some advice...

[jux212]

Hi everyone I am new to this site.but I'd like some advice on what to do. I am currently an ungrad at UCLA.. I am a junior and am planning to apply to med school sometime in the futur..I have a 3.15 cum GPA with a good upward trend(almost all A's within the last year) and I did surprisly well on the MCAt this past summer with a 38Q. I guess my question is should i apply this year or should i wait another year to apply and bring up my grades more. if i send in my grades during the course of next year while im applying will they calculate that into my gpa? oh by the way i have done research for a year and am going to present at a meeting in june. Also have had clinical experience for about a year thanks...ur thoughts would be appreciated

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[simpleton]

It sounds to me like you should give it a shot unless you don't mind waiting another year. Also, it depends on where you want to go to med school. Considering the timing you better think quick but I would be suprised if you didn't at least get some interviews

 

[brandonite]

3.15 is probably a bit too low, especially if you are from California (state schools are hard to get into). You're probably better off waiting a year. With those MCATs, you would have a shot, but the 3.15 GPA raises a lot of questions...

I would think that you would probably be able to get in somewhere with an upward trend and a 38Q. However, if you pull your GPA up to a 3.4 or so, your chances get a lot better.

Schools probably won't calculate your GPA this term into your score. They have too much other stuff to worry about - they just don't have the manpower to be continually adding up GPAs from all their applicants.

And, it's December now, so you don't really have time to put together that solid of an application for this year.

But, that's just my opinion.

 

[Scooby Doo]

My friend had a 37-39...she had some great experiences..her GPA was right around yours...she's actually on this site too but she doesn't visit preallo too much. She applied to 25 schools...didn't get in..so she's doing it again
Good luck if you do it...really have something stand out on your app...

 

[penelope]

jux212,
Congrats on your great MCAT! That score will help you tremendously. Remember, your score isn't going anywhere - it's good for a couple of years. So take your time improving your grades, because a 3.15 probably won't suffice, especially in CA. I would strongly advise you to wait another year while you improve your application. The application process is time-consuming and very expensive, so it's better not to have to repeat the experience.
Good luck!
penelope

 

[jux212]

hey guys thanks for all ur responses. I was wondering scooby doo did ur friend at least get some interviews?

 

[sandflea]

maybe i'm missing something, but what exactly are you asking about, again??? are you asking whether you should apply during your senior year or wait and apply AFTER you graduate? i'm asking because you will still have the grades from this entire junior year that will factor into your overall GPA BEFORE you actually apply. this also means, if i'm understanding your post correctly, that you have only two years-worth of grades thus far that are totalling out to that 3.15. so if you really pull off all A's this year, it will have a dramatic impact on your GPA.

my advice is to do *extremely* well this entire year, and see where your GPA is next summer when you need to think about applying. yes, it wouldn't hurt for you to wait and work hard during your senior year so that those grades are already on the table when you first apply, but you still have a year--see what your situation is like then. if you decide to apply next year, yes, you can (and should) mail new grades to med schools as you receive them, but keep in mind that some med schools won't recalculate a new GPA for you.

also, are you a CA resident, or are you just going to school there? makes a difference....

 

[radiohead_fan]

how the HELL does someone pull a 38Q on the MCAT without learning enough to get at least a B+/A- GPA??...even in just the sciences?? It boggles the mind. Your the smart one with the 38--explain please.

 

[deleted4401]

Hey,

You never know with admissions, it is very hit or miss.

I graduated with a 3.1 and a 34S, and was told by my pre-med advisor that I WOULD NOT GET INTO AN AMERICAN MED SCHOOL. I saved that e-mail from him, and a few months later I applied... I applied to 20 schools, got two interviews and two acceptances, and am attending Tulane Med, and one of the first things I did was write him back and tell him that he should be more encouraging.

If you have an upward trend and perhaps can explain yourself (I never had to, it just didn't come up), I think you can get in somewhere. But make sure you have something that makes you stick out - I did a junior year abroad, had some cool jobs during summers, and I think I'm a pretty good interview.

Apply to many schools, and especially a lot of mid-level private schools: Tulane, Tufts, MCW, BU, Einstein, the Philly schools ... and also apply to a couple dreamers and all of your state schools (regardless of where you live).

Hey man, an elite school can have an average MCAT of 33 and a average GPA of 3.7 ... that can be maintained by having some students with 4.0 GPAs and a 28 MCAT and some students with 3.35 GPAs and a 38 MCAT.

Good luck!

And to the person who doesn't understand how one can get a 3.15 and a 38 MCAT: buzz off! undergrad is NOTHING like med school. I have probably one of the lowest GPAs in my matriculating class and I'm doing better than average here. The material is way different and there is so much different learning going on - visual, written, spatial reasoning. The teachers aren't ambiguous about what you need to know. And they treat you like adults, instead of the paternal b.s. that undergrad institutions use. Plus, you don't know anything about this person, he/she might have gone through family problems or maybe he/she just didn't like what he/she was learning.

Simul
Tulane Med '05

 

[dustinspeer]

I agree. Sounds like some jealous person with a high GPA and a MCAT score that doesn't correlate. Lay off, there definitely must be certain circumstances, especially because of the upward trend.

 

[jux212]

Hi guys thanks for all the encouraging responses.. i Think ill probably apply but a couple questions if u guys dont mind. Lets say I apply and dont get in..how do schools look upon reapplicant? Also how many recs do i need? If i have to reapply next year will I need to get the recs all over or can I just use the same ones? Oh and as far as my gpa its really a tale of two halves. First year and a half pretty bad and then i made up my mind about going to med school and my grades improved=) I know everyone on this site says be persistent adn I am more than willing to wait if I have to but the sooner the better u know? Thanks everyone!

 

[Scooby Doo]

Originally posted by jux212:
•hey guys thanks for all ur responses. I was wondering scooby doo did ur friend at least get some interviews?•••

Hey there...I think she had like 4 interviews or so..and only waitlists...umm...i htink it was penn state, nymc, and a couple other...

This year she is applying again and she got an OSU interview...

we just partied tongiht for her 23rd bday ...so excuse me if i ma incoherent..haha...we had a blast!
night...time for bed!

 

[DesperatelySeekingMD]

my advice is to wait a year and then apply....if your GPA is on an upward curve that will give you a little more leverage with such a high MCAT. Also, my advice to everyone is always to take at least one year between Ugrad and Med School. I have taken two and wouldn't have traded it for anything- I have much more perspective on life and am really excited to study again, not burnt out like I was at the end of school.
I can tell you that schools really do look at your experiences and how mature you are...I think that another year would only improve your chances and getting out in the "real world" is totally what the dr ordered....LIVE IT UP!