With a 4.0 Grad GPA and 2.8 Undergrad GPA, would you go back to undergrad?

[theWUbear]

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I have a 2.84 undergrad GPA, including a 3.92 GPA over the last year and a half, taking all undergrad biology courses. This semester I started an SMP and took classes with med school students. I passed with honors, earning a 4.0 grad GPA. I will be applying to med school next spring.

My two options:

1) Stay in grad school next semester, and finish grad school in fall 2011. Keeps my 2.84 uGPA and my 4.0 gradGPA, doesn't look weird. I will have no plans spring 2012 with this plan before I hope to matriculate into med school in fall 2012

2) Take a semester off from grad school and go back to undergrad, take 3 undergrad credits this winter, 16 in the spring, and 9 next summer while doing secondaries. This gets my undergrad GPA to 3.0 if I continue to get nothing but A's. Then I will use Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 to finish grad school.

Essentially, I am thinking about taking 1 semester off from grad school and finishing grad school in spring 2012 instead of fall 2011.

I've come a long way, with a 3.93 GPA over the last 44 credits I've taken the last few semesters. What should my plan be for the home stretch?

 

[gettheleadout]

The way I see it, you've demonstrated your current level of academic dedication through your years in grad school perfectly, and this will be much more significant than your undergrad GPA in your application. Taking a semester to raise your undergrad GPA up to a 3.0 is not a big enough change to not a high enough number that I would expect it to even matter, and as far as the use of your time in the spring, I imagine you could do much more constructive things for you app than go take a bunch of upper level courses. LizzyM gave someone else similar advice in another thread recently: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=772068

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

just keep crushing your SMP. your upward trend is impressive and recent, so its in your favor. by continuing to ace your SMP and doing well on the MCAT you'll put yourself in a good position for applying, IMO.

 

[slowbutsteady]

Your undergrad GPA is the important one and it is low, but taking a few more undergrad courses won't make enough of a dent to really help much. You do the math: How much will 4 or 5 As increase it?

So I guess I agree with the above posters to keep killing the graduate program.

 

[theWUbear]

Your undergrad GPA is the important one and it is low, but taking a few more undergrad courses won't make enough of a dent to really help much. You do the math: How much will 4 or 5 As increase it?

So I guess I agree with the above posters to keep killing the graduate program.

Thank you for your opinions and advising so far. I'm going to play devil's advocate here:

I have calculated that the winter, spring, and summer courses will take me from an undergrad GPA of 2.84 to 3.00. Surely, this would affect whatever "shock value" an adcom would see. I am betting that the difference between being in the 2.8's and having a 3.0 could mean a handful of schools not tossing my application before reading it just based on a poor number

Whether that will actually be the case I do not know, I am only basing that on the SDN legend of computer GPA cutoffs

 

[slowbutsteady]

Thank you for your opinions and advising so far. I'm going to play devil's advocate here:

I have calculated that the winter, spring, and summer courses will take me from an undergrad GPA of 2.84 to 3.00. Surely, this would affect whatever "shock value" an adcom would see. I am betting that the difference between being in the 2.8's and having a 3.0 could mean a handful of schools not tossing my application before reading it just based on a poor number

Whether that will actually be the case I do not know, I am only basing that on the SDN legend of computer GPA cutoffs

I agree with you that a 3.0 would look MUCH better, but how many courses would you have to take, and get straight As, to accomplish that? Three full load semesters?

Yikes, that is a lot and you might not ace them all!!!

 

[gravitywave]

not worth the time and expense for the sake of a pre-interview review by a person. the SMP is designed to make up for your uGPA, or at least give you some legitimacy.

use the time to pump up your EC's instead. the low GPA can work, but only if the rest of your app is spotless.

 

[naomisky]

.

 

[TriagePreMed]

You've earned your stripes. The only benefit of going back is if you apply to programs that require a minimum 3.0.

 

[theWUbear]

I thought I'd post the resolution to this conflict.

I met with the dean of admission at my state school (the one I have my best shot at - researched there for years, doing a masters there), and he said the following (paraphrased of couse):

'You're doing the masters with us, and we will see how well you are doing and take that heavily into consideration. But other schools will not consider that as much, and you are right that your undergraduate GPA will be the weak point of your application. I therefore agree with your postponement of the masters program for one semester to increase your undergraduate GPA not necessarily for your application at this school, but for your chances at each school to which you will be applying'​

A little added benefit I just realized: by taking two specific classes at the school i did my post bacc at, I will graduate with a BA in Biology summa cum laude. So i'm doing 16 undergrad credits next semester and resuming the masters in the summer. Thank you guys for your recommendations and advice