Selecting Medical School Applicants for Interview
Many medical schools are in the “thick” of the process of screening applicants and selecting those applicants that they wish to invite for interview. This process generally falls along the lines of first, making sure that the applicant meets the minimum requirements for said medical school in terms of undergraduate grade point average (undergraduate GPA) and scores on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). While most medical schools will review the entire application, in terms of figuring out how to get 8,000 -10,000 applications pared down to a workable number for closer scrutiny, we screen by undergraduate GPA and MCAT scores. There just is not a better way to make the preliminary cut than these two factors.
In the case of those who do not make the preliminary cut, we generally send these applications for a secondary screen by administrative staff who are looking for criteria that we have flagged so that many of those cut by the undergraduate GPA /MCAT screen might make it back into the secondary screen if our administrative staff keys in on something in the personal statement, coursework or letters of recommendation that we should discuss in the admissions committee.
Those applications who DO make the preliminary screen are divided among the admissions committee members who read every work on the application and decide if we want to invite the applicant for interview. In short, do we want to meet this applicant? Would they be a good fit for our medical school? Do they show promise of being able to get through our very demanding curriculum? Do we want to know more about this applicant? In short, we invite applicants that we strongly feel will make good physicians based on the material that is present in their AMCAS applications.
That being said, as applicants are filling out those AMCAS applications, they need to be sure that the information in the AMCAS is as accurate as possible and as clear as possible. Many people have been rejected for interview based on a poorly written personal statement. These rejected applicants may have had the GPA/MCAT score but neglecting to write a strong personal statement is like heading out on a long automobile trip and draining the oil out of your engine. You are just not going to get very far even if your engine appeared to be in great shape. You need to have a well-written and coherent personal statement.
On the other hand, a great personal statement/letters of recommendation will not make up for very poor academics. If your academics are poor, take the time to get them as high as possible keeping in mind that the average undergraduate GPA for medical school matriculants is 3.6/4 and the average MCAT score is 30 with no single score less than 8. Some schools may have considerable variation around their means but my medical school does not.
Are schools “forgiving” of a poor undergraduate start but a very strong finish? To a certain extent this is true but there are academic “holes” that can be too deep to climb out of without years of “damage control”. In short, if medicine is your goal, work diligently and consistently at a high level. Don’t count of anything being “forgiven” and keep in mind that no allopathic medical school in this country is searching for applicants. We have far more applications than we need and we try to make sure that every application is screened at least twice before sending out that dreaded rejection letter but students with weaker applications to any degree are at a disadvantage. Making sure that we take all aspects of every application into consideration is a monumental task that seems to take longer and longer each year. Again, keep in mind that one of my medical schools received more than 10,000 applications for 110 spots in the entering freshman class last year. This year, we have already broken last years numbers. There are just too many good applicants out there.
As I read through the applications, I always look at how many hours of coursework an applicant has taken in any given year as well as the grades earned. In addition, I look at the content of those hours. If a student took three laboratory courses in one year and managed to earn a 4.0 GPA versus a student who took one lab course along with general education requirements and barely managed a 3.0, I tend to look more favorably on the first student. We also make allowances for things like full-time employment versus full-time student.
We look at the age of academic work. A student may have earned high grades 10 years ago but without recent academic work or a recent MCAT score, we generally will not offer admission. Many things change over the course of ten years including the ability to jump into a very demanding academic challenge. In most cases, we ask for some recent coursework in addition to MCAT scores not more than three years old.
In terms of multiple MCAT attempts, we tend not to accept students who have more than three attempts. If a student retakes, we expect the score to go up. If not, that is usually a signal that the student wasn’t prepared on any of the attempts. To keep taking that exam and scoring mediocre scores is generally a very bad idea. If your first score is not what you wanted, do a thorough analysis of your performance and correct your deficiencies. To just keep taking that test without doing additional preparation or changing your method of preparation, is not using sound judgment no matter what your undergraduate GPA.
Graduate school GPA does not overcome a poor undergraduate GPA. As a graduate student, you are expected to maintain a minimum GPA and you are expected to do well. While earning a graduate degree can enhance your application, there are huge differences between graduate school and medical school. In the case of special masters programs that are specifically designed for pre-medical students who need application enhancement, you need to do very well in these programs. Just taking the coursework will not work, you have to take the coursework and make yourself “stand out” from the rest of your classmates in these programs. It goes without saying that we scrutinize the performance of special masters students very carefully and take into consideration strongly, your letters of recommendation from your SM professors.
I have written the above so that those folks who are in the process of contemplating application to medical school might definitely understand how important it is to have a complete and strong entire application. You are considered within the context of how competitive you are with the rest of our applicant pool and how competitive you are with the national applicant pool. We are given AMCAS data as it becomes available and we adjust our standards according to the data that we receive. For the past five years, undergraduate GPAs and MCAT scores have been increasing. We don’t expect that this trend will reverse.
The number of applicants had increased slightly this year. We don’t’ know if this is a national trend or just a trend for our school. In general, many people look at medicine as a very lucrative career and seek out admission to medical school for this reason especially when the national economy is not as strong as in previous years.
my dilemma is, i have a mediocre gpa 2.6, but I scored a 34 on the MCAT. what do you think my chances of getting into medical school would be?
That 2.6 is going to be way low for many medical schools especially those that screen by GPA no matter what your MCAT score. Taking post bacc work can raise it but it’s going to take a few years of 4.0 GPA post bacc work and then you are likely only going to get up to a bit more than 3.0.
I am not trying to be negative but realistic here. You might try applying to some GPA enhancement-type special masters programs. Again, that 2.6 is going to be an uphill battle for even these programs but they are going to be your best option for proving that you can master a challenging medical school curriculum.
Unfortunately for you, a 34 MCAT does not overcome a poor undergraduate GPA. With the very competitive climate of applying to medical school today, you need to have both the GPA (average is 3.6 for matriculants) and the competitive MCAT score (average is around 30 for matriculants). These average numbers were for 2006, the last year that we have these numbers. I suspect that for 2007 and for 2008, they will go up as the number of application for medical school has increased. Good luck with what you decide to do in terms of getting that undergraduate GPA a bit more competitive.
I am a college senior with a 3.64 GPA, and while I have not taken my MCAT’s yet (I expect to within a year), I expect to get within the 30-34 range. My problem is that I am in a special masters program (Masters in Biotechnology) in my college, but I am not doing so well (B’s).
If it turns out that my graduate courses actually bring my GPA down a little, how badly will this hurt my chances of getting into medical school? Would it be better to finish my master’s program, or opt out of it now and graduate with my current GPA?
Another factor is that I am currently working as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician on an Ambulance), and do some volunteer work in the clinic my mother works in. Will this overcome my less-than-stellar grades in the master’s program?
