How important is upward trend?

[SWDoc2be]

Hello SDN! I could use some guidance and advice!

I have made several mistakes throughout college and there was a period of time I did not take my academics very seriously and did the party lifestyle. I am paying for that now and have corrected my ways.

My last year of schooling, I finished with a year gpa of 3.76. For my upcoming school year, if I continue along that same line and obtain another 3.75 gpa for the school year, it would bring my overall cumulative gpa to 3.05.

I am planning to take my MCAT in the spring and I know that also plays a large factor in medical school application.

My main question though, with my pathetic performance from my past and my newfound love and inspiration to do well, would that be considered for my medical school applications? It should be noted as well that I intend on putting in my application next summer (2018) and I would still attend undergrad in the fall of 2018 to finish up with a few credits needed to graduate. It also should be noted that some of my remaining courses are upper level bio courses (i.e Ecology, Physiology, Biochem, Immunology, etc.).

I am also very open to the idea of an SMP or masters program associated with a medical school. I am mostly interested in osteopathic schools.

I appreciate and welcome any and all advice and feedback!

I also apologize if this post is not in the correct location. I was unsure where to post this!


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[aformerstudent]

The thing about US admissions is that they could care less about that 3.76. They will see the 3.05 and screen you out. You're going to be up against tons of candidates who have that 3.76 for the whole four years.

Before, you had the option of DO grade forgiveness but that is no more.

You need your MCAT first before you can move forward with your plans. All these students posting "what are my chances" but they haven't taken the MCAT. No MCAT...no med school.

As an aside, SGU only looks at the last two years of whatever work you did.

 

[Blanky]

1.Finish your degree and do well.
2. Calculate your cGPA/sGPA and if within ballpark study/ take MCAT
3. Consider boosting ECs and sGPA

 

[premedbrah]

The thing about US admissions is that they could care less about that 3.76. They will see the 3.05 and screen you out. You're going to be up against tons of candidates who have that 3.76 for the whole four years.

Before, you had the option of DO grade forgiveness but that is no more.

You need your MCAT first before you can move forward with your plans. All these students posting "what are my chances" but they haven't taken the MCAT. No MCAT...no med school.

As an aside, SGU only looks at the last two years of whatever work you did.

Does SGU post that somewhere I don't see it on the site?

 

[SWDoc2be]

The thing about US admissions is that they could care less about that 3.76. They will see the 3.05 and screen you out. You're going to be up against tons of candidates who have that 3.76 for the whole four years.

Before, you had the option of DO grade forgiveness but that is no more.

You need your MCAT first before you can move forward with your plans. All these students posting "what are my chances" but they haven't taken the MCAT. No MCAT...no med school.

As an aside, SGU only looks at the last two years of whatever work you did.

I'm not sure where you get the idea that this is a "what are my chances post" considering I gave you pretty much no information aside from cumulative gap which was a hypothetical. It was actually just trying to gather more info from people who have experience in applying to medical school with a positive upward trend.

I'm fully aware, and also mentioned in my post if you read it, that the MCAT is a crucial part of applying to medical school. But as mentioned, this was not about my chances for medical school or even the MCAT. This was about how adcoms look at a positive upward trend over 2 years, and more specifically with DO programs.


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[aformerstudent]

Does SGU post that somewhere I don't see it on the site?

I do the digging and save you the time my friend.

 

[aformerstudent]

I'm not sure where you get the idea that this is a "what are my chances post" considering I gave you pretty much no information aside from cumulative gap which was a hypothetical. It was actually just trying to gather more info from people who have experience in applying to medical school with a positive upward trend.

I'm fully aware, and also mentioned in my post if you read it, that the MCAT is a crucial part of applying to medical school. But as mentioned, this was not about my chances for medical school or even the MCAT. This was about how adcoms look at a positive upward trend over 2 years, and more specifically with DO programs.


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Read my post again big man. That's all the information you need to know. Go ask an adcomm, you'll get the same advice.

