The **NEW & IMPROVED** official low gpa thread...

[doc99999]

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[johnnyscans]

I did not seek your advice on waht to do or not. All I told is to one of the guy on this forum my views and you had no business to moderate and pick on my private issues- there was nothing to moderate. How many years you spent doing Post baccs and others and still did not learn how to read and respond - just passing my piece of unsolicited advice to you sane guy? Have a good weekend.

Why do you hate proper grammar so much?

 

[smiley27]

Go carib. This whole SMP thing is like buying a chance to get into a US medical school at a heavy cost and it can cost 2/3 years+. Going abroad doing well there almost means you will be fine. But do go to a good school and work hard there. There is a hype on this forum to trash carib schools but there are tons of foreign educated doctors doing just fine here - bottom line is that education has become so expensive that it will be outsourced in times to come anyway. Tom improve credentials to get into MD or DO school is just waste of time.

Very persuasive argument. **gives up on MD and applies to carib**

🙄

 

[jezebell283]

Ive been looking at this thread for years and I am honored to say I can post a success story. My undergrad GPA was a 2.8 as a Biology major. I got C's and B's in alot of my prereqs so I retook them all as a non matriculated student after graduating and got A's in everything. This put my cGPA to a 3.1 and my sGPA to 3.3. MCAT was 27L. I applied to caribbean schools St. George's, Ross, and AUC as well as 8 osteopathic med schools. I was just accepted to LECOM 2 days ago and I'm so happy I made it!!! I love the school and was super impressed with it during the interview process. I think if you are extremely passionate about being a physician it will shine through your application. Being genuine and confident about your experiences and showing them how bad you want it. I spent many days doubting myself and being scared but it all paid off!!! I wish everyone luck and if you want it that bad it will happen for you! 🙂

 

[junebuguf]

I'm really rather amazed at how this thread has taken off. I started it years and years ago as a signal call for people I figured were in the same boat as me. Although I havent checked into SDN in years (busy with med school), I'm always surprised to see this thread still going and the scores of PMs I receive from people looking for advice. I cant answer them all, and what knowledge I have of the med school acceptance process is likely outdated by this point. Having spent years getting into a US med school (including completing an SMP), and now looking at residency, I will say this: consider what you want to do *after* med school (ie for residency and as a career) before embarking on the road to a US med school acceptance. This is not easy to do, and I have vacillated considerably myself. But its worth doing.

Want to be an orthopod? Or a dermatologist? You better stick to a US school. On the other hand, if you really want to be a pediatrician, or a family practice doc, or an internist/hospitalist, consider that the quality of the education you will receive in the caribbean is likely on par with what you would get in the US (and I went to a US allopathic school). I met some crazy smart kids from caribbean schools on my 4th year rotations, which only reinforces the adage that your education is what you make of it.

So if you're looking at something less competitive, save yourself the time/money and just get into a med school asap. I would say anything outside of these specialities should be ok to match into from the caribbean: Derm, Any surgical subspeciality (ortho, neuro, ENT, optho), Rads, and Rad Onc. FYI: you can become a cardiologist or a gastroenterologist out of just about ANY internal medicine program, you don't have to go to an ivy IM program--look up the fellowship match statistics published by the AAMC sometime to get an idea of how generally non-competitive these are.

The best thing you can do at this point is to spend time (a LOT of time) shadowing docs in the specialities you're interested in. I pursued a US school because I really wanted to go into ortho, but got bored with surgery in med school, and am now doing something else...though pretty competitive in its own right, so I've benefitted from the US allopathic process. But I really thought long and hard about doing internal medicine and becoming a hospitalist, and if I had chosen that route, the 4 years and $100k I spent chasing a US med school would have been an absolute waste.

Choose wisely.

 

[Spikebd]

Finished my postbac this past summer. It was an informal one and I did ok in it, just under 3.6 and I got a 35 MCAT. I applied to about 25 schools later in the application cycle (October complete dates) against SDN wisdom. So far 1 DO interview with 2 MD rejections, including my #1 MD school. It was a letdown. cGPA just under 3.3, sGPA above 3.3. I have pretty good clinical experiences and shadowing, but lack research. I'm hoping for an acceptance this cycle! We shall see. I hate having a low GPA.

I was a non science major in undergrad, and got my low grades that way. Went back to school to take the prereqs over a 2 year span. BTW my DO sGPA is greater than 3.6.

 

[marketer2doc]

This is one another thread, but i think it's more applicable for this thread

Background:

Graduated UG in 09
BCPM: 2.4
Overall GPA: 2.6
Major: Health Sciences
Mcat from 07: 31R

Major Set Back/Reason for poor GPA: I overloaded on science courses, and took an additional 5-7 science courses (bio,chem) to improve my GPA, but instead I made it even worse. Did not have a strong study etiquette and didn't take UG as serious as I should have.

What have I done since 2009-Now after UG:

Worked at the mayors office - Thought I wanted to go into law, but than decided against it after my experience here.

Started small online marketing consulting to local businesses - I know how to make websites and generate traffic and sales via internet, so I started my own shop and sold my services to local businesses

Worked as an In house Online Marketer (1yr)
Currently Working at a top Online Marketing Agency as a Consultant (Current job)

Why Do I want to get back into Medicine?

I am sick of the corporate beaurocratic shovel work, job satisfaction is non-existent. I have recently shadowed doctors and done some volunteering at hospitals and clinics to gain exposure to medicine to see if it's something I would like to go back into. Long story short, I would be happier and better off going into med than staying at my current job.

My road to medschool:

Option 1: Go to Carribean MD

Option 2: Do a post-bacc for 1-2 yrs, retake the MCAT and shoot for a 33+ score, apply after Post Bacc assuming GPA is maintained above a 3.5, if I don't get into a US MD after post bacc than apply for a SMP that has a linkage with an MD as a plan B.

