I need someone to tell me if I should give up.

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SidisSpicy

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I have 6Fs, 3Ds, 6Cs and a gpa of 1.82 right now. I've been out of school for 2 years. The first thing I want to know is if I rocked the MCAT and managed to somehow get my act together by retaking a bunch of classes and getting mostly A's and B's from now on; would I have a have a chance at getting into a Osteopathic school? I also have classes like college algebra and trig included in those poor grades; is there any point in retaking those classes if I've already taken calculus(Made a bad grade in that too).

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Of course you shouldn't give up! If this is what you really want you have a long ways to go, but you'll make it happen. With grade replacement you'll be fine if you retake all those courses.
 
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This is a really loaded question, and you really need to think long and hard about whether this is right for you. If you TRULY want it, then NO you should NOT give up. It will take a lot to get you back on track, but there are plenty of threads (Underdog thread) and plenty of other things that can get you back on track. Also, what year are you? are you just finishing up freshman year in college? If so, you can start re-taking classes, and have a strong upwards trend to show that you didn't give up. Overall, NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!
 
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You absolutely can. You you need a 3.0 and 28 MCAT to really have a shot. Obviously you can make your GPA higher or your MCAT higher, but overall that would be essentially what you need.

So while this is obviously possible, you need to really gauge whether or not that is for you. You really would need to kill it in all of your classes and retakes. You would need to sit down and study 40 hours a week for at least 8 weeks to do really well on the MCAT. If you think you have that kind of commitment then there is nothing stopping you except you and money. Otherwise it is totally possible.

If there is anything else in the world that you can see yourself doing, go do that instead.
 
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With retakes you would absolutely have a shot with DO schools! Don't give up! The ONLY time I would say consider another path is if you don't rock the retakes. At that point, it may be a sign you won't make it in medical school and you do not want to waste all that money applying and potentially getting in and having the tuition debt in case the load is too much. Don't worry about this though until you've retaken some of those F/D/C's.

For now, start retaking those classes, even algebra and trig, and building yourself up to be a competitive applicant!
 
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Everybody loves a comeback
 
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My GPA was less than half of what yours is. After getting my $#!t together, and a lot of time and retakes, I managed to finagle an acceptance.

Depends how determined and persistent you want to be.
 
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i was in the same position as you four years ago. i have multiple interview invites.
 
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Download the Excel spreadsheet: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/aacomas-gpa-calculator-revised.839864/

Plug in all of your courses, and play around with different classes and see what it would take to bring you to >2.75 (ideally 3.0). I bet that if you retake your F's and D's, you will raise your GPA more a ton.

I have overcome a less than stellar GPA in only one year just by some strategic retakes and a complete 180 in studying tactics. Once you get that first A in a post-bac, you'll start the see the light at the end of the tunnel. The trick is that every grade less than an A is digging your own grave, especially with a 1.82 GPA.
It's an emotional roller coaster, but like other say, you have to approach it as if it's a marathon, not a sprint. And on a side note, don't even consider the MCAT until you have redeemed your GPA.
 
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I agree if this is what you want don't give up the dream there are many people who overcame low gpa
 
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Similar story here and am now accepted. The only thing stopping you is you
 
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I had a 1.37 my first freshman year. Almost got expelled. From academic probation to multiple terms on the dean's list. 3.3 cGPA, 3.8 sGPA, without grade replacement. High 30s MCAT. You want it? You can get it. You just gotta want it enough to not quit on yourself. It is a long road, but you can do it.
 
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I am big fan of the free app "4.0". Allows you to customize enter you grades and hours to get a clear view of your gpa with grade replacement. Anyways, NO you shouldn't give up on anything at this point. On another thread in the "Non-Trad" section, there are tonsssss of success stories of students who had worse off gpa than you, but worked their tails off for several years and got accepted.
 
I am big fan of the free app "4.0". Allows you to customize enter you grades and hours to get a clear view of your gpa with grade replacement. Anyways, NO you shouldn't give up on anything at this point. On another thread in the "Non-Trad" section, there are tonsssss of success stories of students who had worse off gpa than you, but worked their tails off for several years and got accepted.

To add to this, it is daunting to think in terms of years but realisitically, two years from now there is a good chance you will be receiving interview invites and acceptances. Retaking those 6 F's can probably be done in two semesters and will likely put your GPA in competitive range all on its own.
The MCAT is also changing and you will probably be taking the new version so plan ahead.

Good luck and hope to see you posting questions about your PS, application, etc down the road!
 
Thank you guys so much. I really needed to hear all this. I really can't picture myself doing anything else. I really appreciate all the positive vibes. Time to start working my ass off!!
 
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It's surprising how much more positive this thread is than anything I've ever read in pre-allo. Haha.
 
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I said it. Now, go try harder!
 
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I had 5 fails and a withdrawal in my first year.
I just started my 4th year now, with cGPA/sGPA of 2.96 and 3.02 respectively. I still got a long way to go but i didn't give up. Neither should you.
 
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Dont-give-up.jpg
 
I have 6Fs, 3Ds, 6Cs and a gpa of 1.82 right now. I've been out of school for 2 years. The first thing I want to know is if I rocked the MCAT and managed to somehow get my act together by retaking a bunch of classes and getting mostly A's and B's from now on; would I have a have a chance at getting into a Osteopathic school? I also have classes like college algebra and trig included in those poor grades; is there any point in retaking those classes if I've already taken calculus(Made a bad grade in that too).

Honest answer here because I hate seeing people beating their head against a wall if it will be in vain...

Its a big if. Why did you get those grades? Do you generally do well on standardized tests?
If you have a high IQ and didn't try at all you can probably turn it around.
That said I think most medical students probably could have passed college algebra and trig by never coming to class or looking at the material then studying for a few hours the night before the exam.
MCAT is going to be the toughest standardized test you've ever taken. It is not something that you consistently get Cs in your classes and average on standardized tests then you study for, turn up, take, and see you got top 5%.
"
6Fs, 3Ds, 6Cs and a gpa of 1.82 right now"..I didn't fully do the math but this leads me to believe you didn't complete a degree yet or you basically didn't get any As.

Either way if your job market isn't looking good right now going back to school and getting good grades won't hurt you but there are a whole lot of satisfying careers that aren't as academically rigid as medicine as well.
 
Could you? Potentially. But will you?


I think you could change everything and work it all out. But the question is are you willing to do it? Are you willing to essentially redo years of undergrad and then take on more so you can have a shot at being a doctor? Do you think that you're willing to work for it?

If the answer is yes, then do it.
 
Considering your reputation for poor grades, you have to make a lifestyle change. Getting better marks will only result from your own will and determination to succeed. At this point, it doesn't look like you have that determination. People can change, but it isn't easy. You will need more help then most, will have to spend more time studying, and will get frustrated, often. It's not easy, but if it's truly your dream to be a physician then you should never stop pursuing.
 
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