Medical Will be B+ grades freshman year hurt my chances at medical school?

[MusicDOc124]

Hi! I'm a freshman in college majoring in Neuroscience (on the pre-med track), and I'm currently finishing up my first semester. A few days ago, I received my final grade for an introductory chemistry laboratory course--I got a B+. Today, I received my final grade for a calculus course--another B+.

I shared my grades with my parents, and they just told me I should be proud of the grades I received, which is what I expected to hear from them. I know that a B+ isn't necessarily a bad grade, but considering that I'd like to go to Hopkins for med school in the future, I can't help thinking that these grades will immensely reduce my chances of admission.

Should I be concerned? I'm aware that medical schools take into account the progression of an applicant's grades, but since most med school applicants tend to be near the top of their respective classes, I feel like there's no room for error in terms of GPA.

P.S. Sorry if this is under the wrong category--it's my first time using SDN

Two B+'s will not necessarily hurt you. Be careful having an aim for a specific school and how it translates to how you go about undergrad. Medical school is competitive to get into across the board, much less a big name school such as JHU. Your aim right now should not necessarily be a specific school, but having the grades to get in. Your parents are right that you should be proud that you're doing well. Don't let a goal for grades take away from your experience as a college student.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Thank you; there's many factors that go into a final grade so I'm just not sure how much emphasis is placed on grades in med school applications

There are a lot of factors that go into med school admissions: GPA, MCAT, interview skills, being personable, extracurriculars, research, clinical exposure, military experience, other work experience, leadership positions, volunteering, etc. There is virtually no difference between someone who has a 4.0 and say a 3.8, but if that 3.8 can have a conversation, volunteers, has clinical exposure, and the 4.0 has just a 4.0, well I'd be willing to bet that the one with the 3.8 gets in over the 4.0. Again, don't start and go through college with THAT much emphasis on grades as long as you keep your overall and science GPA's high in general. Do what you need to do, but if you get a B, B+, or A- here and there, then it's not the end of the world. Even if you get a C or 2, not the end of the world, as long as those grades are not the most common on your transcript and are relatively isolated.

 

[Goro]

You could have gotten two Fs and they still wouldn't be lethal.

You don't need a 4.0 GPA to get into med school.

Median GPA for acceptees is 3.71 for MD and 3.4+ for DO.