annabug Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I have a dilema. Will you help me decide what to do? After figuring out the way CASPA calculates GPA's here are my stats: GRE 1280 Cum GPA 3.6 Behavioral Science GPA 4.0 English 4.0 Math 4.0 Science GPA 2.80 I made all B's on my science and 2 C's (zoology for vertebrates, Ecotoxicology) I went to a univ. where you had to have a 95 to get an A (ridiculous) and no plusses or minuses were given. I did well in my science classes but I didn't have a 95 average. But I did have A's in all my other classes including calculus, stats, etc. I'm taking 2 or 3 science classes this summer to bring up the science GPA. I'm afaid when they see my science gpa then they won't even look at my application unless it's over a 3. HCE: I'm working for a PA who has a solo practice. He's great and is teaching me so much! I take vitals, medical histories, ekg's. He's also going to train me for injections and anything else he has time for. If I submited CASPA in August I'll have about 500-600 hours with him, 60 hrs of shadowing PA's, and 300 hrs as a pharm tech. So......... what do I do? Submit now before my gpa is over a 3.0 with few hce hrs or wait until august when my gpa is stronger and have more HCE hrs. I'm applying to mostly southern schools (MUSC, Lincoln Memorial, South in TN and Savannah, Un. of S. Alabama, etc) HELP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyho10051987 Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Correct me if i'm wrong but your science gpa consist of your pre-req not just all your bio classes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted May 13, 2010 Author Share Posted May 13, 2010 My science gpa is all my science classes--biology,zoology, other science... When schools include other classes (math, stats, psych) in their pre req list then my gpa is much higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHAD Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Correct me if i'm wrong but your science gpa consist of your pre-req not just all your bio classes? Science GPA is calculated as any and ALL science classes. Some schools calculate a Pre-Req GPA but not all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 this is not just directed at the OP but it kills me that a person can go to a school with such a grading scale and be ok with it untill they start getting Bs and Cs and then it becomes a "ridiculous" grading scale ok sorry for the vent---the best you can do is take more sciencest o get the GPA---try taking some sciences with a school that has a standard grading scale. Many will let you sign up as non-degree seeking or as a transient student so you do not have to transfer and formally apply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted May 13, 2010 Author Share Posted May 13, 2010 this is not just directed at the OP but it kills me that a person can go to a school with such a grading scale and be ok with it untill they start getting Bs and Cs and then it becomes a "ridiculous" grading scale ok sorry for the vent---the best you can do is take more sciencest o get the GPA---try taking some sciences with a school that has a standard grading scale. Many will let you sign up as non-degree seeking or as a transient student so you do not have to transfer and formally apply Your post May not be directed at me but you posted it on my question so it really was aimed at me. The grading scale makes my A's look very good but caspa doesn't ask for my grading scale. In my post it says that I'm already planning and signed up for classes this summer. Which brings me back to my question: Wait until those grades are in or apply earlier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 In my post it says that I'm already planning and signed up for classes this summer.Which brings me back to my question: Wait until those grades are in or apply earlier? My two cents. Wait till the grades are in and showing improvement in your most recent academic endeavors. Increase your HCE. If you can do it with the PA you mentioned great. Good luck in your future PA endeavors. FWIW. LesH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted May 14, 2010 Author Share Posted May 14, 2010 My two cents. Wait till the grades are in and showing improvement in your most recent academic endeavors. Increase your HCE. If you can do it with the PA you mentioned great. Good luck in your future PA endeavors.FWIW. LesH Thanks LESH for your advice. I think that's what I'll do. I've signed up for 3 science classes so that should really help my GPA. Yes, I'm planning to continue to work for the PA. I'm working 40-45 hrs a week now. When my classes start in June I'll decrease to 30 hours. THANKS for your help. You're great! Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHAD Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 It doesn't get any better than LESH...I don't think you can go wrong listening to his advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted May 14, 2010 Author Share Posted May 14, 2010 It doesn't get any better than LESH...I don't think you can go wrong listening to his advice I appreciate your help today,too, MCHAD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Cain PA-C Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 this is not just directed at the OP but it kills me that a person can go to a school with such a grading scale and be ok with it untill they start getting Bs and Cs and then it becomes a "ridiculous" grading scale ok sorry for the vent---the best you can do is take more sciencest o get the GPA---try taking some sciences with a school that has a standard grading scale. Many will let you sign up as non-degree seeking or as a transient student so you do not have to transfer and formally apply I went to a top 20 university myself. When you first get accepted you don't really stop to think about grading scale...you assume all is equal. Not so. We had the same scale. Grade inflation is rampant at the Ivies. Just outside the Ivies you have schools that want in the club. The way to get there is to be tougher than Harvard and Yale. I had several Harvard and Yale trained profs who said we (students) were expected to do twice the work the Harvard and Yale students were. They said that the extracurricular activities were pushed more at the blue blood schools. I went to Vanderbilt. I still love the school in some respects and hate it in others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Thanks for all the kind words, I'd blush but I need the blood to keep feeding my brain. To the OP there's no need to rush. I mean even if you apply early and lord forbid don't get it you can't go wrong with improving the GPA (especially the sciecne GPA) and boosting those HCE hours. Most programs that I am aware of value that, and look for that in the reapplicant. If a reapplicant comes back the following year the ADCOMs want to see what was different. Some kind of growth. FWIW. Good luck LesH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted May 14, 2010 Author Share Posted May 14, 2010 You're right, God forbid :) But if I don't get in I will reapply. Patience is not one of my virtues though. I have to ask... what does FWIW mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cooperd0g Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 FWIW - for what its worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted May 15, 2010 Author Share Posted May 15, 2010 FWIW - for what its worth. Well that makes sense! Thanks Cooperdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted August 14, 2010 Author Share Posted August 14, 2010 Just got my grades back from my summer classes and I made all A's! I'm super excited! That should pull up my science GPA a bit! My CASPA goes in as soon as I can get my transcript sent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 Just got my grades back from my summer classes and I made all A's! I'm super excited! That should pull up my science GPA a bit! My CASPA goes in as soon as I can get my transcript sent! Good job and good luck in your future PA endeavors.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 If LESH and MCHAD are still around I just wanted to say THANKS for your help back in 2010! I'm set to graduate in August and taking the PANCE a week later. I have some interviews scheduled soon afterwards! Very grateful for all I learned on this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 If LESH and MCHAD are still around I just wanted to say THANKS for your help back in 2010! I'm set to graduate in August and taking the PANCE a week later. I have some interviews scheduled soon afterwards! Very grateful for all I learned on this forum! Congrats and good luck with the PANCE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicinePower Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_grading_in_the_United_States#Numerical_and_letter_grades It seems that the 94+ for an A does exist, but it is ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabug Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 Congrats and good luck with the PANCE. PASSED! Pretty happy with my scores, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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