Which GPA is the most important to medical school admissions?

[868651]

My undergraduate GPA was 3.04

I don’t have a Science GPA yet (I need to take post bacc first)

Which do medical schools count the most?

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[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Med schools care about sGPA the most because it is a numerical factors showing long-term ability to succeed in the sciences. They also care about the cumulative GPA but in a different manner. sGPA is part of cGPA so it depends on how the numbers work out.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

My undergraduate GPA was 3.04

I don’t have a Science GPA yet (I need to take post bacc first)

Science GPA

But, you're in luck...since you need to take all of your prereqs, you'll be helping both GPAs.

How can you not have a science GPA at all? How did you graduate without taking some math or science?

 

[Goro]

My undergraduate GPA was 3.04

I don’t have a Science GPA yet (I need to take post bacc first)

Which do medical schools count the most?

Read this:

• Goro's Advice for DO Applicants in Absence of Grade Replacement (2016-17 cycle)

 

[de Ribas]

My undergraduate GPA was 3.04

I don’t have a Science GPA yet (I need to take post bacc first)

Which do medical schools count the most?

What was your major? I thought there should be at least general chem or some math course in any undergrad major.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

What was your major? I thought there should be at least general chem or some math course in any undergrad major.

If you're referencing general education requirements, some colleges may not require those kinds of classes to graduate or may be VERY loose with what types of classes can be substituted for that. And that's not even considering the possibly of waiving those requirements via AP credit.

 

[Windom Earle]

Science.

 

[de Ribas]

If you're referencing general education requirements, some colleges may not require those kinds of classes to graduate or may be VERY loose with what types of classes can be substituted for that. And that's not even considering the possibly of waiving those requirements via AP credit.

I agree.

I guess if no science classes, OP has 2 more years of post-bacc.

 

[Lawpy]

My undergraduate GPA was 3.04

I don’t have a Science GPA yet (I need to take post bacc first)

Which do medical schools count the most?

Generally speaking, science GPA is more important than overall GPA, but both are considered highly important by adcoms. However, some adcoms may weigh the overall GPA more heavily than science GPA, but it's impossible to tell what (if any) schools do this, since application scoring occurs behind closed doors.

Doing well on science courses and having a solid science GPA will naturally improve your overall GPA. Couple them with a strong MCAT score, and your application will be academically strong for US MD schools.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Generally speaking, science GPA is more important than overall GPA, but both are considered highly important by adcoms. However, some adcoms may weigh the overall GPA more heavily than science GPA, but it's impossible to tell what (if any) schools do this, since application scoring occurs behind closed doors.

Doing well on science courses and having a solid science GPA will naturally improve your overall GPA. Couple them with a strong MCAT score, and your application will be academically strong for US MD schools.

ADCOMS rarely care more about cGPA than sGPA. Non-BCMP courses don't have a consistent impact with regards to the cGPA: some of them increase the cGPA and some of them lower it (as compared to the sGPA).

 

[Lawpy]

ADCOMS rarely care more about cGPA than sGPA. Non-BCMP courses don't have a consistent impact with regards to the cGPA: some of them increase the cGPA and some of them lower it (as compared to the sGPA).

I have no idea since I don't know how adcoms think and analyze applications. Maybe some adcoms at some schools prioritize nonscience coursework more than sciences and thus weigh cGPA more heavily than sGPA.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I agree.

I guess if no science classes, OP has 2 more years of post-bacc.

At least...more likely 3 if they're working as well and also need psych and socio. Really, better to take one's time and get ALL A's to boost the cum GPA and really make a statement. The mistake would be taking too many classes with labs at the same time.

If working, my recommendation for each semester would be something like this.

Bio I
Chem I

Bio II
Chem II

Orgo I
Psych
Stats

Orgo II
Cell Bio

Physics I
Biochem

Physics II
Socio
And then taking the MCAT that April or May.

And if the student didn't have the necessary math req't to start with Chem I, then take that during the summer before starting.

 

[holdthemayo]

My undergraduate GPA was 3.04

I don’t have a Science GPA yet (I need to take post bacc first)

Which do medical schools count the most?

Science, but more so for you than the average applicant. Even with a heavy course load, your cGPA can only go so high due to how many credits you already have. You're also in the unique position of having a clean slate on your science GPA. This gives you the chance to really highlight the fact that you are no longer the student that got the 3.04. A high sGPA + MCAT would set you up with some really compelling evidence of academic reinvention. Good luck.

 

[868651]

Science GPA

But, you're in luck...since you need to take all of your prereqs, you'll be helping both GPAs.

How can you not have a science GPA at all? How did you graduate without taking some math or science?

I took Algebra, Calculus, Biology, and Zoology and calculated a 2.181 GPA. So if I were to pursue premed, I would have to retake all of those courses to bring my GPA up. So I just don't count it.

 

[868651]

What was your major? I thought there should be at least general chem or some math course in any undergrad major.

I was a business major, and I took Biology, Zoology, Algebra, and Calculus. However, this was back in 2003, so I would already attempt to retake these courses in a post baccalaureate premed program.

 

[nymd22]

I took Algebra, Calculus, Biology, and Zoology and calculated a 2.181 GPA. So if I were to pursue premed, I would have to retake all of those courses to bring my GPA up. So I just don't count it.

those classes will still count in your science GPA though.

 

[de Ribas]

I was a business major, and I took Biology, Zoology, Algebra, and Calculus. However, this was back in 2003, so I would already attempt to retake these courses in a post baccalaureate premed program.

they will still be a part of science GPA

What is average GPA for these courses?

 

[868651]

they will still be a part of science GPA

What is average GPA for these courses?

2.181

 

[de Ribas]

2.181

It will be part of your science GPA, but if you do well now in the sciences, then you will be fine.

 

[jazzmetal]

I was a business major, and I took Biology, Zoology, Algebra, and Calculus. However, this was back in 2003, so I would already attempt to retake these courses in a post baccalaureate premed program.

You might be better off taking new courses rather than retaking the old ones, at least for zoology and algebra, since those are not prereqs anywhere and, as others have noted, retaking a course won't erase your original grade.

I had a 3.1 original undergrad with similarly few BCPM courses (just Statistics and two math courses) and ended up doing well in almost 70 postbac units, all science, so my sGPA is markedly higher than my cGPA, as I expect yours will be. I am hopeful that sGPA will end up being more important than cGPA once my app is getting looked at closely, but I think boosting my cGPA was important in getting past some initial screens. Most formal cGPA cutoffs are around 3.0, but there are informal cutoffs that are higher, plus schools will stratify applications based on MCAT and cGPA so having a higher cGPA can mean that your app gets looked at sooner.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I took Algebra, Calculus, Biology, and Zoology and calculated a 2.181 GPA. So if I were to pursue premed, I would have to retake all of those courses to bring my GPA up. So I just don't count it.

It doesn't work that way. Even if you retake, and even if your school "replaces" the grades for their purposes, those old grades will still be reported to AMCAS and will get averaged into your science GPA.

What grades did you get in each of those classes? All C's? Edit: i see your average for those classes was 2.181

If you got a C in Calculus, and you retake and get an A, then that averages to a B.

Don't retake anything not needed for med school...