Below 3.0 gpa Support Group/Thread

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I wanted to just stick with DO schools but people keep telling me since I'm an URM, I should still try for MD schools. So I guess I'll be doing both.


What is URM??

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URM=Under represented minority

@jujak04

Hey man, I am planning on taking one class in the summer (Human Physiology). In the fall I plan on taking three classes (Virology, Neurobiology, and Research Methods in Biology). I work 6:30a - 3p M-F. My supervisor is going to allow me to leave 2 hrs early to attend my summer and fall classes.
 
Hey everyone! Does anybody have any ideas or tips on how to pay for school as a post-bacc? How are you guys doing it without taking any loans? Once you get your first degree it is hard to get any aid besides loans in texas. I still haven't paid off my loans from my previous degree.
 
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Hey everyone! Does anybody have any ideas or tips on how to pay for school as a post-bacc? How are you guys doing it without taking any loans? Once you get your first degree it is hard to get any aid besides loans in texas. I still haven't paid off my loans from my previous degree.
I'm a software engineer and worked for 8 years before starting my postbacc last Fall. Even then I've been working part-time all year because once I finally make it into medical school, it's going to be a miserable decade of studying and working for below minimum wage. This is my only chance to earn/save money for a long while.

Also, I don't think most postbaccs are eligible for financial aid or federal loans since they aren't degree granting programs. Some of my classmates took private loans, most just come from money and live off their parents.
 
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Hi everyone, been having some thoughts lately. I'm questioning my plan of action for medical school. I was hoping for any kind of advice and am open to everything. My GPA is 2.8x and am struggling with determining a goal after graduating. I was a chemistry major and then switched to pharmaceutical sciences (instead of p chem + lab, we take med chem + pharmacology) to take extra classes and boost my GPA if, theoretically, I kill these remaining classes. It would raise my GPA to a 3.2x. I'm having doubts now because I work full-time night shifts and I often feel burned out to do anything. I'm living in northeast Ohio and found a post-bacc program at NEOMED that's partnered with Cleveland State University. Essentially, you apply to the program, take classes full-time at CSU while maintaining a GPA of 3.4 and must receive at least a 500 on the MCAT. After the 2 years, you will be automatically enrolled into NEOMED's medical school. I've been thinking about this program a lot and wanted to get other's opinions on it. I would much rather do this than finish the rest of my degree in 2 years, possibly struggle with my stats, landing interviews, and save myself from rejections. If I could start my GPA repair earlier, I'm more in favor of that and if can have a guaranteed spot into medical school, I'd be in love with that. I'm still fairly young but don't want to start medical school at 29. I'd like to start between 25 and 27, this way I finish medical school between 29 and 31 and residency by 33 and 35 (rough estimates of course).

What's your opinion on this?
1. Finish the degree I'm in, graduate in 2 years, and hope for the best?
2. Find a degree plan that'll allow me to graduate next year and apply to this program?
3. Some other magical, unicorn plan?

I'll take any/all judgments/insults/feedback necessary. I'll need everything you got. You guys are my motivation. I love reading about the success stories in this thread.

Thank you so much.

Post Baccalaureate/M.D. | NEOMED - College of Medicine
 
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Hey everyone! Does anybody have any ideas or tips on how to pay for school as a post-bacc? How are you guys doing it without taking any loans? Once you get your first degree it is hard to get any aid besides loans in texas. I still haven't paid off my loans from my previous degree.
Hey I'm still working part time so I am going to be on a payment plan and using tuition assistance, but honestly if I didn't have that I would go back as a 2nd degree student and qualify for aid that way , just taking the classes I need. Only thing with that is you are obligated to follow rules about prerequisites or term limits

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Hi everyone, been having some thoughts lately. I'm questioning my plan of action for medical school. I was hoping for any kind of advice and am open to everything. My GPA is 2.8x and am struggling with determining a goal after graduating. I was a chemistry major and then switched to pharmaceutical sciences (instead of p chem + lab, we take med chem + pharmacology) to take extra classes and boost my GPA if, theoretically, I kill these remaining classes. It would raise my GPA to a 3.2x. I'm having doubts now because I work full-time night shifts and I often feel burned out to do anything. I'm living in northeast Ohio and found a post-bacc program at NEOMED that's partnered with Cleveland State University. Essentially, you apply to the program, take classes full-time at CSU while maintaining a GPA of 3.4 and must receive at least a 500 on the MCAT. After the 2 years, you will be automatically enrolled into NEOMED's medical school. I've been thinking about this program a lot and wanted to get other's opinions on it. I would much rather do this than finish the rest of my degree in 2 years, possibly struggle with my stats, landing interviews, and save myself from rejections. If I could start my GPA repair earlier, I'm more in favor of that and if can have a guaranteed spot into medical school, I'd be in love with that. I'm still fairly young but don't want to start medical school at 29. I'd like to start between 25 and 27, this way I finish medical school between 29 and 31 and residency by 33 and 35 (rough estimates of course).

What's your opinion on this?
1. Finish the degree I'm in, graduate in 2 years, and hope for the best?
2. Find a degree plan that'll allow me to graduate next year and apply to this program?
3. Some other magical, unicorn plan?

I'll take any/all judgments/insults/feedback necessary. I'll need everything you got. You guys are my motivation. I love reading about the success stories in this thread.

Thank you so much.

Post Baccalaureate/M.D. | NEOMED - College of Medicine

Hey there @dingdong28! Glad you found this thread and I hope it helps you as much as it helped me.

In reading your post, three things jumped out at me, and I think many of them apply broadly to this thread and are worth some serious reflection by anyone considering a career in medicine.


1. Figure out your goal and WHY you want it. If you can't align your day-to-day activities behind a goal, you will burn out. Doing something "just because you should" is a TERRIBLE reason to do it. Ex: finishing your program because you feel you should is NOT a good goal. Finishing it because you want to increase your GPA to gain acceptance to medical school even though you hate every second of every class - that's a goal that keeps your eye on the prize.

