What are my chances?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

What are my chances?

  • medical school

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    1
  • Poll closed .

CollegeGuy2013

New Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2013
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Hello I am a 5th year senior i will be graduating in spring

I have a few questions
Stats
a 2.77 gpa c
by the end of this semester i will have a 2.9 and by graduation i intend on having atleast a 3.0/3.1
Science GPA is 3.14 i got C's in Bio i am considering retaking maybe in a postback
My gpa is low because i wasnt focused freshmen year and hanging on sophomore year. Reality hit and I brought my gpa up from a 1.27 to a 2.77 c. (it is very hard to bring a gpa up we all know) I made 3.0's and up from then on and now i am going to get a 4.0 this semester and next.
On top of other problems. That is way my bio gpa suffered.
but
I am applying to research programs now for the year off. I am also applying to postbac's just in case. My main focus is to score high on my mcat. Take the class and focus solely on that next year while im off.
What should i do i am at a crossroads. I am applying to everything now so i can atleast have options by graduation and i can see what route to follow. My final goal is med school.
 
Your goal should definitely try to raise your GPA. A really high MCAT doesn't always compensate for really low GPAs. If you had a 3.4c and getting a 36 mcat is better than a 3.0 and 41 mcat. Having an upward trend in your GPA in college will do wonders, but frankly your cGPA is still kind of low. You said your goal is med school...have you considered DO? If that's not an option your best bet would be to get your GPA up as much as possible. This is assuming you have average EC's. Good luck! I'm sure it will all work out at the end.
 
Strongly suggest the post-bac or SMP route to show AdComs you can handle medical schools. Re-take all F/D/C science coursework as well.

Hello I am a 5th year senior i will be graduating in spring

I have a few questions
Stats
a 2.77 gpa c
by the end of this semester i will have a 2.9 and by graduation i intend on having atleast a 3.0/3.1
Science GPA is 3.14 i got C's in Bio i am considering retaking maybe in a postback
My gpa is low because i wasnt focused freshmen year and hanging on sophomore year. Reality hit and I brought my gpa up from a 1.27 to a 2.77 c. (it is very hard to bring a gpa up we all know) I made 3.0's and up from then on and now i am going to get a 4.0 this semester and next.
On top of other problems. That is way my bio gpa suffered.
but
I am applying to research programs now for the year off. I am also applying to postbac's just in case. My main focus is to score high on my mcat. Take the class and focus solely on that next year while im off.
What should i do i am at a crossroads. I am applying to everything now so i can atleast have options by graduation and i can see what route to follow. My final goal is med school.
 
Your goal should definitely try to raise your GPA. A really high MCAT doesn't always compensate for really low GPAs. If you had a 3.4c and getting a 36 mcat is better than a 3.0 and 41 mcat. Having an upward trend in your GPA in college will do wonders, but frankly your cGPA is still kind of low. You said your goal is med school...have you considered DO? If that's not an option your best bet would be to get your GPA up as much as possible. This is assuming you have average EC's. Good luck! I'm sure it will all work out at the end.


That is the plan to raise my GPA, i thought i showed the raising in gpa by getting 3.0, 3.2, 3.7 's on my last semesters. Also yes not many because i had to work to get through school ive been working since i got here first with work study then an actual job with the government. I ve done 180 hrs on shadowing a Cardio surgeon, Im am going to do research soon some time during this year at the hospital. Then next year on my year off. I also am going to appl7y for a program like city year etc. I am also the president of my orginization.

DO? is that dental?

Also if i do a post bac should i just do a pre med one? even though ive taken chem gotten A's in both 1 and 2 Orgo got a C and Orgo 2 getting an A Bio i know i need to retake. But should i just retake thses courses at another school like community college or at my college and not graduate?
 
Strongly suggest the post-bac or SMP route to show AdComs you can handle medical schools. Re-take all F/D/C science coursework as well.

If i post-bac should it be premedical? even though ive taken some of the courses and recieved A's? and SMP s what exactly?
 
Your upward trend will not be enough to make you competetive, even with a 45 on the MCAT. Medical schools auto screen out applicants based upon numbers and since it's a selelr's market, they can afford to do it and ignore candidates like you.

SMP = Special Master's Program. They're a dime-a-dozen and the best ones will be offered by a medical school. They include medical school classes like anatomy, physiology, pharm, micro etc, and are geared to show adComs you can handle med school coursework, unlike the typical research-based MS program, which has specialty coursework in a scientific field, like, say, neuroscience.

SMPs are useful because they're the back door route into a med school. The faculty who give the classes get to know you and can thus vouch for you to the adComs, if they're not actually on the AdComs.

A post-bac can be a disticnt program, or a DIY where you either take the pre-reqs for med school and/or MCAT prep.

Either way, by taking a series of intensive coursework, you're showing that you can do med school and improve your GPA.

DO = Doctor of Osteopathy. Google is your friend on this.

If i post-bac should it be premedical? even though ive taken some of the courses and recieved A's? and SMP s what exactly?
 
Your upward trend will not be enough to make you competetive, even with a 45 on the MCAT. Medical schools auto screen out applicants based upon numbers and since it's a selelr's market, they can afford to do it and ignore candidates like you.

SMP = Special Master's Program. They're a dime-a-dozen and the best ones will be offered by a medical school. They include medical school classes like anatomy, physiology, pharm, micro etc, and are geared to show adComs you can handle med school coursework, unlike the typical research-based MS program, which has specialty coursework in a scientific field, like, say, neuroscience.

SMPs are useful because they're the back door route into a med school. The faculty who give the classes get to know you and can thus vouch for you to the adComs, if they're not actually on the AdComs.

A post-bac can be a disticnt program, or a DIY where you either take the pre-reqs for med school and/or MCAT prep.

Either way, by taking a series of intensive coursework, you're showing that you can do med school and improve your GPA.

DO = Doctor of Osteopathy. Google is your friend on this.
OK thank you, so would you say i should get started on my MCATS now and then apply to the SMPs? Because i looked a lot up and they all say i should have my MCATs finished or on the way. But i wanted to focused solely on my mcat next year.
 
Take the MCAT only when you are ready for it.

OK thank you, so would you say i should get started on my MCATS now and then apply to the SMPs? Because i looked a lot up and they all say i should have my MCATs finished or on the way. But i wanted to focused solely on my mcat next year.
 
OK thank you, so would you say i should get started on my MCATS now and then apply to the SMPs? Because i looked a lot up and they all say i should have my MCATs finished or on the way. But i wanted to focused solely on my mcat next year.
I don't know much about SMP prereqs, though I heard Gtwon will allow a GRE if you have one. Like Goro advised, getting your GPA up is your best bet. I see the dilemma you are in since SMP's generally want an MCAT, one that you haven't prep for yet. Don't rush MCAT prep just to get into a SMP, if you blow it, that might lead to a rejection to a SMP. Look into post bac programs for your nearby universities

https://services.aamc.org/postbac/

Best of luck
 
Top