To Victor:
It is always better to complete a graduate degree program. To leave without your degree would send up a huge area of concern to any admissions committee. From here on out, get the highest grades that you can even if you have to stop volunteering. You need to concentrate on your studies and finish your degree as strongly as possible. With you work as an EMT, you don’t need any more health care experience.
That being said, graduate studies are expected to be well-done. You should have some kind of an explanation for why you have not done well in graduate study. It is expected that you don’t perform graduate work in an area that you do not have a strong interest in.
Graduate GPA is not added to undergraduate GPA. The two are calculated separately and will be reported separately. Your undergraduate work will stand as is. Just do the best that you can to get your graduate GPA as high as possible.
You need to do well on the MCAT period. There is only one exam and you only want to take this very important exam once. Make sure that you are thoroughly prepared before and doing well on practice exams before you even schedule this test. Also beware that everyone who takes the MCAT “expects” to score in the 30-34 range and most people do not accomplish this. This test has thrown many applicants off and you can’t afford to have this happen. Good luck!
I have a dilemma: I have a kind-of weak undergraduate GPA of 3.4 However, I am in the toughest major at my school, Biomedical Engineering. Will admissions committees overlook my slightly-subpar GPA given the difficulty of my courseload?
I have a 2.9 undergraduate gpa. I’m currently taking graduate classes and getting A’s in them. Some classes I am taking are medical school classes that graduate students are allowed to take. If I can continue to maintain a 4.0 graduate gpa and score around the 30 range for the mcats, do I have a chance of getting into med school or is graduate school a wasted effort because you said a high graduate gpa does not make up for a poor undergradute gpa?
To Graham and Tiffany,
Both of you may be at a disadvantage at schools that screen by undergraduate GPA. Undergraduate GPA and MCAT are the main criteria by which applicants are selected for interview invitation and acceptance. What does this mean?
It means that some schools will screen you out by uGPA alone especially those schools that receive a huge number of applications and find themselves only able to pare those huge numbers down by uGPA/MCAT. Other schools will take your entire application into consideration and some may be impressed by your graduate work/rigor of undergraduate major, extracurriculars or LORs. In short, make your entire application (MCAT included) as strong as possible and apply to a broad range of schools. The more schools that you apply to, the better your chances of getting in. Good luck!
I plan on applying at the end of this year (my junior year), this semester didn’t end as well as I had hoped and I will have 3 B’s (Organic, Micro, Physiology). I just took on too much this semester and spread myself too thin. My science GPA when I apply will be about 3.73, with my overall GPA being about 3.85-3.9. I had one other rough semester with 2 B’s a year ago. I haven’t taken the MCAT yet, and I know that is a big factor, but I was wondering if those three B’s in one semester would be a big hinderence.
Thanks!
To Julie:
Don’t worry about this semester. It is gone and you can’t go back and “start over” but you can finish the rest of your semesters strong and prepare well(and score well) on the MCAT. There are plenty of people out there who would kill to have three Bs in one semester. Keep looking forward and don’t fall into the “Pre-med Paranoia” that seems to hit about this time. Good luck!
I am a 4th year student who is considering medicine. However my GPA is only 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale. I was wondering if it would be wise for me to to take another 5th year in undergrad to lift up my average or should i take a masters position. What i am worried about is that my undergrad GPA is going to haunt me, even if i do very well in the masters program.
Many Thanks, John
To John,
See where you are (do some calculations) with your 4th year grades. (Try several different grades) Figure out what your worst uGPA is and what the best uGPA will be. Armed with this information you will likely be in good shape or a SMP (Special Masters Program) or you will be in range for applying to a broad range of medical schools. Also, plan on doing your best on the MCAT (one take if at all possible and score better than 30).
At this point, go to the AAMC website and look for SMPs. I know that Goucher, Georgetown and U of Cinn have these programs but there are plenty of others. Check out some and use them as your Plan B (what you will do if you don’t get into medical school). If you enter an SMP, be prepared to work you rear end off but good grades in an SMP can put you into the competitive range when it comes to medical school application. Good luck!
Hi, I graduated undergrad with a 3.52 GPA. Started my part time MBA last semester and finished it with a 4.0. However, during that semester i decided to become a doctor. I’m planning on completing my pre medical courses in the next year; however, was told that abandoning MBA will not look good on the record. With a good pre med GPA and a MCAT score, how negatively can this affect me? Will a good exlanation help?
Thank you
To Rob,
If you have done significant work toward your MBA, you need to finish it. Extreme financial hardship would be the only good explanation for not finishing this degree (or illness of parent, child or spouse). The big negative about starting a formal graduate program before medical school is that you need to finish it. Your GPA and MCAT will not offset abandoning a graduate degree. On the other hand, if you are totally miserable, don’t go any further because worse than abandoning a graduate program is doing poorly in one.
I’m currently an undergrad senior with a major in Finance. I decided at the end of my junior year however, that I want nothing to do with Finance and that I have a true passion for medicine. My undergrad record is far from great. I started out very poorly after due to financial & family issues and having to work almost full time, but am now doing much better and earning mostly A’s & B’s. So as of today, my undergrad record is still not excellent, but not awful either. My school has an excellent post-bacc program which I plan to enroll in upon graduation since I believe that as a 2nd semester junior it was too late to change my major. After having spoken to several advisors and med school representatives at grad. fairs, I’ve decided that it may be a good idea to start on the pre-med course work with a science class or two here and there while I’m still an udergrad.
I am wondering how med. schools calculate and look at undergrad non-science major GPA in comparison to post-bacc GPA. I was told by a rep from UCLA that science GPA is much more important so I should really focus on the post-bacc curric. I also want to know how my science classes as an undergrad will tie into my science GPA calculation and whether doing this is a good idea after all. Lastly, I am wondering if lower division undergrad. elective science courses, like Astronomy for example will also be calculated as part of my science GPA.In other words, I want to know if science courses which are irrelevant to pre-med requirements will be used against me.
Sorry for the lengthy essay, but I would greatly appreciate some much-needed clarification. Thank you very much.
To Irina,
Every course that you took since secondary school is used to calculate your undergraduate GPA. While a science GPA is looked at, it does not override your entire uGPA. A good upward trend is helpful for someone like you and post bacc will get your uGPA as high as possible. Do realize no matter how many postbacc courses you take, you will likely fall short of the matriculant average uGPA of 3.65 but make sure that you don’t get any grades less then B+ from here on out.
The other thing to keep in mind is that medical schools look at the entire application. You need to take the MCAT once and score well. In addition, your extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation can also help you. Write an excellent personal statement.Don’t use your PS to explain poor academics but highlight how you have overcome adversity to excellence. PS should be well written, honest and coherent.
You can’t start over but you can finish strong, make every part of your application that is under your control excellent and apply to both MD and DO schools. Good luck!
