With this GPA, What can I get into?

[Spotless]

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Hi everyone!

I am a college student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Chemistry. My guess is that by the time I graduate I will get a 3.2 GPA. This is so because my first semester of freshman year I got terrible 1.97 GPA. My other semester grades have been around 3.4 GPA. I did bad my first year because my Grandmother died a couple months before I entered college my freshman year. I was really depressed about her death and I wasn't thinking clearly during my first semester. My other reasons are because I was stuck with a crappy roommate who just wanted to party and not study. After second semester I smarten up and ended up with a 3.1 GPA. After that, so far I just received a 3.45 GPA. And my guess is that I will end up with a 3.4 GPA every semester by the time I graduate, whic leads to a 3.2 GPA Overall(Cummulative).

Now my question is because I did horribly my first semester of my freshman year, will I be able to get into Medical school as I've planned all along or can I still get into Graduate school or Law school? Can you please give me some advice on what I should do after graduation.

Thanks!

 

[CaNEM]

Hi Spotless,

Welcome to SDN.

Your GPA is probably too low to get into medical school, at least without a struggle. Perhaps if you took a year to retake (and ace) all of the courses you did poorly in, you might have a chance.

Regarding whether you can get into a graduate school, it depends on what kind of program you want to get into (M.S. vs PhD, chem vs. psych), what school you want to go to, how much independent research you have done, and many other factors.

Your GPA is too low to get into an MSTP.

We're probably not the people to ask about your chances of getting into law school, but this raises a question: med school, grad school, and law school are three very different kind of programs for extremely different careers. You should probably find out what it is you might like to do with your life before determining how to get on the right track.

 

[DoubleDoctor]

I wholeheartedly agree with Canem re: figuring out what you want to do with your life first and then proceeding. I know some grad schools will take you with a 3.2 GPA and good GRE scores. Good luck....... you can come back from this if you really want to and put in the work to get accepted. Your reasons for your less than stellar first year are acceptable because it's notlike you just partied too much and didn't care. Being someone that had a death in the family during college, I know how devastating that can be. Keep your chin up and do great from here on out and get out of Engineering ASAP especially since you don't like it.

 

[isidella]

I don't know. . . while a 3.2 is pretty low, I don't think it is impossible to shoot for med school. You show an upward trend which is always good. I think if you can prove your potential to adcoms (with a stellar essay and MCAT) you may have a shot. My question to you is, are you really interested in doctoring or research, or are you just looking for a nice six-figure salary? Your interest in Law School makes me wonder. . .

 

[Stitch]

I think everyone has a semester that's not so great, and the first semester is really difficult for a lot of people. I got a bad grade in one of my first classes and I thought I'd never get into medical school, but I managed to do all right. My point is one bad semester or grade won't destroy your chances...
If you can pull up to a 3.5 (I got in with a 3.4, but it was close)and then kick the butt of the MCAT you should have a decent chance.
But everyone is certainly right: decide what you want first. Don't put yourself through the stress and the hoop jumping only to find you're not happy with the choice you've made. Just my two cents.
Good luck!

 

[tuckp]

Okay, I aplaud (ugh! spelling!) everyone who has high scores, and add that it is my firm oppinion that most people on this forum are at the higher end, number-wise, of MSTP applicants. May I just say that a good friend from undergrad applied to MSTPs last year with a 3.15, 33MCAT, got more than one interview offer, and is now having the time of her life, celebrating having finished her anatomy final in December at one of her (albeit reasonable) top choices for MSTP. Thank goodness for all the conversation and advice available here, but I also think if I'd paid too much attention to the numbers and debate that I've seen, I never would have applied myself (also with rather mediocre numbers). Fingers crossed that I actually get in somewhere, but with 6interview offers and counting, I'm feeling pretty good.

Good luck to everyone, high scores and low, published and no, be well-rounded, and if you *really really * want it, go for it!!!!!

 

[fonzy]

Hey,

Could you pl name the school where your friend got accepted into MSTP?

thanks

 

[tuckp]

🙁 I'm really sorry fonzy, I hesitate to only b/c I posted her numbers without her permission, and the program is small enough so it wouldn't be hard for someone to figure out who she is. I'll happily say, though, that it's one of the bigger programs (12+ per year), and an MSTP (as opposed to not NIH recognized/funded). Sorry I can't be more help!

 

[felson]

Why are you so sarcastic? Try to be constructive. Please!!!🙂

 

[Airborne]

I know plenty of people in med school who have GPA's in the 3.2-3.3 range - Indeed, the average GPA at many medical schools around 3.5-3.6

I would not focus on how you got the GPA you have, as it is set in stone, but instead would focus on how to make your application better. Clearly, the most obivous ways are high MCATs and interesting life experiences that make you stand out. Nearly everyone has some sort of volunteer activity, so this goes without saying. Additionally, the application process is also heavily dependent upon what state you are from, your ethnicity, etc, etc, etc. I'm unclear if you want to go into an MD/PhD program, too. Perhaps you could elaborate. Unlike previous posters, I disagree that you are eliminated from a dual degree program, but if this your ultimate intended path, a significant amount of research would be beneficially, if not necessary. Moreover, you may have to take some time out to add to you application.

Medicine has gotten far easier to get into than when I went through the whole process - With some determination, creative planning and maybe the realization that you may have to wait a year or two to get in - you will find that doors will open.

Additionally, there are also other options for a medical degree - despite the tirade often written about DO and foreign programs, these programs train physicians as competent as allopathic programs, although your options for residencies may be more limited.

It's really up to you where you go from here.

Best of luck,

Airborne

 

[Natalie03]

Do you believe you're fit for med school? If yes, then by all means do not ever listen to anyone who tells you you can't or that your scores are too low. Prove them wrong! I mean doesn't it just make you want to get into med school all the more??

 

[fonzy]

Althogh I have low GPA, I have been offered admission and fellowship from good grad schools of engineering. Almost everyone thought that I could not get into grad school, atleast not a good one. But I was always highly motivated and never lost faith althogh I had periods of despair. stress and hopelessness.

Well, let us try our best with noble intentions.

best