String of B's

[DocSoMa]

Hey everyone,

I'm a senior Bio major at a top 5 liberal arts college and I have somewhere between a B and B+ average. There is MAJOR grade deflation at my school and no matter how hard I try and how many hours I study, I seriously can't get past a B/B+ in all my classes (science and non-science).

I wish I could explain my low GPA as being due to a bad semester, but I just have a long string of B's on my transcript. I'm not complaining or anything - I just don't know how I'd explain this at an interview. I'm planning to enroll in a post-bac program next year to boost my GPA, so I'm not worried about grade rehabilitation. I just don't know how I can explain my lackluster undergraduate record. Also, I haven't taken the MCAT yet if that helps.

Any thoughts? I'd greatly appreciate your input, thanks!

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[ChubbyChaser]

Do well on the MCAT and pray.

Everyone claims there school has grade deflation, you just gotta live with it.

 

[DocSoMa]

Do well on the MCAT and pray.

Everyone claims there school has grade deflation, you just gotta live with it.

Obviously, I'm aiming to do well on the MCAT. I mean, who isn't? And I'm not religious enough to pray, so that one's out. But I need some advice on what to say should this come up in an interview. Constructive and realistic advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Hey everyone,

I'm a senior Bio major at a top 5 liberal arts college and I have somewhere between a B and B+ average. There is MAJOR grade deflation at my school and no matter how hard I try and how many hours I study, I seriously can't get past a B/B+ in all my classes (science and non-science).

I wish I could explain my low GPA as being due to a bad semester, but I just have a long string of B's on my transcript. I'm not complaining or anything - I just don't know how I'd explain this at an interview. I'm planning to enroll in a post-bac program next year to boost my GPA, so I'm not worried about grade rehabilitation. I just don't know how I can explain my lackluster undergraduate record. Also, I haven't taken the MCAT yet if that helps.

Any thoughts? I'd greatly appreciate your input, thanks!

"I tried my hardest, and I am not ashamed. I go to a top 5 school so that counts for something"

 

[aster]

For one, I'd recommend against saying anything along the lines of "top 5 liberal arts college" and "MAJOR grade deflation at my school". I bet anyone who struggles anywhere can bs those excuses.

The best thing to do is what you already know, do really well on MCATs. By doing so, you'll prove to them that you are on your game since B+'s aren't that bad anyways; MCAT is the only real 'standardized' factor on your application that they can properly measure you against other applicants so they will realize that B+'s in the class isn't due to incompetence in the subject area since you can't really stretch grades from one institution upon another. MCAT MCAT MCAT and don't be so stuck up and passive aggressive with "Constructive and realistic advice would be greatly appreciated."

 

[Carlin]

Everyone claims there school has grade deflation, you just gotta live with it.

Yes, but there are some places where it is actually true.

OP, I have to deal with that at my school too, so I feel your pain. Stand up for yourself and your institution at interviews. I have some Bs that I am extremely proud of, and I'm sure you have some of the same. If you can get that across, I hope that your interviewer would respect that.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Yes, but there are some places where it is actually true.

OP, I have to deal with that at my school too, so I feel your pain. Stand up for yourself and your institution at interviews. I have some Bs that I am extremely proud of, and I'm sure you have some of the same. If you can get that across, I hope that your interviewer would respect that.

my pt exactly...everyone claims grade deflation.

 

[135892]

Obviously, I'm aiming to do well on the MCAT. I mean, who isn't? And I'm not religious enough to pray, so that one's out. But I need some advice on what to say should this come up in an interview. Constructive and realistic advice would be greatly appreciated.

How can we tell you what to say? Just tell the truth and put some sort of positive spin on it. However, I would advise against saying something along the lines of: "It's not my fault, my school just has grade deflation..."

 

[DocSoMa]

For one, I'd recommend against saying anything along the lines of "top 5 liberal arts college" and "MAJOR grade deflation at my school". I bet anyone who struggles anywhere can bs those excuses.

The best thing to do is what you already know, do really well on MCATs. By doing so, you'll prove to them that you are on your game since B+'s aren't that bad anyways; MCAT is the only real 'standardized' factor on your application that they can properly measure you against other applicants so they will realize that B+'s in the class isn't due to incompetence in the subject area since you can't really stretch grades from one institution upon another. MCAT MCAT MCAT and don't be so stuck up and passive aggressive with "Constructive and realistic advice would be greatly appreciated."

Dude, calm down. I wasn't trying to be stuck up or passive aggressive. Trust me, I'm anything BUT passive. It's not the way I deal with things. I'm just addressing the potential naysayers. I've heard it all, and the last thing I need is someone with some kind of pompous complex to tell me "work harder" or "deal with it." I wasn't planning on using the whole "Look at me, I went to a top 5 liberal arts school, so throw me a bone" excuse as a justification for my performance, I was just giving some background of my education.

 

[135892]

Dude, calm down. I wasn't trying to be stuck up or passive aggressive. Trust me, I'm anything BUT passive. It's not the way I deal with things. I'm just addressing the potential naysayers. I've heard it all, and the last thing I need is someone with some kind of pompous complex to tell me "work harder" or "deal with it." I wasn't planning on using the whole "Look at me, I went to a top 5 liberal arts school, so throw me a bone" excuse as a justification for my performance, I was just giving some background of my education.

