Advice on GPA and ECs

[bluetree.]

Hello SDN! I would like some advice on what to do in the upcoming semesters. I am currently a senior and my GPA is:

Cumulative GPA	3.459
AMCAS sGPA	3.443
AACOMAS sGPA	3.488

Should I take 10 more credits in the summer to get to a 3.496? Is this rounded to 3.5 on applications? Is it true some medical schools filter out anything below a 3.5? This GPA is due to many B's, one D (retake grade: A), and one C. Below is more info on my ECs as of now.

1. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
   1. Not taken yet
2. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
   1. Florida
3. Ethnicity and/or race
   1. White- born/raised in Hispanic country
4. Undergraduate institution or category
   1. State - Biomedical Sciences
5. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
   1. Paid: 700 hrs ER scribe
   2. Free clinic: 3 hrs
6. Research experience and productivity
   1. N/A
7. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   1. N/A
8. Non-clinical volunteering
   1. 60 hrs fundraising for school org.
9. Other extracurricular activities
   1. Leadership:
      1. Marketing director pre-med organization (1 year)
      2. Undergraduate mentor (1 year)
10. Relevant honors or awards
    1. President’s Honor Roll
    2. Deans list
    3. National Society of Leadership and Success
11. Anything else not listed you think might be important
    1. Paid work:
       1. Freshman + sophomore years had 2 jobs.
       2. Senior year: part-time job
    2. Low income.
    3. Gap year to apply

I appreciate any advice. Thank you

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[chilly_md]

What are your year by year trends for both cGPA and sGPA? That will be more important.

3 hours at a free clinic is not something worth mentioning. To get the most benefit from your gap year, you should spend significant time helping those less fortunate (such as at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, food bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters etc). 60 hours at a fundraising org is not very notable and getting 200+ hours in areas like I mentioned would help your chances.

Get 50 hours of shadowing as well, including some in primary care.

 

[bluetree.]

Thanks for your input. This is my trend for cGPA and for sGPA it's very similar. My plan is to apply before the gap year, so I want to add more ECs from here until the next application cycle opens. But I don't know what to do GPA wise.

 

[chilly_md]

View attachment 371441
Thanks for your input. This is my trend for cGPA and for sGPA it's very similar. My plan is to apply before the gap year, so I want to add more ECs from here until the next application cycle opens. But I don't know what to do GPA wise.

It would be easier if I could see the actual numbers.

The MCAT score will be important too.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

1. Research experience and productivity
   1. N/A
2. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   1. N/A
3. Non-clinical volunteering
   1. 60 hrs fundraising for school org.

1) Do well on the MCAT
2) Work on the fact you have subpar hours for shadowing and non-clinical volunteering. Fundraising does not show service orientation, so you are effectively at zero hours here.
3) Couple that with your GPA, I think you risk being "baked in" for your GPA. You need to understand "reinvention" and show consistent excellence in your upper-level biomedical courses for a shot at MD. Right now, you could be fine for DO if you take care of points 1 and 2 above.

 

[bluetree.]

It would be easier if I could see the actual numbers.

The MCAT score will be important too.

Freshman- 3.7
Sophomore- 3.0
Junior- 3.54
Senior- 3.57
It was sophomore year when everything went online that I had difficulties maintaining high grades.

 

[bluetree.]

1) Do well on the MCAT
2) Work on the fact you have subpar hours for shadowing and non-clinical volunteering. Fundraising does not show service orientation, so you are effectively at zero hours here.
3) Couple that with your GPA, I think you risk being "baked in" for your GPA. You need to understand "reinvention" and show consistent excellence in your upper-level biomedical courses for a shot at MD. Right now, you could be fine for DO if you take care of points 1 and 2 above.

Thank you! Does it make a difference if I have a 3.45 GPA vs 3.49? Does it need to be an even 3.5 to be better?

 

[chilly_md]

Freshman- 3.7
Sophomore- 3.0
Junior- 3.54
Senior- 3.57
It was sophomore year when everything went online that I had difficulties maintaining high grades.

You likely would need to apply MD and DO. When you get your MCAT score, let us know.

You could take some upper level bio classes in the summer, but 10 credits isn’t going to make much of a difference.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you! Does it make a difference if I have a 3.45 GPA vs 3.49? Does it need to be an even 3.5 to be better?

Just aspire to do better and don't obsess over rounding.