Worse Case Senario

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Hi, so I'm apply this year to DO and MD schools but I feel like this year may not work out or I may get accepted to a school I don't really feel entirely happy with.

So I applied with a 3.66 cum, 3.73 science. But after this semester of senioritismaxima and thinking I would be accepted my gpa is probably going to fall to a 3.58/ 3.7.

So I wanted to know if I can bring my Mcat up a few points will I be fine given with this dip in my grades? Like will med schools really give me crap about getting a potentially under 3.0 gpa my last semester of mostly awful classes?

Thanks

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[Drrrrrr. Celty]

At the minute I'm debating whether to take the GRE and apply for a masters in Biology or experimental Psychology and applying for Med school in a year.

 

[TwinsFan]

My 2 cents:
1- What matters will be the gpa in the "senior" line of the application service (it will be all averaged together). If it is significantly lower than the others you have a downward trend. This will hurt you.
2- If you get accepted somewhere then go there, even if you want to go somewhere else
3- If you studied "hard" for the MCAT for at least 6-8 weeks then if will probably be difficult to raise your score several points
4- Unless you love research and random grad classes doing a grad program puts you on the hook for a needed high gpa (3.7+) and a bunch of extra work while probably paying to do it
5- Consider some time off to enjoy life and do some things you've always wanted (roadtrips, live somewhere new, etc.)
6- Take a long hard look at your app, and have others do the same, to figure out where things may have gone wrong. There is definitely some randomness to the process but there are also trends and significant continuity in what qualities and experiences shape the people schools are looking for.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

My 2 cents:
1- What matters will be the gpa in the "senior" line of the application service (it will be all averaged together). If it is significantly lower than the others you have a downward trend. This will hurt you.
Yah, I expect to go from a 3.66 to a 3.61 if I'm lucky. Mostly because this semester just blew me.
2- If you get accepted somewhere then go there, even if you want to go somewhere else
Right, if I don't like the school, I'm not attending it sorry.
3- If you studied "hard" for the MCAT for at least 6-8 weeks then if will probably be difficult to raise your score several points
I really didn't study as well as I could. So I'm sure I can improve.
4- Unless you love research and random grad classes doing a grad program puts you on the hook for a needed high gpa (3.7+) and a bunch of extra work while probably paying to do it
At this point after interviewing and seeing the average applicant being way more mature than me ( agewise and experience), I want to get something to set me apart.
5- Consider some time off to enjoy life and do some things you've always wanted (roadtrips, live somewhere new, etc.)
This will totally help me get into med school..
6- Take a long hard look at your app, and have others do the same, to figure out where things may have gone wrong. There is definitely some randomness to the process but there are also trends and significant continuity in what qualities and experiences shape the people schools are looking for.

Yah, my mcat sucks. My ECs are better than most. My gpa after this semester may be blown a bit, but it's still going to be about a 3.6 and despite that I can hopefully have people over look it. Maybe I'll do an informal post-bacc to raise it a bit or show that this semester was a flook, because honestly this is about an entire 1.0 lower than my average work.

 

[TwinsFan]

1- I'm talking about the senior gpa, not whether the cGPA drops a few hundredths. If your Sr gpa is under a ~3.5 then you have a downward trend. Taking more classes before graduating can bring this up. If you wait until after graduating this will be post bacc gpa. Your overall gpa is avg for MD, slightly above avg for DO.
2- I was assuming you didn't apply anywhere you wouldn't attend; and there is no need to have attitude about it?
3- Obviously a 30+ will help your app
4- see 5, life experience does help
5- Honestly, once you have decent grades and MCAT with required medical exposure it is life experience that sets people apart. I realize most sdner's think admissions is a game, and there is probably some truth to this, but finding things you are passionate about and actually succeeding/contributing at them will set you apart and show maturity, especially outside of a university setting. Find out what makes you tick, what you love about life, things that contribute to your purpose and meaning. Maybe you don't know yet, go and find out. I'm not trying to be cheesy here but you only get one shot at this thing (life).
6- So work on your MCAT and bring your gpa back up as much as possible this semester for starters.