But honestly... either work harder to get the grades you want, or just deal with and be content with the fact that you go a school with "grade deflation"

 

[Mandarin142]

Everyone claims there school has grade deflation, you just gotta live with it.

My school has serious grade inflation! And ADCOM's seem to know it b/c at my school acceptance rates are pretty low relative to other schools in the state. I might argue grade inflation is more of a pain for pre-meds since it makes it difficult to distinguish who is getting grades on their own merit and who is just being curved into GPA Heaven.

In either case, if you grade deflation is as serious as you say, your class rank ought to show them where you are relative to other students which, at the end of the day, really says the most about your college's GPA distribution.

 

[WarriorsFan]

"I tried my hardest, and I am not ashamed. I go to a top 5 school so that counts for something"

rofl, chaser always have bold comments.

 

[DocSoMa]

My school has serious grade inflation! And ADCOM's seem to know it b/c at my school acceptance rates are pretty low relative to other schools in the state. I might argue grade inflation is more of a pain for pre-meds since it makes it difficult to distinguish who is getting grades on their own merit and who is just being curved into GPA Heaven.

In either case, if you grade deflation is as serious as you say, your class rank ought to show them where you are relative to other students which, at the end of the day, really says the most about your college's GPA distribution.

From what friends tell me, it seems like a lot of the Ivies have grade inflation.

Anyways, thanks for your input! I appreciate it!

 

[Carlin]

In either case, if you grade deflation is as serious as you say, your class rank ought to show them where you are relative to other students which, at the end of the day, really says the most about your college's GPA distribution.

Do some colleges rank? Mine doesn't and I've never heard of that before.

 

[pianola]

My mom uses that expression a lot "a string of Bs".

If I may be so bold as to ask, are you in California?

Either way, just remember that schools with stats like that get acceptances with lower MCATs and GPAs. It's fact, not fiction.

Good luck.

 

[xiaoyi666]

And I'm not religious enough to pray, so that one's out.

This whole process just may make you desperate enough to try

 

[littlealex]

I agree w/ the class rank comment. If you have grade deflation but rank in the top 25% of your school, you can simply cite that.

 

[Character]

its all good

 

[ChubbyChaser]

rofl, chaser always have bold comments.

I tell it like it is My greatest strength and weakness.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

My school has serious grade inflation! And ADCOM's seem to know it b/c at my school acceptance rates are pretty low relative to other schools in the state. I might argue grade inflation is more of a pain for pre-meds since it makes it difficult to distinguish who is getting grades on their own merit and who is just being curved into GPA Heaven.

In either case, if you grade deflation is as serious as you say, your class rank ought to show them where you are relative to other students which, at the end of the day, really says the most about your college's GPA distribution.

hmmm, but how well do the students do on the MCAT?

 

[cpants]

Dude, calm down. I wasn't trying to be stuck up or passive aggressive. Trust me, I'm anything BUT passive. It's not the way I deal with things. I'm just addressing the potential naysayers. I've heard it all, and the last thing I need is someone with some kind of pompous complex to tell me "work harder" or "deal with it." I wasn't planning on using the whole "Look at me, I went to a top 5 liberal arts school, so throw me a bone" excuse as a justification for my performance, I was just giving some background of my education.

Work harder or deal with it. Those are your only two options bud.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

hmmm, but how well do the students do on the MCAT?

This is key, I spoke with director admissions at a private very selective school, he'd said they have a large enough admissions staff to carefully consider every candidate, his specific comment was that my post-bacc institution was "unknown" and he was looking at my MCAT score as proof that I'd learned well at the undergrad school .. nailing the MCAT would be the only way to prove that you got the same or better knowledge as your peers at other schools but that the grading on your courses was harsher.

But there likely will be an academic cutoff, improving GPA through a post-bacc undergrad program or additional courses elsewhere will definitely help.

I'd stay very positive during the app process, schools will be looking for a reason for grades other than As, I'd think about & practice what you can say in a positive way; saying you tried your best & that resulted in mostly Bs probably won't be the answer they're looking for, presuming your peers with As in science courses will also be applying to med schools.

Not sure personally if its best to go to a top school or not, I attended a top institution for several years and loved it because the professors had to be unbelievably accomplished to win a position there, yes my peers on avererage worked very hard and the curve was tough, but it was much more interesting there than for some of my classes at another school where it felt the teacher read from a book. (I earned a number of Bs at the top school)

 

[redlight]

Hey everyone,

I'm a senior Bio major at a top 5 liberal arts college and I have somewhere between a B and B+ average. There is MAJOR grade deflation at my school and no matter how hard I try and how many hours I study, I seriously can't get past a B/B+ in all my classes (science and non-science).

I wish I could explain my low GPA as being due to a bad semester, but I just have a long string of B's on my transcript. I'm not complaining or anything - I just don't know how I'd explain this at an interview. I'm planning to enroll in a post-bac program next year to boost my GPA, so I'm not worried about grade rehabilitation. I just don't know how I can explain my lackluster undergraduate record. Also, I haven't taken the MCAT yet if that helps.

Any thoughts? I'd greatly appreciate your input, thanks!

yea, like others have said, your grades will be compared with grades from your peers. if enough people (premeds especially) from your institution are doing really well, the fact that there is grade deflation at your school or the fact that you go to a top school will not save you.

id talk with adcom members from the schools you want to apply to so you can get a good idea of how competitive you are and if there are things you should definitely think of doing to strengthen your application

gluck