness. M.D. is out.
 
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hi. I have a really and i mean really low undergrad gpa.. i messed up big in undergrad in junior & senior year as i compeletely didnt care about the gpa. my goal was to just get a diploma since I was running a couple of restaurant on my own by that time (family business) and didnt really plan on pursuing anything else.. well more like my parents didnt want me doing anything else... but I guess I should have done better.. perspectives and priorities in life changes as you get older...
anyway, I am 25 now. i graduted 3 years ago from UCSD in general biology with low low gpa. I had cGPA of 2.4 and sGPA of 2.3. they are similar as most of my general pre req classes were credited due to AP credits and as a bio major, most of my classes were all science & math classes. I had failed several classes (which i retook and passed later but i think i have to include all the Fs too when calculating gpas for medical school admission right? my school didnt count fs into gpa calculation if you retook the classes and passed so my actual gpa on transcript is higher than 2.4) had few withdrawals. was put on academic suspension even. did manage to graduate however. i have taken mcat three times over the years. twice when I was still in undergrad. I took them in sophmore year when i sorta thinking about going to med school. i didnt do so well. i think i got 21 and 18. I am now serious about going to med school. so i actually put in some time studying and got a 37. (13 for phy & bio and 11v.. english is my second language.. i have some difficulty in verbal section) I am currently taking upper division undergrad science classes (the ones i got Cs) at local state school. i am only into my second quarter. on my first quarter, i took 16 units. all A's.
i am taking 12 units this quarter and planning to take 8 more in summer session.

i think it will bring up to my gpa to about 2.6 only though. now i am a little confused about the post bac programs?? i think what i am doing (just taking classes as open university student) is considered informal post bac?? i am right? so would the admissions look at the grades from the classes i am currently taking separately from the actual undergrad work? would doing well in those classes actually improve my chances? also i am afraid taking more undergrad courses may seem like taking too much undergrad courses??

Also i understand its most likely i would not be able to get into US MD schools with my gpa record. but do i have any chance getting into OD school given that i ace all of my classes i am taking and plan to take over the summer? How about foreign schools?

or would it be better for me to try to enroll into a formal post bac programs? but they have the minimum gpa requirement which i do not meet.. so I am not so sure how to go about it. I read on this forum that some people with low gpas like mine got into medical school by doing extremely well in post bac or graduate programs. but how do thoses people get into those programs in the first place when they all seem to have minimun gpa requirements that are mostly higher than 2.8???

sigh i am just trying to get my stuff together now and everythings confusing. if any of you who obviously knows more about these stuff than me say i do have a chance in getting in either by doing more undergrad coursework or somehow getting into graudate / post bac program, than I am thinking about pursing this all the way and maybe hire one of those consultants to help me with my application... if all hope seems lost, than i guess i shouldnt even bother taking anymore classes.

any thoughtful input is appreciated. thanks!

btw, its the upper division science classes that i messed up most by not going to classes at all. i aces all the general ed science and math classes. you know the bios, gen. chem, org chem, and cal.. so maybe i have a chance if I make up all the upper division courses? sigh... help.. :confused:

Listen, you got a 37 on your MCAT. That's fantastic.

Will you get into MD schools? Probably not. Not US ones anyway- and the Caribbean sucks, so leave it be.

Will you get into DO schools? As soon as you GPA gets over 3.2 (which can happen by taking classes you did poorly in) you're as good as in. That's not as hard as it sounds. I realize you're a little older, but put in a little bit more work and you'll be MS-1 in no time.

Good luck!
 
Listen, you got a 37 on your MCAT. That's fantastic.

Will you get into MD schools? Probably not. Not US ones anyway- and the Caribbean sucks, so leave it be.

Will you get into DO schools? As soon as you GPA gets over 3.2 (which can happen by taking classes you did poorly in) you're as good as in. That's not as hard as it sounds. I realize you're a little older, but put in a little bit more work and you'll be MS-1 in no time.

Good luck!

If you can get to the 3.2 - 3.3 range, I would also apply to the MD schools that have a relatively low average GPA. I think Tufts and quite a few others are around 3.5. That's the AVERAGE. There are students above and below that mark. Your 37 MCAT is just disgusting, and I think a 3.5/32 school would be okay with a 3.3/37 student.
 
