Grad School GPA versus Undergrad GPA

[CarpeDiem1993]

Hey guys, this is my first time posting here. So pretty exciting stuff.

I finished undergrad at a good public institution with a 4.0 GPA and 512 MCAT. Have an interest in understanding the larger policy picture of healthcare in addition to medicine, so have began an accelerated one year MPH program at Dartmouth Institute this fall. This program grades on a high pass (4.0), pass (3.0) and low pass (2.0) scale. They are VERY stingy with the high passes in many classes, giving out literally only 3% in many cases. In this class, there are physicians and healthcare professionals who are far more knowledgable in healthcare policy and articulating views than I cannot at this stage in my career. So, needless to say my GPA will take a hit.

Here is my question.

How do medical schools (MD) consider GPAs of incoming applicants?

I have seen many threads on here where people ask about masters programs raising their GPA, but I am in the opposite case. Afraid that it will really lower my current, strong, GPA.

1. Do adcomms consider uGPA over gradGPA or do they just throw it all together? While I am adding VERY valuable experiences in policy and working on papers to be published for research that will make me a way more well rounded applicant and person, will I be hurting myself because of the GPA factor?

2. Will they factor in my grad school program (Dartmouth) in evaluating my grad gpa (possibly 3.5-3.6)? Or will they simply treat it as any MPH program where many people easily walk their way to a 4.0?

3. I am a Texas Resident, will be using both TMDSAS and AMCAS. Any insight on how both services will present the gpa to the school would be much appreciated!

Thanks very much guys and gals. Sorry for the length of this post!

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[Goro]

Hey guys, this is my first time posting here. So pretty exciting stuff.

I finished undergrad at a good public institution with a 4.0 GPA. Have an interest in understanding the larger policy picture of healthcare in addition to medicine, so have began an MPH program at Dartmouth Institute this fall. This program grades on a high pass (4.0), pass (3.0) and low pass (2.0) scale. They are VERY stingy with the high passes in many classes, giving out literally only 3% in many cases. In this class, there are physicians and healthcare professionals who are far more knowledgable in healthcare policy and articulating views than I can be at this stage in my career. So, needless to say my GPA will take a hit.

Here is my question.

How do medical schools consider GPAs of incoming applicants?

I have seen many threads on here where people ask about masters programs raising their GPA, but I am in the opposite case. Afraid that it will really lower my current, strong, GPA.

1. Do adcomms consider uGPA over gradGPA or do they just throw it all together? While I am adding VERY valuable experiences in policy and working on papers to be published for research that will make me a way more well rounded applicant and person, will I be hurting myself because of the GPA factor?

2. Will they factor in my grad school program (Dartmouth) in evaluating my grad gpa (possibly 3.5-3.6)? Or will they simply treat it as any MPH program where many people easily walk their way to a 4.0?

3. I am a Texas Resident, will be using both TMDSAS and AMCAS. Any insight on how both services will present the gpa to the school would be much appreciated!

Thanks very much guys and gals. Sorry for the length of this post!

For DO, your gGPA is averaged in with your cGPA. Thus, you will take a hit.

MD does not count gGPA, so your cGPA remains unaffected. However, your gGPA is still visible, and the effect this will have on individual screeners in unpredictable, but I suspect that tt won't look good. You're expected to do well in graduate programs.

 

[CarpeDiem1993]

For DO, your gGPA is averaged in with your cGPA. Thus, you will take a hit.

MD does not count gGPA, so your cGPA remains unaffected. However, your gGPA is still visible, and the effect this will have on individual screeners in unpredictable, but I suspect that tt won't look good. You're expected to do well in graduate programs.

Thanks Goro, not what I was hoping to hear but fair enough.

 

[863168]

@gonnif Is a 4.0 uGPA → 3.5-3.6 gGPA considered to be a significant decline in academic performance?

 

[mariposas905]

For DO, your gGPA is averaged in with your cGPA. Thus, you will take a hit.

MD does not count gGPA, so your cGPA remains unaffected. However, your gGPA is still visible, and the effect this will have on individual screeners in unpredictable, but I suspect that tt won't look good. You're expected to do well in graduate programs.

I would actually say it a bit worse than @Goro expresses. the reality is that bad performances will hurt you more that good performances will help. Not doing well in a well respected MPH like Dartmouth will be brought up at an interview you should get that far

It can be

Would this be true if OP was currently in the application cycle while doing the MPH? What if a school accepts him in December and OP finishes the MPH the following year with a 3.5-3.6 GPA? Could that be grounds for rescinding the acceptance or would a grad GPA have a much lesser impact then?

 

[Inspired Chaos]

I'm curious OP why you decided not to just apply as MD/MPH this cycle?

 

[mariposas905]

Not usually, it depends on how the accepting schools words their clause on "successful completion" of current education program.

Okay. Do most schools require that an applicant complete the masters before matriculating into their medical school? Can an applicant finish the rest of an MPH in medical school since most masters allow you to finish within 5 years?

 

[mariposas905]

No, a large fraction of medical schools will require that you complete the current course study prior to matriculating

Okay, so this means that the diploma should be in hand before medical school orientation? There are some courses that finish in June, but will not award the graduate diploma until August or September...would these be off limits if an applicant wants to join medical school right after?

 

[mariposas905]

they would probably pass muster with all schools

I'm sorry, I didn't quite get this...does this mean it would be okay at most schools? to have the diploma awarded later on after matriculation?

 

[IslandStyle808]

I'm sorry, I didn't quite get this...does this mean it would be okay at most schools? to have the diploma awarded later on after matriculation?

It will depend on what you work out with them. I knew a couple people who matriculated to medical school, even before defending their thesis. However, thing was that both of them did their masters at the same university as their medical school. So this was seen as an exception.

I think if their are issues, then just defer the acceptance.