Will med schools look at overall pre-req GPA when looking at the science GPA

[omegaz]

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I have an amazingly high GPA for all the premed pre-requisite courses (ie. intro science courses), however, my science GPA is destroyed by the upper-level courses that I took in my junior/senior years (I'm a microbiology major). So will med schools understand that my science GPA is low because I took grad. level science courses?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I have an amazingly high GPA for all the premed pre-requisite courses (ie. intro science courses), however, my science GPA is destroyed by the upper-level courses that I took in my junior/senior years (I'm a microbiology major). So will med schools understand that my science GPA is low because I took grad. level science courses?

No, they won't. All science majors have to swim in the upper level deep end at some point.

 

[omegaz]

No, they won't. All science majors have to swim in the upper level deep end at some point.

Won't this give an advantage to humanities and social science majors?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Won't this give an advantage to humanities and social science majors?

I would say that it makes it easier to get past the GPA screen setpoints for non-science majors. I think that non-science majors who roll in with a very high sGPA have an advantage anyways, though. Not sure how you think it looks to medical schools when you've struggled with upper level science coursework when medical school is kind of like...upper level science coursework, just much more fast paced. Hence, the conventional wisdom that an "upward trend" is good and a "downward trend" is bad.

 

[p0l4R17y]

Won't this give an advantage to humanities and social science majors?

It is what it is. From what I gather, humanities majors also get the additional benefit of being looked at as more well-rounded and exotic than the stock biological sciences pre-med (though this does depend on who is looking at the application).

However, there are quite a few advantages you have over the humanities major. If a humanities major gets a horrible grade in one of his/her pre-med courses, his/her sGPA tanks pretty hard, whereas you'll take a much lighter hit. You'll also have a MUCH easier time finding a research position if you so desire, your pre-med prerequisites are already counted towards the major, and you are going to have a slightly easier time during your first year in medical school as some topics will already be familiar.

 

[Redpancreas]

Just looking at how the system works, IMO I don't think admissions give a damn what classes you take as long as they look somewhat challenging and meet the requirements. They might be interested if you took a couple interesting classes and ask you why you chose to take them. As for consideration for taking the upper levels, I don't think there's any. If they want to see competency they look at the MCAT 🙁
I know...I wasn't very happy about it either. The quicker you accept it and just work hard the better it is I feel. I mean, this is just my 2 cents but think about it, why is it that .1 of your GPA is worth a point on the MCAT. The MCAT is a very serious test and that's where they compare apples to apples. They don't care if you've spit out the various biochemical pathways or memorized all the characteristics of various pathogens. Yes, it's easier for the humanities majors because they don't have to be weighed down by the science courses. They have to study for the MCAT but let's face it, you don't need the an upper level bio course to help you with those (though they can help at times). One of my biggest regrets is not doing a different major and just taking BCPM+genetics+biochem+physiology. Everything else I should have just steered clear of. This whole major thing IMO doesn't suit pre-meds because most of them like me will get tricked into take all these rigorous science courses thinking it's what needs to be done and that they're prepping for medica school. Well yes they are but they're inevitably going to forget a lot of it and it's going to drain a lot of time they could have spent doing something else that's interesting and rewarding. Someone tell me if they disagree, I'd like to hear any argument that has made my major in human biology seem worth the trouble. Ya first year might be easier but that's not a big deal and I'd rather take the time to study something different from biology when I had the chance. Lol, put medical in any class description and the class fills up with premeds. If any freshman are reading this, I strongly advise you to major in something besides a biological science. Keep genetics, biochem, and physiology in your rotation though.

 

[galaxyx]

Some schools will make you put your pre-req courses and grades on the 2ndary. I don't know if that means they look at it separately though.

 

[preMedDonut]

In reply to SuperDhooper,

What if you like learning about biological sciences for fun? I agree you should major in something that you enjoy, but I'm personally majoring in it just because I find it all fascinating to me. So if others feel the same way they should major in it too.

 

[Redpancreas]

In reply to SuperDhooper,

What if you like learning about biological sciences for fun? I agree you should major in something that you enjoy, but I'm personally majoring in it just because I find it all fascinating to me. So if others feel the same way they should major in it too.

Well yes, my major's interesting but at times it can be very tedious and I realize I'm going to be relearning a lot of it anyways. If I had to do it again, I'd probably look into Econ, Philosophy, or Computer Science as a major and I'd have taken Biochem, Physio, Genetics, + BCPM. I like the classes but they can really wear you down w/ the workload and it's what everyone's doing. The reason I'm complaining about my major is because I besides physio and biochem, i have to take 5 upper level science courses like neurobio, micro, histo, pharm & tox., human gen, etc, etc. etc. It's my fault though, I was so excited to start learning all of it that I didn't think about all the repurcussions. In reality, a lot of courses aren't as cool as they sound. I still like them and I wouldn't study something else but that's what medical school is for. I should have done something else when I had the chance. Oh well, I'm doing a mini-version of that senior year.

 

[Gauss44]

Won't this give an advantage to humanities and social science majors?

Not if a humanities major is more talented in science or better prepared for science classes. Some people major in something they love that they are just not good at.

I knew a couple music majors and a dance major who had very little experience before declaring their majors. Then they had to compete for grades against students who had private lessons since childhood. Some music professors are very strict with grades, saying "only Beethoven deserves an A." I was in a music theory class where no one got an A.