How bad does GPA taking a dip look?

[peachbread]

I understand that medical schools like to see an upward trend in GPA. What about a consistent GPA followed by a fairly large dip at the end?

Currently my GPA is padded with 7 semesters (135+ credits) worth of A's. Aka a perfect 4.0 GPA.
This semester I'm pulling a 3.0, so I'm kissing goodbye to my 4.0. But how bad would this look? To see a consistent 4.0 across the board and then suddenly 3.0 in literally my second to last semester?

I'm in a five-year program with Fall 2017 as my last semester with 12 credits to go.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Turkishking]

:troll:

 

[peachbread]

:troll:

I promise I'm 100% serious. I can post screencaps of my unofficial transcripts and pictures of my most recent exams if need be. ;__;

 

[Turkishking]

I promise I'm 100% serious. I can post screencaps of my unofficial transcripts and pictures of my most recent exams if need be. ;__;

Whats your current GPA?

 

[peachbread]

Whats your current GPA?

It's currently a 4.0.

 

[Turkishking]

It's currently a 4.0.

THEN WHY ARE YOU STRESSING OVER A 3.0 IN ONE SEMESTER?

 

[peachbread]

THEN WHY ARE YOU STRESSING OVER A 3.0 IN ONE SEMESTER?

(sorry--had to take out the smileys because they're lagging my computer)

I heard from a lot of people (including those on SDN) that a drop in grades is not looked favorably upon. In my case, it's a considerably large drop, so I'm just scared.

 

[kamakazi5]

What will your cGPA be after this drop?

 

[Lawpy]

I understand that medical schools like to see an upward trend in GPA. What about a consistent GPA followed by a fairly large dip at the end?

Currently my GPA is padded with 7 semesters (135+ credits) worth of A's. Aka a perfect 4.0 GPA.
This semester I'm pulling a 3.0, so I'm kissing goodbye to my 4.0. But how bad would this look? To see a consistent 4.0 across the board and then suddenly 3.0 in literally my second to last semester?

I'm in a five-year program with Fall 2017 as my last semester with 12 credits to go.

Pretty sure adcoms look at GPAs by year and not by semester.

From the AMCAS Instruction Manual

 

[peachbread]

What will your cGPA be after this drop?

A 3.8-3.9 ish, around that ballpark area. I know people will walk in and will probably be ready to hit me over the head with a bat for worrying about this GPA, but I'm more concerned about the distribution of grades rather than the cumulative GPA. e.g. is it worse to see 4.0/4.0/4.0/3.0 or 3.9/3.8/3.9/3.8, not a question of if 3.8 vs 4.0 is better.

Pretty sure adcoms look at GPAs by year and not by semester.

On one hand: yay the 3.0 is hidden!
On the other: nay now my 4th year is 3.5 (which I guess looks better than a 3.0?)

 

[Turkishking]

A 3.8-3.9 ish, around that ballpark area. I know people will walk in and will probably be ready to hit me over the head with a bat for worrying about this GPA, but I'm more concerned about the distribution of grades rather than the cumulative GPA. e.g. is it worse to see 4.0/4.0/4.0/3.0 or 3.9/3.8/3.9/3.8, not a question of if 3.8 vs 4.0 is better.


On one hand: yay the 3.0 is hidden!
On the other: nay now my 4th year is 3.5 (which I guess looks better than a 3.0?)

I think your chances are ruined. Seriously. You should probably invest in SGU.

 

[peachbread]

I think your chances are ruined. Seriously. You should probably invest in SGU.

Isn't SGU a Caribbean school? I know a drop in grades look bad, but not this bad! I mean, not even DO schools? ;__;

 

[Lawpy]

On one hand: yay the 3.0 is hidden!
On the other: nay now my 4th year is 3.5 (which I guess looks better than a 3.0?)

Depends on how many credits you took for the semester you got the 3.0 in. And how many credits you'll take for the next semester and get a 4.0 in.

 

[Turkishking]

Isn't SGU a Caribbean school? I know a drop in grades look bad, but not this bad! I mean, not even DO schools? ;__;

I'm joking, relax you're fine.

 

[peachbread]

Depends on how many credits you took for the semester you got the 3.0 in. And how many credits you'll take for the next semester and get a 4.0 in.

I've been consistently taking 18 credits since I've started. So it's a 18 credit 3.0 (not good). Surprisingly this is the first semester I'm having such a difficult time keeping up with schoolwork--I'm even taking easy classes! Next semester I plan on taking it easy and go with 14 credits because free time is a thing I haven't had since summer of my first year, and I kinda miss it.

I'm joking, relax you're fine.