Hi.
i finished with a 3.7 and got an mcat of 29 at UCSD. however, i decided to do a PhD first. my logic was that i wanted an MD/PhD anyway and i was not sure that i could get into a combined program right away. i am going to finish my PhD in 1-2 years. the problem is that my MCAT is from 2003. should i start applying now and see if schools with accept a barely expired test score?? or retake it and reapply after i am done? option #2 is not one that appeals because i would have to score higher or it will look bad, and that scares me a bit.
thanks so much
I’m a Nursing student at a below average university(a state school). My GPA is a 3.7 while taking both nursing courses and med school pre-reqs. Am I going to need to get an above average MCAT score (35 instead of 30) or achieve an even higher GPA to get into med school due to the quality of University I’m attending?
To Matt,
The college that you attend has little bearing in you competitiveness for medical school. You definitely want to beat the matriculant mean for the MCAT since you are a non-science major. Do realize that this number has been increasing every year and do be prepared to “beat the mean” in one shot. Retakes are not going to be a good thing.
Scince and Medicine has always been a passion of mine, unfortunately due to many life circumstances I was not able to perform well academically in undergraduate school. I was suspended once and almsot throw the towel, but I focused on getting my degree and ended up with a 2.2 gpa. A few years have passed by and I am a Graduate student, currently working on my MS in Molecular Biology. I have a 3.8 and have been invited to honors societies/organizations. I am 30 years old working +40 hours at week in a non-profit agency married with 2 kids, only source of income, wife attends college as well. I am also volunteering at the Red Cross and Memorial Herman Hospital. I have an MCAT of 31. For the past 3 semesters I have taken classes such as Cancer Biology, Bichemistry and Calculus, all in one semester with a 4.0. I am planning to apply this year but I am afraid that the my past performance will hunt me.
Advice PLEASE.
Thank you.
To Manuel,
Unfortunately for you, undergraduate GPA is one of the major determinants of invitation to interview at most medical schools. Your graduate GPA, while good, is not going to offset your uGPA in terms of application to allopathic medical schools.
My advice to you would be to look into applying to osteopathic medical schools (they DO take into consideration graduate work and later performance). You also need to be well above the matriculant mean on the Medical College Admissions Test (31 for 2007).
Yes, your past performance is going to definitely hurt you especially at schools that screen and schools that do not consider graduate GPA in terms of admissions (most allopathic schools). Your best bet is to apply broadly and definitely apply to every osteopathic school as they are likely going to be your best shot if you truly wish to practice medicine. Good luck!
Dear dmjbmd,
I applied very broadly for the class of 2012. I however only got 3 interviews, 2 of which have turned into waitlists. I have a 3.60 GPA (although when I applied in July I had a 3.50) and a 32 MCAT. I have done research in geology, orthopedics and oncology. I have volunteered In hospitals, at my university, at a health clinic and for various fundraisers. I have participated in a student exchange and I am a Histology TA.
I must add that I am Canadian, but I am graduating from the best Canadian university.
What do you think was the problem with my application? What should I do if I have to reapply in June?
Thank you!
To Mikkey:
The season is not over and wait list is not the same as rejection. Loads of wait list movement will occur on May 15th when people may not hold multiple acceptances.
In the meantime, update and upgrade anything in your present application that is under your control. You want to have everything ready for next year in the event that you need to use it. There is nothing like being prepared to submit AMCAS in the first day possible.
Be sure to change your PS especially if you are reapplying to schools. This can be your Plan B. Plan B is what you will do if you don’t get accepted. You may not have to use your Plan B but working on it is always good juju for the acceptance gods! Good luck with the waiting.
I graduated with a 3.975 uGPA and got a 32 on the MCAT, but I’m wondering if my circumstances would make me a non-traditional applicant, and if that may have an affect on my acceptance. I completed my undergraduate career in 3 years and have spent this 2007-2008 school year applying to medical schools and working full time as an emergency dept. technician at the local hospital. One of the reasons I completed my schooling so quickly is because I got married in June 2007 – which is also why I needed to work full-time this year. Is there a possibility that my personal circumstances could suggest that I am more concerned with starting a family than pursuing my education? Could it seem that I may not be as focused as other students?
I am very confused because I applied to 8 schools – thus far I have had one interview and no acceptance letters. I plan to reapply should I not be accepted this year – could you make a recommendation for how to better my chances for next year?
Thank you very much.
-Dan
To Danny:
Being non-traditional in itself, isn’t going to make you any more competitive for medical school. As for you not getting accepted, it likely has to do with where you rank in terms of competitiveness within the pool of others that applied to the schools that you applied to.
Eight schools is a small number in today’s application climate. There are loads of applicants who have excellent numbers, extracurriculars, LORs and personal statements. The application as a whole is taken into consideration and no parts of it should be neglected. I am not saying that you neglected anything (because I haven’t seen your application) but I am saying that every single part counts.
Your marriage doesn’t matter either. Perhaps, if you have to reapply (and this cycle isn’t over yet), you may want to apply to more schools (minimum of 20) and apply broadly. You should definitely apply to your state schools and then pick some that seem to fit what you want in a medical school.
Make sure that you LORs are current and strong. Re-do your personal statement (if you don’t get in) and make every part of your application as stellar as you can. If you reapply, be sure that you have done something that upgrades you (perhaps research).
Getting into medical school pits you against the cohort of applicants that also want to get into the same schools that you chose. If you only applied to schools with national reputations, you might face some extreme competition (believe me, it’s out there). Go through everything and redo as much as you can if you have to reapply.
Good luck!
In the second paragraph of your original post, you say that those that may have been weeded out by the original GPA/MCAT scores are sometimes rescreened and discussed. What type of criteria might medical schools have flagged and be looking for?
Also, I’m just a bit confused about something else…you say that the undergrad GPA is generally the most important. If a student has a sub-par undergraduate GPA, would it make more sense to take an extra year or two in undergraduate, taking more classes, improving the GPA vs. enrolling in a post-bac program or a curriculum enhancement program?
To Anonymous:
If you have a subpar uGPA, it’s going to take more than an extra year or two to get you up to a competitive uGPA depending on how many hours you currently hold. If you are a junior or senior with a 3.2/3.3, with two years of work, you are not going to see much of a rise in your uGPA. In that case, a SMP makes more sense as if you do well, you are likely to be admitted into medical school. You can spend a significant amount of time taking extra classes and still find that you are in a hole.
The criteria for reexamination will vary from school to school. Generally we would reexamine and reevaluate a student who had significant hardships as an undergraduate. For example, we admitted a young man who’s roommate was killed in front of him in a street crime. His sophomore year grades suffered and he had a lower than average uGPA but he was definitely a great candidate otherwise.
