Turn around GPA

[onlinerocker]

I’m going into my junior year and have a lackluster GPA (3.2) due to a poor sophomore year. Additionally, I only recently decided med school was of interest to me, and haven’t completed any pre-reqs. What’s the best way to complete my pre-reqs while raising my GPA?

If it matters, I go to a top LAC known for grade deflation.
Any advice appreciated!!

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[FreeRadicals]

What's your science GPA? If you do well in the prerequisites you definitely have a chance of DO/MD - depending on MCAT. You can't make anymore mistakes though.

 

[onlinerocker]

What's your science GPA? If you do well in the prerequisites you definitely have a chance of DO/MD - depending on MCAT. You can't make anymore mistakes though.

I’m a CS major, so the only “science courses” are CS ones (does math count toward sGPA?). My CS courses average out to 3.0. Including math courses, it's a 3.2
I’m definitely prepared to make some sacrifices these next few years and work my ass off.

 

[DokterMom]

I’m a CS major, so the only “science courses” are CS ones (does math count toward sGPA?). My CS courses average out to 3.0. Including math courses, it's a 3.2
I’m definitely prepared to make some sacrifices these next few years and work my ass off.

So yes, sacrifices and lots of hard work. Let me ask about finances and the prospect of graduating in five years versus four --? Or summer school? You need to take the 'weed out' pre-recs and you need to improve your GPA at a grade-deflating school. That's a tall order that will be best accomplished with an 'on the light side' (but not so light as to raise eyebrows) course schedule. As has been said, you can't afford many mistakes here, so do whatever it takes to earn A's in your Bio & Chem classes.

 

[onlinerocker]

So yes, sacrifices and lots of hard work. Let me ask about finances and the prospect of graduating in five years versus four --? Or summer school? You need to take the 'weed out' pre-recs and you need to improve your GPA at a grade-deflating school. That's a tall order that will be best accomplished with an 'on the light side' (but not so light as to raise eyebrows) course schedule. As has been said, you can't afford many mistakes here, so do whatever it takes to earn A's in your Bio & Chem classes.

Graduating in 4 years with all the pre-reqs would be possible, but my GPA would no doubt suffer. I think spacing them out and graduating in 5 years would be ideal, but that’s more undergrad debt. Another option might be finishing in 4 years, then taking the remaining pre-reqs at a cheap local school, while living at home.

Also, as you mentioned, I could take summer courses, but then I would have less time for ECs.

 

[MyOdyssey]

I’m a CS major, so the only “science courses” are CS ones (does math count toward sGPA?). My CS courses average out to 3.0. Including math courses, it's a 3.2
I’m definitely prepared to make some sacrifices these next few years and work my ass off.

Math classes, e.g. calculus, statistics, linear algebra, count toward your med school science GPA.

Programming classes, e.g. algorithms, compiler theory, Intro to Java, count toward your all other (AO) GPA and your composite GPA (science GPA together with AO GPA).

 

[onlinerocker]

Math classes, e.g. calculus, statistics, linear algebra, count toward your med school science GPA.

Programming classes, e.g. algorithms, compiler theory, Intro to Java, count toward your all other (AO) GPA and your composite GPA (science GPA together with AO GPA).

Thanks for the clarification. My sGPA would actually be 3.5 then (only math courses).

 

[MyOdyssey]

Thanks for the clarification. My sGPA would actually be 3.5 then (only math courses).

AMCAS's official guide to categorizing courses:
https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...ab328dc/amcas_course_classification_guide.pdf

 

[MyOdyssey]

Thanks for the clarification. My sGPA would actually be 3.5 then (only math courses).

Different medical schools have different math prerequisites. It's common among the more stringent to require one semester of calculus and one semester of statistics. Others require only semester of one or other. Still others require one year of college level math of any kind or one full year of calculus.

They also differ in how they treat AP credit. Many require you to take a higher level class in the subject to satisfy medical school prerequisites.

Note that sGPA is computed based on all BCPM even if not taken to satisfy prerequisites.