Which CASPA GPA is considered?

[Guest LaciN]

Hello, All!

I am currently in the process of retaking pre reqs and starting my CASPA application ( starting early so I can just have the information reentered once the application process reopens in Spring and I don't feel like I am scrambling). After CASPA verified my course work, I noticed that have multiple GPAs that differ due to me having a bachelors degree and a MPH. My cumulative undergrad GPA is 2.99; Overall GPA IS 3.02; Cumulative undergo Science GPA is 2.86; and Overall Science is 2.93. Which of these numbers do school consider? Overall or undergrad? 

Thank you. And please do not judge based on my current GPA. Again, I am taking and retaking 18 credit hours of pre reqs this Spring and Summer before submitting my application :-) 

[ProSpectre]

In my experience they looked at multiple GPA calculations, since CASPA breaks it down in numerous different ways (though I didn't have any postbacc work or a masters, so I cannot comment on that). Some of the common ones they will review are your cumulative GPA, science GPA, and prerequisite GPA. In your case, you are at the lower end of the scale, so you should definitely be selective in the schools you apply to; look for those that a.) have a lower GPA cutoff and b.) take upward trends into account or look preferentially at the last 60 hours of coursework.

You will have an uphill battle, but plenty of people have gotten in with lower GPAs, so it isn't impossible; you may want to work on other aspects of your application (like accruing a good number of quality patient care hours) before you apply. Depending on how the rest of your application looks, you may need to take an extra year to retake some courses and get more PCE hours under your belt to increase your odds of acceptance.