Slightly concerned

[DirtyPretty]

2qs

second year going to third year...I was wondering is it possible to get into med school with a 3.03* anywhere within the continental north america? how about a (theoretical) 3.30? I've heard about cut-offs and stuff and that they don't even look at your app if your gpa is below a certain minimum... true? *[oh yeah there is not an excuse I can give anyone outside but low marks/recent failures were because of undocumented severish depression and physical manifestations of it]

I haven't done the MCAT either, I've been getting 32-36 with the 5-6 practice exams... and it's in two weeks... but I don't think I am going to do it, postpone it or something because all of a sudden I just can't focus at all and coming here didn't help much (is it bad to do it in January?) :/

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[HumidBeing]

It's not bad to take the MCAT in January. That's a popular time because winter break offers an opportunity to study and prepare.

The 3.0 and 3.3 don't fall into the "highly competitive" category. They won't knock you completely out of the running, but they do fall below the cutoffs of many schools. How solid the rest of your application is will be a big factor, as will your state of residence, and whether you are willing to apply to schools other than just U.S. allopathic schools. Of course, the better you do on the MCAT, the better your chance of being considered.

It's possible to continue increase that GPA somewhat by doing either a formal or informal post bacc program after graduation. That would lengthen your time before application.

 

[bioteach]

I got into a US allo with a 3.08 uGPA and a 2.93 uBCPM...BUT....I have a bio master's degree w/ 3.87gpa, have taught college level biology and anatomy for the past 5 years, scored a 13 on my MCAT bio and a 12 on verbal, and had high interview scores. I know that without every one of those things...no way in hell would I have gotten accepted. Even with those things it was by the skin of my teeth. No way would I have been accepted straight out of undergrad - I wouldn't have had the master's, teaching exp or the strong interviews.

But seeing as how you are still in school....well there are just too many variables right now. Can you get a 4.0 for the rest of your college career, is that even feasible? What are your EC's? Are you a URM? What will your MCAT be?

So to answer your question...most schools (at least the mid-tier types I applied to) don't have a set in stone cutoff, but your chances are still pretty darn slim with a 3.0 gpa. I made it past all of my screened secondaries and ended up with 3 allo interviews (out of 12 apps).

 

[DirtyPretty]

Can you get a 4.0 for the rest of your college career, is that even feasible? What are your EC's? Are you a URM? What will your MCAT be?

So to answer your question...most schools (at least the mid-tier types I applied to) don't have a set in stone cutoff, but your chances are still pretty darn slim with a 3.0 gpa. I made it past all of my screened secondaries and ended up with 3 allo interviews (out of 12 apps).

Thanks to the both of you... I am in Canada, where they apparently only give a **** about the GPA and I am not a URM. The field I am in... a lot of my friends transferred from it... but I really love it (maybe a mistake?) I sure as hell am going to do the best I can in the next year. I don't have really good ECs. I've done a bunch of stuff I liked. I am going to start volunteering at a hospital this fall, however before I was exclusively involved in political campaigning etc. the closest thing to an "med related" activity has pushing a pharma-university drug co-development campaign.

It's good to hear that there may be a chance.

 

[Perrotfish]

Short answer, no, you're not getting in with just a 3.03, regardless of your MCAT, unless you have a spectacularly good reason (and you don't). However, if your actual MCAT is as high as your practice MCATs you might be able to fix your application in only a year's time through a Special Masters Program.

Explanation Here

List of Programs Here

It's been done before, many times. Good luck.

 

[DirtyPretty]

Explanation Here

List of Programs Here

It's been done before, many times. Good luck.

helpful...thanks!

 

[HumidBeing]

Being Canadian also puts a different twist on it. Although GPA is important for getting into American schools, from what I understand, it appears to be the top determining factor for Canadian schools.

 

[bcat85]

DO school.

Yep... you can apply to some low level allo schools, but you should be ok with a 32-36 and a 3.0 at a D.O. school.

 

[Perrotfish]

Yep... you can apply to some low level allo schools, but you should be ok with a 32-36 and a 3.0 at a D.O. school.

Maybe a 33 and a 3.3, but a 3.0 is sorta low even for DO. Also keep in mind that DO isn't a recognized degree in Canada, so he would need to get liscenced to practice in the US. I have no idea if that's difficult or what would be involved there.