2. Ditch the timeline. All of us - low GPA college grads - by virtue of needing GPA repair are on a "non-traditional" timeline. So the idea that you would "like to be in medical school by 25" does nothing but add unnecessary pressure to your trajectory. Ditching the arbitrary timeline will make it easier to change if you decide you need another cycle of volunteering, classes, or MCAT prep to make your application truly competitive.

Plus, the "destination" of finishing residency is a decade away. If you don't enjoy the journey, including the admissions process, you're going to be miserable no matter what age you finish.

3. Set yourself up for success. The easiest way for us low GPA folks to do this is to start by asking "What went wrong" in [undergrad, grad school, etc]. When you figure out what went wrong, you can start making changes that directly address previous problems, and that set you up for success in the future.


In reading your post, it seems you're shooting yourself in the foot by working full time and taking classes. "I often feel [too] burned out to do anything" is a clear sign you need a change, and only you can figure out what would help best. (More sleep, less work, a leisure activity that truly recharges your energy, etc.)

I can also tell you're excited about the post-bac program with the linkage. However, I'd challenge you to think about the GPA requirements. For you to gain admission, you'll need >3.40 GPA over two full years. However your current best is only a 2.8x.

What makes you think you can do better academically in a post-bac than you have done in the past? Whatever those changes are, make them NOW and avoid digging a deeper hole in your current program. This journey doesn't get any easier. So if you're afraid of the tough work and long journey, you should look for a different career.

I tell you all this because I had similar thoughts regarding a Post-Bac, and enrolled directly out of college. I wanted to "repair my 3.0 GPA" by getting even BETTER grades in a Post-Bac. But yet, I didn't think about my previous shortcomings and made zero changes. So when the courses were even tougher than undergrad, I did even worse academically and dug myself into a deeper academic and financial hole.

So seven years later - timeline be damned - I have been accepted to multiple schools and plan to matriculate at an Allopathic school in the Fall.

So to any Low-GPA folks considering a Post-Bac program, make sure you're clear on your goal, have reasonable expectations, and have identified significant changes that will set yourself up for success. This will do nothing but help you on your journey to medical school.
 
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What an inspiring thread! Thanks to all who post here. Seeking a little advice from my fellow non-trads

Female/ORM, Texas resident
Undergrad: 2012, BA Biology, 3.29 cGPA/2.96 sGPA
Grad: 2015, MHA, 4.0 GPA
Solid ECs/clinical shadowing/no research

Been working in a major academic medical center in Patient Experience/hospital management since graduation.

Obviously I'll need to rock the MCAT (admittedly, no guarantees for future performance). Any suggestions on a target GPA to shoot for through a DIY postbacc? All my prereqs were finished in undergrad, so I'm free as a bird to take anything I need to. I know Texas resident + low stats may hurt, but I'm patient in however long this may take to become a solid competitive applicant.

Thanks to all of you for some great, inspiring reads and advice-giving!
 
What an inspiring thread! Thanks to all who post here. Seeking a little advice from my fellow non-trads

Female/ORM, Texas resident
Undergrad: 2012, BA Biology, 3.29 cGPA/2.96 sGPA
Grad: 2015, MHA, 4.0 GPA
Solid ECs/clinical shadowing/no research

Been working in a major academic medical center in Patient Experience/hospital management since graduation.

Obviously I'll need to rock the MCAT (admittedly, no guarantees for future performance). Any suggestions on a target GPA to shoot for through a DIY postbacc? All my prereqs were finished in undergrad, so I'm free as a bird to take anything I need to. I know Texas resident + low stats may hurt, but I'm patient in however long this may take to become a solid competitive applicant.

Thanks to all of you for some great, inspiring reads and advice-giving!

Your 4.0 in the Masters will help, though it's worth knowing that MHAs are not seen to be as rigorous as all-science graduate work. But it will certainly work for you.

Given the recent success and ECs, I think you'll stand a solid DO chance if you get your sGPA above 3.0. Particularly if you took 1-2 semesters or 2-3 quarters of all-science and aced them, I think that's sufficient to show that the you of now is not the you of 2008-2012. That might not even be necessary, but I would wait to apply until you have a 3.0 sGPA because many schools screen you out if your sGPA is below that. And yes, you will want the highest possible MCAT. I can't speak to cut-offs or the minimum that you should be happy with, but I can say that 510+ will only help. Also don't know your shot for MD schools.
 
What an inspiring thread! Thanks to all who post here. Seeking a little advice from my fellow non-trads

Female/ORM, Texas resident
Undergrad: 2012, BA Biology, 3.29 cGPA/2.96 sGPA
Grad: 2015, MHA, 4.0 GPA
Solid ECs/clinical shadowing/no research

Been working in a major academic medical center in Patient Experience/hospital management since graduation.

Obviously I'll need to rock the MCAT (admittedly, no guarantees for future performance). Any suggestions on a target GPA to shoot for through a DIY postbacc? All my prereqs were finished in undergrad, so I'm free as a bird to take anything I need to. I know Texas resident + low stats may hurt, but I'm patient in however long this may take to become a solid competitive applicant.

Thanks to all of you for some great, inspiring reads and advice-giving!

In reading your story and stats, with a solid MCAT score, you have a shot at both DO & MD schools.

I agree that you'll want your sGPA to be >3.00, but once you do that I would apply! You should also shoot for all As in your DIY Post-Bac. That will reassure AdComs when you tell them the "you of yesterday is not the you of now" story - which is important to do in your app!

Otherwise, I would just focus on your MCAT and get >510+ and you should be set!
 
@SkiBum8 @parslea

Thank you both. Aceing a couple of science classes to bring my sGPA up as high as possible seems the way to go. Hoping the MHA will help, but I'm not holding out TOO much hope there. Would ya'lls (can you tell I'm from Texas?) advice stay the same even knowing how much Texas schools like their high stats?
 
@SkiBum8 @parslea

Thank you both. Aceing a couple of science classes to bring my sGPA up as high as possible seems the way to go. Hoping the MHA will help, but I'm not holding out TOO much hope there. Would ya'lls (can you tell I'm from Texas?) advice stay the same even knowing how much Texas schools like their high stats?

