MD I Screwed Myself Over Last Semester

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

I was a computer science major up until the middle of spring 2012. It was obviously too late to switch into my new biotech/pre-med classes, so I kept going. My GPA severely suffered from being a CS major and absolutely hating it. I failed a couple classes my freshman year. I'm currently a rising Junior. I'll still graduate on time, and I'm taking bio1/2, and chem1/2 over the summer to help catch up. If I get all A's this summer and the rest of undergrad, will I have a chance, being that it's a huge upward swing? I'm starting hospital volunteering and shadowing this Fall once I get a car. I plan on doing research as well later next year in the Spring.

But, I seriously fear it won't be enough. Even if I maintain straight A's the rest of undergrad, my cumulative GPA will be a crappy 3.4. My current GPA is around a 2.3. It's horrible, and I feel like crap. If I don't get into MD school first cycle, what can I do to better my chances next time around? I want to do everything in my power to go to MD school. If I don't go to medical school sometime in the next 5 years, I have nothing. I would have wasted college and all those years for nothing.

Bummer. Spend a year actually getting straight As. No sense giving you information when the odds are you won't get there. No offense but you have a 2.3 and you need exclusively a 4.0 from here on out. If this was gambling, i'd bet against you. Hopefully I am wrong, but come back next year when you have a 4.0 for a year.

Originally Posted by Arx0s

I was a computer science major up until the middle of spring 2012. It was obviously too late to switch into my new biotech/pre-med classes, so I kept going. My GPA severely suffered from being a CS major and absolutely hating it. I failed a couple classes my freshman year. I'm currently a rising Junior. I'll still graduate on time, and I'm taking bio1/2, and chem1/2 over the summer to help catch up. If I get all A's this summer and the rest of undergrad, will I have a chance, being that it's a huge upward swing? I'm starting hospital volunteering and shadowing this Fall once I get a car. I plan on doing research as well later next year in the Spring.

But, I seriously fear it won't be enough. Even if I maintain straight A's the rest of undergrad, my cumulative GPA will be a crappy 3.4. My current GPA is around a 2.3. It's horrible, and I feel like crap. If I don't get into MD school first cycle, what can I do to better my chances next time around? I want to do everything in my power to go to MD school. If I don't go to medical school sometime in the next 5 years, I have nothing. I would have wasted college and all those years for nothing.

For a person whose GPA is already on the dark side, you are way overchallenging yourself by overloading on summer science classes. Don't bite off more than you can chew. College-level science is a different beast than what you've experienced before. I strongly recommend you drop half of the planned summer coursework and most other planned summer activities as well..

Preparing an application for med school is a marathon, not a sprint. You would be far better off taking each step slowly and thoughtfully, rather than racing to get done by an unrealistic deadline. Slow down and achieve excellence.

I'm glad you changed your major, even if it means staying in college longer. Picking a major you love means you're more likely to get excellent grades without struggling so much. Accept that it may be desirable to take extra time to repair the GPA problems you already have. [/soapbox]