Options with my GPA

[23dancesmile]

Ahh first post so kind've nervous.
I graduated from an ivy league with a 2.44 GPA. I have the time to get a fantastic score on the MCAT...my study skills have improved a lot (for ex. I took some undergrad bio classes at a state uni and got Cell Bio:A, Neurobio: A, Biochem LAb:A-, NeurobioLab: B). I'm confident I can study hard and do really well on the MCAT.
I feel like what's really holding me back in the app process is my GPA which I got when I was sick and distracted during college.
I'm part of the non-matriculating graduate student program at a state university, so I can take any undergrad or masters classes I want.
So say all the volunteering, extra curricular stuff is taken care of.
Do you know if I have to erase this GPA of 2.44 by doing a post bacc program??
...or can I
1. take several undergrad premed classes in the next few semesters (not as part of a post-bacc program), do well in them, and show the grades for them (although they won't contribute to my old GPA)...and that would make a difference to the medical school's decision?

2. take Masters of Biochem and Cell Bio classes where I'm enrolled, transfer into the Masters program, get a good GPA....Will this GPA if over a 3.5 change the medical school's decision about my old GPA?

3. just get a really high MCAT score that proves I know the premed material better?

Anyone have any other ideas as well? I really appreciate you taking the time to read this. Please let me know what you think!

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[etp123]

You should retake the classes you didn't do well in (below A- ish), especially if they're the typical pre-req style classes. It'll be concrete proof that you have mastery of the fundamentals now, then you should also retake your upper div science classes (or take them for the first time if your undergrad degree wasn't bio) to also show you're capable of higher level concepts. This is the most important thing because it seems the consensus on sd.net is that masters programs (unless they're SMPs) are prone to grade inflation and might not accurately represent grade redemption. Also it's not figured into your undergrad GPA.

All classes taken at undergrad level, even if you've already graduated, are counted as part of your uGPA. Masters are separate grad GPA. So I think the best thing is to hit ALL those points, actually. First nail your prereqs to help budge your GPA as much as possible, rock the MCAT, and look into SMPs. I think a lot of schools autoscreen out sub 3.0 GPAs so if you can somehow take enough classes to get it over that mark, I'd try my best at it.

You'll probably hear this from other posters, but with GPA damage like that don't get too hopeful about any MD acceptances. DO is a more feasible route for GPA repair candidates, in case you don't already know about that. You're far below what any med school at the moment wants so you've got to throw EVERYTHING you've got at it and make sure all weak points are redeemed. There are actually several active threads on this forum right now you should look through that are similar to your situation and have some awesome write-ups by more learned sd-ers about being realistic about your chances and what you're up against. Good luck

 

[Goro]

Don't engage in magic thinking. A high MCAT doesn't erase a poor GPA. More to follow.

Ahh first post so kind've nervous.
I graduated from an ivy league with a 2.44 GPA. I have the time to get a fantastic score on the MCAT...my study skills have improved a lot (for ex. I took some undergrad bio classes at a state uni and got Cell Bio:A, Neurobio: A, Biochem LAb:A-, NeurobioLab: B). I'm confident I can study hard and do really well on the MCAT.
I feel like what's really holding me back in the app process is my GPA which I got when I was sick and distracted during college.
I'm part of the non-matriculating graduate student program at a state university, so I can take any undergrad or masters classes I want.
So say all the volunteering, extra curricular stuff is taken care of.
Do you know if I have to erase this GPA of 2.44 by doing a post bacc program??
...or can I
1. take several undergrad premed classes in the next few semesters (not as part of a post-bacc program), do well in them, and show the grades for them (although they won't contribute to my old GPA)...and that would make a difference to the medical school's decision?

2. take Masters of Biochem and Cell Bio classes where I'm enrolled, transfer into the Masters program, get a good GPA....Will this GPA if over a 3.5 change the medical school's decision about my old GPA?

3. just get a really high MCAT score that proves I know the premed material better?

Anyone have any other ideas as well? I really appreciate you taking the time to read this. Please let me know what you think!

 

[Goro]

Your fastest path to being a doctor is to retake all F/D/C science coursework and apply to DO schools.

If you're boning for the MD, then acing a post-bac or SMP AND the MCAT are required.

 

[CaffeineTwitch]

So currently you are probably auto-screened out of any school worth accepting, but that doesn't mean medical school is out for you. Personally, I would focus on undergraduate classes. I would retake classes with bad grades, focusing on pre-req science classes. The thing is, you currently have nothing to really evaluate you on now. I see that you have done well recently, but I would argue that anyone can 'reinvent' themselves for a semester. You are going to need to raise you undergraduate gpa to at least a 3.0 and show a multi-semester effort that is representative of your current abilities. About the MCAT; doing really well on it is not a guarantee no matter how hard you try. I am not saying any of this to discourage you, on the contrary, I think you can get there with proper planning; just don't go in thinking a "good MCAT" and 4 science courses are going to be enough. Most importantly, DO NOT RUSH THIS. Your first chance is your best chance; get where you need to be before you apply.

