super low gpa but applying anyways

[bruindoc916]

Hi i looking to see which schools i should apply to, i have pretty low GPA 3.15, similar sci with 34R on the MCAT. I had a really low 2.6 gpa by the end of 2nd year but i have pulled it up where it is taking pretty tough upper div courses at UCLA. I do qualify for the FAP for AMCAS and am eligible for disadvantaged status don't know how much that will help. I am planning on doing an SMP hopefully somewhere next year i have applied to a couple. I can also just do research next year and boost EC if that may help. Would love to see which schools i should apply to.

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[gtdavis10]

Hey...I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. Started out with a 2.6 after a year and a half, and have gotten it up to a 3.2. My BCPM gpa is slightly below a 3.0. Took the MCAT, got a 34O (14VR,9PS,11BS), and I'm gonna go ahead and apply this cycle, as well. Typical EC's...volunteer in hospital for ~1 year, shadowed for a few months, part-time job, and also D1 athletics. As far as schools to apply to, I am applying to my state school, and then just some private schools in my region with lower GPAs (though not as low as mine, obviously). Right now, I'm sticking with allo schools, as I'm not quite sure I would want to go the DO route yet.

 

[bruindoc916]

what state are you from?

 

[supertrooper66]

dang, you should raise that gpa before applying. i don't think that 34 mcat will even save you heh. take a year off and do whatever other ppl do to raise their gpas fast.

 

[bruindoc916]

so the SMP will not help?

 

[abcabc1]

Maybe you can take some undergrad Science courses this Summer, Fall and next Spring and then apply to start school in 2010. Will your MCAT score still be valid then?

This would be smarter than going to an SMP. Those are very expensive and not always that helpful. Some can hurt more than they help. Trust me: schools want to see A's in Science courses, regardless of which University they came from. As long as you take the Science courses at a Four Year University (i.e. not a Community/Junior College), you're fine.

Your MCAT scores are very good and will overcome your weak GPA. My experience suggests it's better to be in your boat than have the high GPA and low MCAT. The high MCAT gives evidence you do well with standardized tests, which is what the schools want (in the form of USMLE/COMLEX exams). The low GPA may be the result of outside circumstances or maybe you didn't apply yourself fully. MCAT's tend to measure 'inate' ability more than GPA, so this bodes well.

Honestly, you'd probably get in somewhere this year. The reason I said wait is that you can have a MUCH strong application this year than now. If you apply this year and don't get in, it might be tough to get into those same schools next year. Good luck. You're in a better position that you think!

 

[abcabc1]

Are you referring to Georgetown SMP? That program gets very mixed reviews. You're much better off taking undergrad Science courses at a local College than going to the G-town SMP. I know some people who went there, neither one of whom was happy with their experience (or massive debt)!

If you're still fairly young, my advice would be to wait it out and boost up that BCMP. It's not just the BCMP itself, but the trend. Even if you only get it up to 3.3 by next Spring, your trend is sharply positive. Your BCMP from the most recent coursework would be 3.5+!

 

[bruindoc916]

I was contemplating taking classes next year, my mcat will be fine because i just took it in april and the only reason i wanted to apply was because i was getting a fee waiver for AMCAS. I finish my degree this year i can talk to my counselor about staying an extra year and picking up a minor in neuroscience or something like that which will be hardcore upper div classes.

 

[abcabc1]

You may not need 'hardcore' advanced courses, just courses that count into your BCMP average. It's better to take less advanced courses and get A's than more advanced courses with lower grades. There's no need to go out of your way to add a minor, for the purpose of getting into Medical School.

In your case, applying this year is not necessarily a bad idea. It's just that you can have a much better application by this time next year than the one you have now.

It's a tricky situation, b/c there are a few possible strategies:

1. This year, only apply to the schools where you have the best chance (and save the reach schools for later). If this doesn't work out, though, it might be hard to reapply to this set of schools and get in just one year later.

2. Wait a year and apply to both sets of schools (best chance and reach)

3. Apply to your reach schools this year (since AMCAS fees are waived) and see what happens. If this doesn't work out, then you can apply next year to the schools where you have a better chance and with a stronger application than you have now.

 

[DrMidlife]

You're setting yourself up for failure to apply before your GPA is fixed. See how much love I got in my mdapps. Finish the SMP, then apply.

 

[bruindoc916]

so if you apply to one school are denied admission you can't apply again next year to the same school? I thought med school looked favorably on reapps because it showed persistence.

 

[abcabc1]

You CAN, by all means, reapply to the same school that rejected you the following year. Your application will be given full consideration the second time around, though I doubt they look 'favorably' on reapplicants. They probably look neutrally at them and review your application with no bias either way.

What I was saying is that it might be hard to get into schools that rejected you just one year later. It would require significant improvements in your application. If you boost up your BCMP, that could be considered significant, but I was thinking you might have a better chance at any given school by waiting one year than by applying, getting rejected and reapplying the next year. Just my hunch, though it could be wrong (in the sense that getting rejected and reapplying the next year makes you no less likely to get into schools than waiting one year and applying with a stronger application).

 

[aliziry]

You CAN, by all means, reapply to the same school that rejected you the following year. Your application will be given full consideration the second time around, though I doubt they look 'favorably' on reapplicants. They probably look neutrally at them and review your application with no bias either way.

What I was saying is that it might be hard to get into schools that rejected you just one year later. It would require significant improvements in your application. If you boost up your BCMP, that could be considered significant, but I was thinking you might have a better chance at any given school by waiting one year than by applying, getting rejected and reapplying the next year. Just my hunch, though it could be wrong (in the sense that getting rejected and reapplying the next year makes you no less likely to get into schools than waiting one year and applying with a stronger application).