Oh. Okay, phew! For a second, I saw all of my hopes and dreams crash down around me.
Sorry if I seem slow--I haven't had a good night's rest in a long, long time.

 

[Lawpy]

I've been consistently taking 18 credits since I've started. So it's a 18 credit 3.0 (not good). Surprisingly this is the first semester I'm having such a difficult time keeping up with schoolwork--I'm even taking easy classes! Next semester I plan on taking it easy and go with 14 credits because free time is a thing I haven't had since summer of my first year, and I kinda miss it.

18 credits of 3.0 coupled with 14 credits of 4.0 is roughly a 3.4 for that year. A 4.0 --> 3.4 GPA decline is pretty steep, but probably not an issue if overall GPA is still good.

 

[Goro]

18 credits of 3.0 coupled with 14 credits of 4.0 is roughly a 3.4 for that year. A 4.0 --> 3.4 GPA decline is pretty steep, but probably not an issue if overall GPA is still good.

It will raise eyebrows. There will be places in secondaries for explanations, but they' better be good ones.

 

[peachbread]

18 credits of 3.0 coupled with 14 credits of 4.0 is roughly a 3.4 for that year. A 4.0 --> 3.4 GPA decline is pretty steep, but probably not an issue if overall GPA is still good.

What about the grades for Fall 2016? Does that not count towards my 4th year?

It will raise eyebrows. There will be places in secondaries for explanations, but they' better be good ones.

Honestly, I don't even know if I have a good explanation. Basically I stretched myself way too thin: research + work x3 + TA x2 + classes
One of the classes is extremely time consuming (as in I spend ~20 hours per homework due every week, and I clocked 52 hours on the most recent take-home exam).
I did get sick a couple times due to exhaustion, but it's nothing like "I can't get out of bed and was hospitalized" or something serious like that.
... I'll go back to hoping I can magically pull A's.

 

[Lawpy]

It will raise eyebrows. There will be places in secondaries for explanations, but they' better be good ones.

Around which dip will raise eyebrows? 4.0 --> 3.4 does, but 4.0 --> 3.6 probably doesn't?

What about the grades for Fall 2016? Does that not count towards my 4th year?

I read somewhere that senior year = category having 90+ credits. Need to check with @Catalystik @gonnif for clarification.

 

[peachbread]

Around which dip will raise eyebrows? 4.0 --> 3.4 does, but 4.0 --> 3.6 probably doesn't?

I read somewhere that senior year = category having 90+ credits. Need to check with @Catalystik @gonnif for clarification.

My school counts 90+ credits as a 4th year status, so I'm assuming that I have 28 completed credits worth of 4.0? I'm not sure how summer classes get factored in, so I'll just leave them out for now. I have 118 completed credits and 17 credits in progress (current semester--I forgot that one of my seminars don't count for credit, so it's actually 17, not 18).

 

[Nicole Kidd]

18 credits of 3.0 coupled with 14 credits of 4.0 is roughly a 3.4 for that year. A 4.0 --> 3.4 GPA decline is pretty steep, but probably not an issue if overall GPA is still good.

Hi Lawper~ I have some drop too, My current cGPA is 3.89 but my semester GPAs look like this: 3.7 3.94 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.72 3.83 4.0. Do you think Adcom will raise eye brow too?

 

[Goro]

Hi Lawper~ I have some drop too, My current cGPA is 3.89 but my semester GPAs look like this: 3.7 3.94 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.72 3.83 4.0. Do you think Adcom will raise eye brow too?

Only neurotics on SDN.

 

[Lawpy]

Hi Lawper~ I have some drop too, My current cGPA is 3.89 but my semester GPAs look like this: 3.7 3.94 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.72 3.83 4.0. Do you think Adcom will raise eye brow too?

I think you'll be fine. It's not a steep decline like from 4.0 to 3.4, and a 3.72 is still good

 

[Nicole Kidd]

I think you'll be fine. It's not a steep decline like from 4.0 to 3.4, and a 3.72 is still good

Oh okay thanks!

 

[Nicole Kidd]

Only neurotics on SDN.

*Stare at you with a Neurotic Smile*

 

[lightblueelephant]

Isn't SGU a Caribbean school? I know a drop in grades look bad, but not this bad! I mean, not even DO schools? ;__;

They were joking with you, seriously you're fine. If there are any extenuating circumstances you can write about those on your application

 

[peachbread]

Update a month later: I pulled several miracles and got a 4.0 this semester. Also did not realize two of the classes I was doing extreme poor in had very generous curves. Went sleepless for so many nights that I can't sleep for more than 5 hours without feeling sick.

Thank you everyone who helped me previously!

I also realized I'm a stereotypical SDN neurotic. I would like to apologize. :'D