hyoon1 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Hello everyone! I recently graduated with a BS and was looking at my science gpa.. unfortunately, it's very LOW.. lower than the minimum science GPA one should have to have successful admission into PA schools. With that being said.. I want to raise my science gpa but i'm not sure how to.. I know I need to go back to school, but do I go back for a masters? For what major? And does it matter where I go? Community college vs university? Thank you so much for your time! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beattie228 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Hyoon, What you choose to study to raise you GPA really boils down to what interests you and how you can spin your studies into your next personal statement to show schools what you have done to make yourself a better candidate for their program. You can choose a post-bacc program, attend a graduate certificate program, or just take some post-bacc classes on your own without enrolling in a specific program. Ideally you will want to take some of the more difficult 500 and 600 level classes if you're attempting to make yourself better suited for the next go around. Taking a handful of Botany 100 and Field Mice 160 classes will certainly raise your GPA, but will also raise some eyebrows as to why you chose those specific classes over some that are more applicable to your desired profession. Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hubbardtim48 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Some people on here will say CC or University, the adcom doesn't care, but in my opinion I have taken science classes at both and have always thought University coursework prepares one a lot better than CC. I just could not get over the amount of stuff the CC skipped over and did not cover on a few science classes I had at CC and finally re-took at a university because I knew I would be better prepared for the rigors of PA school. If I was in your shoes I would probably take a year or so of hard science classes (full time) and do well and then get my masters. I just finished my MHSc @ Saint Francis University and thought it was a great program, learned a lot! My GPA was fine, but I was applying to a program where my HCE was "OK" so I needed a boost to help me out. It is good and bad when I say my HCE as a RT with 10,000+ hrs is "OK", because the average at my school was 8 years this class and past class was 12 years. So, it depends on where you are applying. Good luck and God bless! Keep it up, I was in school 7 years before I applied to PA school, because I felt like I wouldn't get in, but I only chose 1 school and that was the only one I wanted to go to, so it was a little more difficult in my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyoon1 Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 beattie228 - Yes! That does help! I really just want to retake the science classes like Genetics, Organic Chem and Physics (the classes where I got Bs and Cs on). I really want to retake these classes without actually getting another degree, because unfortunately, money is a big factor to me. But what I'm really wondering is if PA admissions will look down upon this route? hubbardtim48 - Thank you for your input and congratulations on getting in to your PA school! I really need to start racking up more HCE hours!! All I have is hospice volunteer and I need more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyoon1 Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 PAMAC - My undergrad major was in Psychology. Can I take lab sciences in community colleges too? My cumulative GPA is not bad at all.. just the science GPA is under 2.7 which is horrible.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hubbardtim48 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Hyoon1 undergrad. GPA will never go up now, it will be the post-bacc. GPA that will go up and then graduate GPA if hyoon1 does a masters. PAMAC is correct about the other BS and/or doing RN/RT. RT school around me is hard to get into, but I know places that will let anyone in if they have the money and meet the minimum requirements. So, it all depends on the school/area and say way with nursing school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Hyoon1 undergrad. GPA will never go up now, it will be the post-bacc. This is incorrect. Post-bacc classes are still considered in the cGPA/sGPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hubbardtim48 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 My bad Hyoon1, I don't really know if this is correct or not, but I am sure wutthechris is correct because I never paid that much attention to my CASPA cGPA/sGPA. Well then rack up those post-bacc hours!!! Raise that undergrad. GPA!!! :) Thanks again wutthechris! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorRRT Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 My science GPA was similar after my BS. I decided to go to school for RT, and worked for a few years to gain HCE, doing a few retakes as I went along, bringing my science GPA to the magic 3.0. It took 5 years from starting RT school, but I'm finishing up my 1st semester of PA school. If you want it bad enough, commit the time and buckle down from here on out. Good luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyoon1 Posted August 7, 2012 Author Share Posted August 7, 2012 Thank you everyone for your replies! I will definitely try to do some post-bacc to raise my gpa! Also, if somebody can answer this for me.. I know when I look at HCE requirements, many schools lists RN, medical assistants, and etc.. I am interested in either doing CNA or phlebotomy but which one is better to rack hours in? Also, is it better to rack up hours in one or rack up hours in multiple areas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyoon1 Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 PAMAC - i was actually a biology major up to starting senior year.. so I took all the biology major courses like microbio, ecology, genetics, biochem and then your standards like chem, orgo, and physics. I switched my major to psych during my senior year because I found that I liked psychology better.. so all I took my last year of college was A&P and then psych classes. So i think i'm going to have a hard time.. hahaha!! But i will definitely look into CNA now! Thank you so much for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorRRT Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 .....you've got to be realistic here; you're most likely looking at at least 30 credits of A level science coursework to get that science GPA to a point where they will look at your application. Most PA programs say a 3.2 science GPA and up is "competitive". My point is, there will be plenty of people applying with 3.5 and above science and overall GPA's that were CNAs; if you want to get in, your only shot is through high quality HCE to offset your GPA.......or you can ignore what everyone has to say and make a career as a CNA; your call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyoon1 Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 what would be considered as a high quality HCE?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hubbardtim48 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Paramedic, RN, RT are the ones that you can get the quickest for good HCE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPassing Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 OP, I feel like you are in a similar boat to me. I have classes that I took early on in my college career that really brought down my GPA (sGPA 3.09, non scGPA 2.90, tGPA 3.03 per CASPA). I am planning on taking advanced science courses to bring it up, Orgo II and Phys II are both on that list, after which I will have satisfied med school pre reqs. Which has further made me think of the question we have all had atleast once, "why not med school?" In my opinion, the only thing that separates a competitive DO/MD applicant and PA applicant is 2-3 science courses and a MCAT. For those offering, harsh criticism/advice welcomed :) I know for me the thought of not being able to start my life until my 30s is probably the biggest factor for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beattie228 Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Just Passing, Your overall generalization is more correct than incorrect regarding the difference between a competitive PA school applicant and a competitive med school applicant. PA Applicant Various pre-requisites that have slight alterations depending on the desired school GRE score (once again dependent on school) Cumulative GPA/Science GPA Hands on health care experience Physician/Physician Assistant shadowing Med School Applicant Various pre-requisites that usually are the same for most med schools MCAT scores Cumulative GPA/Science GPA Physician Shadowing The core differences are based on the training model as well as there are many successful med school applicants who get in with little to no hands on healthcare experience. There is a growing trend of physicians who have never held a job prior to gaining their coveted DO or MD credentials (scary thought in my opinion). EMEDPA put it really nicely somewhere else in this forum (I'm paraphrasing) when he said a med school trains future scientists for success in their residency program whereas a PA school trains future clinicians to be successful practicing in their respective field. I suppose if an applicant had an overall competitive GPA and had competitive scores for both the GRE and MCAT, they should be competitive at either PA school or Med school to at least get an interview or two just so long as they have fulfilled all of the listed prerequisites, however the main differences in the professions are outlined in grave detail throughout this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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