Undergrad GPA vs Grad GPA advice/thoughts

[lamborghiniMD]

Okay, so my undergrad cGPA is a 3.95 and my sGPA is a 3.93

I decided to go to grad school for fun and I also thought getting a master's would actually mean something. But between taking care of my sick grandma and working part-time my grades were not like my undergrad. my cGPA/sGPA is a 3.10.

I know its low, but the fact is, when I was an undergrad I wasn't taking care of somebody and I wasn't working. All I did was study and do volunteering.

Any thoughts on this? I heard med schools care more about your uGPA than your grad, but if you average the two, it comes to a 3.54-ish. which really hurts my 4 years working hard for that 3.95.

I also have a 27 on the mcat. Am I still a competitive applicant
I'm just hoping my other clinical ECs will help me.

Any thoughts from people who are going through something similar?

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[BB8730]

In your other thread you said your poor grad gpa was your dad's fault because he "made" you go to grad school - now it's because of your sick grandma?

I decided to go to grad school for fun and I also thought getting a master's would actually mean something.

My dad basically made me go to graduate school (which I crammed in 1 year and got a masters)

I'm not trying to rag on you, but if you want advice here, at least be honest. Cross-posting two different stories in two different forums makes it look like you're jerking us around.

 

[coolingglasses]

It might depend on what your grad major is, but having a low gGPA could be quite frowned upon.

Otherwise those numbers are workable.

 

[hallowmann]

It might depend on what your grad major is, but having a low gGPA could be quite frowned upon.

Otherwise those numbers are workable.

This is true. Its not necessarily the kiss of death, but its a negative. While the grade is low it isn't terrible (<3.0).

That being said, I still think OP could get in somewhere, just not as easily as if he applied right out of undergrad.

I'm not trying to rag on you, but if you want advice here, at least be honest. Cross-posting two different stories in two different forums makes it look like you're jerking us around.

Also notice how his MCAT score dropped 1 point in a day. Come on man, you can be vague without lying.

...My MCAT score is a 28 and I'm only applying to DO schools.

ANy thoughts?

 

[Goro]

It's a negative, but it also depends upon the MS subject. Just explain in your PS that you discovered that it wasn't for you, and that yoru UG record speaks for itself.

Okay, so my undergrad cGPA is a 3.95 and my sGPA is a 3.93

I decided to go to grad school for fun and I also thought getting a master's would actually mean something. But between taking care of my sick grandma and working part-time my grades were not like my undergrad. my cGPA/sGPA is a 3.10.

I know its low, but the fact is, when I was an undergrad I wasn't taking care of somebody and I wasn't working. All I did was study and do volunteering.

Any thoughts on this? I heard med schools care more about your uGPA than your grad, but if you average the two, it comes to a 3.54-ish. which really hurts my 4 years working hard for that 3.95.

I also have a 27 on the mcat. Am I still a competitive applicant
I'm just hoping my other clinical ECs will help me.

Any thoughts from people who are going through something similar?

 

[lamborghiniMD]

Yes, my dad made me. Yes, I am living and taking care of my sick grandma while I'm going to grad school. Both are true, and I did get a 27. the 28 was probably a typo.

well anyway, both degrees were in biology. But honestly, are the admissions committee going to care about some sob story? Not really. I guess I should just step up and face the music...see what happens.

Although I'm not risking omitting any info because having to be blacklisted from medicine is the worst thing possible.

Would it be better if I got a letter of rec from my thesis advisor?

 

[Goro]

If you can get an interview, I think explaining it will go a long way. Naturally, it will depend upon the interviewer(s), and some may not be willing to take a chance on you, but others might very well be willing to gamble on you.

If you can indeed get a LOR writer to summarize your history, that would go a long way to helping.

All you can do is apply this cycle and see how it goes.



"But honestly, are the admissions committee going to care about some sob story? Not really. I guess I should just step up and face the music...see what happens.

Although I'm not risking omitting any info because having to be blacklisted from medicine is the worst thing possible.

Would it be better if I got a letter of rec from my thesis advisor?[/QUOTE]

 

[coolingglasses]

Yes, my dad made me. Yes, I am living and taking care of my sick grandma while I'm going to grad school. Both are true, and I did get a 27. the 28 was probably a typo.

well anyway, both degrees were in biology. But honestly, are the admissions committee going to care about some sob story? Not really. I guess I should just step up and face the music...see what happens.

Although I'm not risking omitting any info because having to be blacklisted from medicine is the worst thing possible.

Would it be better if I got a letter of rec from my thesis advisor?

I think the main inconsistency was that you said you went because you had to and then you went for fun.

And yeah, a *strong* LOR from your program would be good.

 

[Elevencents]

Not to sound insincere but I see it as you can succeed when you have all the time in the world to study but when you have other responsibilities outside of school (whether it is a job, EC's, or in your case the care of your grandmother) your grades suffer. That's immediately what I objectively took away from it. I think this will hurt you.

 

[SaintJude]

OP, i would recommend to consider taking the MCAT again. That 27 is questioning the rigor of your coursework (whether rightly or not, I dunno). I mean you had a +3.9 GPA that's impressive! If you re-take the MCAt and get a +33, I think you'll have vastly different application experience this year.