I don't know too much about TMDAS stuff- didn't notice youre a resident there. I have heard that non-Texas schools can be apprehensive about accepting Texan students because they so often end up staying in state. But this may be the case more with MD than DO (though I don't know why that would be the case). Given that you're from Texas, I would recommend asking one of the adcoms/administrators on here.
 
Hi everyone!

I am currently a "sophomore" in college, preparing to transfer out of a community college.
Long story short, I attended a public university out of high school, but due to many factors in my life, messed up terribly my complete first year and ended up with a 0.622 GPA after enrolling into 27 units.

I was working full time for a few years and returned to school through a community college. Early on, I took a couple of science prereqs (General Chem and Bio), was not ready to transition back into school, and ended with C's in both. So, I tried selling myself on the idea of nursing and I ended up completing all of the prerequisites, ending up first in my class in all of them. I obviously know that the prereqs to get into Medical School are extremely difficult, but the nursing prereqs were just too easy for me, that I don't feel accomplished. I guess this gave me a bit of hope to pursue the path to becoming a DO. I've been wanting to be an ObGyn since I was in high school (I was an AP/Honors student), but having a child at such a young age completely discouraged me from even wanting to try. I just got all of my acceptance letters into all the nursing programs I applied to and regret to admit that I had no sense of excitement when receiving them.

Right now, I have a 3.67 GPA. I attempted averaging out both GPA's and figured in the case that I miraculously earn A's in the rest of the prereqs, I may end up with a cumulative GPA of 3.3. Is this even an acceptable GPA to get into a DO program?

Thanks in advance!
 
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Hi everyone!

I am currently a "sophomore" in college, preparing to transfer out of a community college.
Long story short, I attended a public university out of high school, but due to many factors in my life, messed up terribly my complete first year and ended up with a 0.622 GPA after enrolling into 27 units.

I was working full time for a few years and returned to school through a community college. Early on, I took a couple of science prereqs (General Chem and Bio), was not ready to transition back into school, and ended with C's in both. So, I tried selling myself on the idea of nursing and I ended up completing all of the prerequisites, ending up first in my class in all of them. I obviously know that the prereqs to get into Medical School are extremely difficult, but the nursing prereqs were just too easy for me, that I don't feel accomplished. I guess this gave me a bit of hope to pursue the path to becoming a DO. I've been wanting to be an ObGyn since I was in high school (I was an AP/Honors student), but having a child at such a young age completely discouraged me from even wanting to try. I just got all of my acceptance letters into all the nursing programs I applied to and regret to admit that I had no sense of excitement when receiving them.

Right now, I have a 3.67 GPA. I attempted averaging out both GPA's and figured in the case that I miraculously earn A's in the rest of the prereqs, I may end up with a cumulative GPA of 3.3. Is this even an acceptable GPA to get into a DO program?

Thanks in advance!

It is unclear to me how you can calculate a GPA of 3.67. Is that just in your most recent coursework? I think you need to count all of your undergraduate coursework to calculate your real undergrad cGPA- that's the one that DO schools are sent. Though, they will be able to tell that your most recent coursework is much better.

A 3.3 cumulative and science GPA is competitive for many DO schools, particularly if you have decent ECs and MCAT score (would aim for >80th percentile, but that's not a hard cutoff). Your upward trend will help. Being someone who has already completed an undergrad degree, the most important advice I can give you is to succeed in the rest of your undergrad courses. If this means dropping out and nursing for a while to take a break and figure out what you need to do to ace or come close to aceing (>3.7 GPA moving forward) do it. If you do not do your well in your scienc courses moving forward, you'll have to spend years trying to show that the you of now is not the you of then (and the then before that, too, at that point!). You are already showing a significant reinvention that plenty of med schools recognize and reward.

It seems completely reasonable to me for you to nurse between .5 - 1 FTE while chipping away at the rest of the prereq courses required for med schools (and maybe complete a degree if you haven't done so). But there are many paths you could take. I'd imaging nursing is regarded as excellent clinical exposure!

You'll want to calculate your total undergrad science GPA. If it is extremely low, you will also want to take a bunch of upper level (can be undergrad) science courses to show you can handle them. Be sure to use the AACOMAS science course designations to calculate this- different than AMCAS BCPM science GPA)
 
So this is going to be a long story but bear with me folks, for I desperately need your help. A long time ago I was in high school and considered an advanced student. Due to modern television and film, I thought this meant I was a genius and didn't have to study anything ever. I graduated with solid grades, and in my first semester at college got destroyed by chem 1 and managed to scrape out a C. The next semester I took Chem 2 saw it was going to be another C and withdrew from it early. Discouraged that I probably wouldn't be accepted by any med school based on the C's, I switched to an English degree and the law school route and decided I would underachieve my way through life ( no offense anyone just not my first option). I wanted to be a doctor in the first place since basically every family member I have has developed cancer in some form, including my fiancée, and I want to help people that feel my pain and theirs. Fast forward two years, I am about to graduate in like 10 days with a 3.1in english but another cancer diagnosis in my uncle has given me a light bulb moment that nothing in life is easy and I need to suck it up and try again for med school. With the ugly history in chemistry and the flip flop degree change, is it too late?
 
So this is going to be a long story but bear with me folks, for I desperately need your help. A long time ago I was in high school and considered an advanced student. Due to modern television and film, I thought this meant I was a genius and didn't have to study anything ever. I graduated with solid grades, and in my first semester at college got destroyed by chem 1 and managed to scrape out a C. The next semester I took Chem 2 saw it was going to be another C and withdrew from it early. Discouraged that I probably wouldn't be accepted by any med school based on the C's, I switched to an English degree and the law school route and decided I would underachieve my way through life ( no offense anyone just not my first option). I wanted to be a doctor in the first place since basically every family member I have has developed cancer in some form, including my fiancée, and I want to help people that feel my pain and theirs. Fast forward two years, I am about to graduate in like 10 days with a 3.1in english but another cancer diagnosis in my uncle has given me a light bulb moment that nothing in life is easy and I need to suck it up and try again for med school. With the ugly history in chemistry and the flip flop degree change, is it too late?
If you're willing to put in 2+ years of extremely hard work in taking all the prereqs, retaking any prereqs that you already have a C- or below in, and gaining significant clinical experience, clinical and non-clinical volunteer hours in, then it is not too late. People commonly say that it is a marathon, not a sprint. I recommend gaining at least 50+ hours clinical experience first in a variety of settings to make sure you really want to commit years of your life to achieving a shot at admission into medical school. I would use the search function to find DrMidLife's posts about coming back from a very low GPA and to gain a sense of the kind of commitment it takes to get to med school from where you are at. If you want to do something clinical that is less insanely difficult to get to, there are also a number of alternatives you can consider: DPM, RN, ARNP, nurse anesthetist, PA, optometry, etc. Just listing them in case you are not aware of all of those professions.
 
