Note: I've already checked MSAR/ChooseDO for the schools I'm applying to make sure they accept my prerequisites, most of which were completed at my undergraduate institution anyway.
I graduated college with a 2.3 sgpa and a boatload of W's. After that I did 50-60 (I can't remember off the top of my head, but it was four semesters) credits of DIY postbacc to bring my sgpa up to a 3.0. My reason behind choosing the DIY route was simple--there was absolutely no formal postbacc or SMP that would accept me with my dismal gpa.
I live in an area with one extension school within a 200 mile radius. The most well known university near me requires you to compete and gain acceptance as a transfer student in order to take classes as a non-degree seeking student--something I did not even qualify to apply for, gpa wise. There are three other universities within a 200 mile radius. Whenever I could find an upper level biology class that I hadn't taken, I took them there. The issue is, these classes were hard to come across as students at the university always register first and fill up the classes. For these reasons, the bulk of my postbacc courses were done online through UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego Extensions, and some in person community college classes. I know it is frowned upon but I did the best I could given the resources I had.
How badly will this hurt my application? I am applying DO.
I graduated college with a 2.3 sgpa and a boatload of W's. After that I did 50-60 (I can't remember off the top of my head, but it was four semesters) credits of DIY postbacc to bring my sgpa up to a 3.0. My reason behind choosing the DIY route was simple--there was absolutely no formal postbacc or SMP that would accept me with my dismal gpa.
I live in an area with one extension school within a 200 mile radius. The most well known university near me requires you to compete and gain acceptance as a transfer student in order to take classes as a non-degree seeking student--something I did not even qualify to apply for, gpa wise. There are three other universities within a 200 mile radius. Whenever I could find an upper level biology class that I hadn't taken, I took them there. The issue is, these classes were hard to come across as students at the university always register first and fill up the classes. For these reasons, the bulk of my postbacc courses were done online through UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego Extensions, and some in person community college classes. I know it is frowned upon but I did the best I could given the resources I had.
How badly will this hurt my application? I am applying DO.
