High MCAT, low GPA - what are my chances?

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

Hey guys,

So I know there must be a thousand discussions like this, but I kind of wanted to hear new responses (as the other ones are a little outdated).

My freshman year didn’t go so well, and currently, I’m doing ok. I switched my major a lot, from bio to biochem to neuroscience and now finally to psychology, which is definitely what I feel is right for me. I had a lot of doubts about going in the medical field, which I guess played in part to my low gpa. But I’ve finally decided that I’ll stick with it and want to make it my career.

So right off the bat, my current GPA is 2.6. I know it’s very low, but I’m honestly planning on getting it up, and with my calculations, if I take 18cr all semesters (I’ve taken 18 before and taking them in my major won’t make it seem so hard) and get an A in all of them, I can end up with a 3.3-3.4 or a little higher GPA.

And of course, I’ll be shooting for an amazing MCAT score, I haven’t taken any practice exams yet, but I’ve already begun studying, with the bulk of it happening this summer.

I thought about taking summer classes, and it’s a little too expensive at the moment but maybe next summer I will, or I might pick up a few extra classes later on.

I have good community service hours, and a few extracurriculars I’m involved in with high positions. I’ve worked in labs, and plan on shadowing/working with a professional this summer and next year as a scribe.

My question is, and let’s talk hypothetically, let’s say my overall GPA is 3.3-3.4, and I have a high MCAT score, what are my chances of getting into UW Madison Medical School?

2

In state of Out of State?

In state acceptance rate into the MD program in 2016 was 18%. Out of State was 2%. Overall acceptance rate was 4%.

Average cumulative GPA was 3.76 and average science GPA was 3.73. Average MCAT was 512 or the 88th percentile.

A high MCAT will only make you an average applicant and you will have a below average GPA. I really think the odds are not in your favor.

If you changed majors and feel psychology was finally what felt right, why are you thinking med school will feel right also? I don’t mean to be pessimistic but trying to be realistic. Most applicants will have outstanding GPAs and great extracurricular activities also.

3

Out of state.

The odds are out of my favor, and I don’t think you’re being a pessimist at all. I appreciate the “real talk” lol.

I really like helping people, I want to dedicate my life to that, but money is also a factor for me (I want to be financially stable in life for myself and my family). Tbh medical is the only thing I’ve kind of ever known and can do. Which is why I had that time period where I just wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.

The other thing I can do is research, but not so much as helping people. I only changed my major to psychology because I feel like if medical doesn’t work out for me, I could do research in psychology. But I’ve always been interested in english and the arts and humanities. I can see myself working as someone in charge of a non-profit.

But to answer your question, I can see myself doing medical the most. I guess my other question is, do I have NO chance at medical school?

And to be honest, I’ve just like, idk, been kind of in a depression because my majors were difficult for me before because I didn’t have any interest in them, and I just feel like I’ve ruined everything for myself.

The odds are not in my favor for UW, but if I were to excel in school from now and do well on MCAT and make my extracurriculars even better, would I have even just a tiny chance?

What kind of schools do I have a shot at? If any?

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What else can I do with a psychology degree which could help people?

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There are a wide range of non-medical-doctor psychology-related health professions.

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Right, but how many of those pay well? I know I really messed up, I’m just in a really depressive state right now and I don’t know what to do. I think I chose the wrong major/career path. Idk.

7

Here’s the acceptance grid for MCAT/GPA at AAMC:
https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstablea23.pdf

Extremely poor as an OOS applicant. Wisconsin has a very strong in-state preference in admissions and only about 12-13% of its entering class is OOS. Typically to get accepted to an OOS public med school an applicant needs higher stats than in-state applicants AND demonstrate an strong reason for applying to that particular school.

If you can get your GPA in to the 3.0+ range and score 500+ on the MCAT, you may be eligible for a SMP (Special Master’s Program). This is a 1-2 year grad program that simulates the rigor of the first year of med school. These are high risk-high reward programs. The best SMPs are offered at med schools and some guarantee an admission interview at the associated med school to the top students. The downside is that if you don’t get a 3.7+ GPA AND finish in the top 15-20% of the class, you can kiss your chances of ever going to med school goodbye.

Here’s a website that has information about a wide range of healthcare careers: https://explorehealthcareers.org

8

There are lots of financially stable careers. There are lots of ways of helping people. You don’t necessarily have to get both of those factors from the same place.

