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..
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..