I graduated from a great school but with a 2.7 in Biochem with a minor in math bio and physic. However, my mcat was a 23 (due to my verbal) . I have extensive volunteer in pharmacy, health clinics/radiology, nursing homes. I decided to go to grad school to improve. Im on my to stabilizing a 3.0 gpa taking medical classes and preparing to finish an EMT program. (my school has a program where we take medical classes for our grad program). The first time i applied, I had 5 holds and one of them unbelievably was an ivy league. What do “holds” necessarily mean? and what is your advice for this application process? Thank you so much
Hello. I graduated from a tech school, one mostly known for it’s computer engineering program, with a 2.5 gpa in biochemistry. I graduated in May 2007. I have not taken my MCATs yet. I started working in September 2007, and have been working for about 7+ months now. I have also volunteered for some time, and done a semester of research in cell biology lab. I”m trying to go for the best possible route, but its hard to decide. After lots and lots of reading up on different ideas (SMP, post bacc, masters, carribbean med, american med, job), and talking with many people (admission counsellor, parents, family, friends, etc), I thought an SMP could help give me a secondary gpa to help balance out my undergrad, but because my undergrad gpa is so low it might not help me to get into an american school. I’ve been reading about gpa cutoffs, and with my parents constantly putting things in a very rude way, it has only hindered my decision and confidence. I know I must take the MCAT and try for such a program, but am unsure. What can you recommend I do? Thanks for your time.
Hello,
I had an undergraduate GPA of 3.53, I am also wrapping up a Medical Science Graduate Program with a 3.45 GPA. I applied last year to Texas Schools (under the TMDSAS application service) and got 2 interviews but no acceptances.
I was wondering if you think that the lower Graduate GPA is going to hurt my application for the next cycle. Is this a bad GPA under graduate school standards?
To EA:
Your graduate school GPA is certainly not going to help you. If this was a “credential enhancing” graduate program, then you really have to do well or the program becomes a huge “red flag” to medical schools. If this was a research-type graduate program, I would advise you to get some publications and do some strong research if you don’t have some solid publications. These might get you in the door.
The biggest problem with graduate programs is that you are expected to to extremely well in them.
Hi I have a 3.89 uGPA in Chemistry, but I only achieved a 29R on the MCAT. How competitive will I be in the application process. I have tons of volunteer and healthcare experience, but I feel like the 29 is going to hold me back. Should I retake at the risk of getting a lower score and will it even matter because by the time I retake the test my application will have already started. Thanks!
To Tjjdh8:
How competitive you will be depends on the rest of the applicant pool of the schools that you apply to. For some schools, that 29R is going to hurt; for others, it will be a bit below their average and they won’t care.
Apply broadly and don’t take the risk of getting a lower score. If you retake the MCAT, you need to score higher period. This means,definitely correcting any deficiencies and take plenty of time.
A lower score would “tank”you. With the 29, and your uGPA, I would leave the retake alone unless you are positive you can score higher. Apply to your state/regional schools and a couple of long shots.
The other downside to a retake is that if you check that you are retaking the exam, your application will be held until your new scores come in. If this makes you later,don’t risk the retake.
The worst case scenario is that you don’t get in and then you have plenty of time to study, retake and reapply early. If you do get in, you didn’t need the retake. In any event, apply early- for emphasis EARLY! good luck!
Hi,
I also have few questions for you? Before I ask, I would like to give you some background info about myself.
Educational Background
Undergraduate Major: Pharmacology (GPA 2.67)
Graduate Major: MS in Biomedical Sciences with concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology (GPA 4.0)
MCAT: 32
Current Work Experience
Adjunct Faculty at Community College: teach General Biology2
Johnson & Johnson: Research Scientist
Health Care Experience: 2 years at various places
Research Experience: 2003 – Present (2008)
Publications: 5
Teaching Experience: 3 years as Research Teaching Specialist and Adjunct Faculty
Above is a brief overview of my background. I would like to enroll in a MD/PhD program.
Questions
Do you think my background is competitive enough to apply into a dual MD/PhD program?
If not, then what else do you think I can do to become a more competitive applicant.
To JMD:
As you probably know, the selection criteria for most MD/Ph.D programs are more stringent than for admission to the medical school by itself. Yes, they will take into consideration your performance in your graduate program but that undergraduate GPA is going to be a liability without question.
Keeping that in mind, it won’t hurt for you to get some solid letters from those with whom you have done research and apply to these programs. If your mentors are good and write great letters attesting to your research ability, you will be in a good position for admission. The thing that you need to do is choose some lesser research schools and apply.
By lesser research schools, I am saying that you might have difficulty getting into a Duke or Harvard but you might stand a chance at your state university. Again, it’s worth a shot.
Another course of action is to complete your Ph.D before you apply to medical school. If you have completed a MS, you may be able to complete your Ph.D in two years and then apply to medical school with your Ph.D. While this option will likely leave you having to borrow money for your medical education, you at least could get department funding for your graduate degree.
Your third option is to apply for MD/DO programs and then pick up your Ph.D (or apply for your Ph.D while you are in your first year of medical school) while you are in medical school. If you have a strong first year, you can make yourself competitive for the MD/Ph.D programs. You would be left owing for one year of medical school but that’s much less than four years in the long run.
The last option is to apply for your Ph.D while you are in residency (many Internal Medicine Programs have this option). You still end up with funding for the Ph.D but you will have to pay for your MD.
The first thing to do is poll your Ph.D colleagues at your industrial site and see if they have some close contacts that are in departments at medical schools. Sometimes a timely phone call from a former graduate student to a mentor can help you get your foot in the door.
Good luck!
Hello,
I am currently starting over in college after a few years of being off. I am 25 years old and work 40 hour work weeks. I started my classes again last semester and achieved 2 A’s and 1 B. I was wanting advice on my previous college experience. I started going to a CC back in 2001 and 2002. I have multiple semesters in those years where I had to withdrawl and receive W’s. My mother was in and out of surgery and hospital stays. It seemed whenever I was in middle of a semester she had a life threatening surgery happening. One semester she was staying in the hospital and I felt I needed to call the phone system to drop my classes once again and where 1 of them dropped 2 of them didnt. I never went to verify the classes dropped due to the high emotional burden. Needless to say now those 2 that didnt drop are F’s and I have about 8w’s. Now 6 years later, I am going back to college and achieveing high grades while supporting myself and am in a whole new different place in my life where I can truly dedicate myself to my academics. So my question is if I continue getting appropriate grades, do volunteering/shadowing/research and everything else I can do, Do the previous hardships I had years ago completely end my chances of going to a Medical school? I called the previous community college and they said I can petition for a grade forgiveness since I already repeated the classes that received the drop fails, But I read in a few places that Medical schools will still factor the previous grades also. Considering I just started to go back, Do I still have enought time to turn the tide? Thanks Much for any response.
Hi Mpw,
You have put some distance between your earlier poor grades and your new and improved academics which is a positive. Do your best and see exactly what your total undergraduate GPA is (be sure to include those failing grades because they count as long as they are on your transcript) for allopathic schools.
