Other ways to raise gpa than retake classes

[bill232]

I currently have a 2.6 science and a 3.0 overall gpa. If I do well in the classes for the summer, fall and spring then my gpa will approximately go up to 3.2 - 3.3. These classes include Physics 2, Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2, Cell bio 1 & 2, Nutrition, Organic Chem Lab 1 & 2 and possibly Bio 376 (endocrinology). The classes that are pulling me down are Physics 1 and Organic Chem 1 & 2. I do not want to retake these classes because I know theyll take up so much time from my MCAT prep for next year April. Would it be advisable to take both Anatomy and Physiology classes and Nutrition since these classes are more for nursing students? Please help

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[Sundarban1]

Bill, Physics and Ochem ARE YOUR MCAT PREP!!

 

[MikeyLu2010]

I know that you dont want to retake classes..but the FASTEST way to boost your gpa is to retake classes you did poorly in (C or lower)...other ways are to take electives at community colleges (history, gov, etc)..if you retake those classes you are doing bad in..it actually helps you prep for the mcat..physics 1, orgo 1/2...however..i would advice not retaking orgo lab ..that class is way too time consuming

 

[RuDownWithOPP]

I think thats a tough question to answer. Obviously whatever you can do to raise your overall GPA and science GPA is always good. The first thing schools look at before your name is GPA and MCAT. Once they take a closer look though, you may face some difficult questions (durring an interview). I think it would be important for you to do well on the Physical and Biological sections of the MCAT's. Your MCAT scores should demonstrate your ability to learn and excel, even though your class scores are sub par. So to answer your question specifically, I think it would help you to take Anatamoy and Physiology, and Nutrition as well if it will be factored into your science GPA.

I currently have a 2.6 science and a 3.0 overall gpa. If I do well in the classes for the summer, fall and spring then my gpa will approximately go up to 3.2 - 3.3. These classes include Physics 2, Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2, Cell bio 1 & 2, Nutrition, Organic Chem Lab 1 & 2 and possibly Bio 376 (endocrinology). The classes that are pulling me down are Physics 1 and Organic Chem 1 & 2. I do not want to retake these classes because I know theyll take up so much time from my MCAT prep for next year April. Would it be advisable to take both Anatomy and Physiology classes and Nutrition since these classes are more for nursing students? Please help

 

[OSUdoc08]

I currently have a 2.6 science and a 3.0 overall gpa. If I do well in the classes for the summer, fall and spring then my gpa will approximately go up to 3.2 - 3.3. These classes include Physics 2, Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2, Cell bio 1 & 2, Nutrition, Organic Chem Lab 1 & 2 and possibly Bio 376 (endocrinology). The classes that are pulling me down are Physics 1 and Organic Chem 1 & 2. I do not want to retake these classes because I know theyll take up so much time from my MCAT prep for next year April. Would it be advisable to take both Anatomy and Physiology classes and Nutrition since these classes are more for nursing students? Please help

The AACOMAS replaces all grades when retaken. Taking additional different classes will only average with the lower grades, and likely will be a minimal benefit to you. It is irrelevant what score you make on the MCAT at this point until you raise your GPA. The ONLY way to do this is the retake the courses.

On a side note, the BEST POSSIBLE WAY to do great on the MCAT is to retake the courses on the MCAT. This will replace any MCAT review course.

 

[mshheaddoc]

Sorry to derail the thread but this something I've always wonder - how they "replace" grades taken at "different schools" and the course has a different name - yet similar enough to supposedly replace it. How do they figure this out?

As for advice - retake some of the classes you did poorly in. I'm retaking some science and some electives. I'm piling on electives from a community college and taking every class available to man that is a science class. Even if its "not for majors" because its STILL a science class in your gpa

 

[dr.z]

I think re-taking them would be the best way to raise your GPA.

 

[Spankete87]

When I talked to adcoms after my first go round at med school, most of them told me (3.3 overall and 3.0 science 30Q MCAT) that the only thing i could do for myself was to retake the few science classes that I did poorly in in undergrad. Basically they told me that taking different classes (even if they were upper level science) would not tell them that I could do well in the types of science classes that they were using to standardize all the applicants (Gen Chem, Orgo, Phys, Genetics, Mol/Dev Bio). They also said that those classes were good predictors of how you would do in med school (God, I hope not) - unless of course you have a huge desparity between your science GPA and your MCAT.....which of course I did. Now mind you these were allopathic programs and I only retook ONE science class that I got a C- in before applying to D.O. programs and I was admitted to 3 D.O. programs this year.

I would definitely advise you to retake those classes that you did not do well in, as you will need those for doing well on the MCAT. As others have said, it will also be the quickest and easiest way to raise your GPA for D.O. since they replace grades. Even with raising your GPA, you're still going to need to do well on the MCAT (see my stats) to compensate for the below 3.2 science GPA. I would say that most D.O. programs average stats are 3.3-3.4 overall and about the same, maybe a little lower for the science GPA. MCATs are normally around 25-27 per school.

 

[HunterGatherer]

good advice

When I talked to adcoms after my first go round at med school, most of them told me (3.3 overall and 3.0 science 30Q MCAT) that the only thing i could do for myself was to retake the few science classes that I did poorly in in undergrad. Basically they told me that taking different classes (even if they were upper level science) would not tell them that I could do well in the types of science classes that they were using to standardize all the applicants (Gen Chem, Orgo, Phys, Genetics, Mol/Dev Bio). They also said that those classes were good predictors of how you would do in med school (God, I hope not) - unless of course you have a huge desparity between your science GPA and your MCAT.....which of course I did. Now mind you these were allopathic programs and I only retook ONE science class that I got a C- in before applying to D.O. programs and I was admitted to 3 D.O. programs this year.