Ideally, I would like to prevent my chances from being admitted to highly competitive residencies, hence the caution with going Carribean. However, I am currently 26 yrs old and Option 2 route is a 2-3 yr process before I have a legitimate chance of getting into a US MD.

Let me know what your thoughts are, do you think Option 2 is even worth it, or should I shoot for carrib?

Thanks,

 

[deleted248403]

This is one another thread, but i think it's more applicable for this thread

Background:

Graduated UG in 09
BCPM: 2.4
Overall GPA: 2.6
Major: Health Sciences
Mcat from 07: 31R

Major Set Back/Reason for poor GPA: I overloaded on science courses, and took an additional 5-7 science courses (bio,chem) to improve my GPA, but instead I made it even worse. Did not have a strong study etiquette and didn't take UG as serious as I should have.

What have I done since 2009-Now after UG:

Worked at the mayors office - Thought I wanted to go into law, but than decided against it after my experience here.

Started small online marketing consulting to local businesses - I know how to make websites and generate traffic and sales via internet, so I started my own shop and sold my services to local businesses

Worked as an In house Online Marketer (1yr)
Currently Working at a top Online Marketing Agency as a Consultant (Current job)

Why Do I want to get back into Medicine?

I am sick of the corporate beaurocratic shovel work, job satisfaction is non-existent. I have recently shadowed doctors and done some volunteering at hospitals and clinics to gain exposure to medicine to see if it's something I would like to go back into. Long story short, I would be happier and better off going into med than staying at my current job.

My road to medschool:

Option 1: Go to Carribean MD

Option 2: Do a post-bacc for 1-2 yrs, retake the MCAT and shoot for a 33+ score, apply after Post Bacc assuming GPA is maintained above a 3.5, if I don't get into a US MD after post bacc than apply for a SMP that has a linkage with an MD as a plan B.

Ideally, I would like to prevent my chances from being admitted to highly competitive residencies, hence the caution with going Carribean. However, I am currently 26 yrs old and Option 2 route is a 2-3 yr process before I have a legitimate chance of getting into a US MD.

Let me know what your thoughts are, do you think Option 2 is even worth it, or should I shoot for carrib?

Thanks,

don't repost the same thing in multiple threads - its against SDN policy, and makes it hard to follow the convo.

People who wish to answer - follow the convo in the SMP sticky.

 

[cytokines]

Hi, Everyone --

I've been reading the thread to figure out which SMPs have linkages to their host medical schools, but I think it is a little unclear which those are. Would someone please clarify this for me?

 

[johnnyscans]

Hi, Everyone --

I've been reading the thread to figure out which SMPs have linkages to their host medical schools, but I think it is a little unclear which those are. Would someone please clarify this for me?

Have you looked at the websites for the SMPs?

 

[cytokines]

Yes. Often Georgetown and Tufts are listed as having linkages, and they don't. As far as I can glean from the threads on SDN, only the East Virginia SOM has a true linkage program.

 

[DeucesHigh3]

Yes. Often Georgetown and Tufts are listed as having linkages, and they don't. As far as I can glean from the threads on SDN, only the East Virginia SOM has a true linkage program.

Temple, too.

 

[smiley27]

I don't think evms has a true linkage, does it? Only true linkage I've come across is temple acms. For smps.

 

[Tayne]

Registering for classes next semester, and need some advice. Do you think I can get by without re-taking Orgo I lab?

I got a C-minus in Orgo 1 as an undergrad. My school didn't separate the lecture and lab components, and therefore I got a C- in both. As a post-bacc, I've re-taken the Orgo I lecture because I know some schools require C or above in pre-reqs. I'm hoping to avoid re-taking the lab, though.

My 1st concern was whether or not I'd be screened due to this pre-req. However, I spoke with many schools, and the general consensus was: "No, you won't be missing the cut as far as requirements go, because we require 1 year of chemistry lab, not necessarily organic chemistry lab."

Ok, so question answered, right? One of the last schools I called told me, "Well, you don't HAVE to take it... but it is a pre-req. Just saying."

Will I be ok without it? Or is it too important not to re-take? It's a 5 hour chunk out of my day I'd rather spend taking an upper div. biology course or working in the research lab I'm a part of.

 

[skippy]

First time poster, long time lurker.

Graduate of public university in NC.

cGPA: 3.09
sGPA: 3.09
MCAT: 36

I have a shaky trend in my grades, some ups and downs. I have largely dealt with what has been ailing me throughout my college career. I have been accepted into a 2nd bachelors in biochem and also a bachelors of radiologic sciences at UNC. Both offer upper level science classes.

My question here is should I pursue a 2nd bachelors and raise my GPA to ~3.4, or should I shoot for and SMP like Cincy, GU, BU, or Tufts, and apply same year? I have average ECs in terms of shadowing, volunteer work, etc...

Appreciate any thoughts.

 

[hungoverrhino]

Hey guys,

Just hoping to get some feedback on my plans.

Background
- graduated with a humanities BA that I was very passionate about, but in retrospect probably didnt help my med school aspirations
- AMCAS cGPA 3.3
- AMCAS BCPM 2.9
- MCAT 31Q evenly spread

EC
- shadowing the head of the ER
- volunteering at a hospital nearby
- will be doing research next semester
-not stellar but I have something I guess...

Plans
1. SMP (Gtown, MAMS, UC)
2. MS (columbia nutrition)
3. Linkage program (EVMS, Temple, VCU)
**I know evms and temple are technically SMPs as well considering the med classes one takes, but the most important factor for me is their "linkage" aspect.

Apply
- either before the post-bac or a year in if I decide on MAMS(posisbly with MPH dual making it 2 years for sure!)

