Freshman grades

[iPremed]

Hi! I have been visiting SDN for quite some time but only became a member recently.

I have finished up freshman year and wanted to know where you think I stand at this point. I go to a pretty well reputed school.

First Semester
Bio: A-
Chem: A-
Psych: A
Calc: B
Total: 17 credit hours, 3.6 GPA, dean's list

Second Semester
Bio: A
Bio lab: A
English: A
Chem: B-
Calc: B-
Total: 18 credit hours, 3.35 GPA

Overall Freshman GPA: 3.47

Summer
Physics 1: C


Is this really bad? I am just worried b/c I slipped so much second semester. Don't the B-'s look horrible? and to make it worse, they are both premed classes in the same semester right next to each other on my transcript. I may just be paranoid but I wonder how much these will affect me overall. I'm just not used to getting such bad grades (below B).

What were the worst grades you have gotten? Did they affect you a lot in the long run?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!! Thanks!

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[MilkmanAl]

Holy crap. Pop a xanax and chill out. Your grades are fine. You don't want to make a habit of getting B-'s, but a couple here and there won't kill you. Pulling a ~3.5 during your freshman year is nothing to worry about at all.

 

[dbbmd]

My first semester I had two 4 credits Cs contributing to my future science GPA and I still got into medical school. I did end up with around a 3.5 science gpa when all was said and done, so it did take some work. Good luck. Try taking a lighter semester load (for a freshman 17 and 18 credits seems a little much).

 

[redlight]

Hi! I have been visiting SDN for quite some time but only became a member recently.

I have finished up freshman year and wanted to know where you think I stand at this point. I go to a pretty well reputed school.

First Semester
Bio: A-
Chem: A-
Psych: A
Calc: B
Total: 17 credit hours, 3.6 GPA, dean's list

Second Semester
Bio: A
Bio lab: A
English: A
Chem: B-
Calc: B-
Total: 18 credit hours, 3.35 GPA

Overall Freshman GPA: 3.47

Is this really bad? I am just worried b/c I slipped so much second semester. Don't the B-'s look horrible? and to make it worse, they are both premed classes in the same semester right next to each other on my transcript. I may just be paranoid but I wonder how much these will affect me overall. I'm just not used to getting such bad grades (below B).

What were the worst grades you have gotten? Did they affect you a lot in the long run?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!! Thanks!

as long as your final gpa is 3.7ish you should be perfectly fine. it just means you'll have to kick it up a notch your next few years. the grades you have the year before you apply will carry the most weight so don't worry about the drop this past semester as long as everything else is upward or constantly high.

 

[iPremed]

bump..

 

[Twiigg]

I think the above posts were sufficient in assuring you that your grades are far from terrible, especially as a freshman. If you are really that concerned, just kick it into gear next semester. But the grades that you have given us are not going to keep you out of any schools just yet.

 

[iPremed]

Shoot..i'm so scared...i just found out I got a C on my summer physics...this along with the other 2 B-'s are bound to kill my chances arent they? My overall is still a 3.2/3.3ish but my science gpa probably sucks...

 

[Bacchus]

You'll be OK. Relax, no need to start digging a premature grave.

 

[TehDoc]

You will never get into medical school, is that what you want to hear?

 

[MossPoh]

I had a 2.0 freshman year. You're fine. Don't be a premed nutjob..please please please.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I'll reiterate my "pop a xanax and chill out" comment from before. I pulled a 3.2 my freshman year and then a depressing 2.6 my sophomore year. I'm certainly not a typical success story and beat some long odds getting accepted, but you're far from doomed. Identify what you did wrong and fix it. You have 3 freakin' years. Relax. You'll have plenty of opportunity to be hopelessly neurotic when you apply to med school.

 

[iPremed]

Thanks guys!

I'm just really paranoid about my grades. I'm not used to doing so poorly so these grades have been haunting me.

MilkmanAl and MossPoh, if you don't mind, could you explain what you did to help you get accepted?

I want to apply at the end of my junior year, so I really only have 2 more years...is this enough in a practical sense?

If I did this badly in Physics 1, do you think I should just audit physics 2 and then take it again, or just take it for credit now? Are they different enough from one another that the grade won't be reflective of 1's?

 

[MilkmanAl]

I wouldn't retake it unless you find yourself with some extra time in your junior or senior years that you have to fill. The two courses are quite a bit different. I'm assuming that "Physics 2" consists primarily of E&M and optics since that's traditionally taught second for whatever reason. I always found mechanics far easier, but your results may vary.

What I did to succeed: nail the MCAT, pour my soul into my essays, and deliver an ungodly awesome interview showing with an unforgettable story to boot. I also established what seemed to be a fairly solid rapport with the Assistant Director of Admissions over several months of communication. I don't know if that had any effect on my eventual acceptance, but it couldn't have hurt. I still got waitlisted, despite all that (after my only interview), so definitely don't put yourself in a position where you have to be absolutely perfect to even have a chance. Believe me, it sucks. (That is, bring your grades up while you can. The application process will be significantly less stressful if you're qualified across the board.)