Should a post-bacc worry about low BCPM gpa in 15yo classes?

[Baby-Doc]

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Hi all,

My questions are: Should I be worried about a low BCPM gpa because of old classes? How can I help admissions see my application and ensure I am not filtered out based on a seemingly low sGPA?

I am currently halfway through my first year of a 2yr DIY post-bacc, it will award me a second BS in biology. I finished my first degree (BS for Proj. Management ERAU worldwide) in 2018 but after working for a bit found I truly wanted to be working in science - specifically as a physician. I have been volunteering on/off since 2020 at my local hospital and shadowed several specialties over this time. When I finished my first degree in 2018 I graduated summa cum laude from my uni (community college courses were transfer & uni was all As, 2 Bs) with a total cGPA 3.82 and sGPA 3.04 including everything. My issue is as a business major my limited math and science were completed at community college when I was still figuring out college and not really dedicated to my studies. So my sGPA is only trending a little between now and the 2025/26 application cycle when I plan to apply during.

My current studies I have a 4.0 with all the following courses detailed below. Assuming I maintain the 4.0 next semester I will apply with what looks like a cGPA 3.95 & sGPA 3.51 even though my current sGPA is 4.0 the classes I took in HS dual enrollment 14yr ago & community college earliest 7yrs ago are bringing it down to the 3.51. I plan to take my MCAT this June/July and will be applying during the 2025/26 cycle. I am also volunteering in a research lab and will likely be linked to a publication coming out next fall, I plan to submit an application update when this occurs.
Summer 2024

• (A) Biology 1 & Lab
• (A) Biology 2 & Lab

Fall 2024

• (A) Ecology & Lab
• (A) Microbio & Lab
• (A) Chem 1 & Lab
• (A) Med Terminology

Spring 2025

• Genetics & Lab
• Cell Bio & Lab
• Chem 2 & Lab
• Immunology & Lab
• Jr Sem (Research lead up BIOL-381 3 credit)

-------Applying--------
Fall 2025

• Anat/Phys 1 & Cadaver Lab
• Org 1 & Lab
• Biochem 1 & Lab
• Sr Seminar (Research BIOL-401 1 credit)

Spring 2026

• Anat/Phys 2 & Cadaver Lab
• Org 2 & Lab
• Sr Research (BIOL-402 2 credit)
• Algebra based Physics 2 & Lab

Thank you for any insights!

 

[DO2015CA]

you said limited number of credits so probably not. With this many courses, your sgpa should jump up. Even more that they are 15 years old. Now if you take these classes and are not pulling high grades then that will be more detrimental thing than limited science credits from 15 years ago.

 

[Baby-Doc]

you said limited number of credits so probably not. With this many courses, your sgpa should jump up. Even more that they are 15 years old. Now if you take these classes and are not pulling high grades then that will be more detrimental thing than limited science credits from 15 years ago.

Oh that is great to hear! The courses I took from 2011-2017 were HS Algebra, HS Calc1, cc Stats, cc Zoology, cc Physics, & cc Calc 2. Do you have any tips for making sure my application isn't lost in the shuffle or ruled out by a seemingly low sGPA from those old classes?

 

[DO2015CA]

Highest gpa you can get is all you can do. Now when you said Hs. Were you in Hs as a dual enroll or was it at college but remedial? Does it show up on your official transcripts as a college course

 

[Baby-Doc]

Highest gpa you can get is all you can do. Now when you said Hs. Were you in Hs as a dual enroll or was it at college but remedial? Does it show up on your official transcripts as a college course

Dual enrollment in HS and it shows on my transcripts as a college course.

 

[DO2015CA]

Ok ya. Rats. Was trying to see if you could drop them off. So I would say do your best to get good grades. If you are flirting with 3.4-3.5 then I wouldn’t worry too much. Then take the mcat and see where things lie. If you do well on the MCAT then MD programs are likely within striking distance if this post bacc grades are 3.6+ as reinvention. DOs will be a lot better from a reinvention standpoint because they love that ****. I think if you’re 3.3 sgpa and post bacc 3.5+ then you’re set up competitively for DO. It will still be dependent on the mcat of course. If you crush it then there is more leeway

 

[Baby-Doc]

Ok ya. Rats. Was trying to see if you could drop them off. So I would say do your best to get good grades. If you are flirting with 3.4-3.5 then I wouldn’t worry too much. Then take the mcat and see where things lie. If you do well on the MCAT then MD programs are likely within striking distance if this post bacc grades are 3.6+ as reinvention. DOs will be a lot better from a reinvention standpoint because they love that ****. I think if you’re 3.3 sgpa and post bacc 3.5+ then you’re set up competitively for DO. It will still be dependent on the mcat of course. If you crush it then there is more leeway

Thank you for the insight! I'll definitely by grinding for As and a competitive MCAT. I'll start looking at DOs too if they cater more to career changers!