The more hours of excellence that you achieve, the higher your total uGPA. Just don’t get any grades less than B+ and don’t drop any classes. With a full-time work schedule, you need to take your time and do very well.
The other thing is that osteopathic schools will replace the previous grade with your new and improved grade so they may be a very viable option for you. Do not discount attending an osteopathic medical school where you will become more competitive faster than the allopathic schools.
The other thing to make sure of is that you want to take the MCAT one time and do well. Don’t take this very important test until you have thoroughly reviewed and are ready to excel here. Good luck
Hi,
I graduated from Boston University with a 2.75 Gpa in neuroscience mostly due to a horrific freshman year. I completed all the pre-req requirements (mostly because of my major anyway) and have shown a strong upward trend every year since my fresman year. I am currently enrolled in a neuroscience masters program at Brandeis Univerisity (gpa 3.75) and I am planning to go on and get my PhD. Similarly to JMD I wish to get both an MD and PhD but I have decided to do them seperately mostly due to how difficult it is to get into joint MD/PhD programs. I’ve had some clinical experience (total of around 9 months both shadowing and clinical research) and I will definitely have a few publications by the time I finish my graduate work. While I understand that graduate gpa does not substitute a poor undergrad gpa does an upward trend and continuation onto an advanced science degree put me in some type of reasonable shot at med school? Aside from doing really well on the MCAT, would additional work in a MS program for biological sciences or something similar be worth while or would my graduate work and PhD degree in neuroscience be sufficient in that regard? Thanks
To AJR:
Finish your Ph.D and apply if that is your choice. You don’t need to add extra courses. Avoid schools that screen by uGPA and you should be fine if your MCAT is excellent.
Hi,
I have a cumulative GPA of 3.1 and a BCPM GPA (including upper division biology courses) of 3.2. I double majored in History and as a result, my AO GPA is around 3.5. Even though my cumulative and BCPM GPAs are low, I actually have a strong upward trend in my upper division biology courses. I jumped from an average GPA of 2.5 (Fresh and Soph years) to 3.0 (Junior) and lastly to 3.7 (Senior) and 3.9 (5th year). I repeated all the physics, general biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry classes at a community college and received straight As in these classes. I could not raise my BCPM GPAs any further because I took most of the upper division biology classes at UCSD and repeated all the available BCPM classes offered by community college. I took MCAT a year ago, but voided it because of the computer glitch problem (it was the first computerized MCAT). I am going to take my 2nd MCAT this September and expecting a 32. By the way, I managed to get into UCSD Biology master’s program and graduated with a graduate GPA of 3.9. My concern is whether I would be in a good shape for allopathic medical school considering that my BCPM GPA and cumulative GPA are not strong. Thank you.
Hi there,
That uGPA is still low for allopathic schools. I would strongly suggest that you apply osteopathic and to your state allopathic schools if your MCAT is over 30. If you don’t break 30, you face an uphill battle anywhere.
In today’s climate of very competitive applicants, your are far below average. The thing is what it is and that’s the problem with a low uGPA. Your upward trend is helpful and a strong MCAT will be helpful but neither will override that uGPA.
Good luck
I’m a VERY non-traditional applicant so I’m curious how you would assess my competitiveness as well as any advice you have in presenting myself during interviews. I’m applying to a range of programs in the bottom to middle parts of the USNews rankings.
My uGPA is a 2.75 but my MCAT was a 37R. I graduated in 1995, spent 3.5 years working for a urologist doing clinical and research work, and then pursued a career at Microsoft. I’ve volunteered in various capacities providing health care to street kids since 1991 (with a 4 year gap in which I changed focus to raise money to support the creation of computer lab resources in secondary schools in Fiji) and I’ve got about >800 hours of doctor shadowing at this point. I want to be a small town doc (due to the location – I grew up on a farm) but my passion is for surgery. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
To Matthew,
Your uGPA of 2.75 is going to be a hurdle for you to cross to get into medical school. That 37R MCAT does not offset that uGPA. You can take some informal postbacc courses and try to get that number higher or you can apply to a SMP (Special Masters Program) such as the one at Georgetown and do extremely well. If you don’t do well in the SMP, you are sunk.
While your extracurriculars are good, your uGPA is very low (unless that 2 is a typo). You need to get that up because many schools are going to screen you out based on that uGPA alone. The ones that don’t are likely not going to be able to offer you an interview as there will be plenty of folks with higher uGPAs that will be ahead of you.
Get some additional coursework (post bacc formal or informal) and get busy getting some As. Good luck!
Hi,
Thanks for answering these questions. I would like to apply to some highly-ranked medical schools – possibly MD/PhD, with the PhD in a Humanities discipline for which I am well prepared – but I am not sure how competitive I am…
double major sci/humanities at Ivy known for grade inflation
science uGPA: 3.69
overall uGPA: 3.79
MCAT: 34Q, balanced
Senior thesis (in humanities) best in department. Also did some graduate-level work in the field.
Upward trend: 3.2 freshman year (with a C in organic…), 3.75 sophomore year, and 4.0 junior and senior years while taking 20 credit hrs/semester and working 20 hrs/week.
Other: some shadowing, research, and volunteering; currently taking time off to improve these areas.
I am concerned that my upward trend and MCAT score (+ explanation that there was a death in the family) do not mitigate that C in organic and my poor performance that year. Is there anything I could do now? Would retaking the MCAT or bumping my GPA up be worthwhile?
Hello drnjbmd,
I graduated from Temple U (biology major, religion minor)with a 3.78 cumulative GPA and a 3.6 science GPA. I received a distinction in biology after completing a research project under a faculty member’s supervision. During undergrad I participated in several student organizations and held leadership positions (president, treasurer, student representative). In regards to clinical exposure, I volunteered and shadowed in the emergency department. In addition to these activities, I teach Sunday school at my church.
Unfortunately, my MCAT score does not reflect my academic abilities. I have taken the MCAT three times already without breaking a 30. I prepared intensively for the exam- several months of uninterrupted preparation. I used the AAMC practice exams and scored consistently above 30.
I read in several different posts/blogs that medical school admission committees do not consider applicants who have taken the MCAT more than three times. I know that osteopathic schools are another alternative.
Should I even consider retaking for the fourth time if I would like to apply early for entering 2010 class?
Thank you in advance for your advice!
Hello,
I am currently a pre med senior at UC Davis, majoring in biology and minoring in religion. I am planning to apply to med school this summer,and I really want to go to UCSF. I was wondering if I would be a competitive enough applicant. I have a 3.9 GPA. I have not taken the MCAT yet, but will be in a few months and believe I will score between 30-34. I am currently doing research (will be for for 1.5 years) and the head doctor told me that I will be published soon. I also work 10 hours a week as a chem tutor, have gone to Ecuador for a month for clinical volunteering, have volunteered once a week at the UCDavis Med Center for four quarters, and have taught ESL classes for Mexican migrant farm workers during 2 summers. I dont know if this helps, but my family is considered being on the poorer side. What are the chances of getting into UCSF?
