Taking summer classes--Will I be at disadvantage in admission cycle?

[hopefulmed195]

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I want to take summer classes to boost my BCMP from 3.55 to 3.6. I'm planning to submit my medical school application and transcript in June and take summer classes in July and August. I'll then update the medical school via email with my summer grades. Will medical schools hold my application until they get my summer grades?

 

[Jolie South]

i don't know if that small bump in gpa is worth it to delay your app.

i would apply early as is and send an update with your grades at the end of the summer.

 

[mattng]

I agree with Jolie. It's all about submitting as early and getting those secondaries out fast. If you like, you can indicate on the secondary that you are taking summer classes and more than likely, by the time you're done with the secondaries you'll be out of school anyways so you can go ahead and send them your transcripts then.

 

[LizzyM]

I suspect that the gpa on the AMCAS is going to be what the adcom people reviewing your appie are going to see. Don't count on an up-date really reaching the people who will decide if you get an interview.

You've got a few choices:
Apply early with a 3.55
Apply "late" with a 3.60
Apply early 2010 with a 3.60 or better

Although it is irrational, there is a psychological bump at 3.60 that you don't get with 3.5x. If you are shooting for schools where the average gpa among matriculants is < 3.6 then going early with a 3.55 might be ok. Otherwise, applying late with the 3.6 might be better, or holding off and applying in 2010 with the hope of having an even better gpa.

 

[redlight]

idkw, but after reading threads on sdn, the words "death" "fail" and "reapplication" come to mind when i see the words "late application." i would just apply and maybe send updates about grades or something.

 

[rama kandra]

idkw, but after reading threads on sdn, the words "death" "fail" and "reapplication" come to mind when i see the words "late application." i would just apply and maybe send updates about grades or something.

haha, 'death.'
I def think you should go for it this cycle, early! Send em' an update. Take the risk, because you never know how you'll do until you take it.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

I want to take summer classes to boost my BCMP from 3.55 to 3.6. I'm planning to submit my medical school application and transcript in June and take summer classes in July and August. I'll then update the medical school via email with my summer grades. Will medical schools hold my application until they get my summer grades?

Last summer, I took Physics 1 and 2 before sending in my apps.

I also took the MCAT twice.

On top of that, I got married in August.

It was crizazy. Learn from my mistake: if you're going to take some summer classes, make them easy ones and don't try to do anything else time-consuming during that period.

I'd argue it's possible to take some difficult classes the summer you apply, but you have to work extra hard to manage your time and keep from getting overloaded. (There were, for instance, some weeks in July where I literally got 11 hours of sleep for the entire week.)