This site is really cool. I looked at premed,predent,pre-nurse,podiatry,etc. Some advice from CURRENT medical students will be greatly appreciated. I am a bit embarrased but everyone is very nice here so...... My undergrad GPA is low, around 3.0(science GPA around 3.0) and my grad GPA is around 3.4 I am debating whether to repeat SOME of the premed classes that I got Cs or just repeat the ENTIRE premed curriculum with post-bacc program(even though I maybe repeating classes that I got Bs in...I still feel like this is an overkill though) and try to do well. When you talk about science GPA, is it just your premed science GPA? Do I even have a chance even if I do good on MCAT? Thanks for your helpful advice. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
The reason why I want current med students' advice is that they would be unbiased. I could not post this on the allopathic site b/c this is a premed question.
I'm not a med-student yet, but Bias/Schmias. The fact is that EVERY class you take is averaged together. If you got a 'B' in a class, and you retake it for an 'A' AMCAS will still average it out to a 3.5. If you got a C, or worse, yeah, it might be worth your while. BTW, even if your school 'drops' the lesser grade and 'replaces' it, both grades will likely show up on your transcript, and AMCAS counts them both. If you retake a class, make *sure* you nail an A. (IMHO) Anyways, thats my $.02. Lookout for Bias, we pre-meds are a shifty lot.
sorry, I realized I missed a couple of your questions. Science GPA IS NOT only the pre-med stuff. Basically all Bio, Chem, Physics. . . Math (I think) and some others. I took a psychopharmacology class, and it affects my 'science gpa'. Chance of doing well on MCAT: You ALWAYS have a chance to do well on your MCAT. Practice Practice Practice, and Study Study Study.
Oh well, I take that "bias" back. I thought all the premeds were cut-throats, but I failed to realize that there are also many pre-meds out there who try to help each other.
I asked the director of admissions at my undergrad's med school and he said that classes which are retaken for a higher grade are taken in context. That is, the schools would expect you to do better the second time around seeing as how you have already been exposed to the material once. He suggested for me (and again this might not be true in everyone's case) to take higher level science classes where one can show that he/she can do well when exposed to the material the first time -- as is the case with most other students who are taking the same class. Regardless of whether it is a repeat or a new class, they all weigh equally on the AMCAS. Hope this helps.
Retake the C's (for your own benefit) but not the B's. Take a bunch of hard upper level bios and get all As, nothing but As. it will take you around two years to get up to 3.7 at least provided you get all As. but if you do really well on the MCAT, they might overlook your GPA.
jubei0766, I am in a similiar situation. For 4 years I bombed classes and retook several of them (sometimes coming out with the same grade!). 2.9 is the gpa now (with lowest not averaged in)not inluding this great semester. For 2 years I was engaged and for 2 of the other years (been in school since 97)I was married. Now I am divorced (he was very controlling and manipulative). I talked to several adissions people. They told me if I an kick butt (I have 2 years left for a Chemistry and Med Tech degree-In one summer I will have to take 12 hours for med tech and in one semester I have to take 18 hours) for the next 2 years and do well on the MCAT (along with all of my experiences)then I still have a chance. The admissions commitee people are humans, too. They realize that life happens. They can see my dedication to the field (many volunteer hours at the hospital and clinics assisting and shadowing) and how this semester how my grades have greatly improved. I also do research with one of my med tech profs. One of the docs that I work with told me that I would just have to show them that, yes, I did have a past abusive relationship, but now I have a great support system. Before I considered med tech, one of the admissions people told me that if my grades did not significantly improve, then I should consider getting my masters then applying. I hope this helps. I always feel as if I give TMI on this site. Sometimes it helps to know that you are not the only one going through it. My school does not average retakes in, but do still show it on the transcript.