To La,
Your uGPA is fine but your MCAT will be the deal sealer or deal breaker. If you do not score competitively on this very important exam, it would seem that your uGPA might be due to grade inflation or that you have difficulty with knowledge application.You don’t want either of these to happen. Just be sure that you score well. Everyone “believes” that they will score well, thus you have to “insure” that you score well by doing plenty of practice exams and objectively evaluating your performances under actual MCAT conditions. The MCAT is not a test of memorization but a test of problem-solving and application of knowledge. Do not take this test lightly or believe that because you did well in college coursework, you will be assured of a strong MCAT performance.
It’s difficult to tell how competitive you will be for a particular medical school because your competitiveness will be judged within the context of the pool of applicants to that school. The only thing that you can do is put together the most competitive application that you can put together.
See how your MCAT goes and definitely do not neglect the Personal Statement, LORs and extracurricular activities. You want a strong and complete package so do everything that you can to put this together.
Hi,
My first semester of college was a disaster. I left, grew up a lot and went back to college a year and a half later. My cumulative GPA is 3.2; without that first semester, however, it’s a 3.62. I majored in chemistry and have worked as a chemist for a year and a half. My MCAT score is 35R. How much will that first semester hurt me?
Many thanks
To Mike,
You can’t go back and “undo” that first semester. You have taken steps to move past it and that’s about all you can do. Some schools are going to automatically screen you out because of your uGPA but there are plenty of other schools that will look at an upward trend in uGPA, your MCAT score and the rest of your application and decide that you are a good candidate for admission. The only thing that you can do is apply broadly, your state schools, some reach schools, osteopathic medical schools and some out of state private schools (less likely to screen). See what happens as for sure, if you don’t apply, you won’t get in anywhere.
How much does that semster hurt? It depends on the school and whether or not they screen.
Hi, I have a dilemma as well. My first year of college was a disaster. I had a quasi-major family crisis with my grandfather and I withdraw from all of my first semester classes. My second semester I received 2 F’s, all as a journalism major. However, fortunately, my university allowed me to re-take and replace those initial F’s with A’s. I’ve had a 3.86cGPA (3.75 sGPA) since then, and since I retook the F’s, my cumulative uGPA is 3.71. However, the initial scores and withdrawals I received are still viewable on my transcript next to the new ones, even though they no longer affect my GPA.
Given a 33P MCAT, some stellar LOR’s, hospital experience in a clinical setting, volunteer work with a soup kitchen, work on research projects with my professors, and a very strong personal statement, do I still have a decent shot and being accepted despite the blemishes on my record from my rocky start? Or will people see my freshman year grades and discount me altogether.
To Zach:
They will see your grades. How much these will affect you will depend on how you list them on your application. AMCAS requires you to list every grade and re-takes (even if they don’t count towards your uGPA at your school) will be averaged. As long as those grades are on your transcript, you will be required to list them and they will count in terms of your overall uGPA that AMCAS will calculate.
Since your school allowed you to replace, see if you can get them to remove these grades from your transcript. If you can get total removal, then you won’t have to list them. This would be your best case. You must petition for these to be removed as soon as possible so that they are not on your formal transcript that goes in to AMCAS.
If they won’t remove them, then contact the AMCAS before you complete the application and tell them that your school permits replacement grades and inquire as to whether or not you need to list the previous grades. Be sure to get the name of the person who advises you on this because you have something of a special case. If they waive the requirement that you list your previous grades, then don’t put them on the AMCAS but you have to have official permission before the fact. You don’t want to get “caught up” in not listing all of your grades and delay of completion of your application by AMCAS.
If they don’t remove them, then you also need to place one paragraph of explanation in your Personal Statement. Don’t use more than one graph because the rest of your personal statement needs to be positive and represent you and your uniqueness. In any event, once your transcripts are complete, be sure to request an unofficial trancript to see exactly what is there before you start on your AMCAS application. Believe me, your application and your transcript needs to match or you will be severly delayed,which is detrimental to your applicaiton to medical school.
Hello, I am incredibly scared because my second MCAT went down from a 30 to a 27. I had strep throat when I retook, and I felt that if I didn’t take the taste all my studying would have been in vain, and even though I KNEW my test was terrible, I felt my two months of studying would have been a waste if I didn’t get it scored. . . boy was I wrong
Anyhow, I am not sure if I should retake or apply and wait it out. I graduated from a top 10 LAC with an OK gpa, and I have taken 25 credits of postbac classes with a 4.0. I also have 3 pubs, and lots and lots of ECs. . . I just can’t beleive how stupid I was
Thanks!
To Walter:
I do not recommend a third take on the MCAT. Apply with what you have and see what happens. That retake with the lower score especially if your uGPA is under the matriculant average of 3.65, is going to hurt. A second retake with a lower score will be a death blow. Go with what you have and good luck.
Hi,
I graduated from a top-10 undergrad with a 3.25 gpa majoring in biology. My work ethic was not the greatest in college and my grades had its ups-and-downs, i.e. a C in 2nd semester orgo (got an A in first semester) and a C in a physics class. Additionally, I withdrew from half of my classes during the first semester of my senior year due to a death in the family. In fact, in the last two years of undergrad I was not in the best mental state as I was dealing with a terminally-ill family member, and this is reflected in my sub-par grades.
I worked part-time throughout my college career and have biomedical research experience as well as substantial volunteering/shadowing. My MCAT score was a 34 and I finished a M.S. in biotechnology with a 3.6 gpa to address my low undergrad gpa.
I’ve been working as a consultant since recently graduating from grad school but I’m interested in applying to med school again. Do I have a decent chance at getting into an allopathic school? Does my hiatus from pre-med pursuits (hospital experience was 3 years ago) hurt my chances?
Thanks,
To Sam:
Your 3.25 is going to be a hurdle no matter what MCAT score you can achieve. Granted you had obligations and distractions that would account for that low uGPA but you need some postbacc work (recent) that is excellent. Graduate work (outside of a Special Masters Program for application enhancement) will not work for you nor will publications.
Your best shot is to retake your previously poor pre-med coursework (get As) and apply across the board. In your case, I wouldn’t “look down on osteopathic” medical schools because they are likely your best shot because they replace previously poor grades with more recent excellent ones provided you have these. Unless you retake every grade below C- and replace with As under the osteopathic system, you are still going to be a long shot for osteopathic admission (competition is fierce there too).
