GPA for AMCAS?

I’m sure this question has been answered before, but I’m not feeling well tonight, so my searching just isn’t finding the answers I want.


I’m trying to ballpark my GPA to figure out if the top-third med school in my metro (who I really love and who also has a great residency and fellowship in what I think I might go into) is a possibility for me, looking purely at numbers because I have some good ECs that will help.


My undergrad GPA was 3.1, with low science grades ( a B and a C). I worked at least 40 hours per week, most of the time more, in several part-time positions, and was super super active in many organizations/community service stuff. I’m not worried about this GPA when you look at a total picture stand point, but I’m worried when you look at number cut-offs and how well I need to do on the MCAT.


Obviously, I’m shooting for a 4.0 in my post-bach, and that would give me about a 3.6/3.7 sGPA and a 3.2/3.3 cGPA depending on how many classes I choose to take.


However, I have a graduate degree, and I got a 3.56 for those classes (while working full time + as a teacher). Do they count in the AMCAS formula towards my cGPA? That would be amazing if they did and would make me a lot more comfortable about this whole journey so I don’t feel like it’s over if I don’t get like a 37 on the MCAT.


Thanks for letting me have my freakout

And I know how trivial this seems (because it is, after all), but it could make the difference from one GPA range to another, meaning that the average MCAT score at 50% acceptance is a full three to five points lower, taking some of the pressure off to have to be extraordinary just to have a chance!

Rule 10: Beware of FUD – Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt.

• ReallyThatAgain Said:

Worry about how well you have to do on the MCAT takes away time, energy and resources needed to study for the MCAT.

• ReallyThatAgain Said:

Your improved science GPA and post-bacc GPA are likely enough to make it past any perceived cut off of your target school. Your science GPA and Postbacc GPA do show up as separate line items

• ReallyThatAgain Said:

For AMCAS your grad GPA does NOT count towards your cGPA.

So if you get a 29 are you not going to apply? Are you going to say NO instead of giving the adcom a chance to say YES? Are you going to sit there and worry about the chances? I hate "what are my chances" questions. Are you going to let your numbers force you to worry until you have an ulcer or are you going to look forward and show the adcom where you are today?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY

• ReallyThatAgain Said:

Next time you want to freak out, go to that "other" website and see what you get. There they hit you over the head. Here we give you a swift kick in the pants to get moving on your goal





Attached files

Thanks, gonnif, I really needed that. I would still apply as long as I got a passable (26 or higher) score, but I’d have a much better chance of getting into this specific school that I absolutely love and would keep me close to my family. The FUD is getting to me!


I think I do better when I talk things out with other people when it comes to personal problems because I like to get perspective. You really helped me get perspective. And I can’t even go on the other site anymore because everyone on there is having daily anxiety attacks.

Geez, I wish my AMCAS undergrad app looked like that, LOL!!!

Yeah, but I’ll get the “are you a flip-flopper” side eye because I trained as a teacher all through college and grad school (against my instincts) and work as a teacher for only 3 years before quitting to pursue medicine. I’ll have to really answer the commitment issue well in my PS if I want to have a shot!

I’m a first year medical student.


It is very clear from these postings that you are trying to see first if you can meet a certain benchmark, and only then decide to pursue your goal.


You need to ask yourself if you really want this, at all costs. If you want it bad enough, you won’t try to idealize your medical future by wanting to ONLY attend your local medical school, and not apply broadly.


I don’t know why you said you wouldn’t apply if you didn’t score a 26? Whose cut off is that? I scored a 25 on the mcat, and current studying at a top tier DO program.


Medicine is a tough field and you have to tuly want it at all costs. It’s clear that you are weighing several options including CNM, so you need to figure out if you are ready to sell your life to this profession.


Best of luck.

Thanks for the input, Raffster. I do appreciate other viewpoints as it helps me expand mine.


Is this my dream and for sure what I want to do? Absolutely. But there also comes a time when I have to weigh what is best for my family and what is realistically achievable. I know that I have a certain radius of schools to apply at (which gives me a list of about 15 between MD/DO)in order for this to work for my family. As much as it would be tragic for me, I would set aside all of my dreams in a heartbeat if it was going to be too much for my child and husband to take. That’s part of why being a CNM is appealing to me - because it makes life better for my family. Ultimately, I wouldn’t be happy, but it’s an option if things don’t go my way or I am faced with a sacrifice. I think any parent can understand what I mean by that. My family is tremendously supportive, but I’m not the only one in my family, and I can’t be egocentric to think that there aren’t sacrifices that could be too great for them to handle.


I’m actually not asking about certain benchmarks as much as how much leeway I’d have in looking at my top choice school, not because it’s local, but because it’s the best program in my radius and I’m shooting for the best. Being local is a bonus because as a metro in a surrounding county, I’m counted as an in-state student which raises my chances at this school.


Congratulations on your med school enrollment! That must be so exciting! I’m glad that you were able to make a lower MCAT score work for you - you must’ve been a really strong candidate. For me, however, knowing all the little parts of my application that I don’t post on the internet, there is such a small chance that I would be accepted under my personal cut-off, that while I would apply for that cycle, I would move on (at least temporarily to help my family recover financially), especially knowing that historically I do really well on tests and have very little test anxiety. Having a lower score FOR ME AND MY LEARNING/TESTING STYLE would mean that I just am not capable of being successful as a medical student. Unfortunately, from my extensive background in education, I know exactly when to call it quits, so I’m being realistic when I say that. Everyone is different in that aspect.


Thanks again for your viewpoint - you helped me further analyze and scrutinize whether or not this is the path that I want to take, and I really appreciate it!

• raffster Said:

This is one of the most sobering statements I've heard in a long time.

Thank You.