If you're willing to put in 2+ years of extremely hard work in taking all the prereqs, retaking any prereqs that you already have a C- or below in, and gaining significant clinical experience, clinical and non-clinical volunteer hours in, then it is not too late. People commonly say that it is a marathon, not a sprint. I recommend gaining at least 50+ hours clinical experience first in a variety of settings to make sure you really want to commit years of your life to achieving a shot at admission into medical school. I would use the search function to find DrMidLife's posts about coming back from a very low GPA and to gain a sense of the kind of commitment it takes to get to med school from where you are at. If you want to do something clinical that is less insanely difficult to get to, there are also a number of alternatives you can consider: DPM, RN, ARNP, nurse anesthetist, PA, optometry, etc. Just listing them in case you are not aware of all of those professions.
Well thank you for being candid, I believe I can do the aforementioned things. Would it be better to re take the pre reqs before or after the associates degree? Not sure if it would be viewed differently if I put off graduating for a while to do them before moving on.
 
A friend of mine just invited me to his graduation ceremony. He's officially going to become a doctor. Sigh...I am happy for him. I am. I want to make haste but I can't. I have to make sure I kill it in my post-bac and Mcat. In 2 yrs l will land an acceptance and post it here.
 
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A friend of mine just invited me to his graduation ceremony. He's officially going to become a doctor. Sigh...I am happy for him. I am. I want to make haste but I can't. I have to make sure I kill it in my post-bac and Mcat. In 2 yrs l will land an acceptance and post it here.

Will be posting acceptance story along with you


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Well thank you for being candid, I believe I can do the aforementioned things. Would it be better to re take the pre reqs before or after the associates degree? Not sure if it would be viewed differently if I put off graduating for a while to do them before moving on.
I don't think the order is particularly important. As long as you have all the prereqs and a degree at application time, should be looked at the same, just to my knowledge anyway. Perhaps there would be some benefit to taking upper level courses most proximal to your application to demonstrate that you are ready now, but with good grades in prereqs and the last couple years of your bachelor's degree, that is probably not important.
 
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I'm here because my undergraduate GPA was a 3.0. I completed my BSN while working full time with 4 small kids. My graduate degree GPA was 3.28 although I'm told that doesn't count. I have 5 classes I need to take including Organic Chem I & II, Physics I & II, and Bio Chem. I spoke to the program director of a state school and she told me to shoot for As. I plan to work my hardest to achieve that. Good Luck everyone


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Hey guys need help and guidance. Gonna give brief history and let me know what you think my options are.

Beginning: Overall GPA Below 2.0

Went to a NY private school on the Island and basically had a horrible career. I couldn't stay for entire lecture and studying was not an option without having painful migraines. I was able to pass my regular course with Average grades ranging from C's to A's but was not able to pass my main science courses, just Bio 1 and Chem 1. During the end of my first semester as a freshman found that the daily migraines were due to a macro adenoma in my pituitary gland. Became very depressed on the low possibility of a chance at medical school and my condition also gained 60 pounds in the process.


Middle: Overall 3.0 GPA

Advised by student dean to take a year off for surgery, but decided to start over at local community college with only a few credits transferring. Bio and Chem were still difficult to and medical condition was still an issue. Was able to graduate with a B average and things started looking up with medical issues subdued with great medication treatment plan.


Present: Overall 3.0 GPA

Having one lapse in health insurance coverage resulted in severe migraines and irregular symptoms caused one horrible semester at Stony Brook. Then enrolled in Stony Brook's Health Science Program. Decided to the Healthcare Informatics concentration. I have recently been accepted to a masters in healthcare informatics program, but still want to do medicine.


The Issue:

I still have about 8 pre requisite courses left to take and want to begin doing post bacc 1 or 2 courses at a time while working full time. I wouldn't begin until after I graduate from the masters program.

What do you think my chances are with A's and B's in the remaining courses. I have no MCAT score yet and ecc's include:

Oncology Volunteer
Work at a Northwell health facility
Will begin Shadowing my PCP

Please help me finding a starting point also any and all suggestions on studying habit changes and any aspect of this journey is much appreciated. Thank you in advance to all suggestions


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Hey guys need help and guidance. Gonna give brief history and let me know what you think my options are.

Beginning: Overall GPA Below 2.0

Went to a NY private school on the Island and basically had a horrible career. I couldn't stay for entire lecture and studying was not an option without having painful migraines. I was able to pass my regular course with Average grades ranging from C's to A's but was not able to pass my main science courses, just Bio 1 and Chem 1. During the end of my first semester as a freshman found that the daily migraines were due to a macro adenoma in my pituitary gland. Became very depressed on the low possibility of a chance at medical school and my condition also gained 60 pounds in the process.


Middle: Overall 3.0 GPA

Advised by student dean to take a year off for surgery, but decided to start over at local community college with only a few credits transferring. Bio and Chem were still difficult to and medical condition was still an issue. Was able to graduate with a B average and things started looking up with medical issues subdued with great medication treatment plan.


Present: Overall 3.0 GPA

Having one lapse in health insurance coverage resulted in severe migraines and irregular symptoms caused one horrible semester at Stony Brook. Then enrolled in Stony Brook's Health Science Program. Decided to the Healthcare Informatics concentration. I have recently been accepted to a masters in healthcare informatics program, but still want to do medicine.


The Issue:

I still have about 8 pre requisite courses left to take and want to begin doing post bacc 1 or 2 courses at a time while working full time. I wouldn't begin until after I graduate from the masters program.