 

[Blanky]

1.Finish your degree and do well.
2. Calculate your cGPA/sGPA and if within ballpark study/ take MCAT
3. Consider boosting ECs and sGPA

This

Aformerstudent did give you decent advice. One year of 3.75 is not an upward trend it really is more like average GPA.

 

[mwsapphire]

This

Aformerstudent did give you decent advice. One year of 3.75 is not an upward trend it really is more like average GPA.

3.75 is average but a year of 3.75 is still an UW trend. Another year or two and OP would be fine, but an SMP seems like a better candidate in this case.

 

[premedbrah]

I do the digging and save you the time my friend.

If this is the case (that they only look at the past 2 years) then this sounds like a great opportunity for someone with a poor past academic record like myself. Could you possibly PM me? I would like to know more about how/where you dug up the information (not that I don't believe you but I would like to see it for myself). Thanks!

p.s. sorry for the derail/thread hijack.

 

[aformerstudent]

If this is the case (that they only look at the past 2 years) then this sounds like a great opportunity for someone with a poor past academic record like myself. Could you possibly PM me? I would like to know more about how/where you dug up the information (not that I don't believe you but I would like to see it for myself). Thanks!

p.s. sorry for the derail/thread hijack.

I can't man. I will say this though. Go through some of my old posts and get an idea of what it takes to succeed at those schools. If you have a poor past, chances are SGU is not for you even though they don't look at your whole past.

There is a strategy to applying to the Caribbean and most people go in with no strategy.

As far as digging up information. I'm a former student, I have connections and I have friends.

 

[Blanky]

3.75 is average but a year of 3.75 is still an UW trend. Another year or two and OP would be fine, but an SMP seems like a better candidate in this case.

OP is considering applying June 18 before finishing senior year with a 3.05 cGPA currently. This is not a good idea. OP should finish degree with best possible GPA. Then devote time to MCAT and apply at best scenario... one more year of sciences might be in order. Are ECs strong?

 

[Blanky]

@aformerstudent would you mind PMing me your Caribbean situation? You seem to have decent experiences there although you did not finish?

 

[mwsapphire]

OP is considering applying June 18 before finishing senior year with a 3.05 cGPA currently. This is not a good idea. OP should finish degree with best possible GPA. Then devote time to MCAT and apply at best scenario... one more year of sciences might be in order. Are ECs strong?

Right. That seems more reasonable- I thought you were saying a 3.76 is not an UW trend and I was gonna be like " Uhm wut"

 

[themoonman2]

Upward trend helps but won't guarantee anything. Check these tables out: Table A-24: MCAT and GPA Grid for Applicants and Acceptees by Selected Race and Ethnicity, 2013-2014 through 2015-2016 (Aggregated) - Applicants and Matriculants Data - FACTS: Applicants, Matriculants, Enrollment, Graduates, MD/PhD, and Residency Applicants Data - Data and Analysis - AAMC

https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstablea23.pdf


Definitely look into post-baccalaureate programs and SMPs

 

[aformerstudent]

@aformerstudent would you mind PMing me your Caribbean situation? You seem to have decent experiences there although you did not finish?

Check out my first post and the first few. Were you thinking of the Caribbean?

 

[njtrimed]

I'm not sure where you get the idea that this is a "what are my chances post" considering I gave you pretty much no information aside from cumulative gap which was a hypothetical. It was actually just trying to gather more info from people who have experience in applying to medical school with a positive upward trend.

I'm fully aware, and also mentioned in my post if you read it, that the MCAT is a crucial part of applying to medical school. But as mentioned, this was not about my chances for medical school or even the MCAT. This was about how adcoms look at a positive upward trend over 2 years, and more specifically with DO programs.


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Yes, upward trend matters. Keep it up for another year and do well on the MCAT and you'll be in good shape to either apply to med school or to SMPs. Since you're still young and maybe not considered far from your earlier bad grades, you may need the SMP for GPA repair, but you should ask the ADCOMs on this board once you have another year of good grades and see what they think. A low GPA will get you screened out of some schools, but not all. Keep up the good work and next year you can make a WAMC thread to figure out your next step.