I got a 3.3 in my freshman year at Vanderbilt university, but I’m still sure that I want to go to medical school. I am fairly confident that I can do much better the next few years, but how much will this 3.3 set me back? I know med schools prefer to see an upwards trend, but how much does that mean? For example, if I could get my GPA to about a 3.6 going into senior year, how would I be doing?
Also, right now, my BCPM GPA is a 3.6.
If it changes anything, I have a lot of research experience/volunteering/other extracurriculars already and don’t plan to stop any time soon.
Why did you get a lowish GPA this past year? Homesickness? Partying? More demanding workload than you were used to in high school?
If it helps S finished first year with GPAs below 3.2. He had to wait until graduating to apply to provide extra time for ECs and more importantly for grade repair, but he made it into med school. So you’re definitely still in the hunt. Actually you’re in a much better position GPA wise than S was at same point. Med schools do like upward trends. However you really want do it right the first time. So although rather generic advice, I’d tell you to continue to improve GPAs, take a minimal FT, yet still challenging schedule in semester leading up to MCAT to allow yourself maximum time for MCAT prep, continue to add to ECs, especially clinical experiences, wait until you graduate before applying for grade repair, ECs, and enjoy your college years, and apply then broadly when time comes keeping in mind all US med schools are good schools. Good luck.
Your GPA is definitely not going to put med school out of the picture, but you definitely want to see it as a sign that you are going to want to get your life together. An upward trend definitely helps, and if you can get your GPA up to 3.6, you should be competitive.
I do disagree with the advice of taking a minimal FT load though. From my understanding, most med schools do want to see you taking around 15 semester hours most semesters, unless you have a good excuse, to show that you have been challenging yourself. They prefer that you have at least two science classes per semester as well.
@umcoe16 I’m pretty sure I didn’t suggest always taking minimal FT load. I only suggested doing so in semester leading up to taking MCAT to maximize OP’s MCAT prep time, especially when OP is starting from low GPA. As S had started even lower than OP, he absolutely needed to rock MCAT. So he took 3 UD bio courses (minimal FT) so that he could take MCAT prep course, continue working, ECs, etc. As he did get in, I’ll guess adcoms more likely noticed his 3 As, continued upward GPA trend, competitive MCAT score and didn’t blink an eye at this one semester’s minimal FT course load. So in S’s case, this strategy was successful