What was your school list/breakdown this cycle (MD/DO)?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

1- I'm talking about the senior gpa, not whether the cGPA drops a few hundredths. If your Sr gpa is under a ~3.5 then you have a downward trend. Taking more classes before graduating can bring this up. If you wait until after graduating this will be post bacc gpa. Your overall gpa is avg for MD, slightly above avg for DO.
True, but I'd rather not stay here any longer. This is technically my super senior year that I opted to use only for the sake of finishing Biochem 1 & a minor that I really don't even want anymore ( i already finished my degree last semester).
2- I was assuming you didn't apply anywhere you wouldn't attend; and there is no need to have attitude about it?
Applications and reality when you arrive don't always coincide.
3- Obviously a 30+ will help your app
Hopefully.
4- see 5, life experience does help
True, I guess.
5- Honestly, once you have decent grades and MCAT with required medical exposure it is life experience that sets people apart. I realize most sdner's think admissions is a game, and there is probably some truth to this, but finding things you are passionate about and actually succeeding/contributing at them will set you apart and show maturity, especially outside of a university setting. Find out what makes you tick, what you love about life, things that contribute to your purpose and meaning. Maybe you don't know yet, go and find out. I'm not trying to be cheesy here but you only get one shot at this thing (life).
Yah, my Ecs and experiences are way above most people. I lack mostly research experience and frankly most people seem older than me by a few years when I apply.
6- So work on your MCAT and bring your gpa backup as much as possible this semester for starters.

So what do you think I should do? Take some courses at a CC during my break? Apply to the extension school of my current University? What?

What was your school list/breakdown this cycle (MD/DO)?

14 MD , 13 DO ( with me adding a 2 more recently and getting 4 interview invites so far, but 1 is a WL, 1 is a rejection, 1 probably will be a rejection and probably not conducive to my personal life, and one coming up, with 3 holds at DMU, AZCOM, & LECOM-B).

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Let me pose you a different question. I have a lab that I'm going to get a C or C+ in this semester. If I drop it I'll lose my minor ( Idc) and it'll make my gpa barely affected. What do you think I should do? Drop it or do you think that me doing that may affect the contingencies to acceptances this semester or that another W would negatively affect my application I have 2 others?

 

[gyngyn]

Drop the minor. Nobody cares about it but you and a further drop in gpa is verifiably bad.

 

[TwinsFan]

Drop the minor. Nobody cares about it but you and a further drop in gpa is verifiably bad.

I concur.

2 vs 3 Ws is similar and minors are pretty useless. But having your SR year gpa line not include a C will probably keep it a bit higher reducing the downward trend. Make sure next semester is a 4.0 and your SR gpa should be fine (no downward trend).

BTW, what was your MCAT breakdown?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I concur.

2 vs 3 Ws is similar and minors are pretty useless. But having your SR year gpa line not include a C will probably keep it a bit higher reducing the downward trend. Make sure next semester is a 4.0 and your SR gpa should be fine (no downward trend).

BTW, what was your MCAT breakdown?

Basically at this point one of my classes will be surely a B or B+ if I'm very good. Biochem will if I move my butt a lot, potentially be a C+ or a B-. Dropping my Neuro lab will blow my minor out, but again, I don't care. But it will save me from having to get a C or C+. I'm not too offended by that, but I'm already really taking only 10 credits with 1 p/f class. So basically getting a 3.0 with just 7 credits may look bad as well, but probably in all reality be significantly less bad than if I remain and risk it and get a 2.4 to 2.6 ( I guess I'd drop down to a what? 3.62 at worst).

My mcat was a 7/9/10 with PS being my worst and BS being my best.
Idk, I'm worried that if I drop I may lose a med school acceptance if I do in fact get one this year.

 

[TwinsFan]

Take a look at your AMCAS/AACOMAS Sr gpa calculation (how many credits at what gpa) then add your projected credits and gpa to see the new weighted overall average. The actual semester gpa matters less as spring semester could compensate for acceptance purposes (gpa since applying) and it will all be averaged with the previous credits for next years app purposes (total SR year line gpa).

For your MCAT, PS being the lowest is in your favor as it is probably the most concrete, making it on average easier to improve. Your BS is good and VR is decent.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Take a look at your AMCAS/AACOMAS Sr gpa calculation (how many credits at what gpa) then add your projected credits and gpa to see the new weighted overall average. The actual semester gpa matters less as spring semester could compensate for acceptance purposes (gpa since applying) and it will all be averaged with the previous credits for next years app purposes (total SR year line gpa).

