Science GPA is low after all pre-reqs

[sepaul]

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Hello,

I have finished my science courses and now have a cumulative GPA of 3.12 in BMCP. I would like to continue to boost that and my application overall. I am not sure what to do.

I considered special 2 year masters programs. BU's program allows you to take classes with BU students and grants a thesis based exam. Drawback, it takes at least two years to finish. If I took the BU MA program I could return to my research position and get a job as a Research Associate ans be getting paid 15-20% more.

I have also considered programs that just boost my science GPA, however in terms of professional devlopment, confer no real financial benefit. But, I am not sure what schools would rather see, a high UG science GPA or a great post-bacc program with a MA and research based thesis. Based on my GPA and credit hours, if I did one year of full time work, I could boost it to a 3.4. If I did two years it could be a bit higher.

I need structure in a program, one that will help me with the application, MCAT and provide career counseling.


Please Let me know if you can refer me to or reccomend a specific program.
Thanks,
Se

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Formal graduate programs will not increase your undergraduate GPA on AMCAS; the GPA goes on a separate graduate section

Boston University's MA in Medical Science CAN be completed in one-year. It is easier to do this if you do a paper-based thesis in the two following summer terms after you finish the required coursework

There are quite a few one-year preprofessional programs out there if you don't like the idea of a two-year program (for work, application timeline, etc.)

If you want structure, help w/ your application, MCAT prep, and career counseling, I think the Drexel MSP would probably be along those lines. You get some undergrad classes in there and you can stay for an other year, do the IMS program at Drexel (take classes with med students) and get a Master of Biological Sciences degree (see the recent Drexel thread). There's a similar 2-year program at a Virginia, but it's minority-focused (I'm assuming URM-targeted). I believe it's Hampton University MS in Medical Science. I've got a link if you're interested, but I know next-to-nothing about the program other than that info.

Med schools tend to vary on their emphasis w/ grades (undergrad gpa, postbac gpa, grad gpa, general trend, etc.). I would check w/ schools individually to see what they recommend.