Upcoming Senior, 3.56 College GPA in HS

<p>Hi, I'd like a bit of advice from others who are looking into pre-med and medical school programs. I'm currently an upcoming senior with around a 3.9 UW HS GPA (due to PSEO classes affecting HS GPA). I have a 4.3 W HS GPA, but that will go up during next year. I go to a STEM school where the first two years are relatively hard and you finish 18 credits of HS classes, then your junior and senior year you take college classes.</p>

<p>So far, I have 30 credit hours from The Ohio State University (a college I'm interested in applying to this year), with a GPA of 3.56 (expecting ≈90 by end of HS with a 3.7/75 college GPA).</p>

<p>I've gotten an A in Psych class, A-'s in Biology and Calc 1, a B+ in Calc 2 and a B- in Calc 3 (professors/T.A.'s were off sync and it wasn't very nicely coordinated). I'm now taking multivariable calculus and am expecting to get an A.</p>

<p>I have a decent amount of extracurricular activities and substantial research experience. I'm wondering, however, if my my GPA will hurt me for medical school admissions. I'm not worried about getting into undergrad. Will I be better off looking at a combined BS/MD program?</p>

<p>Thanks, I'm just a little worried.</p>

<p>Med schools don’t even know what your high school GPA is/was.</p>

<p>BS/MD admissions are super tough and require top stats for admissions. If you’re worried about your high school GPA, then why would you think you’d get accepted to a BS/MD program?</p>

<p>What are your test scores?</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids: I’m not worried about my HS GPA, it’s a 3.95+ UW, and 4.3 weighted. I’m worried about my college GPA during HS (3.56). I still have 60 credit hours ahead of me, so I expect it to go up to at least 3.7 by the end of HS. </p>

<p>I didn’t do well on the SAT, I had a 740 SAT II Bio M, and a 33 ACT.</p>

<p>Also worthy of mention, no AP courses are offered at my school. All courses that aren’t high school level are taken at OSU.</p>

<p>Just a little piece of advice, when applying don’t use your SAT I (unless they require it), use your Bio SAT II and your ACT. Hope I helped at least a little bit.</p>

<p>*I’m worried about my college GPA during HS (3.56). I still have 60 credit hours ahead of me, so I expect it to go up to at least 3.7 by the end of HS.</p>

<p>I didn’t do well on the SAT, I had a 740 SAT II Bio M, and a 33 ACT. *</p>

<p>If you’re worried about your “college grades” that were taken during your high school years, then I think it’s a very bad plan to only take 60 credits in the future at college. </p>

<p>If you want to improve that GPA, then the best way is with more classes. </p>

<p>There’s no reason for you to try to graduate in 2 years anyway. </p>

<p>You should plan on going either the full 4 years or at least 3 years of college. With 90-120 more credits, you can bring that GPA up to a very high number.</p>

<p>My son came into college with about 55 college credits. He’s still going to go for the full 4 years. </p>

<p>I hope I understand you. Maybe I’m not understanding you.</p>

<p>anyway…with your high school GPA and your 33 ACT, you could get scholarships elsewhere if you wanted.</p>

<p>@Collegian: Yeah, I wasn’t going to use my SAT I score. Thanks!</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids: Sorry, I should’ve been more clear. I will complete my undergrad for all four years, I just meant I have 60 credit hours ahead of me next year (my senior year). I’ll go out of high school with 90 credit hours, but I’ll still have 90 credit hours left to graduate from OSU AFTER I graduate high school. I guess my main concern is this: </p>

<p>I feel like a 3.56 GPA from OSU is on the low end if my goal is to get into medical school. However, I will have time to bring it up, but will it hurt me that I recieved a B+ in Calc 2 and a B- in Calc 3 if I achieved A/A-'s in Bio113&114 (Freshman Intro. Bio) and Calc 1? Thanks for your replies!</p>

<p>I just meant I have 60 credit hours ahead of me next year (my senior year).</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>You will complete 60 college credits in ONE YEAR? Are these quarter credits or semester credits? That seems like an unusually high amount of credits to complete in one year…that’s 30 credits per semester. </p>

<p>*I feel like a 3.56 GPA from OSU is on the low end if my goal is to get into medical school. *</p>

<p>Please clarify…is the 3.56 from 30 credits? If so, why are you talking about them as if they will be looked at alone like that They will be combined with your future college GPA. </p>

<p>I think you’re worrying about nothing. as long as you do well with your future college credits, there will never be a 3.56 for med schools to look at.</p>

<p>I am certain med schools will not be against you for a 3.56 college GPA in high school. In fact, I personally think those are excellent grades for a junior in hs taking college credits.</p>

<p>If it is to be, it is up to me…</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids: They’re quarter hour credits, I’m currently taking 5 right now (summer), and will take 15 in the fall, and 20 in the summer and spring. Some students at our school have graduated with 3rd quarter-junior status from high school. I have been reading that they will account for specialized math and science GPAs. My science GPA is good (3.8+). But I’m almost done with the necessary math courses for a biochem/molecular genetics major (Calc 1 - Calc 4). That would bring my math GPA to a 3.5.</p>