You can look into SMPs (you need an MCAT score) which have linkage but you have to do very well or they will be a “deathblow” to getting into any medical school. If you have the money and you are prepared to work extremely hard for strong academic achievement, then they will be an option for you to get into an allopathic school. The key will be doing extremely well and having money as these programs are very expensive. Also beware that most of these programs offer the same coursework as medical students are taking and that you will be along side medical students but you will be held to a higher academic standard. They are difficult but they are a means to an end.
I am an undergraduate finishing up my second year. I started with a 3.6 1st semester, but due to family issues and bad breakup, i made bad choices 2nd semester, and did horribly, finishing the semester up with a bad health condition. I was in denial and did not seek help till about a month ago. With antidepressant medication i am beginning to feel a lot better, i have more energy and climbing my way out of depression. But Because I started medication too late in the semester, my grades suffered once again.so now, with a 2nd gpa of 2.1, and 3rd semester of 3.2, i am ending my 4th semester with 3.23 [my retake for the classes i failed 2nd semester are B- and B) I am taking 18 credits of science classes and 1 english class and have a 20 hours research job. I am hoping that my setting my mindset straight I can do alot better next year. But even doing the best that i can, i will only end up no more than a 3.3 overall and perhaps 3.2 science. Do i have any chance at all getting into a med school in the U.S.? Should i even attempt to apply the end of junior year?
Thank you
To Suz,
It sounds like your best shot would be a post-bacc or Special Masters where you can work extremely hard and gain entry into medical school. Take a look at the post bacc section on the AMCAS website to find some credential enhancing programs. You need to take the MCAT and score well even for the SMPs. In today’s competitive climate, that 3.2 is going to be way under the average matriculant uGPA for every medical school in this country (allopathic or osteopathic). You can apply and see where you fall but this year at my two schools, we turned away plenty of folks with uGPAs of 3.5+. We just couldn’t interview all of them.
With an excellent performance in post bacc/SMP and a strong MCAT (not with multiple retakes), you have a good chance of getting into medical school. You can work as hard as you can from here on out but keep the post bacc/SMP option in front of you if your final uGPA comes in less than 3.5. If you are able to muster a 3.5 by the end of the first semester of your junior year (do some summer school) then you should definitely apply especially if you have a strong MCAT (one try).
Hi, I have just finished my junior year and plan on applying to medical school. I scored a a 33 on the MCAT, and am double majoring in molecular biology and integrated physiology. My current GPA is a 3.8. However, I did receive a B- in gen.chem1 and a B in gen.chem2 my freshmen year. Life sort of hit me and I had a child that first year. I have received straight A’s in every course since including my O.chem’s and the rest of the pre reqs. Will these low marks in science courses deal a lot of damage to my acceptance chances, or is it likely that selection commities will take into account the fact that having a child at 18 may have affected those courses, but once I had gotten my feet planted I have not received less than an A since?
Thank you
To Antonio:
There are no certainties in medicine and in the application to medical school. That being said, you need to apply broadly and not “overestimate” your competitiveness within the context of the rest of the applicants to the schools that you have selected. Certainly you should apply to your state medical schools, to osteopathic medical schools and to a few schools that have a national reputation (Drexel, GW, GT, Northwestern).
Your application has to be complete and well-written. In these days of a very competitive climate, you need a very strong personal statement that shows you and your uniqueness in the best possible light. Don’t make the mistake of using the personal statement to explain academic shortcomings. Your MCAT is above average and your uGPA is above average. Again, these won’t offset “dropping the ball” in other aspects of your application such as shadowing, volunteer experiences and solid letters of recommendation from faculty members who know you and your intellect well.
Make everything as strong as possible; take nothing for granted and you will be successful. Getting into medical school is stressful and a lengthy process but you have taken some steps in a good direction. You can’t go back and undo having a child and thus, I would not mention that part of you life except in a very positive manner. Being a parent means that you know that you have to keep both feet on the ground not only for yourself but for your child too. While your child was born during your first year, I would not mention that your drop in grades was due to giving birth even if it was. You didn’t get the grades that you wanted and it’s done but you have more than overcome those grades. If you dont’ mention them, they probably won’t be much of a factor.
Good luck
hi, I have a 3.73 GPA after my junior year at a undergraduate school known for grade deflation with a 36 mcat. Do you think that my numbers are competitive? Will medical schools take into account the school that I go to? The problem is that i have a lower science gpa of around a 3.62. I’ve had B’s in organic and gen chem.
To John:
Whether your school is “known for grade deflation” or not is a minor detail. As you know, nothing is a “sure thing” in the application process. You put together the most competitive application that you can and float it. Currently, you are slightly above average in uGPA for matriculants and above average for MCAT. Again, the whole application is considered so apply broadly and put your best out there. Good luck!
Hi, I am student who just finished my freshman year at college and it did not go so well. My first semester majority of my grades were fine except for a Precalc. course and chem course which I received a D+ and F. I retook these courses my second semester and got C’s. I know AMCAS average GPA for retaken courses so my GPA is around 2.8 for cumulative whereas my college GPA is slightly higher. My first semester GPA was 2.268 then second semester was 3.14. The main reason I did not do so well was because 1) I did not how to study properly for college courses 2) A family member was critically ill. I know medical school don’t see these as explanation for bad first years, but I was wondering is medical school out of the question? I haven’t taken any premed requirements for my school, the Chem and math course are not part of major or are not counted for the medical school in my state (not premed math or chem). I am taking my first premed courses this summer with new approaches to studying. I really want to become a pediatrician and go to medical school, but I am extremely afraid this bad start has taken me out of the competitive race. I also do other things outside of school which are premed/nonpremed related extracurricular. Although I know my first year was horrible for a premed student, I know I can do better as the years progress. I am not a gifted student but I work extremely hard so I believe I can do better this summer and the next following two years hopefully since I’m more adjusted to college work now. Sorry for this ramble I have been extremely worried. Thank you for your time.
To Samantha:
It is great that you figured out why you did so poorly. If you can put this behind you and more forward with your new study skills you should be fine. One poor course is not going to keep you out of medical school but to continue poor work will. Work strong with discipline and make sure that you correct any problems with they first arise. Drop the extracurriculars until you get you academics in order. You have some time before you have to worry about having enough extracurricular activities. Right now, your academics are your weakness and you HAVE to make them a strength.
Every course that you take post high school will count toward medical school. If your academics are solid from here on out, this first year will be largely ignored but not totally forgotten. You may be asked about this but a strong showing can make a strong case for you being admitted. Keep your grades high and keep your goals solidly in sight. Getting into medical school is like trying to lose 100 pounds. It’s not quick and it’s not easy so work slowly and strongly. Good luck!
Hello, I have a GPA of 3.24 in Biochemistry at the under graduate level from a university in Ghana. This was about 4yrs ago.I now want to go to the medical school. And since I have been out of school for a very long time i have decided to re-enroll as an undergraduate student in medical assisting and then use that GPA togather with MCAT score to apply for med school. Do you think it is good idea? And do you have any suggestions as to how to approach it.Thank you.