 

[holdthemayo]

Hi all,

My questions are: Should I be worried about a low BCPM gpa because of old classes? How can I help admissions see my application and ensure I am not filtered out based on a seemingly low sGPA?

I am currently halfway through my first year of a 2yr DIY post-bacc, it will award me a second BS in biology. I finished my first degree (BS for Proj. Management ERAU worldwide) in 2018 but after working for a bit found I truly wanted to be working in science - specifically as a physician. I have been volunteering on/off since 2020 at my local hospital and shadowed several specialties over this time. When I finished my first degree in 2018 I graduated summa cum laude from my uni (community college courses were transfer & uni was all As, 2 Bs) with a total cGPA 3.82 and sGPA 3.04 including everything. My issue is as a business major my limited math and science were completed at community college when I was still figuring out college and not really dedicated to my studies. So my sGPA is only trending a little between now and the 2025/26 application cycle when I plan to apply during.

My current studies I have a 4.0 with all the following courses detailed below. Assuming I maintain the 4.0 next semester I will apply with what looks like a cGPA 3.95 & sGPA 3.51 even though my current sGPA is 4.0 the classes I took in HS dual enrollment 14yr ago & community college earliest 7yrs ago are bringing it down to the 3.51. I plan to take my MCAT this June/July and will be applying during the 2025/26 cycle. I am also volunteering in a research lab and will likely be linked to a publication coming out next fall, I plan to submit an application update when this occurs.
Summer 2024

• (A) Biology 1 & Lab
• (A) Biology 2 & Lab

Fall 2024

• (A) Ecology & Lab
• (A) Microbio & Lab
• (A) Chem 1 & Lab
• (A) Med Terminology

Spring 2025

• Genetics & Lab
• Cell Bio & Lab
• Chem 2 & Lab
• Immunology & Lab
• Jr Sem (Research lead up BIOL-381 3 credit)

-------Applying--------
Fall 2025

• Anat/Phys 1 & Cadaver Lab
• Org 1 & Lab
• Biochem 1 & Lab
• Sr Seminar (Research BIOL-401 1 credit)

Spring 2026

• Anat/Phys 2 & Cadaver Lab
• Org 2 & Lab
• Sr Research (BIOL-402 2 credit)
• Algebra based Physics 2 & Lab

Thank you for any insights!

If you are able to maintain a 4.0 during this post-bac, that shows that you are not the same student you were back then. If you can couple that with a strong MCAT performance I wouldn't worry too much about the final number being a bit on the low side. I had a horrible start to undergrad that couldn't be mathematically overcome. It was quite a few years ago, but I had a 4.0 in my 2 year post-bac, a strong MCAT, and a sGPA notably lower than yours and am an MD now.

Keep up the good work. This is a strong start to your reinvention.

 

[AsclepiusAdvisingLLC]

Strong work on organizing your DIY post-bacc! If you're doing well in the post-bacc and you're able to continue showing high performance, then you shouldn't be too worried. Your science GPA will go up and you can show a strong upward trend on your grades, and strong performance in science.

A committee member taking their time will see a 15 year time scale on your transcript, so that's also in your favor.

 

[Baby-Doc]

Strong work on organizing your DIY post-bacc! If you're doing well in the post-bacc and you're able to continue showing high performance, then you shouldn't be too worried. Your science GPA will go up and you can show a strong upward trend on your grades, and strong performance in science.

A committee member taking their time will see a 15 year time scale on your transcript, so that's also in your favor.

If you are able to maintain a 4.0 during this post-bac, that shows that you are not the same student you were back then. If you can couple that with a strong MCAT performance I wouldn't worry too much about the final number being a bit on the low side. I had a horrible start to undergrad that couldn't be mathematically overcome. It was quite a few years ago, but I had a 4.0 in my 2 year post-bac, a strong MCAT, and a sGPA notably lower than yours and am an MD now.

Keep up the good work. This is a strong start to your reinvention.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement! I'll definitely keep strong and look to smash the MCAT this summer!