What do you think my chances are with A's and B's in the remaining courses. I have no MCAT score yet and ecc's include:

Oncology Volunteer
Work at a Northwell health facility
Will begin Shadowing my PCP

Please help me finding a starting point also any and all suggestions on studying habit changes and any aspect of this journey is much appreciated. Thank you in advance to all suggestions


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Hey Bado,

So your not off by much. 3.0 is not bad just keep going.

I would say shoot for All A's don't say B's. B's are always the backup plan.

I started a blog last year that features tips and advice for studying skills and I continually update it with new tips. I also recently have a coauthor who was recently accepted into medical school! She will also be contributing tips and advice as well. Here is a post of very basic study tips I have used to help me go from a 2.1 GPA to getting 4.0 in my last 2 years. How to Study. (The Basics)

I will be posting very soon more specific study tips for the pre-requisite courses. But bottom line really is that you have to reevaluate how you study constantly. Also not all the same techniques work for each class.

Best,
Cristina
Supermommd.org
 
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Hey Bado,

So your not off by much. 3.0 is not bad just keep going.

I would say shoot for All A's don't say B's. B's are always the backup plan.

I started a blog last year that features tips and advice for studying skills and I continually update it with new tips. I also recently have a coauthor who was recently accepted into medical school! She will also be contributing tips and advice as well. Here is a post of very basic study tips I have used to help me go from a 2.1 GPA to getting 4.0 in my last 2 years. How to Study. (The Basics)

I will be posting very soon more specific study tips for the pre-requisite courses. But bottom line really is that you have to reevaluate how you study constantly. Also not all the same techniques work for each class.

Best,
Cristina
Supermommd.org

Thank you very much for the vote of confidence and your support. Will definitely look up your site and the great tips.


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Hello fellow non-trads!

Officially joining this thread as a "freshman"-ish but I messed up my first time in college, I started 15 credits in beginner cosmetology courses after high school in 2010 and due to my own stupidity got an FX grade for all of them because I stopped showing up, I was depressed and pregnant at 18.
Now at 26 I will be starting college as a freshman in the fall if all goes as planned.
I have taken 9 credits (Engl and EMT-b), got a 4.0 and brought my GPA from a 0.0 to about a ~1.5. I know this is still really really low :(
My plan as of now is to maintain an A in all classes taken from here on out and to possibly use Texas Fresh start in 2020 since I took the cosmetology courses in Spring 2010.
Hope to keep myself accountable since it's up here on the interwebz and to update in the future :happy:
 
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Hello fellow non-trads!

Officially joining this thread as a "freshman"-ish but I messed up my first time in college, I started 15 credits in beginner cosmetology courses after high school in 2010 and due to my own stupidity got an FX grade for all of them because I stopped showing up, I was depressed and pregnant at 18.
Now at 26 I will be starting college as a freshman in the fall if all goes as planned.
I have taken 9 credits (Engl and EMT-b), got a 4.0 and brought my GPA from a 0.0 to about a ~1.5. I know this is still really really low :(
My plan as of now is to maintain an A in all classes taken from here on out and to possibly use Texas Fresh start in 2020 since I took the cosmetology courses in Spring 2010.
Hope to keep myself accountable since it's up here on the interwebz and to update in the future :happy:

If your going into this as a Freshman and have only 15 credits you will be just fine! You have plenty of time to fix your grades. It's when you have a ton of credits that it makes it really hard to fix your GPA. For instance i went in with a 2.11 GPA with 112 credits. about 60+ credits later and sitting at a 2.65 only a 0.54 difference.

Just keep pushing along you will get to your goal. Remember B's are only Plan B. Stick with Plan A and get all A's.

Best of Luck,
Cristina
Supermommd.org
 
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I have a 2.95 cGPA right now with just 2 semesters left to go. If I finish strong my cGPA may raise to about 3.10. I believe the only thing that I have done right is my sGPA 3.7. Everything seems to be riding on my MCAT now.

I just hate my cGPA. 11 year ago I stopped showing up to college and took 5 F's. :bang:

That was a long time ago. I graduated with a 3.8 sGPA and a 3.2 cGPA after a few roadbumps. I held up my app to do the Texas academic Fresh Start at the 2016 mark (bad grades) which was a pain in the butt, but my verified TMDSAS cGPA raised to about 3.78. Did 507 on the MCAT. I applied a little late-ish to the Texas schools got accepted to TCOM.
I only filled out one oos secondary because I wanted to stay in TX.
Yeehaw

I might add that when I joined this site in 2011 I posted a WAMC in phe-pharm forums, because I was thinking medical school was just a pipe dream. I thought pharmacy school was a reach when I left the Army to start school.
 
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If your going into this as a Freshman and have only 15 credits you will be just fine! You have plenty of time to fix your grades. It's when you have a ton of credits that it makes it really hard to fix your GPA. For instance i went in with a 2.11 GPA with 112 credits. about 60+ credits later and sitting at a 2.65 only a 0.54 difference.

Just keep pushing along you will get to your goal. Remember B's are only Plan B. Stick with Plan A and get all A's.

Best of Luck,
Cristina
Supermommd.org

Thanks for the reply, that is reassuring and I'm glad I took a break and waited until I was more focused to start back to school. Plan A - get all A's. For sure.
 
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That was a long time ago. I graduated with a 3.8 sGPA and a 3.2 cGPA after a few roadbumps. I held up my app to do the Texas academic Fresh Start at the 2016 mark (bad grades) which was a pain in the butt, but my verified TMDSAS cGPA raised to about 3.78. Did 507 on the MCAT. I applied a little late-ish to the Texas schools got accepted to TCOM.
I only filled out one oos secondary because I wanted to stay in TX.
Yeehaw

I might add that when I joined this site in 2011 I posted a WAMC in phe-pharm forums, because I was thinking medical school was just a pipe dream. I thought pharmacy school was a reach when I left the Army to start school.

I just spoke with an advisor who told me that Texas Fresh Start is only applicable to people who do not take any college courses for 10 years.

My understanding was that Fresh Start removes every credit that's over 10 years old; independently of any educational hiatus.

