Should I graduate from college before getting in?

[Prometheus123]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Should I graduate from college at the end of this spring? Or should I continue to delay graduation so I can continue to take classes to improve my chances? If I don't get in, I think I could continue taking classes at my university as part of a DIY post-bacc.

History: I did my first two years of college years ago from 2009-2011 and got terrible grades. Then I resumed college at a different institution in January 2015. I have been in college ever since. This January marked the beginning of my sixth year of undergraduate. Here is a very rough estimate of what my stats will look like by the end of spring:

· Strong trend of improvement
· cGPA: 3.38
· BCPM: 3.4
· GPA since transferring to current college: 3.93
· Let's assume for the purposes of this discussion that volunteer deficiencies will not be an impediment

What are the strategic considerations here?

 

[21Rush12]

I think the strategy is graduate and use the trend to your advantage. Apply to a wide variety of schools, with focus on those which reward reinvention.

I have a feeling you will get in, especially with such a strong showing.

 

[Prometheus123]

Thank you. I hope that turns out to be the case, God willing.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

Should I graduate from college at the end of this spring? Or should I continue to delay graduation so I can continue to take classes to improve my chances? If I don't get in, I think I could continue taking classes at my university as part of a DIY post-bacc.

History: I did my first two years of college years ago from 2009-2011 and got terrible grades. Then I resumed college at a different institution in January 2015. I have been in college ever since. This January marked the beginning of my sixth year of undergraduate. Here is a very rough estimate of what my stats will look like by the end of spring:

· Strong trend of improvement
· cGPA: 3.38
· BCPM: 3.4
· GPA since transferring to current college: 3.93
· Let's assume for the purposes of this discussion that volunteer deficiencies will not be an impediment

What are the strategic considerations here?

The math isn't in favor of raising that GPA

Just to raise it 1 more point you would need a 4.0 and 30 credits
To raise it to a 3.6 you would need to maintain a 4.0 for 90 more credits

So yeah; Currently assuming decent MCAT and E C's you might get into some lower tier M.D and be competitive for D.O

Personally I would graduate, work hard on E C's and MCAT, and apply broadly to D.O and some lower tier M.D.

Play around with this calculator
http://gpacalculator.net/how-to-raise-gpa/

 

[Prometheus123]

Thank you. Yeah, it seems pretty futile at this point to try to raise it further. I will play around with that calculator, thanks. That "how to raise your GPA to X level" feature is useful.

 

[Goro]

The math isn't in favor of raising that GPA

Just to raise it 1 more point you would need a 4.0 and 30 credits
To raise it to a 3.6 you would need to maintain a 4.0 for 90 more credits

So yeah; Currently assuming decent MCAT and E C's you might get into some lower tier M.D and be competitive for D.O

Personally I would graduate, work hard on E C's and MCAT, and apply broadly to D.O and some lower tier M.D.

Play around with this calculator
Learn how to improve GPA

It's not about raising the GPAs, but maintaining the excellence that proves that the OP of now is not the OP of then.

GPA trends, and not final numbers can make a difference for a lot of MD and all DO schools

 

[Prometheus123]

Well, if nothing else, I definitely do have an absurdly stark contrast between the me of then and the me of now going for me. I'll do my best to continue to maintain that and finish strong. Thank you.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

It's not about raising the GPAs, but maintaining the excellence that proves that the OP of now is not the OP of then.

GPA trends, and not final numbers can make a difference for a lot of MD and all DO schools

Yeah, but didn't you say at one point a lot of M.D schools don't reward reinvention because they have hundreds others who didn't need it ever?

 

[Siromas]

Keep in mind that financial aid and schedule-lottery priority differs greatly between undergraduate students and non-degree seeking DIY post-bacc students.

 

[Prometheus123]

Keep in mind that financial aid and schedule-lottery priority differs greatly between undergraduate students and non-degree seeking DIY post-bacc students.

