boosting that GPA

[Chrisobean]

i got my first rejection the other day, and even though there are 16 more schools to go, i am depressed and looking into my other options. i know its a little early to be giving up hope... being realistic sucks!
i have all the pre-recs, and alot of advacned science classes. pre-rec grades arent so good, but straight A's in the upper division classes.

is it possible to take classes without enrolling for a degree? i dont want to devote a full year or 2 to get a masters, i just want to take a couple of science classes, hopefully on the graduate level, to boost my gpa. would this count as a post-bac gpa even if it is not in an actual post-bac program? would you recommend re-taking the pre-recs?
does anyone have experience with this? i think my job will pay for it, which will be awesome. thanks!

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[toxin]

I think that your gpa is not that bad that it will keep you out, what are your other stats? do you have good LOC, what about EC's , MCAT etc etc....you need to improve those areas as well

 

[Chrisobean]

i do NOT want to take it again! and i dont think i will improve that much, doing worse will look really bad.
i also plan on doing more volunteer work. i have alot of ECs and research.. i think my gpa is the best target for improvement.
i know my gpa isnt that bad, and if you look at my grades from year to year, they go up ALOT.

 

[mison]

With your GPA and MCAT I think you have a pretty decent shot at getting in. Having applied more than once (i am assuming) you have shown that you are very serious about being a doc, this is big for many schools. However, if you don't get in this year I would take some grad level science courses. My situation was very similar to yours last year. I had a 3.44 GPA and a similar MCAT and got accepted to an Osteo school and waitlisted at my state school. I decided to reapply, so I enrolled as a non-degree student at a large university made all A's in my classes and presto I got in. I think most universities will allow you to take grad courses without a GRE or declaring a major, especially with all the state funding problems. The GPA counts as post-bac. and is not included in your u-grad. GPA, I suspect anyway. PM me if you have any specific ?s about my experiences. Good luck.

UTHSC College of Medicine, Class of 2008.

 

[Amy B]

You can enroll to take classes as a non-degree seaking student at most universities. You do not have to be enrolled in a certain program.

I would contact the school that rejected you and ask to speak with the dean of admissions. THen I would ask them why you were turned downa dn what you could do to improve your application for next time. They are more than willing to meet with students, although they may want you to wait until this cycle slows down. It may not be your GPA that is holding you back, so don't start taking classes until you find out what the problem is.

Perhaps it is not enough clinical volunteer time or your personal essay. You need to find out before you start fixing things that don't need fixing.

Good luck.

 

[sistahnik]

MISON, if you got accepted into a school, why did you re-apply? I'm not sure I understand? If you didn't want to attend an osteo school why did you apply? not being a smartie pants just curious to what your motivations were. thanks.

 

[mison]

Sistahnik, I applied to both Osteo and Allo schools last year because I simply want to practice medicine. I am not an MD elitist, DO = MD in my book, and the Osteo philosophy did not win me over like it does for some. Therfore, it was not the fact that it was a DO school, however some things about the school itself were deterents. I had just gotten married and my wife could'nt get a transfer out there, plus I was told that if I took some grad courses and reapplied for the class of 2008 I would most likely get in. Probably the hardest decision I have ever had to make but it turned out to be a good one. I am not interested in primary care or rural medicine and these are highly emphasized at the Osteo school at which I was accepted. There are many other reasons I made the decision I did but I won't lull you anymore.

UTHSC College of Medicine Class of 20008

 

[sistahnik]

oh o.k. mison, I understand. like I said, I wasn't asking to be judgemental I just wanted to know what had happened in the course of your DO acceptance. I'm just happy for you that you were able to get in where you are going to be happy!!! wishing you the best in med school. PS thanks for replying.