This topic always creates confusion when I bring it up with advisors.

Who's right?
 
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That would make zero sense for FS to only apply to students who haven't taken classes for ten years.

Also I recall reading of someone who did their Bachelor's and then enrolled in one class under fresh start at a new institution and they got into medical school.

Perhaps that adviser doesn't know what they are talking about. I have experienced confusion with advisors as well, I would try and find someone who possibly has experience handling FS previously...

I just spoke with an advisor who told me that Texas Fresh Start is only applicable to people who do not take any college courses for 10 years.

My understanding was that Fresh Start removes every credit that's over 10 years old; independently of any educational hiatus.

This topic always creates confusion when I bring it up with advisors.

Who's right?
 
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That would make zero sense for FS to only apply to students who haven't taken classes for ten years.

Also I recall reading of someone who did their Bachelor's and then enrolled in one class under fresh start at a new institution and they got into medical school.

Perhaps that adviser doesn't know what they are talking about. I have experienced confusion with advisors as well, I would try and find someone who possibly has experience handling FS previously...

This was my thought process but these advisors, man.

They rattle my cage with their unexplainably smug demeanors.
 
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I just spoke with an advisor who told me that Texas Fresh Start is only applicable to people who do not take any college courses for 10 years.

My understanding was that Fresh Start removes every credit that's over 10 years old; independently of any educational hiatus.

This topic always creates confusion when I bring it up with advisors.

Who's right?
Many of the enrollment people interpret it that way, but you can look it up yourself and play lawyer while you research the Texas Bill online. It IS confusing and be prepared to be told no by enrollment offices, but it's a Texas Bill. I was told no a few times after speaking with several people in the same office and they eventually did it my way, despite telling me that's not how it worked. Well, like I said, it was a pain in the butt and took careful timing.

It's not that much of a shortcut in the end, but it gave me the shot that I wanted.
Just really research it if you want to use it, but it's not some miracle cure to magically erase all of your past errors of youth.
TMDSAS honors it, but getting your undergrad and to honor it may take some work and diplomacy skills.

They took my Associate Degree away that I earned in 2012, but I already had a Bachelors Degree from another school. I told them, "I don't care about the Associates degree." I think they were in the wrong, but I let it go and moved on.
 
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Does anyone know where I can find out what the thresholds are for being pre-screened for DO schools. They don't seem to have that readily available anywhere on their website, which would make sense... why risk losing a primary applicant fee right? Any help would be really appreciated. I just came across this forum and I'll certainly continue looking on my own and updating here if I find anything out!
 
Does anyone know where I can find out what the thresholds are for being pre-screened for DO schools. They don't seem to have that readily available anywhere on their website, which would make sense... why risk losing a primary applicant fee right? Any help would be really appreciated. I just came across this forum and I'll certainly continue looking on my own and updating here if I find anything out!

Individual school websites would be the only place that I know of. For instance, Campbell published on their website that they don't consider candidates below a 3.2 cGPA.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
I just thought I'd share my good news today, (cumulative 3.01 atm, but may drop after this semester). I got into my 1st pick master's program at DMU, studying biomedical sciences. I'm hoping to do really well there, kill the MCAT next year and get into medical school! Very Excited!
 
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Congrats and good luck!!
I just thought I'd share my good news today, (cumulative 3.01 atm, but may drop after this semester). I got into my 1st pick master's program at DMU, studying biomedical sciences. I'm hoping to do really well there, kill the MCAT next year and get into medical school! Very Excited!
 
Good Luck to those applying this 2017-2018 cycle!

Make sure to get those applications in early! Don't wait until late summer!
Look over your personal statement several more times to check for grammar mistakes
Quadruple check your application before you hit submit. Sleep on it. Then check again the next day one last time before submitting.
Stay in contact with all the schools you are applying to.
Get those Secondaries pre-written.
Make sure LORs and MCAT are uploaded properly.
Contact the schools you applied to, to make sure your file is complete
Always check your email spam box (and use a professional email address)
Enjoy the summer and get ready for interviews!!!
 
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I have another A in my pocket for this semester, and am taking *shudder* four summer classes. Hopefully in ten weeks I'll have four more As to factor into my GPA. I've been building up from a 2.0c/0.69s (you read that correctly, lol) for a couple of years now. I should be up to a 2.5c/2.4s after the summer, and a 2.6/2.7 after the fall if everything goes well. Leetle bit at a time :laugh:

I hope everyone is out there killing it!
 
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Finally found a thread at SDN I can be apart of ;)

Applying this cycle for the first time, I'm a FGCS that graduated with a cGPA 3.2 and sGPA 2.7 (i think? something around there).
I did a post-bac (3.8) and got my cGPA up to 3.3 and sGPA to 3.13.
Thankfully, through the chaos I've been a busy bee and have over 5,000 hours of ECs - research assistant, medical scribe, CNA, health educator (most have been working with underserved communities), some non medical related volunteering, and I was a program coordinator for a residency program at a prestigious medical school. I got some good LORs so I have that going for me.

I take the MCAT in 2 weeks and I'm scared to death. My anxiety is telling me that it is make or break with this (even though that is CLEARLY not true). Reading about you guys is so inspiring and is helping me calm down a bit. As a previous residency PC, i can tell you the best residents/doctors are the ones who have more going for them then their scores. i have tons of stories from our best residents who either had low GPAs, took the MCAT 3-4 times, etc. and they are the best of the bunch. ironically, our best test scorers were our most problematic residents. don't ever stop being special and keep up the amazing work. :clap:
 
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So someone sent me a PM asking for an update and it reminded me of this whole thread. I wanted to post a quick update, in case it brings some inspiration to someone out there.

You can the full story from early in this thread, but in short, I went to undergrad straight from high school and didn't take it seriously at all, and I accumulated a lot of F's. I then joined the mil, then later decided to pursue medical school, and started chipping away at my undergrad. I got basically straight A's for about 90 credit hours to finish my degree. But the damage had been done, and my AMCAS GPA was only about 2.9/3.1. I didn't destroy the MCAT but I did pretty average.