With a 37, it's obvious you have the capacity to do well. I strongly suggest doing retakes to hit a 3.0 and then apply Osteopathic. D.O. programs are generally very open to redemption stories, and having a 37 under their wing, will probably be very desirable.
 
hi. I have a really and i mean really low undergrad gpa.. i messed up big in undergrad in junior & senior year as i compeletely didnt care about the gpa. my goal was to just get a diploma since I was running a couple of restaurant on my own by that time (family business) and didnt really plan on pursuing anything else.. well more like my parents didnt want me doing anything else... but I guess I should have done better.. perspectives and priorities in life changes as you get older...
anyway, I am 25 now. i graduted 3 years ago from UCSD in general biology with low low gpa. I had cGPA of 2.4 and sGPA of 2.3. they are similar as most of my general pre req classes were credited due to AP credits and as a bio major, most of my classes were all science & math classes. I had failed several classes (which i retook and passed later but i think i have to include all the Fs too when calculating gpas for medical school admission right? my school didnt count fs into gpa calculation if you retook the classes and passed so my actual gpa on transcript is higher than 2.4) had few withdrawals. was put on academic suspension even. did manage to graduate however. i have taken mcat three times over the years. twice when I was still in undergrad. I took them in sophmore year when i sorta thinking about going to med school. i didnt do so well. i think i got 21 and 18. I am now serious about going to med school. so i actually put in some time studying and got a 37. (13 for phy & bio and 11v.. english is my second language.. i have some difficulty in verbal section) I am currently taking upper division undergrad science classes (the ones i got Cs) at local state school. i am only into my second quarter. on my first quarter, i took 16 units. all A's.
i am taking 12 units this quarter and planning to take 8 more in summer session.

i think it will bring up to my gpa to about 2.6 only though. now i am a little confused about the post bac programs?? i think what i am doing (just taking classes as open university student) is considered informal post bac?? i am right? so would the admissions look at the grades from the classes i am currently taking separately from the actual undergrad work? would doing well in those classes actually improve my chances? also i am afraid taking more undergrad courses may seem like taking too much undergrad courses??

Also i understand its most likely i would not be able to get into US MD schools with my gpa record. but do i have any chance getting into OD school given that i ace all of my classes i am taking and plan to take over the summer? How about foreign schools?

or would it be better for me to try to enroll into a formal post bac programs? but they have the minimum gpa requirement which i do not meet.. so I am not so sure how to go about it. I read on this forum that some people with low gpas like mine got into medical school by doing extremely well in post bac or graduate programs. but how do thoses people get into those programs in the first place when they all seem to have minimun gpa requirements that are mostly higher than 2.8???

sigh i am just trying to get my stuff together now and everythings confusing. if any of you who obviously knows more about these stuff than me say i do have a chance in getting in either by doing more undergrad coursework or somehow getting into graudate / post bac program, than I am thinking about pursing this all the way and maybe hire one of those consultants to help me with my application... if all hope seems lost, than i guess i shouldnt even bother taking anymore classes.

any thoughtful input is appreciated. thanks!

btw, its the upper division science classes that i messed up most by not going to classes at all. i aces all the general ed science and math classes. you know the bios, gen. chem, org chem, and cal.. so maybe i have a chance if I make up all the upper division courses? sigh... help.. :confused:
Don't give up hope. You earned a 37 on your MCATs. That's freaking phenomenal, and it proves you can learn the material. Apply to every MD school you might want to go to and just put your best foot forward in your applications. It'll definitely help if you've got a ton of solid extra-curriculars and clinical experiences under your belt. Good luck :)
 
I would focus on DO if I were you and retake courses ASAP..before that MCAT expires.
 
Retake as many classes as you can and apply DO. You can also go do an SMP for MD and ace all the classes, but a 2.4 undergrad might be too low. Your MCAT score is good for three years, so keep piling on retakes and some upper division science classes, and hopefully you bring the cGPA to >3.0 by next June. Handle it.
 
I am in the same shoes as you but I did not get the retaking classes part? can we do that? I have a lot a looottt of Cs in my transcript.
 
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