Junior Undergraduate, need advice

[futuretrashwoman]

I am a rising Junior at the University of Pittsburgh and I have hopes of going to medical school after a gap year. My cGPA is 3.4 and my sGPA is an abysmal 2.89 as I had a very rough freshman year. I just finished ochem 2 and received a C+ in it. I know that the highest sGPA I can get is around a 3.0/3.1. I plan on doing a post bacc since my sGPA is literally trash.

Question #1: Do you recommend me re-taking Ochem 2 or walking away with the C+?

Question #2: What are you recommendations for someone who is from CA and hopes to get into medical school?

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[efle]

For someone from CA with a best-case-scenario 3.0 sGPA, I think SMP probably makes a lot more sense than attempting years of repair.

 

[futuretrashwoman]

Thank you. Also what qualifies in-state? I've lived in CA my whole life but I live in PA and have an apartment there.

 

[efle]

It's the state you have residency in, that will be CA for you, it doesn't change just by attending college in another state

 

[futuretrashwoman]

Thank you! Appreciate it.

 

[Deus Ex Medicine]

For someone from CA with a best-case-scenario 3.0 sGPA, I think SMP probably makes a lot more sense than attempting years of repair.

I took the "years of repair" approach and I would NOT recommend it. That being said, I don't recommend SMP. SMP linkages tend to be weak and don't affect your undergraduate GPA. I think a 1-year post-baccalaureate program that let's you retake some of those courses and offer a linkage to the medical school is a better option because it will also raise your uGPA.

That being said, medical schools look positively upon "upward trends" and if you can get nearly all A's in the next 3 years (junior, senior, post-bac), you should be competitive for some MD schools and DO schools. Good luck!