I had a lot of luck in my application cycle. I'm sure I got screened out of a lot of places, but definitely not all. I had several interviews, MD and DO, and I was surprised at how many places didn't care about the bottom line GPA number and cared more about upward trending/ability to succeed/personal fit. I was fortunate enough to have multiple acceptances and to be able to choose the school with the best location/program for me.

I'm starting 4th year now, going into audition/interview season. Preclinical courses/Step 1 were a success. I'm applying for EM this year and crossing my fingers for step 2 which is next week.

Medical school is awesome and I have almost forgotten the arduous path it took to get here, but I also remember needing some inspiration so I thought I should post this in case it helps anyone. Your grades don't define you, and there's never a situation where your "chances are ruined". I'm not saying that to be motivating, it's just fact.

I've spoken to a few pre-med students in the past few years, in person mostly (and a couple through sdn), and I've noticed a fairly common theme where people can be really defeated about the whole process... which I can definitely relate to. The surprising thing is that it's not just people with 2.9 GPA's... it's also people with 3.5 GPA's and research. But in a lot of them I've noticed some variation of "I am applying this year, but I'm also applying for a masters in _____, you know, just in case medical school doesn't work out" or "I'm fully planning on applying to medical school, but I want to go for a masters in ____ first, so that I can improve my chances and strengthen my resume, and then I can always fall back on that if medical school doesn't work out".

I think that if you find yourself in one of those situations then I would advise you to embrace the fact that it's scary putting all your eggs into one basket but I think you will ultimately be more successful and waste less time if you just commit to medical school and stop trying to protect yourself from failure.

PM me if you have any questions or anything.
 
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Say I have 136 hours accumulated with a 2.55 GPA. How much would 60 more hours of a 3.9 GPA (196 total hours) bring my gpa up?

I wish someone made a weighted gpa calculator online...hm...
 
You can the full story from early in this thread, but in short, I went to undergrad straight from high school and didn't take it seriously at all, and I accumulated a lot of F's. I then joined the mil, then later decided to pursue medical school, and started chipping away at my undergrad. I got basically straight A's for about 90 credit hours to finish my degree. But the damage had been done, and my AMCAS GPA was only about 2.9/3.1. I didn't destroy the MCAT but I did pretty average.

You have no idea how happy this makes me. I should be at a 3.15/3.45 by the time I apply, and I was thinking that wouldn't be enough, and I'd have to do a SMP. I'm still on the fence about it, but hearing this makes me feel so much better. I have basically the same story. Went in straight from high school, lots of Fs, joined the military, started chipping away.
 
So this is interesting and I may be celebrating (inside) too early..but I found this site which seems to calculate GPA even with the number of hours you already have: UMD Testudo Application

I put in that I had attempted 180 hours of coursework and had a 2.7 gpa. I then added that I took 14 hours of classwork one semester and it's got me at a 2.79 almost a 2.8?? Surely the gpa couldn't come up this much with that many hours already attempted?
 
Ah, a place to call home in SDN. :happy: You guys continuously inspire me with your stories! I've been a long-time lurker, but it's finally time to come into the light (of your computer screen, hehe). I'm going to try to keep my story short, but would appreciate any advice:

26 y/o who graduated with cGPA 2.6, sGPA 2.0 under a science degree with 238 units. As many of you have described your transcripts, mine is also full of red flags: F's, repeats, withdraws, and gaps in my undergrad career. My longest absence from school was 1 year, before I headed back to complete my degree. During that time, I did research. In the darkest of times, my project was truly the only thing that kept me focused on becoming a physician. Came back to finish undergrad and got some recognition from our med school for my research. At this time, was diagnosed with a medical condition, which explained many of my earlier academic struggles. But by then, I was starting my last year of undergrad. So after 8 years of on-again, off-again schooling, I graduated. Really wish I could say there was an upward trend, but I was burnt out.

I have strong ECs, clinical experience, and LORs. Open to DO/MD. Currently work in the ED. Planning to do a DIY post-bacc (~60 units upper-division science coursework) starting this summer. I've figured out better study habits, and I know I can push out a strong MCAT and strong upward trend now that I've had this year to myself.

I'm wondering, what should I plan for? Ideally, would like to apply June 2018 if everything works out, but I understand it's a marathon, and not a race, and am perfectly fine doing two years of post-bacc work. I'm also afraid of getting screened out by my GPA, so I guess I would have to apply to schools that stress holistic app reviews if I'm set on June 2018, and hope the strong upward trend and MCAT score is what they appreciate? I ask because I love my job, but need to decide now whether to stay or leave. If I can push a June 2018 app cycle, then I will leave it to focus full-time on post-bacc work and the MCAT. If I need to think about two years of post-bacc, then I will have to figure out how to work on weekends, and adjust my coursework from there.

Again, totally fine with going slow and steady until I'm at my best to apply. Thanks guys! Really happy to have found this thread.
 
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Ah, a place to call home in SDN. :happy: You guys continuously inspire me with your stories! I've been a long-time lurker, but it's finally time to come into the light (of your computer screen, hehe). I'm going to try to keep my story short, but would appreciate any advice:

26 y/o who graduated with cGPA 2.6, sGPA 2.0 under a science degree with 238 units. As many of you have described your transcripts, mine is also full of red flags: F's, repeats, withdraws, and gaps in my undergrad career. My longest absence from school was 1 year, before I headed back to complete my degree. During that time, I did research. In the darkest of times, my project was truly the only thing that kept me focused on becoming a physician. Came back to finish undergrad and got some recognition from our med school for my research. At this time, was diagnosed with a medical condition, which explained many of my earlier academic struggles. But by then, I was starting my last year of undergrad. So after 8 years of on-again, off-again schooling, I graduated. Really wish I could say there was an upward trend, but I was burnt out.

I have strong ECs, clinical experience, and LORs. Open to DO/MD. Currently work in the ED. Planning to do a DIY post-bacc (~60 units upper-division science coursework) starting this summer. I've figured out better study habits, and I know I can push out a strong MCAT and strong upward trend now that I've had this year to myself.