Thoughts
1. Linkage program vs. SMP --> great chance of getting into one school (if I do well) vs. marginal benefit lent to app for many other schools
2. MS carries a good name and respected program (and the focus on nutrition would be great for my future career aspirations) but may not carry weight of SMP
3. At Temple and VCU you dont get a masters. For $40k plus, that really bugs me.

Also, DOs dont bug me. Id rather go to a more well known one though (PCOM, Tuoro,etc). Hope that doesnt sound pretentious... :/


Any thoughts would be great! Especially from those of you who have gone the post-bac/SMP path!! And I know more post-bacc Undergrad classes would help my GPA, but I am not in a good position to pursue that for several personal reasons.

Thanks in advance.

*****EDIT: Was also thinking about the Gtown CAM program, if anyone has any thoughts. It is listed by AAMC as an ARE, but I hardly see any mention of it online...

 

[lazywindmill]

Hey all

 

[deleted248403]

Hey all,

Dont start multiple conversations on the same topic in multiple threads. keep everything together in the other thread where you are discussing things with midlife

 

[DrMidlife]

I don't think evms has a true linkage, does it? Only true linkage I've come across is temple acms. For smps.

EVMS has no stated or implied linkage (compared to Temple). What EVMS has is an incredibly strong history of putting its med masters straight into med school (EVMS or other) with no gap year. The increase in class size (from 23 to 28 to 40 to likely 50) is going to muddy those waters, but the point of doing EVMS med masters is still to do EVMS MD.

 

[DrMidlife]

Registering for classes next semester, and need some advice. Do you think I can get by without re-taking Orgo I lab?

I got a C-minus in Orgo 1 as an undergrad. My school didn't separate the lecture and lab components, and therefore I got a C- in both. As a post-bacc, I've re-taken the Orgo I lecture because I know some schools require C or above in pre-reqs. I'm hoping to avoid re-taking the lab, though.

I've taken a number of other labs and earned decent grades: B+ in Orgo II; A+ in biochemistry/molecular biology; B in physical chemistry; B+/A in general chemistry I/II.

My 1st concern was whether or not I'd be screened due to this pre-req. However, I spoke with many schools, and the general consensus was: "No, you won't be missing the cut as far as requirements go, because we require 1 year of chemistry lab, not necessarily organic chemistry lab."

Ok, so question answered, right? One of the last schools I called told me, "Well, you don't HAVE to take it... but it is a pre-req. Just saying."

Will I be ok without it? Or is it too important not to re-take? It's a 5 hour chunk out of my day I'd rather spend taking an upper div. biology course or working in the research lab I'm a part of.

I question whether you're being truthful in saying "many schools" and "general consensus" in looking for a way out of retaking ochem lab.

By leaving this prereq in an untidy state, you're choosing to leave an unredeemed red flag on your app. Plain and simple.

If you don't have a good grade in a prereq after a bad grade in a prereq, you're exposed. If you don't retake ochem lab, or provide a reasonable facsimile such as biochem lab, then you're slacking on your GPA redemption effort. Will you get away with it? No way to know. But it'll be on your list of soul-wrenching regrets if your app year doesn't go well.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DrMidlife]

First time poster, long time lurker.

Graduate of public university in NC.

cGPA: 3.09
sGPA: 3.09
MCAT: 36

I have a shaky trend in my grades, some ups and downs. I have largely dealt with what has been ailing me throughout my college career. I have been accepted into a 2nd bachelors in biochem and also a bachelors of radiologic sciences at UNC. Both offer upper level science classes.

My question here is should I pursue a 2nd bachelors and raise my GPA to ~3.4, or should I shoot for and SMP like Cincy, GU, BU, or Tufts, and apply same year? I have average ECs in terms of shadowing, volunteer work, etc...

Appreciate any thoughts.

Job #1: protect that 36. Pay close attention to the score expiration policies for your schools. You don't have time for a 2nd bachelors.

Therefore:
- Now: apply to all the good SMPs.
- Now: prepare an impeccable MD app by working on your essays and LORs
- June 2013: apply MD
- August 2013: start SMP
- August 2013: aggressively pursue a letter from your SMP that you can provide to your MD schools
- December 2013: aggressively pursue letter & transcript from your SMP to provide to your MD schools

A same-year-as-SMP app year is a late app year, but your 36 plus a reputable SMP-in-progress should be enough, assuming the rest of your app is impeccable.

For the record, EVMS regularly has its SMP students accepted at UNC, fairly early during the SMP year (November - February).

Best of luck to you.

 

[DrMidlife]

- graduated with a humanities BA that I was very passionate about, but in retrospect probably didnt help my med school aspirations
- AMCAS cGPA 3.3
- AMCAS BCPM 2.9
- MCAT 31Q evenly spread

IMHO you should be planning additional undergrad work in upper div science, as well as an MCAT retake.

Your MCAT score is good enough to get you into a decent SMP. A better MCAT score, if possible, would be strategic.

If you got anything lower than a B in a prereq, retake the prereq.

EC
- shadowing the head of the ER
- volunteering at a hospital nearby
- will be doing research next semester
-not stellar but I have something I guess...

Get to where you aren't apologizing for your ECs by investing in your ECs. Keep up this effort until you have an acceptance in your hand.

Plans
1. SMP (Gtown, MAMS, UC)
2. MS (columbia nutrition)
3. Linkage program (EVMS, Temple, VCU)
**I know evms and temple are technically SMPs as well considering the med classes one takes, but the most important factor for me is their "linkage" aspect.

Apply
- either before the post-bac or a year in if I decide on MAMS(posisbly with MPH dual making it 2 years for sure!)

Thoughts
1. Linkage program vs. SMP --> great chance of getting into one school (if I do well) vs. marginal benefit lent to app for many other schools
2. MS carries a good name and respected program (and the focus on nutrition would be great for my future career aspirations) but may not carry weight of SMP
3. At Temple and VCU you dont get a masters. For $40k plus, that really bugs me.