Yeah, I need to talk to a financial aid specialist to learn how this works at my school. This is definitely a concern I have.

 

[Goro]

Yeah, but didn't you say at one point a lot of M.D schools don't reward reinvention because they have hundreds others who didn't need it ever?

What's that got to do with the OP? This is all about reinvention.

 

[Prometheus123]

Update: I talked to a financial aid specialist, and it turns out that I'm only 14 credits away from hitting 270 credits, which is the absolute limit beyond which I will be cut off from all financial aid. If I have to continue taking classes after that, I will have to reapply as a post-bacc. As a post-bacc, I would no longer receive the Pell Grant, but I could still take out the same amount of Stafford loans.

Since I can't pay for classes out of pocket, this means that I have no choice but to take 14 or fewer credits this spring and graduate. There is no other move to make.

I feel relieved by this, because it means that I don't have to decide whether to take on the risk of graduating before getting in. The decision has already been made for me by circumstances I have no control over. And as a backup, if I do have to continue taking courses, I can always re-enroll as a post-bacc.

So I guess I'm going to finally be a college graduate in a few months. 🙂

 

[altblue]

Update: I talked to a financial aid specialist, and it turns out that I'm only 14 credits away from hitting 270 credits, which is the absolute limit beyond which I will be cut off from all financial aid. If I have to continue taking classes after that, I will have to reapply as a post-bacc. As a post-bacc, I would no longer receive the Pell Grant, but I could still take out the same amount of Stafford loans.

Since I can't pay for classes out of pocket, this means that I have no choice but to take 14 or fewer credits this spring and graduate. There is no other move to make.

I feel relieved by this, because it means that I don't have to decide whether to take on the risk of graduating before getting in. The decision has already been made for me by circumstances I have no control over. And as a backup, if I do have to continue taking courses, I can always re-enroll as a post-bacc.

So I guess I'm going to finally be a college graduate in a few months. 🙂

Congrats on the success my dude, especially with that trend

Are you thinking about the MCAT?

 

[Prometheus123]

Congrats on the success my dude, especially with that trend

Are you thinking about the MCAT?

Thanks. I'm not sure if most people would consider being a remedial college student for almost six years success--maybe more like atonement, purgatory, or a particularly odd form of insanity--but I appreciate that interpretation, haha.

No thoughts of the MCAT for me (other than the occasional flashback).

 

[altblue]

Thanks. I'm not sure if most people would consider being a remedial college student for almost six years success--maybe more like atonement, purgatory, or a particularly odd form of insanity--but I appreciate that interpretation, haha.

No thoughts of the MCAT for me (other than the occasional flashback).

Cool cool, and you managed to turn your academic career around. You were doing 3.9 level work, which most people with smoother starts aren't able to do, and that's something to be proud of.

Depending on how your MCAT looks you might be pretty competitive.

 

[DBC03]

Cool cool, and you managed to turn your academic career around. You were doing 3.9 level work, which most people with smoother starts aren't able to do, and that's something to be proud of.

Depending on how your MCAT looks you might be pretty competitive.

I believe, based on previous posts, OP is being very humble about his MCAT (he did very well).


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Prometheus123]

Cool cool, and you managed to turn your academic career around. You were doing 3.9 level work, which most people with smoother starts aren't able to do, and that's something to be proud of.

Depending on how your MCAT looks you might be pretty competitive.

I believe, based on previous posts, OP is being very humble about his MCAT (he did very well).


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

You guys are making me blush.

The MCAT is good enough. Probably about average by SDN standards.

I think the difference is that people with smoother starts don't have to do 3.9 work. I did because I started pre-med with a 2.3 cGPA accumulated over two years' worth of college. Necessity's the mother of all invention. My hat's off to the people who were mature enough as eighteen-year olds to maintain a 3.7+ throughout. I am proud of turning it around though.

@DBC03, have you decided where you're going to matriculate?