Yes and no...alot of schools love people who are determined to enter their school but you are right in regards to improving the app.

 

[gtdavis10]

Personally I've been under the impression that they don't look negatively at you at all if you reapply. However, a noticeable improvement in your application is in order. After talking to a lot of people, I hear the main reason to not want to reapply is all the resources applying requires (time, energy, money) and the stress it causes. It's something you don't want to do more than once.

However...my strategy is to apply this year (all prereqs taken care of, MCAT score is solid), and although the low GPA is definitely going to hurt, maybe by some chance I get in (weaker applicant pool, someone on adcom likes what they say). Furthermore, if I wait and apply next year, the situation may be different and I might not get the same look. However, I will still be preparing to reapply next year, bringing up the GPA and adding to my application in whatever way I can. With the whole process as random as it is, I figure I might as well give it a shot.

 

[abcabc1]

Both of you have a chance this year, thanks to your excellent MCAT scores. There's not much harm in applying this year, but one extra year could make a big difference. It could open up some schools that are out of reach this time around.

Besides the monetary aspect, reapplying probably wouldn't be that big a deal since a lot of the paperwork is what's a pain in the rear. Once you have that submitted the first time (letters, transcripts, etc), reapplying won't be so bad.

 

[scarletgirl777]

Personally I've been under the impression that they don't look negatively at you at all if you reapply. However, a noticeable improvement in your application is in order. After talking to a lot of people, I hear the main reason to not want to reapply is all the resources applying requires (time, energy, money) and the stress it causes. It's something you don't want to do more than once.

However...my strategy is to apply this year (all prereqs taken care of, MCAT score is solid), and although the low GPA is definitely going to hurt, maybe by some chance I get in (weaker applicant pool, someone on adcom likes what they say). Furthermore, if I wait and apply next year, the situation may be different and I might not get the same look. However, I will still be preparing to reapply next year, bringing up the GPA and adding to my application in whatever way I can. With the whole process as random as it is, I figure I might as well give it a shot.

You're right, many aspects of the process are random--so why would you not try to fix the one thing you can control?

OP, you can stay at your school, or you can do a postbac program. There are many of them at all levels of universities, from state schools to top private schools, with a range of price tags. It will help your application. You don't want to get screened out. If you don't get in and the only trick up your sleeve is a year of grades, that may not be enough to "distinguish" yourself from last year.

 

[gtdavis10]

You're right, many aspects of the process are random--so why would you not try to fix the one thing you can control?

I apologize if I didn't communicate clearly...I AM going to fix what I can control. However, due to the variation from year to year in the strength of the applicant pool, and the seemingly random aspects of this process, I figure I will apply this year, and if necessary, in a following year. I will apply with a less than stellar GPA, and if it works out, great. But if not, I will be improving my application to apply again later. I just figure it can't hurt, and just gives me another chance to impress someone and get in.

 

[bruindoc916]

yea i am definately going to try and improve my GPA next year, but since i get to apply to 13 schools for free and than most schools offer fee waivers for secondaires it wouldnt hurt to apply. I may have an outside shot if someone likes my PS and gives me an interview, but i will continue to improve my gpa and add some ec's by doing volunteering and shadowing. I am also in the middle of a research project which i can have a chance to finish if i stay next year.

 

[bruindoc916]

thanx for the replies though guys they have been helpful

 

[bruindoc916]

Does being economically disadvantaged as well as being educationally disadvnatage have any help on the application. I dont want to make excuses but I honestly feel that coming into university i was not ready for a big time school was probably just accepted because i was from a crappy high school and did well enough. Is there any med schools that look favorably upon people from this sort of background and since i am planning on doing an SMP hopefully that helps my stats out a little bit. Does anyone know of any schools that look favorably on my status?

 

[scarletgirl777]

Does being economically disadvantaged as well as being educationally disadvnatage have any help on the application. I dont want to make excuses but I honestly feel that coming into university i was not ready for a big time school was probably just accepted because i was from a crappy high school and did well enough. Is there any med schools that look favorably upon people from this sort of background and since i am planning on doing an SMP hopefully that helps my stats out a little bit. Does anyone know of any schools that look favorably on my status?

They care only about economic disadvantages--and I think all schools care about this since this is relevant. This often goes hand in hand with educational disadvantage, so I don't see why they would ask about that to. But when you get to med school you're going to be competing with people from a range of universities with a range of science backgrounds, so this is something everyone has to deal with...for economic disadvantage, they want to know if you had to work to support your family, or are from a medically underserved area, or were on welfare or WIC as a child.

 

[pianola]

I would guess you both have a shot. I'm not saying anything's guaranteed but people on SDN tend to be overly pessimistic. 34 is a great score and will open many doors.

 

[SketchLazy]

Does being economically disadvantaged as well as being educationally disadvnatage have any help on the application. I dont want to make excuses but I honestly feel that coming into university i was not ready for a big time school was probably just accepted because i was from a crappy high school and did well enough. Is there any med schools that look favorably upon people from this sort of background and since i am planning on doing an SMP hopefully that helps my stats out a little bit. Does anyone know of any schools that look favorably on my status?

Sorry, but most high schools in CA are crap. All of the schools do atrocious on the student standardized tests, and the schools as a group rank the lowest in the nation. Most CA students are able to make the transition from some of the worst high schools in the nation to the best colleges, so I don't think you can use that to set yourself apart in a positive light.