Upward trend

[coolcucumber91]

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I don't mean to purposely try to get compliments or brag (and it's not like my gpa is stellar), but does improving to a 3.74 gpa at the end of my fall semester of junior year from a 3.4 freshman year (3.2 on one of the semesters) is significant enough to consider it an upward trend? Would someone from an admissions board be at least sort of impressed?

 

[DrCaliBoy]

It's a good thing but I don't know if it would necessarily impress adcoms though.

 

[deleted456421]

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[Ismet]

You went from a GPA that would not be competitive at a lot of MD schools to a GPA that is very competitive at most MD schools. I'd say that's definitely an upward trend, but I can't comment on if adcoms would find it impressive. I'm impressed, if that counts for anything 😀

 

[Irish Football]

I've become quite cynical about upward trends. I have a significant upward trend in my GPA, and as of now I've only gotten 1 interview invite this application cycle. I think that my GPA is the one thing that is still holding me back, despite my upward trend. See my MDapps for my final GPAs, just know that my trend was upward enough to bring up a 3.1/2.7 cGPA/sGPA freshman year.

 

[plumhill]

I've become quite cynical about upward trends. I have a significant upward trend in my GPA, and as of now I've only gotten 1 interview invite this application cycle. I think that my GPA is the one thing that is still holding me back, despite my upward trend. See my MDapps for my final GPAs, just know that my trend was upward enough to bring up a 3.1/2.7 cGPA/sGPA freshman year.

But that one interview invite also got an acceptance at a very good medical school 🙂

OP, regardless of what adcoms think, you should be proud of yourself. Striving to maintain an upward trend can be very stressful (since you know that you have to keep improving and that one slip-up might ruin your trend), and a 3.74 is a very respectable GPA for a semester! Keep it up!

 

[coolcucumber91]

@plumhill: 3.74 cumulative 😀

@irish football: I'm really impressed though. Your MCAT is amazing too

Alrighty thanks for all your inputs!

 

[Anathema]

Well I would like to think that 3.75 is impressive because I'm in the same boat. Actually, I'm in a less sturdy boat b/c I'm a senior at a 3.75 so that means if you keep it up you'll be at a 3.8+ in no time.

That being said, I didn't have 4.0 semesters and I toddled between 3.6+ to a 3.3+ twice.

 

[plumhill]

@plumhill: 3.74 cumulative 😀

@irish football: I'm really impressed though. Your MCAT is amazing too

Alrighty thanks for all your inputs!

Well then, even better 🙂 I don't think your GPA is going to hold you back during the admissions process at all. A 3.4 during freshman year is nothing to be worried about. Many on SDN have had lower and have gotten in without a problem.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

It's a good thing but I don't know if it would necessarily impress adcoms though.

+1

It's good that you did improve, but a lot of other applicants were"up" the whole time and you gotta compete with them.

I'm facing the same dilemma btw.

 

[coolcucumber91]

+1

It's good that you did improve, but a lot of other applicants were"up" the whole time and you gotta compete with them.

I'm facing the same dilemma btw.

Hmm I see what you mean. But someone with a 3.7 cumulative who consistently got around that range wouldn't look better than someone with the same gpa but with an upward trend, correct?

 

[plumhill]

Hmm I see what you mean. But someone with a 3.7 cumulative who consistently got around that range wouldn't look better than someone with the same gpa but with an upward trend, correct?

It's very subjective. Some adcoms will appreciate your tenacity, while others might compare you to someone who got a 3.7+ and admire the other candidate's ability to keep an A- average consistently. That being said, I still don't think you'll be held back by your GPA. The upward trend concern comes when someone has a 3.4-3.5 average which includes a steep upward trend, but where the freshman/sophomore GPA was extremely low (as in, sub-3.2 or something).

 

[Irish Football]

But that one interview invite also got an acceptance at a very good medical school 🙂

True, but it would be nice to be recognized by an OOS school as well. My state school may have been extra forgiving in regards to my gpa.

@irish football: I'm really impressed though. Your MCAT is amazing too

Alrighty thanks for all your inputs!

Thanks, it's kind of funny that I am proud of my 3.58/3.48 gpa, but considering how much hard work it took to get it that high after my first few bad semesters, I am actually very proud of it!