Hello All,
I would appreciate any advice you might have… I know you’ve heard that one before. Anyways, here’s my abbreviated story.
I received my undergrad in 2000 with a 2.34 GPA (I know horrible) in Psychology, but have worked in production management for the past 10yrs. Since making the decision to pursue MS I have enrolled at a local CC to take the appropriate pre-requisites and bring up my GPA. I have been attending full time for the past year and currently have a 3.87. After finishing this coming spring I will have approximately 75 new semester units.
How much weight will my undergrad GPA from 10 years ago carry and will my new, basically sGPA from a CC be enough to off set it? I’ve done the numbers and averaging both will most likely put me right under 3.0.
I’m also in the process of volunteering at the VA hospital and I am planning on shadowing some doctors, but I have little research experience from my undergrad.
I’ve been reviewing the MSAR and AACOM, but even with a good MCAT score I’m not sure I can overcome my original GPA. Again any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,
If it’s what you want, just go for it, especially since you are so far down the road with all the extra courses. I suggest reading Old Man Dave’s diary on here, as well as going to the presentations for the 2010 conference (and prior conferences).
Hang in there!
Layne
welcome!!
if you are considering a masters i would recommend a special masters program (such as the one i just finished). they are designed for people who may have had…well some mistakes in their past…and gives them a chance to prove they can handle grad school coursework. they are intense and well worth it but a huge risk. you risk everything for a chance to do what you want.
Welcome. You are among Kindred spirits here.
First thing you need to do is accept your undergrad GPA. It is a part of who you are and there is nothing you can do about it. It is there and it is in the past. You need to focus on the here and the now.
The next thing is to forget about the MCAT and the MSAR right now because they are not going to help you. At this point, you need to focus on your studies. And get them done.
Questions: Did you take any of the pre-requisites? If so, what were the grades. If not, then your first order of business is to get them done and do well on them.
If you can show the adcoms that you are not the same person you were back them by having very good grades then you are on the right track.
When you are done or almost done with the pre-reqs then worry about the MCAT. But you need to do things one step at a time. I have said it before and I will say it again, this is a marathon and not a sprint. It takes as long as it takes.
Once again, welcome and do not hesitate to ask any questions.
I am currently taking the pre-requisites for the first time and also the pre-requisites that go along with the pre-med pre-requisites. Classes are in high demand as I’m sure most people are aware of, so I’ve filled in with some other classes when I wasn’t able to get a pre-requisite. Below are the classes I’ve completed and will start Chem. II, Phys. II, Bio. I and Pre-Cal at the end of Aug.
Intro Chem - A
Intro Chem - A
Gen Chem I - A
Math - A
Math – A
Intro Bio – A
Phys I – A
Span I –A
Span II – B
Psy - A
Soc – A
Thanks for everyone’s advice, it really helps the process.
Excellent job so far!! Those science grades are a good demonstration that you can do the work. Keep on focusing on doing well in those courses!
There is an opportunity on your application to include a statement about prior academic performance.
Kate
Good call on the Spanish… The lower level sciences aren’t weighted as heavily as the upper level courses are, so the biggest thing is to keep getting those scores in the Jr/Sr level courses as well. The science GPA matters, typically more than overall. Also, DO schools replace grades, so if you did bad in some of the courses and retake them, your GPA will be all the better for it… Mine goes from like a 3.0 (both science and overall) to like a 3.25 when it is calculated by DO methods. Keep up the hard work, and if you have the dream, find a way to make it work and don’t take no for an answer! Best of luck to you!
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