<p>@typeakid: Thanks, it was especially hard since in addition to the 30 college credit hours, I was doing research and other high school classes and internships. I’m hoping that I’d get the chance to explain myself for a med school interview if I get selected. I’m highly motivated at this point and am indulging myself with research and internships and volunteering of the medical field.</p>

<p>OK…</p>

<p>But I think you think that your high school college credits are going to get some kind of “stand alone” GPA…they aren’t. Those grades will be mixed in with your future college credits to come up with ONE “science GPA” …and ONE cumulative GPA. You won’t have 2 of each type. </p>

<p>Anyway…with your stats, where will you be applying? You have the stats for some good merit scholarships.</p>

<p>What was your PSAT? Are you a likely NMSF?</p>

<p>Yeah, I understand that. I’m not really worried as much about my science GPA since I’ve been doing well and I’m going to take college honors classes (which tend to have better instructor-student ratios). </p>

<p>I’m thinking mostly about OSU, Univ. of Kentucky, Univ. of Alabama, Northwestern, Miami of Ohio, and University of Cincinnati. I’m taking the ACT again to try and achieve a 35, at which point I will take my chance at Stanford and Harvard. I received a 205 and will not be NMSF, only commended.</p>

<p>Yes, but I believe that mom2collegekids ( I think I got her name right) is trying to explain that when you apply to med school they will evaluate two separate GPA’s- based on the grades you have received in the sciences and then the overall GPA. </p>

<p>Continue to do well in the sciences and take advantage of the next four years to bring up that overall gpa as much as possible.</p>

<p>I would say you should not attempt premed unless you had at least a 3.9 UW in high school.</p>

<p>Yeah, that’s what I’m trying to do. Now that I have no HS classes left to take, I can solely focus on college classes. Thanks for the advice. </p>

<p>@ilovetexas: I have a 3.9+ UW GPA. I’ve only had two B’s, both of which were due to Calc II and III from OSU.</p>

<p>you will do just fine</p>

<p>* Now that I have no HS classes left to take*</p>

<p>You’re still considered a “high school student” right? You haven’t graduated right?</p>

<p>And…yes to Involvedmom…she is right.</p>

<p>ALL college grades (no matter when taken and no matter what school) will get processed to come up with 2 GPAs…the Cum GPA…and the Science GPA (aka BCMP GPA).</p>

<p>So, no med school is ever going to see that 3.5 GPA unless that’s what you end up with.</p>

<p>I’m thinking mostly about OSU, Univ. of Kentucky, Univ. of Alabama, Northwestern, Miami of Ohio, and University of Cincinnati.</p>

<p>Alabama will give you a free tuition scholarship. Their app is open now. The app is quick and easy.</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids: Yes, I’m still a high school student and haven’t graduated yet. </p>

<p>Oh, so there’s not individual GPA’s where one’s math and one’s science? The math and science GPA (Chem, Bio, Physics) is combined into one GPA? </p>

<p>I saw the Alabama board on CC and saw one of your posts. Do I have any chance of a full ride (or at least partial room and board?). I don’t qualify for financial need, and my parents don’t want to pay too much for undergrad.</p>

<p>Oh, so there’s not individual GPA’s where one’s math and one’s science? The math and science GPA (Chem, Bio, Physics) is combined into one GPA?</p>

<p>There’s a cum GPA for EVERYTHING…</p>

<p>and there’s a “science GPA” that includes all bio, chem, math and physics classes (BCMP GPA) …So, no, math isn’t by itself…it’s in with the science grades.</p>

<p>*I saw the Alabama board on CC and saw one of your posts. Do I have any chance of a full ride (or at least partial room and board?). I don’t qualify for financial need, and my parents don’t want to pay too much for undergrad. *</p>

<p>Bama doesn’t give many “full rides” out to non-NMFs…I think there are 10. </p>

<p>However, some kids get more scholarship money by getting accepted to one of the competitive honors programs…which you’d have a good chance for. I think those non-NMF kids got an additional $4k per year.</p>

<p>also…if you’d major in some kind of engineering or computer science, you’d get an additional 2500 per year on top of the free tuition.</p>

<p>Here’s the CS pre-med track…
<a href=“http://coeweb.eng.ua.edu/fep/pdf/ComputerScience_PreMed_PreLaw.pdf[/url]”>http://coeweb.eng.ua.edu/fep/pdf/ComputerScience_PreMed_PreLaw.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>My son is a Chem Engineering major with pre-med.</p>

<p>For you to get a full ride with an ACT 33, you’d have to go pretty far down in ranking…</p>

<p>Do you know of any schools that do for non-NMSF? I’m planning on taking the ACT in Sept. to try and aim for a 35 with some practice. I’m looking into biomedical engineering/biochemistry, but I don’t think Alabama offers biomedical engineering (OSU does). I could live at home for two years at OSU and have a high chance at getting the scholarship where I’d only pay $3,000/year for tuition.</p>