You're all over the place with this. What you should do is apply to every SMP that gets people into med school, and spend the spring sorting out the details.

Also, DOs dont bug me. Id rather go to a more well known one though (PCOM, Tuoro,etc). Hope that doesnt sound pretentious... :/

It sounds pretentious because Touro is a well known name but imho nowhere near the caliber of PCOM, and because the different campuses of each vary greatly. If you're serious about pursuing DO schools, do more research.

Any thoughts would be great! Especially from those of you who have gone the post-bac/SMP path!! And I know more post-bacc Undergrad classes would help my GPA, but I am not in a good position to pursue that for several personal reasons.

I call BS on this. If you're in a position to consider SMPs, then you're in a position to consider more undergrad. Whatever your "personal reasons" are, I suggest you need to consider more options for undergrad. Specifically, you need to be in some undergrad science classes next semester, if you're thinking about an SMP for fall 2013. Otherwise your investment in an SMP is devalued.

*****EDIT: Was also thinking about the Gtown CAM program, if anyone has any thoughts. It is listed by AAMC as an ARE, but I hardly see any mention of it online...

OK, so let's look at the acronym. Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Is that an area of medicine that you're interested in, acupuncture and craniosacral etc? Does it seem likely that such a program would help you to demonstrate the basic academic capability that is missing in your undergrad record, such that the conservative old people who usually run MD admissions will be assured of the solidity of your candidacy? Compare/contrast with other options.

Best of luck to you.

 

[AntonFreeman]

IMHO you should be planning additional undergrad work in upper div science, as well as an MCAT retake.

Your MCAT score is good enough to get you into a decent SMP. A better MCAT score, if possible, would be strategic.

If you got anything lower than a B in a prereq, retake the prereq.

Get to where you aren't apologizing for your ECs by investing in your ECs. Keep up this effort until you have an acceptance in your hand.


You're all over the place with this. What you should do is apply to every SMP that gets people into med school, and spend the spring sorting out the details.


It sounds pretentious because Touro is a well known name but imho nowhere near the caliber of PCOM, and because the different campuses of each vary greatly. If you're serious about pursuing DO schools, do more research.

I call BS on this. If you're in a position to consider SMPs, then you're in a position to consider more undergrad. Whatever your "personal reasons" are, I suggest you need to consider more options for undergrad. Specifically, you need to be in some undergrad science classes next semester, if you're thinking about an SMP for fall 2013. Otherwise your investment in an SMP is devalued.

OK, so let's look at the acronym. Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Is that an area of medicine that you're interested in, acupuncture and craniosacral etc? Does it seem likely that such a program would help you to demonstrate the basic academic capability that is missing in your undergrad record, such that the conservative old people who usually run MD admissions will be assured of the solidity of your candidacy? Compare/contrast with other options.

Best of luck to you.

Dr.Midlife, do you think 31 on MCAT might not be good enough for gaining an acceptance from SMP to MD school? I have 31 on my 2nd retake (27 on 1st try) and considering for 3rd try to get 34+ but not too confident that I could get in that range though.

 

[DrMidlife]

Dr.Midlife, do you think 31 on MCAT might not be good enough for gaining an acceptance from SMP to MD school? I have 31 on my 2nd retake (27 on 1st try) and considering for 3rd try to get 34+ but not too confident that I could get in that range though.

I think you should apply MD with the best possible everything. If you have better than a 31 in you, then getting that 32+ before you (presumably) apply in June would totally worth it, in order to maximize your chances of getting into the best possible school.

When you're waiting out your app year, you'll lose sleep over everything you could have done to better your chances, if you're human.

Best of luck to you.

 

[adrimo]

Hi everyone, looking for a little advice.

I'll be graduating in this May, but as of right now my stats are
cGPA: 2.71
sGPA: 2.48

Freshman and sophmore year were both pretty bad for me. I've had an upward trend, but only a slight upward trend.

Average EC's with ~75 hours shadowing, lots of clinical volunteer hours, a few other clubs, and about a year of research (but no publications).

I'm wondering if I should apply now for a formal post-bacc, such as sfsu's program or perhaps berkeley extensions, or if I should take classes informally for a year and then apply to an SMP?
To be honest, I'm sort of lost as to what I should do now, although I know I have a lot of work to do.

Also, as money is always somewhat an issue - would it look bad to quit the research position in order to find a paying job?

 

[strawberri]

i'm graduating this june and i don't really know what to do.

MCATs: 29 which i'm studying to retake by march. Because I only studied for a month i think giving myself more time.. I'm hoping I can do much better.
cGPA: 3.26
sGPA: 3.1

i don't have a trend. it's just everywhere. i had a lot of random issues like health and family stuff but obviously, i think this is on me at the end of the day. i really should have taken a quarter or a year off when i started getting sick but i refused and pressed on and well, my body nearly broke down on me. and mentally i got fatigued etc. i finally feel like i figured out how to study well... why i wanted to be a doctor etc. i really owe it to sitting down this summer and improving my health which helped me to improve my mental state.

because i took so little units, if i get a 4.0 in the rest of my courses (incl summer), i can actually get a 3.5 for my cGPA and pretty similar for my sGPA since i'm only going to be taking science courses.

but yeah.. i have 7 Cs (one of them being a C-, which i'm retaking) and 4 W's. My biggest issue is that all these holes come from science courses.. and 3 of them include upper divison biology.

my ECs are average. ~200 volunteer work, been involved in clubs (officer for two years in one), research for 2 years. no publications.

so yeah.. i don't even know if i have a chance at an SMP anymore. but assuming that i could, i'd have to take out loans because there is no way my family can afford it right now. and the other option is to stay here and just take upper division courses instead post-graduation as an informal post-bacc (and retaking those C's) i guess it'd work if i was applying for DO but my parents are heavily against the decision (which is another problem altogether)

so .. yeah... can anyone give me some guidance?