For your MCAT, PS being the lowest is in your favor as it is probably the most concrete, making it on average easier to improve. Your BS is good and VR is decent.

Again, I'm graduating in December and I already had my degree last semester. I only took this semester so I could take biochem and decided to finish the minor. So honestly I don't intent on spending another semester here. So it doesn't help much and this semester will just remain for me a 3.0 or so if I drop the lab.

I've calculated that in the situation of a 3.0 I'll fall to a 3.63. Which pending an increase in my mcat may not hurt me that much.

Again, my main issue is whether or not the W can hurt my chances of maintaining an acceptance if I get one this semester.

 

[TwinsFan]

Drop the class and focus all your efforts on Biochem. A 3.0 or dropping a minor shouldn't get an acceptance rescinded.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Drop the class and focus all your efforts on Biochem. A 3.0 or dropping a minor shouldn't get an acceptance rescinded.

In the end I think I'll do that tbh. I didn't like the lab nor see the purpose in it. I was just worried in getting a W as some schools may rescind for that. But maybe that's only in cases of Ws in a major class or a prereq.

 

[Goro]

If you've taken the MCAT, could you let us know the results? I recommend that you quit fussing about your GPA. I'ts fine. Stay around the 3.6 ballpark and you're fine. Even if you fall to 3.5, still still fine. SMP is overkill, you just need a realistic school list, as my colleague gyngyn likes to point out.

Hi, so I'm apply this year to DO and MD schools but I feel like this year may not work out or I may get accepted to a school I don't really feel entirely happy with.

So I applied with a 3.66 cum, 3.73 science. But after this semester of senioritismaxima and thinking I would be accepted my gpa is probably going to fall to a 3.58/ 3.7.

So I wanted to know if I can bring my Mcat up a few points will I be fine given with this dip in my grades? Like will med schools really give me crap about getting a potentially under 3.0 gpa my last semester of mostly awful classes?

Thanks

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If you've taken the MCAT, could you let us know the results? I recommend that you quit fussing about your GPA. I'ts fine. Stay around the 3.6 ballpark and you're fine. Even if you fall to 3.5, still still fine. SMP is overkill, you just need a realistic school list, as my colleague gyngyn likes to point out.

I'll be in that ballpark thankfully, I had a 26 with a 7ps, 9vr,10bs. I can probably do far better, but I think I genuinely spent only 2 weeks studying for the test and even then I only took Kaplan practice exams. So I think if I don't get in by Feb I'll start Princeton Prep and do an actual in class.

 

[Goro]

The MCAT is a non-starter for MD schools, alas, but you're still OK for most DO programs.

I'll be in that ballpark thankfully, I had a 26 with a 7ps, 9vr,10bs. I can probably do far better, but I think I genuinely spent only 2 weeks studying for the test and even then I only took Kaplan practice exams. So I think if I don't get in by Feb I'll start Princeton Prep and do an actual in class.

 

[Eremba]

I'll be in that ballpark thankfully, I had a 26 with a 7ps, 9vr,10bs. I can probably do far better, but I think I genuinely spent only 2 weeks studying for the test and even then I only took Kaplan practice exams. So I think if I don't get in by Feb I'll start Princeton Prep and do an actual in class.

Which DO schools? I have an acceptance with a 25 MCAT. You also have slightly (.1) higher GPAs than me.

I think you should get in somewhere....unless you are set for MD schools then yes, study that bum off and get that 30+.....

 

[Dral]

Lower grades due to 'senioritis'? Studying for only 2 weeks for the MCAT? Get your a$$ in gear. That type of slacking doesn't work after you start a career in medicine.

I wish you the best of luck.

 

[QofQuimica]

OP, I gotta agree with Dral here. Too much focus on your "personal life," and not enough focus on the kind of strong work ethic that you need to get into (and through) medical school/residency. Take some time off until you're ready and willing to make some serious sacrifices in your personal life so that you can focus on medicine the way you need to in order to succeed. Med school will still be there in a year (or two or five) when you're ready.

 

[DoktorO]

Lower grades due to 'senioritis'? Studying for only 2 weeks for the MCAT? Get your a$$ in gear. That type of slacking doesn't work after you start a career in medicine.

I wish you the best of luck.

Hey, once the application goes in, your GPA in senior year wont count against you. Thus getting motivated is pretty damn difficult.

 

[Dral]

That's not the point.

I could explain the point, but why bother?