I was a psych major, but I work doing tax returns. My good deed for the day was taking one of my little old clients for a walk in the sunshine while we came up with a plan for resolving their depression.

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@WayOutWestMom thank you so much for your response. I will also definitely be applying to my in state medical school as well.

Is doing a SMP something that looks bad? I will definitely be looking into that website.

I guess one question I have is, should I just not even think about medical school anymore? Like is that not a possibility for me anymore because of my low gpa? I know there are special cases, and who’s to say I can’t be one? But idk, I’m getting a little depressed just thinking that I may not have a shot at medical school anymore, no matter how hard I work from now on.

@allyphoe I would love to do something like that. I love elderly and I love kids, I especially love working with kids with disabilities, I feel very rewarded when working with them.

10

OP
I think you should execute a plan B, if you cannot get all As in the next semester. To pull a 2.6 to a medical school(MD or DO) acceptable GPA is going to be almost impossible.
To go to an medical school sponsored SMP will not look bad, if you maintain a high GPA in the program. However, it is a double sided sword. If you did badly in an SMP, you just throw the money in the drain and get nothing in return. Since SMP is not very useful in job market, its only useful in med school application.

Besides, how do you know you are going to get a HIGH Mcat? Given that your current GPA is 2.6, have you taken orgo yet?

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“Not sure whether or not you want to do medicine but now you are sure” doesn’t explain to me why you would go from a 2.6 the first two years to a 4.0 the last two and get a high MCAT score?

There are plenty of careers to help people, and multiple training pathways outside of an MD that would actually allow you to use psychology to help people much much than an MD would

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I would say, you can still go for it. Also, consider a post Baccalaureate program. Your already know that it’s going to really difficult for you to get in, but there are certainly special cases.

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@dlkjalsdfljkdsa

No, doing a post-bacc or SMP does not look bad.

Here’s an explanation what of post-baccs and SMPs do and who might benefit from attending one: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/preprofadvising/pre-medhealth/after-graduation/masters-post-bac-programs/

Here’s a entire forum devoted to post-bacc and SMP discussion; https://■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/forums/postbaccalaureate-programs.71/

Osteopathic (DO) med schools are a bit more forgiving about GPA than allopathic (MD) are.
http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-dos/Pages/default.aspx

Since you say you’re interested in working with the elderly and pediatric disabled, have you considered career in rehabilitative services–speech & language pathology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, art therapy, rehab counselor.

You may also want to look into nursing and advanced practice nursing (APRN) programs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_practice_registered_nurse

You have so many different career options–and they all help people.

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@WayOutWestMom your last reply is so so helpful, and definitely what I needed today.

Thank you so much.

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quote and get an A in all of them, I can end up with a 3.3-3.4 or a little higher GPA.

[/quote]

As you know you’re in a very deep hole med school wise as to GPA. Med schools expect to see evidence that an applicant can cut it academically, especially in science. They do this by calculating both a cumulative GPA (cGPA) for all college courses taken which for you is currently 2.6. They also calculate a separate science GPA (sGPA) using grades earned in bio, chem, physics, or math (bcpm) courses taken. They will calculate a cGPA and sGPA for each year, and cumulatively, with sGPA considered more important. So since you were a former bio to biochem to neuroscience major, I’m assuming you’ve taken many science courses and the grades you earned in these courses are part of your current 2.6 cGPA. Your above plan seems to rely, in part, on fattening up your GPA using psych classes, non bcpm courses. If this is true, what little hope you have, if any, will fail as it will be as plain as day to anyone reviewing your application that any upward trend, although a positive, may in large part be based on non science courses, leaving your ability to handle science courses in doubt which is never good and a probable rejection. If you don’t mind could you post what bcpm courses you’ve taken by year and what grades you received, include courses with W or I. Even if you don’t want to post, do it for yourself to get a handle on where you stand GPA wise, it will help you understand the truly high mountain facing you. Good luck.

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Assuming you’ve taken 50% of graduation required courses, and will make all A’s (4.0) for the remaining 50% courses, your cGPA will be 2.6x0.5 + 4.0x0.5 = 3.3 which is still way too low for MD/DO school.

17

It certainly isn’t going to help you much. Do whatever you can and apply to medical school. If you don’t get in, take some graduate courses, then reapply next year. You’re a lot more likely to get in that way.