 

[AntonFreeman]

i'm graduating this june and i don't really know what to do.

MCATs: 29 which i'm studying to retake by march. Because I only studied for a month i think giving myself more time.. I'm hoping I can do much better.
cGPA: 3.26
sGPA: 3.1

i don't have a trend. it's just everywhere. i had a lot of random issues like health and family stuff but obviously, i think this is on me at the end of the day. i really should have taken a quarter or a year off when i started getting sick but i refused and pressed on and well, my body nearly broke down on me. and mentally i got fatigued etc. i finally feel like i figured out how to study well... why i wanted to be a doctor etc. i really owe it to sitting down this summer and improving my health which helped me to improve my mental state.

because i took so little units, if i get a 4.0 in the rest of my courses (incl summer), i can actually get a 3.5 for my cGPA and pretty similar for my sGPA since i'm only going to be taking science courses.

but yeah.. i have 7 Cs (one of them being a C-, which i'm retaking) and 4 W's. My biggest issue is that all these holes come from science courses.. and 3 of them include upper divison biology.

my ECs are average. ~200 volunteer work, been involved in clubs (officer for two years in one), research for 2 years. no publications.

so yeah.. i don't even know if i have a chance at an SMP anymore. but assuming that i could, i'd have to take out loans because there is no way my family can afford it right now. and the other option is to stay here and just take upper division courses instead post-graduation as an informal post-bacc (and retaking those C's) i guess it'd work if i was applying for DO but my parents are heavily against the decision (which is another problem altogether)

so .. yeah... can anyone give me some guidance?

If you can get your GPA to 3.5, you won't need to do SMP. Do well on MCAT and apply!

 

[gamebl0uses]

Hey all. Looking for some advice.
cGPA: 3.21
sGPA: 2.87
MCAT: 33
I graduated last summer, studied for the MCAT and got what I think is a fairly good score. So now I'm in a bit of a sticky situation. I applied (late) to mostly DO schools, and haven't gotten any positive responses so far. I got into Wayne State University's BMS program starting in January. If I knock the BMS program out of the park, will I be able to get into any schools? Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[matanpucla]

first of all thanks to everyone who takes their time to look at these and give us advice it is much appreciated.

so here's my deal:

i graduated last year from a UC.
cGPA: 3.36
sGPA: 3.3
MCAT: 35 Q

my ECs are decent, i've had good volunteering and shadowing experiences, as well as a year long paid internship for a religious organization, an alternative spring break, and more. no research however.

i applied this past June to MD schools. so far i've had 2 interviews, one of which resulted in a waitlist, another which i'm waiting to hear back from. I am still waiting for responses about interviews from about 10 schools.

I've spent this year building a business as a private tutor, as well as volunteering as a tutor in my local high school and shadowing.

does anyone have any advice for me? I was thinking that if i don't get an acceptance, I should apply for an SMP. I was wondering if these SMPs at schools like Ucinci/BU/tufts/Georgetown lead to acceptances in MD schools other than the host SMP schools. pretty much any help is much appreciated.

Merry Xmas everybody, and a happy new year.

Edit: i took the MCAT in September of 2011, and i'm scared that if i do an SMP and then wait ANOTHER year to apply, my MCAT won't be acceptable? any ideas? thanks again.

 

[johnnyscans]

Hey all. Looking for some advice.
cGPA: 3.21
sGPA: 2.87
MCAT: 33
I graduated last summer, studied for the MCAT and got what I think is a fairly good score. So now I'm in a bit of a sticky situation. I applied (late) to mostly DO schools, and haven't gotten any positive responses so far. I got into Wayne State University's BMS program starting in January. If I knock the BMS program out of the park, will I be able to get into any schools? Thanks in advance for all your help.

How are your ECs? Are you sGPA/cGPA the only two huge holes in your application?

 

[gamebl0uses]

Decent. I worked full-time at an adult foster care home for people with TBI and mental illness for about a year, volunteered in the ER, extensively shadowed a neurologist, and volunteer annually with the Multiple Sclerosis society. I worked, on average, around 30 hours weekly during my undergrad degree, so they aren't out of this world but they're definitely good. I also have a couple more shadowing opportunities lined up if I start the BMS program at WSU. I was also considering applying to Rosalind Franklin's SMP program because I've heard they have a great linkage %, but that wouldn't start until August. The GPA is definitely the big hole in my application.

 

[Allyrion]

Hi I am new here, just joined this thread and I thank all the members that have provided guidance for the potential Medical Students.

I need some advice from you guys as my current situation is quite abhorrent.
Here are my current Stats:

~ cGPA : 2.5
~ sGPA: prob lower

Plus I have some Cs and some Fs - I know BAD BAD

MCAT - did not Take yet
100+ hours of volunteering
50 hrs shadowing

I have just graduated and nowhere in the 7 heavens should I even dream of thinking about medical schools; I acknowledge there needs to be a plethora of repair in this regard.

Well let the advice pour in.... What should I do ? A post-bac program wont accept me with that horrid gpa, so what are my options .....

Thanks in advance.

 

[johnnyscans]

Hi I am new here, just joined this thread and I thank all the members that have provided guidance for the potential Medical Students.

I need some advice from you guys as my current situation is quite abhorrent.
Here are my current Stats:

~ cGPA : 2.5
~ sGPA: prob lower

Plus I have some Cs and some Fs - I know BAD BAD

MCAT - did not Take yet
100+ hours of volunteering
50 hrs shadowing

I have just graduated and nowhere in the 7 heavens should I even dream of thinking about medical schools; I acknowledge there needs to be a plethora of repair in this regard.

