Strengthen GPA or Apply ASAP? Advice requested.

[mrsug]

For years I have been going through an arduous transcript repair that has so far somewhat salvaged a very poor GPA (albeit pre-2020 from a very selective liberal arts school often considered having one of the toughest undergrad academic experiences) into a merely very mediocre GPA. I made some mistakes in the postbac taking classes I couldn’t finish due to professional obligations, which has set me back even further. I’ll spare the details.

I can apply in May as a 2.8cGPA / 2.7sGPA / 3.4 Postbac GPA or I can take another thirty credits between now and mid-late August and apply with a 3.0cGPA / 2.9sGPA / 3.6 Postbac GPA. I took this many credits in the same timespan last summer and aced them all. I have little doubt I can do it again. I wish I could provide an MCAT score but I don’t sit the test for another month and this is a decision I have to make in the next two weeks. I am doing well in my study & I expect a good score. I know that’s not worth much.

I feel I have outstanding EC’s. Lots of patient care hours as a medical assistant & EMT, consistent volunteering over years both in clinical and non-clinical settings and a previous career that I think really has a ‘wow’ factor.

I am open to DO & MD. I am wary of the Caribbean. I would like to avoid an SMP and strongly prefer to matriculate in 2026. I am looking for just one acceptance from a quality institution, but I have no onerous limitations and I am not picky about location or snobby about prestige. I am not delusional—I am responsible for this situation and understand how difficult advice could be to give in this instance. I’m merely gathering perspectives on the tradeoff between more transcript repair or applying earlier.

Thank you for your time. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

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[Goro]

The reinvention so far is OK, at best for DO, but not good enough for MD. You need 3.7+

What was the previous wow factor career?

And don't even think about the Carib predators.

 

[deleted1180279]

You can't make this kind of decision without an MCAT score. Study hard and good luck.

 

[codedcasanova]

The reinvention so far is OK, at best for DO, but not good enough for MD. You need 3.7+

What was the previous wow factor career?

And don't even think about the Carib predators.

Hi @Goro,
I am in the process of reinventing right now. I'd really appreciate your feedback.

2019 Freshman: 4.00 cgpa 4.00 sgpa
Sophomore: 4.00 cgpa, 4.00 sgpa and 3 Ws (Transferred to a more competitive school peak covid)
Junior: Withdrew from fall semester due to COVID hospitalization(contacted uni and can't do retroactive withdrawal), but I pushed through and did spring & summer semester: 3.41 running cgpa, 3.37 running sgpa. However, my Junior years GPA was absolutely horrendous (see chart below). Failed Genetics and C-/D- in other classes. All of which I retook in postbacc.

I double majored so after my first and second senior years, my final undergrad GPA: 3.28 cgpa and 3.10sgpa. Graduated May 2024.

I am retaking the classes i did poorly and additional 1st year med classes as well at UCSD extension postbacc which uses a quarter based system. I finished 49 quarter credit hours (32.7 semester hours) to date. Straight As. So far my running cGPA is 3.42 and sGPA is 3.41. The max I can push this to is 3.5 cgpa and 3.5sgpa, but with considerably more money and 49 more quarter credit hours.

My MCAT is a 524. ORM. 2000 clinical and 2000+ research hours. 2 research pubs. I also conduct a rural medical outreach program.
My goal is US based MD program. I plan on applying 2026 cycle.
What should I do? What are my chances? Should I even apply or spend more money+time getting gpa up to 3.5? Feeling very discouraged right now.

 

[Goro]

OK, you're good to go. I suggest:
Columbia
Case
Vandy
Dartmouth
BU
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Einstein (maybe)
Temple
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
Gtown
GWU
NOTE: as a reinventor, you need DO schools on your list. Any DO school. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, SOMA, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.

 

[codedcasanova]

Even with a 3.4? Will my MCAT balance that?

OK, you're good to go. I suggest:
Columbia
Case
Vandy
Dartmouth
BU
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Einstein (maybe)
Temple
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
Gtown
GWU
NOTE: as a reinventor, you need DO schools on your list. Any DO school. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, SOMA, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.

 

[Goro]

Even with a 3.4? Will my MCAT balance that?

It's all about the reinvention AND the entire app.

 

[AJS59]

To answer OP: Definitely need a full WAMC (see forum for template) and an MCAT score. The good news is that you're in March and have time to figure this out.

 

[mrsug]

To answer OP: Definitely need a full WAMC (see forum for template) and an MCAT score. The good news is that you're in March and have time to figure this out.

I will update once the MCAT is done. In the meantime I signed up for the three classes I would need to get done in order to squeeze in thirty more credits before the end of August.