To Andrews ankrah:
I am not sure that medical assisting is going to help you much with your below average uGPA. You might be better served if you took some upper level biology, cell biology, or microbiology coursework. Medical assisting is pretty elementary in terms of rigor and likely won’t give you much of a boost. You might also look into taking some critical reading and writing coursework that would give you some assistance with the verbal reasoning section of the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test).
I took the GRE test two years ago and had 730 in the quatitative test, 600 in the verbal test and 4.5 average on the analytical writing aspect.Do you think that will help me in the MCAT.When you say upper level course work, do you mean a masters programme in any of the courses you suggested? Iam 28yrs young. Do you think my age will also be a factor in determining my admission to med school?
First off, thank you for all the valuable advice. Second, I had a question regarding what is considered “good” in an SMP GPA, and what is considered “poor” (or as you phrased it, “sunk”).
I have a 30 MCAT, 2.9 uGPA and a 3.4-3.5 from an SMP (depending on some “fence” courses awaiting AMCAS verification). My EC’s are all fine, and I assume my LORs are fine. I had a hardship circumstance that is explained in my personal statement (and is presented as a positive influence in my decision for med school), but I’m not a URM, and I’m wondering if – all other components being considered “great” – the SMP GPA has helped or hindered my candidacy. And if the latter, are there more “open-minded” allopathic schools that I should make sure to apply to in addition to the osteos? Thanks for your input.
To Jenny:
Some schools are going to look at your SMP performance and say that it’s “marginal” because they expect the SMPs to be your last chance at attempting to show that you are ready for a medical school curriculum. You may find that more than a few will not want to take a chance on you because you haven’t demonstrated that you are significantly better than your undergraduate performance. Apply broadly, especially to osteopathic medical schools and definitely to your state schools. You need to apply to a very wide range of schools and to a large number of schools. The osteopathic schools are going to be more forgiving for the most part and will take you into medicine and the career that you want. I would advise you to apply to all of them in any event. Good luck!
Here goes:
Original plan medical field-B.S. Biology, minor in psychology, overall undergrad gpa of 2.78 due to life events, 19 hour semesters, tough classes-molecular cell biology, calculus, etc. Married, accepted into pre-physical therapy program but decided to have children 1st-now many years later-with two children and a masters in secondary education general science-I teach high school science(going on 8 years)-I have often wondered what if? My students come to me all the time with health related questions and I have referred many students to get this or that checked out-one in particular who had a knot on her neck and wondered what it was and it turned out to be cancer but was caught early enough for surgery and removal with no other problems. Also my Dad has cancer and I read and research on cancer insatiably. In 2004 I interviewed for a PA program but did not get in-committee felt I was not committed enough to the program. I earned my masters while working as a full time high school teacher with 6 preps, two kids, a husband, taking on-line and/or traveling up to two hours one way at night for classes and managed a 4.0. I scored a 950 on the GRE back in 2003 and have seriously thought of medical school or an allied health career. Honestly, at 38, would I be competitive at all in pursuing a medical degree of any sort? I appreciate your honesty-thanks!
To Amy:
You need to figure out what your undergraduate GPA is. That’s your first step in that graduate grades are of little use. Since it appears that your uGPA is very, very low for medical school, you likely need to retake some of your coursework and any pre-med courses that you don’t have. Even with retakes and all As, you are going to be low for allopathic medical school but you can get yourself into the competitive range for osteopathic medical schools. In 2009, if you truly wish to become a physician, osteopathic is going to be your best route. In addition, you need a competitive score on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) as GRE is useless for medical school application. Get your coursework done, get a good score on the MCAT and you will be competitive.
Thank you for the reply and the advice-I plan on checking into osteopathic med schools. Thanks again!
I am Molecular and Microbiology Major with 3.95 GPA but did terrible in MCAT, got a 25R. Have good Volunteer hours, research and shadowing exp. What r my chances. Also I am finishing undergrad degree in 3 years with more than full laod.
Thanks
Mariam
To Mariam:
I think you know that the answer to your question is that you need to retake the MCAT and score well. In terms of people with high uGPAs and low MCAT, the belief by many admissions committees is that grade inflation was largely responsible for your uGPA.
If you retake the MCAT, you need to be very sure that you can score much higher than your initial score. Plan on one retake and make that retake a good one. You are well below the average for medical school matriculants and this, your MCAT score is one area that you need to improve. Your uGPA does not offset that score.
Try to figure out what you need to get a strong score; prepare well and score well so that you have a fighting chance at acceptance. You can apply with that low score but you may face an expensive uphill battle that might not be successful. My advice would be prepare well for the MCAT and retake when you are sure that you can do well on that exam.
Thanks for the above insights. However, i have a bit of a dilemma.
Okay im a sophmore and currently attend a university with a horrendous gpa of 2.2 due to depression. Anyway, i’m in a better place now. I really want to go to medical school so i applied to a different university, my plan is to use my grades from a community college that i previously attended (i have a 3.6 gpa there) and pretty much start afresh.
So my question is – should i stay where i am now and try to pull up my gpa which i know will take a loooonng time or do i start afresh?
p.s: math seems to be a devil in my way – i have taken college algebra twice and had to withdraw.
Your candid advice would be greatly appreciated,
Eve.
To Eve:
Whether you transfer or not, your grades are still with you. If there is something at your current college that is significantly keeping you from achieving, you could transfer but you still have to report those grades. You can’t just decide to transfer and ignore what you have done previously. In short, everything (grade-wise) that you have done since high school is included in your medical school application.
Things that are helpful would be showing a steady upward trend in uGPA and demonstrating that you depression is now under control and no longer a factor in your academic achievement. Yes, it’s tough to overcome a large number of hours of uGPA that are poor but it can be done. Also keep in mind that if you apply to osteopathic medical schools, they will substitute the most recent (and improved) grade for any classes that you retake.
Good luck and keep moving forward. It takes some time to overcome previous poor grades but it can be done. Just don’t make the mistake of believing that you can “omit” any college coursework that you have completed because you transfered to another university. Everything counts.
drnjbmd,
I took my MCATs in august and got a 32. I am a physics major and chem minor at a top 30 university with a 3.58 GPA (science and cumulative). I have plenty of extracurricular activities/research experience. Most of my applications have been complete since the end of September, yet I have not received any interviews. Is this due to my late application, the slow application process, or something else.
To Eric:
You were a little on the late side if you were complete at the end of September. Now, most places are shutting down for the long holiday season. Don’t expect much to be done until about the second week in January. Most likely, you are going to be in the later group of applications being reviewed especially at places that have rolling admissions. Your 3.58 might be a bit of a turn-off for some schools but I hope that you applied across the board. Good luck!