Well let the advice pour in.... What should I do ? A post-bac program wont accept me with that horrid gpa, so what are my options .....

Thanks in advance.

The short answer: find a new career. You're looking at 3-4+ years of time and money.

The long answer: undergraduate science coursework at a local 4 yr university until your sGPA and cGPA are over 3.0. Then take and rock your MCATs. Then SMP. Then medical school. During this time you need to do everything in your power to ensure your ECs are nothing short of extraordinary.

 

[NJD519]

the short answer: Find a new career. You're looking at 3-4+ years of time and money.

The long answer: Undergraduate science coursework at a local 4 yr university until your sgpa and cgpa are over 3.0. Then take and rock your mcats. Then smp. Then medical school. During this time you need to do everything in your power to ensure your ecs are nothing short of extraordinary.

+1

 

[Violagirl]

Well, I'm hoping to get advice. I acknowledge that if it is no longer possible to get into medical school, then I will look into other options for careers in health care.

cGPA: 2.789
sGPA: somewhere around 2.5
Major: Biology
MCAT: Haven't taken yet
My cGPA was at 2.879 but was lowered drastically with a less than C grade in Physics I. I'm retaking Physics I this next semester along with Physiology and Cell Biology. I will officially be done with all my classes and degree by next fall and my hope is to graduate with at least a 3.0. I do have a handful of Cs in math and science courses and a few Ws in a few liberal ed classes. My gpa overall shows a mixed trend overall.

I did research this past semester and am looking for another opportunity for next semester. I've done volunteer work with Habitats for Humanities and am looking to volunteer in my local hospital along with a couple of other organizations.

I am interested in applying for both DO and MD schools but know that the DO route is probably my best best for a shot at med school. I also plan to retake the science classes I got Cs in. I plan to take a year or two off to strengthen my application and plan to do a SMP or post-bachelor work to whatever I need to do to better my application as well. Any input is appreciated. However, if I would be better off looking into alternative careers if my GPA is too low, feel free to say I just need honesty after the miserable outcome of this past semester.

 

[matanpucla]

first of all thanks to everyone who takes their time to look at these and give us advice it is much appreciated.

so here's my deal:

i graduated last year from a UC.
cGPA: 3.36
sGPA: 3.3
MCAT: 35 Q

my ECs are decent, i've had good volunteering and shadowing experiences, as well as a year long paid internship for a religious organization, an alternative spring break, and more. no research however.

i applied this past June to MD schools. so far i've had 2 interviews, one of which resulted in a waitlist, another which i'm waiting to hear back from. I am still waiting for responses about interviews from about 10 schools.

I've spent this year building a business as a private tutor, as well as volunteering as a tutor in my local high school and shadowing.

does anyone have any advice for me? I was thinking that if i don't get an acceptance, I should apply for an SMP. I was wondering if these SMPs at schools like Ucinci/BU/tufts/Georgetown lead to acceptances in MD schools other than the host SMP schools. pretty much any help is much appreciated.

Merry Xmas everybody, and a happy new year.

Edit: i took the MCAT in September of 2011, and i'm scared that if i do an SMP and then wait ANOTHER year to apply, my MCAT won't be acceptable? any ideas? thanks again.

bump: could anyone give me advice based on my stats? thx in advance.

 

[darklabel]

Well, I'm hoping to get advice. I acknowledge that if it is no longer possible to get into medical school, then I will look into other options for careers in health care.

cGPA: 2.789
sGPA: somewhere around 2.5
Major: Biology
MCAT: Haven't taken yet
My cGPA was at 2.879 but was lowered drastically with a less than C grade in Physics I. I'm retaking Physics I this next semester along with Physiology and Cell Biology. I will officially be done with all my classes and degree by next fall and my hope is to graduate with at least a 3.0. I do have a handful of Cs in math and science courses and a few Ws in a few liberal ed classes. My gpa overall shows a mixed trend overall.

I did research this past semester and am looking for another opportunity for next semester. I've done volunteer work with Habitats for Humanities and am looking to volunteer in my local hospital along with a couple of other organizations.

I am interested in applying for both DO and MD schools but know that the DO route is probably my best best for a shot at med school. I also plan to retake the science classes I got Cs in. I plan to take a year or two off to strengthen my application and plan to do a SMP or post-bachelor work to whatever I need to do to better my application as well. Any input is appreciated. However, if I would be better off looking into alternative careers if my GPA is too low, feel free to say I just need honesty after the miserable outcome of this past semester.

If a majority are retakes, recalculate your GPA (since DO just replaces grades and doesn't average them). But right now you have zero shot at MD or DO. If you're ok with DO, SMP isn't necessary, just retakes. If you're DEAD SET on MD, then try to raise both sci and cGPA to 3.0, annihilate the MCAT (Way easier said then done) and apply to well known programs with linkages.

 

[Violagirl]

If a majority are retakes, recalculate your GPA (since DO just replaces grades and doesn't average them). But right now you have zero shot at MD or DO. If you're ok with DO, SMP isn't necessary, just retakes. If you're DEAD SET on MD, then try to raise both sci and cGPA to 3.0, annihilate the MCAT (Way easier said then done) and apply to well known programs with linkages.

Thank you so much for your input, I really appreciate it!! I'm open to both DO and MD, I plan to shadow both to help with making a firm decision later on. As for the MCAT, I definitely plan on giving myself plenty of time to study for it after I graduate. Thanks a lot again! 🙂

 

[redbullnhockey]

My first few years of undergrad were pretty much crapshoots for me; a nice sprinkling of everything from A-C. Even got a D in bio my freshman year and a D in chem my junior year. I was so gung-ho about moving out on my own and starting school, being "independent"... ugh. I screwed myself by stretching myself too far (ex: working almost full-time, lots of musical extracurriculars that included tours, taking on full courseloads of classes, etc.). My main killing point was probably the fact that I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a physician or not. I told myself I wanted to, but my head kept telling me I couldn't do it. I gave up the dream after a couple of years and just focused on graduating. It never helped that I had untreated depression, family problems, a brother with a suicide attempt, and my father die in the middle of everything. My "issues" are nowhere near the struggle some of the posters on here report, but for myself, I felt completely lost and defeated and had no end in sight.