I'm wondering, what should I plan for? Ideally, would like to apply June 2018 if everything works out, but I understand it's a marathon, and not a race, and am perfectly fine doing two years of post-bacc work. I'm also afraid of getting screened out by my GPA, so I guess I would have to apply to schools that stress holistic app reviews if I'm set on June 2018, and hope the strong upward trend and MCAT score is what they appreciate? I ask because I love my job, but need to decide now whether to stay or leave. If I can push a June 2018 app cycle, then I will leave it to focus full-time on post-bacc work and the MCAT. If I need to think about two years of post-bacc, then I will have to figure out how to work on weekends, and adjust my coursework from there.

Again, totally fine with going slow and steady until I'm at my best to apply. Thanks guys! Really happy to have found this thread.
Just some quick back of the envelope math, adding 60 units of As to your GPA would get you to 2.88, and of course, that is assuming you get 100% As, which isn't always realistic. At 2.88, it is going to be extremely hard for you to get past screens, especially at MD schools and upper tier DO. Most that I was able to find data on when I applied screened at 3.0 or 3.2. I think you should either think about taking more units, which obviously has diminishing returns, or look into a special masters program during your app year, especially the ones at DO schools. When you apply, focus heavily on DO, your MD state school if it is extra receptive to in state applicants. The path is not impossible, but make sure that you absolutely do get As in your classes, do well on the MCAT, and the usual apply early+have a good personal statement+prewrite secondaries.
 
i am trying to get my GPA up as well.. i have tonnes of extracurricular activities to show, and i interview very well. but this is definitely encouraging to see there's support for a person like me! :)
 
Just wanted to thank everyone for the support all around.

I am currently a senior at Northwestern, set to graduate in a month, and have done terribly throughout my undergrad career. I will not blame depression or health issues because both for me could have been entirely preventable. I do not want to find excuses for my poor performance, as it is entirely unjustified.

My cGPA is a 2.3 (yes, you read that right) and my science GPA is a 2.1. I have not taken the MCAT ever.
Although I am majoring in Biological Sciences, I had no intention of going to any professional school until recently, and foolishly aimed for the bare minimum to graduate. After experiencing my first shade of difficulty freshman year, I was resigned to having average to low grades, and believed my grades could not be changed. I gave up before even trying, and I beat myself up over it constantly. There is little to no upward trend in my grades.

I know many of you will question my motivation and work ethic. I question it myself as well, but I want advice and possibly a general path to follow for the coming years that I know will be difficult.


A post-bacc is in my future, but I do not know which type to apply to.
Do I take all pre-med requirements again, or just upper-level courses? I cannot apply to any structured post-baccs due to the low GPA, so do I just ask any school whether I can take classes there? What about SMPs, which many require an MCAT score for?

I understand that obviously a future medicine in my current situation is unrealistic. What I am asking is, what should I do to change that?
 
Just wanted to thank everyone for the support all around.

I am currently a senior at Northwestern, set to graduate in a month, and have done terribly throughout my undergrad career. I will not blame depression or health issues because both for me could have been entirely preventable. I do not want to find excuses for my poor performance, as it is entirely unjustified.

My cGPA is a 2.3 (yes, you read that right) and my science GPA is a 2.1. I have not taken the MCAT ever.
Although I am majoring in Biological Sciences, I had no intention of going to any professional school until recently, and foolishly aimed for the bare minimum to graduate. After experiencing my first shade of difficulty freshman year, I was resigned to having average to low grades, and believed my grades could not be changed. I gave up before even trying, and I beat myself up over it constantly. There is little to no upward trend in my grades.

I know many of you will question my motivation and work ethic. I question it myself as well, but I want advice and possibly a general path to follow for the coming years that I know will be difficult.


A post-bacc is in my future, but I do not know which type to apply to.
Do I take all pre-med requirements again, or just upper-level courses? I cannot apply to any structured post-baccs due to the low GPA, so do I just ask any school whether I can take classes there? What about SMPs, which many require an MCAT score for?

I understand that obviously a future medicine in my current situation is unrealistic. What I am asking is, what should I do to change that?

I am sure others will weigh in, but here are some options that I think would fit. The ultimate goal is for you to show that you are capable of succeeding in difficult science courses (like those that are encountered in medical school).

If I were you, I would consider taking some time away from school. Clearly, you need to do some soul searching to a) see if you are up for the years of work that would be ahead of you (please read what DrMidLife has written about this subject) and b) you need to develop study skills that lead to success.

If you do take time away from school, it could directly benefit your eventual medical school application. You could scribe part or full time, become a clinical research coordinator, patient advocate, or a few other positions that are seen to be advantageous by most adcoms. Don't become an EMT. In this time, I would volunteer on a sustained, regular basis- shows commitment.

Whether or not you do take time away (I did!) you will eventually need to start taking classes again. Most DO schools are okay with community college postbacc courses though if you have easy and cheap access to a 4 year institution I would always choose that over CC. You will need to retake any prereqs that you earned a C- or worse in. As for all other prereqs that you earned a C or better in, you most likely do not want to retake. Instead, you will want to take upper level science courses, as similar as possible to the ones encountered in medical school. With success in a sustained, heavy course load you show that you can handle a medical school curriculum. I recommend ramping up: start with 1 course, and if you succeed, try 2, then 3 or 4 if you have the time.

Most DO schools have cutoffs for cGPA and sGPA at 3.0. Some use 3.2. Most of the time, you will need to get to 3.0 for both categories to stand a chance. You could also try to attend a guaranteed admission SMP at a DO or MD school if you can matriculate into one with a sub 3.0 GPA, though I am not sure how common that is. I would tend towards achieving the 3.0 (which by then would demonstrate years of academic success) and applying to med schools. If you don't get in after 1-2 cycles, I would then apply to SMPs as a last resort. If you do not succeed in an SMP (which are usually extremely difficult) your chances at matriculation into a US medical school are shot.

Only take the MCAT once you are ready for it. No sense in taking it now, or probably even next year. Wait until your GPA is closer to the cutoffs because then not only will you have better exposure to sciences, but you will have better study strategies to help you succeed on the MCAT. A high MCAT score would be very helpful to show that you are a reformed student.
 
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