I would definitely advise you to retake those classes that you did not do well in, as you will need those for doing well on the MCAT. As others have said, it will also be the quickest and easiest way to raise your GPA for D.O. since they replace grades. Even with raising your GPA, you're still going to need to do well on the MCAT (see my stats) to compensate for the below 3.2 science GPA. I would say that most D.O. programs average stats are 3.3-3.4 overall and about the same, maybe a little lower for the science GPA. MCATs are normally around 25-27 per school.

 

[Dr. K]

When I talked to adcoms after my first go round at med school, most of them told me (3.3 overall and 3.0 science 30Q MCAT) that the only thing i could do for myself was to retake the few science classes that I did poorly in in undergrad. Basically they told me that taking different classes (even if they were upper level science) would not tell them that I could do well in the types of science classes that they were using to standardize all the applicants (Gen Chem, Orgo, Phys, Genetics, Mol/Dev Bio). They also said that those classes were good predictors of how you would do in med school (God, I hope not) - unless of course you have a huge desparity between your science GPA and your MCAT.....which of course I did. Now mind you these were allopathic programs and I only retook ONE science class that I got a C- in before applying to D.O. programs and I was admitted to 3 D.O. programs this year.

I would definitely advise you to retake those classes that you did not do well in, as you will need those for doing well on the MCAT. As others have said, it will also be the quickest and easiest way to raise your GPA for D.O. since they replace grades. Even with raising your GPA, you're still going to need to do well on the MCAT (see my stats) to compensate for the below 3.2 science GPA. I would say that most D.O. programs average stats are 3.3-3.4 overall and about the same, maybe a little lower for the science GPA. MCATs are normally around 25-27 per school.

Interesting points...your post got me thinking...what IS the typical correlation between science or overall GPA and MCAT. Does a 3.3 science (or overall) GPA correspond to a 27 on the MCAT. A 3.5 to a 30?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Interesting points...your post got me thinking...what IS the typical correlation between science or overall GPA and MCAT. Does a 3.3 science (or overall) GPA correspond to a 27 on the MCAT. A 3.5 to a 30?

I got a 3.4 and a 28

(29 with 2 MCATs combined, best sections used.)

 

[Spankete87]

Interesting points...your post got me thinking...what IS the typical correlation between science or overall GPA and MCAT. Does a 3.3 science (or overall) GPA correspond to a 27 on the MCAT. A 3.5 to a 30?

I think it's highly variable from person to person. The MCAT does test your knowledge, but it also tests your ability to do well on multiple choice tests in a restricted timeframe. I know personally I never finished a physical science section on any MCAT that I ever took! Most of the time I left at least 10 questions blank just because it took me a lot longer to process physics and general chemistry questions than it did verbal or bio. Also, your GPA may not reflect what you actually were capalble of. I know for me I took most of my premed science classes during my first two years of college before I decided to definitely go to med school. Resultantly I got much lower grades because I didn't care as much at that point in my life about my grades. This was reflected (thankfully) by a huge increase in my GPA and science GPA's over the next two years and on my MCAT.

There are many people on this forum that have really great GPAs and lower MCATs or vice versa. Just prepare yourself well, study really hard and give it your all and that's about all that you can do. Good luck!

 

[nobleheart]

science GPA vs. overall GPA...which seems to carry more weight?

 

[scpod]

Interesting points...your post got me thinking...what IS the typical correlation between science or overall GPA and MCAT. Does a 3.3 science (or overall) GPA correspond to a 27 on the MCAT. A 3.5 to a 30?

I rarely answer a question without having some data to back up my response, but in this case I don't have it. However, being the betting man that I am, I'll bet that there is no correlation between GPA and MCAT. Why? Because every class at every school is different. Someone with a 3.5 GPA at an Ivy League school would certainly have better preparation than someone with a 3.5 at Betty Jean's College of Cosmetology and Biosciences. All 3.5's just aren't the same. The MCAT is the big equalizer between colleges. I know of more than one person with a 4.0 undergrad GPA who can't score higher than a 21 on the MCAT. Conversely, I know people with <3.0 who made 30+. I don't think that those are aberations-- I'd bet there really is no correlation.

 

[Jack Daniel]

I rarely answer a question without having some data to back up my response, but in this case I don't have it. However, being the betting man that I am, I'll bet that there is no correlation between GPA and MCAT. Why? Because every class at every school is different. Someone with a 3.5 GPA at an Ivy League school would certainly have better preparation than someone with a 3.5 at Betty Jean's College of Cosmetology and Biosciences. All 3.5's just aren't the same. The MCAT is the big equalizer between colleges. I know of more than one person with a 4.0 undergrad GPA who can't score higher than a 21 on the MCAT. Conversely, I know people with <3.0 who made 30+. I don't think that those are aberations-- I'd bet there really is no correlation.

Yep, I would agree. Perhaps this will provide some evidence:
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/research/bibliography/shen001.htm

Basically the results were: MCAT scores and premedical GPA combined provided a predictive cognitive ability of R=0.65. MCAT scores alone provided a score of 0.63. Pre-med GPA alone provided a score of 0.17.

I realize this doesn't specifically address the relationship between GPA and MCAT, but it does a nice job at hinting that GPA is a fairly weak predictor, as defined by the study.