Fast forward a couple of years, and after working in a medical setting for 5 years, my heart is dead-set on med school. Naturally. haha So now I'm stuck with a BA in Social Sciences (psych and soc concentrations) with a 3.11 cum GPA. I've learned how to balance my job and school, but it was a little too late. My grades exhibited a somewhat upward trajectory toward the end of my degree, but otherwise, I feel like I'm destined to be screwed with a degree in bull****.

So now, I'm 24 and just finished my BA in December, preparing to get married in June, and slaving away over a load of information on different programs to help me reset my path.

What in the hell do I do now? I am so serious about med school it keeps me up at night, yet I have no idea what to do. I feel like I need to enter a more structured program, but maybe that's not the best/right choice.

 

[DrMidlife]

What in the hell do I do now? I am so serious about med school it keeps me up at night, yet I have no idea what to do. I feel like I need to enter a more structured program, but maybe that's not the best/right choice.

What you do now is you read and read and read. Everything you need to know about getting into med school from a low GPA is in this thread and elsewhere on SDN.

 

[DrDreams]

Hello All,


Im wondering if I should even apply this year.

cGPA 3.09
sGPA 3.41

Very strong upward trend. Went from a 2.6 cGPA. First gen coll student. Im not sure what i should do at this point. I was not aware that AMCAS counts sub 100 level classes, and that has put me in an ugly position. Otherwise, my University GPA is 3.6 and overall is a 3.39 if the sub 100 level classes arent counted.

Should i even register for the MCAT this year?

 

[DrMidlife]

Hello All,


Im wondering if I should even apply this year.

cGPA 3.09
sGPA 3.41

Apply to med school? No.

Very strong upward trend. Went from a 2.6 cGPA. First gen coll student. Im not sure what i should do at this point. I was not aware that AMCAS counts sub 100 level classes, and that has put me in an ugly position. Otherwise, my University GPA is 3.6 and overall is a 3.39 if the sub 100 level classes arent counted.

The only GPA rules that matter for med school are the med school rules. Let go of what you think your GPA should be, because you don't get to vote on this.

Should i even register for the MCAT this year?

Do you want to go to med school? Then yes, you need to take the MCAT.

What to do now: read maybe the last ~200 posts in this thread to get an understanding of how to get into med school from a low GPA.

Best of luck to you.

 

[armastice]

So I used the AMCAS GPA calculator from one of the SDN stickied posts.

Cumulative Undergraduate AMCAS GPA Inc. Post Bac - 3.25*
Cumulative Undergraduate AMCAS BCPM GPA Inc. Post Bac - 3.03
Cumulative All Other Undergraduate AMCAS GPA Inc. Post Bac - 3.46
MCAT - Never taken
OAT (opto test) - 330 TS 340 AA
GRE - Never taken

*w/o my F in history


Background info:

I got accepted to New England College of Optometry (c/o 2017)
However I had a change of heart and am planning on (hopefully) deferring my admission til next year to focus on doing SMP/DO school application.

I have a B.S. in Environmental Science from a University of California.
I have all my prereqs done already, so I think that rules out post bacc programs.

I am not URM.

Plan:

My GPA is abysmal for allopathic schools. I was hoping to apply to an SMP next year while I retake gchem, english, and some math classes at my local CC and get certified as an EMT to bolster my application. And find some time to take my MCAT.


After getting all my affairs in order, I was hoping to apply to DO/SMP's/Caribbean/Europe schools and see how I fair.

I was going to retake as many classes possible before matriculation into a SMP for DO school.

I do have a heavy preference to become a MD since I am planning doing long term missions in a 3rd world country after school, and a MD is recognized more-so than DO.

Questions:

1 - Is my BCPM gpa the same as my sGPA? Do upper div classes (biochem, immunology, parasitology, molecular, etc) count towards my BCPM or sGPA?
2 - Are the GPA's listed on the SMP sticky/SMP website cumulative GPA? Or sGPA?
3 - Any SMP's that I have stand a good chance to get into?
4 - Do SMP's average out scores like AMCAS? Or do they operate like AACOM?
5 - My transcripts is riddled with B's, only a handful of C's. That's the primary reason why my GPA is so close to a 3.0. What can I do to raise it? Is it worth retaking classes that I got a B in?
6 - As an Enviro Sci. major, I have some major specific classes that were heavily science based (toxicology, air pollution, etc.) do those count towards my sGPA?
7 - I know that some SMP's take the DAT, can I use my OAT?

Mods: sorry of this is out of place. I didn't really know where to put it....?

It's my first time posting on SDN after a long time lurking. Please be kind to me!

 

[FLPreMedGuy]

Hello SDN,

Just graduated with a Bachelors in Information Technology. According to the AMCAS GPA calculator, I have a 3.03 cGPA, and a 2.6 sGPA. I have not taken any of the pre-reqs for medical school.

I had some issues at home which caused my sophomore year to really affect my GPA. Moved out and got on with school and was more focused. Finished up my junior and senior year with a 3.55 GPA.

Current plans moving forward are:

Going to apply to Northwestern University's Post-Bac program, as I am an employee there and take advantage of tuition remission. Has anyone heard good things about this program? I have looked and havent found anything recent about it.Then take the MCAT and attempt to score above a 32.

After completing the program, continue taking upper level science's, and determine wether or not my GPA is competitive.