 

[23dancesmile]

Thanks guys. Yeah definitely, I'm aiming for DO schools right now. I'm a "non-matriculating graduate student" at a state university which means I can take undergrad/grad courses without being part of a program....hopefully I can take several undergrad premed courses for the next two semesters. My question is, since I already graduated, would the DO schools I apply to factor these classes as part of my undergrad GPA? Or use these grades to make my GPA better somehow although they're not actually incorporated into my undergrad GPA since I already graduated? Sorry kind've confusing. Or is it better to just do a Masters in Biochem and Cell Bio and get an awesome GPA there?
Oh yeah, so I just started studying for the MCAT and I'm definitely not aiming for a perfect score because this seems incredibly overwhelming and tough esp since I'm not doing any testtaking help program (Kaplan/Princeton etc). So yeah, it'll take some time and effort for sure.
As for volunteering I plan on doing that for several hours every weekend over the next year.
Is research totally necessary? I have research experience at HHMI Columbia Med Center but it was computer programming to make images of ribosomes clearer (in freshman year)....
Getting shadowing done starting next month.
I'm kind've starting out on this journey and am really overwhelmed but SDN is helping with that. It's nice to hear about other peoples struggles and how they're getting through it.
So overall gameplan:
Undergrad Premed (only science) classes I did C- or worse in as a full-time student for the next 1-2 semesters.

Volunteering for total about 8 hours every weekend at the state hospital near my house
Shadowing at my pediatrician's starting next month
Aceing the MCAT (Merp)
Alsooo...tomorrow I have an interview at CityMD for Medical scribe position...15.50 an hr w/benefits....is it worth it? Anyone know? Thanks a lot
Sound like an okay plan? Thank you

 

[CaffeineTwitch]

Sounds like you have a good plan. As far as I know all non graduate courses are lumped together, so do well and that gpa will come up. Make sure you are getting where you want or higher on mcat practice tests before you take the real thing. For some reason people tend to think they were will perform better on the real thing and chance it.. That is rarely the case.

 

[etp123]

My question is, since I already graduated, would the DO schools I apply to factor these classes as part of my undergrad GPA? Or use these grades to make my GPA better somehow although they're not actually incorporated into my undergrad GPA since I already graduated? Sorry kind've confusing. Or is it better to just do a Masters in Biochem and Cell Bio and get an awesome GPA there?

But it is incorporated into your undergrad (or rather, cumulative) GPA still. Even if you graduated, it's still an undergraduate level class you're taking with grades that go to your cumulative GPA. Otherwise, for career changers where would those postbac grades go ? DOs luckily have a nice policy that let you replace any undergraduate work with the most recent grade (doesn't matter if better or worse) of the equivalent undergraduate work (similar in credits and content). So if you took Bio 1 and got a B- at ivy league X, graduated, then went to a state school Y and took Bio 1 and got a A, you would put both grades on the application but they'll count the A in the GPA calculation.

Any graduate-level work, in other words anything you do specifically for a master's, is a separate graduate GPA and is not counted as part of your uGPA. They'll look at it for sure but you've definitely got to get the uGPA and sGPA up first and foremost. That's probably weighed more heavily, I believe. Also again there is some perception that a master's program GPA is not really indicative of academic redemption since there can be grade inflation unless it is a special master's program (SMP) - the type where you're literally taking med school classes to prove you can do med school.

For research I've heard mixed things. Some say it's necessary, some don't. I guess look into some schools you're interested in applying to and see if they're very research oriented? It certainly doesn't look bad to have on your application, but just do what you can but don't overload yourself to where you don't have proper time to study for the MCAT/your classes.

 

[23dancesmile]

Wow thanks a lot! Just for future reference does any one have the link aacomas info on grade replacement or how new undergrad classes are incorporated into GPA? Also if I took cell bio only one semester as a part time student the grade still counts towards my undergrad GPA even though I wasn't a full time student based on what you said right? Because I'm gonna recalculate my GPA now with those 7 extra courses (biochem lab, neurobio, cell bio, women studies, business) and it might be better already! Thanks!!

 

[etp123]

I think you're getting a little confused lol. The distinction between full-time and part-time student doesn't have any impact towards your grades/credit hours. You took a class for x credits, you got a grade, that's what counts. Being part-time doesn't make those credit hours any less veritable or worth less than what it was listed for. It's just that it's preferable to be taking a full-time course load and doing well vs. part-time since it better shows you handling a rigorous academic schedule, which is what you'll be facing in med school. But they'll also understand if you had to do part-time because you were also working full-time, etc.

Taking an undergraduate level class, no matter what your enrollment circumstances, is still a grade that goes towards the med school GPA calculation. It doesn't affect your ivy league GPA anymore since you graduated and that's set in stone, but med school apps calculate your GPA based on ALL the classes you've ever taken at ALL institutions.