So what about a negative trend??

[tigress]

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My AMCAS was processed this morning, and I got a look at my calculated GPA. I realized it would be as it is (well, it was calcuated a bit lower than I expected 🙁), but it's still somewhat disappointing to look at it. Everybody talks about the importance of a positive trend; how bad does a negative trend look, exactly?

Here's the situation: first semester senior year I had a very poor semester due to a number of factors and received a C in physics, a 5 credit course. It was my only C in college. My calculated GPA for senior year is therefore lower than for all the other years. Unfortunately it doesn't show by semester, because my spring semester junior year was a 4.0. In addition to this negative turn my senior year, my graduate GPA was low (3.33); in grad school nobody cared about a grade, we just got a B to pass and concentrated on our lab. I was only in grad school for one semester, though.

So how bad does this negative trend look? (GPA before that was steady at 3.7-3.8 each year; it's less of a trend than a dip.) Does anybody think it will keep me from interviewing? In an interview I believe I can explain myself without sounding like I'm making excuses, and also point out that 4.0 semester just before the bad one. After seeing this on my ap I think I've resigned myself to not being successful at the higher ranked schools on my list, though of course I might be surprised.

Anybody else dealing with a dip down in GPA as a senior?

 

[gujuDoc]

My AMCAS was processed this morning, and I got a look at my calculated GPA. I realized it would be as it is (well, it was calcuated a bit lower than I expected 🙁), but it's still somewhat disappointing to look at it. Everybody talks about the importance of a positive trend; how bad does a negative trend look, exactly?

Here's the situation: first semester senior year I had a very poor semester due to a number of factors and received a C in physics, a 5 credit course. It was my only C in college. My calculated GPA for senior year is therefore lower than for all the other years. Unfortunately it doesn't show by semester, because my spring semester junior year was a 4.0. In addition to this negative turn my senior year, my graduate GPA was low (3.33); in grad school nobody cared about a grade, we just got a B to pass and concentrated on our lab. I was only in grad school for one semester, though.

So how bad does this negative trend look? (GPA before that was steady at 3.7-3.8 each year; it's less of a trend than a dip.) Does anybody think it will keep me from interviewing? In an interview I believe I can explain myself without sounding like I'm making excuses, and also point out that 4.0 semester just before the bad one. After seeing this on my ap I think I've resigned myself to not being successful at the higher ranked schools on my list, though of course I might be surprised.

Anybody else dealing with a dip down in GPA as a senior?

Maybe your MCAT will overshadow that since it was so high. I would advise you to talk to people at the schools of interest and see what their perspective is on this. However, since you have a stellar MCAT, it might be overlooked. Plus your gpa still did maintain at 3.4 or so, so don't stress about it. Just do your best through the application process, and I'm sure you'll be hereing responses back for interviews in a few months down the road.

 

[criminallyinane]

After seeing this on my ap I think I've resigned myself to not being successful at the higher ranked schools on my list, though of course I might be surprised.

People with your stats get into Pitt. I know this for a fact. Don't discount your app over one C 🙂

 

[tigress]

Thanks guys. It's not the overall GPA I'm worried about, it's the dip in senior year. Well, I can only go with the flow at this point, get my secondaries in on time, and hope for interviews 🙂