If not, apply to an SMP, which will only enhance my record. I dont know which programs to look at but that will be at a later time.

Then apply broadly and early. Hopefully, my GPA will be good enough after the post-bac for the 2015 app cycle.

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I have been reading the forums for a while now and I want to have a plan and know what needs to get done.

Just so that I know, in terms of EC's would working at a hospital as a transporter (Patient Contact) for about 1.5 years be good and do I need more? I have had to work so volunteering has been sort of a challenge to fit in a full time school schedule and a full time job.

Thank you.

 

[deleted248403]

Hello SDN,

Just graduated with a Bachelors in Information Technology. According to the AMCAS GPA calculator, I have a 3.03 cGPA, and a 2.6 sGPA. I have not taken any of the pre-reqs for medical school.

Then apply broadly and early. Hopefully, my GPA will be good enough after the post-bac for the 2015 app cycle.

It won't be good enough - do a GPA calculation of year more of undergrad; you won't get much past 3.2 if at all.

You will ultimately need an SMP if you want to go MD

 

[NeuroSpeare]

I started a thread regarding my plight but got no bites. Here goes round 2:

cumGPA: 3.5
sciGPA: 3.1
MCAT: 37

I applied this cycle; haven't been very lucky. In the case that I need to reapply this June, what SMP, Post-bacc, and/or Master's programs would be best for my stats? The rest of my app is strong; just a low, low BCPM and a middling cumulative. FWIW, I only have one science letter of reference...

EDIT: I should also mention that I have a ton of credits (double major in undergrad) which makes GPA repair all the harder

 

[aspire2014]

I am a minority student graduating in May with a uGPA of 2.7 sGPA of 2.48 🙁 according to AMCAS calculations. I have retaken two courses during my undergraduate career so according to AACOMAS calculations I would have a uGPA of 2.84 and sGPA of 2.88. I struggled during undergrad but I hope to become a doctor some day and I will not give up. I partake in many volunteer opportunities whether it be in nursing homes, hospitals, or abroad so my EC activities are great but they mean nothing without improvements in my grades which seem to have increased from Freshman year but then remained stagnant after sophomore year.

My plan is to finish my last semester with 4.0 which is possible since I am not taking any difficult classes this semester.

During the summer I plan to work and take classes during the evening. I hope to take 3 classes this summer. I got a C in Calc 1 and D in Calc 2 so I plan to retake those two courses. I also plan to take the MCAT which I am currently studying for.

I plan to apply to PostBac Program for the fall as well. I am looking into Harvard Extension Health Careers Program and UMaryland Science in the Evening Program but I am don't know of any other programs I could apply to so If you have any other suggestions that would be great.

I know my stats aren't great but if I can attain A's from now I think I would have a chance at med school. If I take 3 courses during the summer and 8 courses doing a informal/formal PostBac Program I can possibly bring my gpa to:

AACOMAS
cgpa: 3.16
sgpa: 3.44 🙂

AMCAS
cgpa: 2.98
sgpa: 3.065

Any suggestion to improve my plans?
Any programs I should apply to?

 

[locale]

2.9 cGPA
2.8 sGPA
35Q

1 summer of research at a lab
1-2 years of volunteering
No special clubs or EC's

My GPA has been terrible throughout school because I've had to allocate time to a growing business that's nearly hit 7 figures overall. That will change this last semester, but it's a little too late I suppose.

What can I do to repair my GPA? Should I be applying to an SMP at all?

At this point, I've really shifted my focus and I'm locked in to do whatever's needed. I don't mind shelling out extra money for any kind of program that'll help to showcase what I'm capable of doing.

 

[deleted248403]

I am a minority student graduating in May with a uGPA of 2.7 sGPA of 2.48 🙁 according to AMCAS calculations. I have retaken two courses during my undergraduate career so according to AACOMAS calculations I would have a uGPA of 2.84 and sGPA of 2.88. I struggled during undergrad but I hope to become a doctor some day and I will not give up. I partake in many volunteer opportunities whether it be in nursing homes, hospitals, or abroad so my EC activities are great but they mean nothing without improvements in my grades which seem to have increased from Freshman year but then remained stagnant after sophomore year.

My plan is to finish my last semester with 4.0 which is possible since I am not taking any difficult classes this semester.

During the summer I plan to work and take classes during the evening. I hope to take 3 classes this summer. I got a C in Calc 1 and D in Calc 2 so I plan to retake those two courses. I also plan to take the MCAT which I am currently studying for.

I plan to apply to PostBac Program for the fall as well. I am looking into Harvard Extension Health Careers Program and UMaryland Science in the Evening Program but I am don't know of any other programs I could apply to so If you have any other suggestions that would be great.

I know my stats aren't great but if I can attain A's from now I think I would have a chance at med school. If I take 3 courses during the summer and 8 courses doing a informal/formal PostBac Program I can possibly bring my gpa to:

AACOMAS
cgpa: 3.16
sgpa: 3.44 🙂

AMCAS
cgpa: 2.98
sgpa: 3.065

Any suggestion to improve my plans?
Any programs I should apply to?

You won't be going MD with a 2.98 - thats over 3 standard deviations below 0. *edit - below average for an MD matriculant*

You will still need an SMP for MD, but you might have an outside shot for DO

 

[deleted248403]

2.9 cGPA
2.8 sGPA
35Q

1 summer of research at a lab
1-2 years of volunteering
No special clubs or EC's

My GPA has been terrible throughout school because I've had to allocate time to a growing business that's nearly hit 7 figures overall. That will change this last semester, but it's a little too late I suppose.

What can I do to repair my GPA? Should I be applying to an SMP at all?

At this point, I've really shifted my focus and I'm locked in to do whatever's needed. I don't mind shelling out extra money for any kind of program that'll help to showcase what I'm capable of doing.

Great MCAT - do an SMP