To withdraw or not to withdraw

[arisharvey0]

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Current GPA: 4.0

Major: Mathematics

Community college student

Current classes: Calculus 3, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Gen Chemistry 2 (total of 16 units)

Pre-med classes to take: 2 Organic Chem classes, 2 Bio classes, 2 Physics classes, electives(to transfer)

I don't think it's probable that I get an A on any of my classes. Realistically the best case scenario is for me getting a C on all of them. I'm freaking exhausted with studying and just to get by I use all of my time completing assignments and that leaves me with no time to study for any exams at all(I don't even work nor spend time on leisure;watching tv, exercise, etc). I just had my first exam on Chemistry and I got 60%. I have 6 more exams and 1 final so I might be able to get an A on it IF AND ONLY IF I have more time. I am not lost on the material and just lack practice, and that goes for all of my classes. I'll have my first exam for Linear Algebra and Calculus 3 on Wednesday and next week respectively. Realistically, I don't think I'll pass both of those exams but the grading policy for those classes is that the lowest exam grade can be replaced by the final exam grade if it is higher(my only hope/wild card). Diff Eqs's grading policy is that 80% of the grade is assignments and quizzes(if I understood the syllabus correctly) and that seems to be the best contender where I could get an A. I talked to my counselor and he said I'm killing myself but I thought since the avg units taken is 15, then I should handle my classes fine. I read somewhere that the difficulty of classes is more important than whether or not you are above the minimum units to be considered full time. I have no idea if that applies for premeds.

My options:

a) Follow my counselor's advice which is to WITHDRAW Diff Eqs since that is not recommended nor required for premeds except for my major.(I already have withdrawn a class which was Gen Chem 1 during the spring and took it again this summer and got an A; it is the only class I have withdrawn so far.) My counselor reminded me that gpa is my priority(because I'm premed) and the only way I get an A for all of my classes is to drop one of them and try my absolute best OR I get a miracle.

b) Face whatever happens and just retake whatever I fail since my gpa would be mid to low 3's if I get C for all of them. Hope for a combination of B's and C's.

I'm just having a hard time making a decision because 1) W's are not good on transcript although a few is not alarming 2) I should be able to handle a lot of classes while relatively doing well because that's what happens in med school 3) My ego is so loud and the combination of my failures and insecurities are not strong enough to silence my foolish and prideful ego. Sigh. I hope I don't come across as egotistic even though I am a little bit but I'm trying to do the best that I can and push myself to my limit since I know that medical school is no joke.

 

[Rogue42]

I wanna know what community college is teaching calc 3, DiffE, and linear algebra.

Secondly, you should 100% withdraw from at least one class if you truly think you're about to "C" it across the board.

A "W" is better than a low GPA. It is extremely hard to come back from that many C's. I made one C in college, and it took my 3.76 GPA to a 3.51. It took me 3 semesters to crawl it back to a 3.6. (Granted, had I made a bunch of 4.0's it would have been easier, but that isn't the point here). You can explain a "W," and for the most part, medical school's don't care.

Also, medical school is so different from undergrad that the whole "I should be able to study 16 hours and be fine because Im going to have to do that in med school" argument is null and void. In undergrad, it isn't uncommon to have a bunch of assignments due a week, quizzes in different classes, and then maybe multiple tests in a week. In medical school, there are no real homework assignments, you focus on your classes, and the next upcoming exam. Its more material and its more in depth than undergraduate courses usually are, but its a straight line for what it takes to succeed.

 

[Moko]

Realistically the best case scenario is for me getting a C on all of them. I'm freaking exhausted ... My ego is so loud and the combination of my failures and insecurities are not strong enough to silence my foolish and prideful ego.

Put aside your ego and take the W. A semester of C's will take time to recover from. Just my thoughts.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Take W as everyone suggested. My general advise is don't take more than 3 BCPM classes per semester/quarter regardless of how smart you think you are.

 

[deleted1005514]

Take the W, and the “usual” course load of 15 credits doesn’t typically include that many math heavy (homework heavy) courses. It’s usually 1-2 hard classes, a lab and maybe a humanities course. That’s a typical course load.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Even Shakespeare's Hamlet would act decisively on this. Withdraw from at least one class - perhaps 2.

All 4 of those classes are counted as BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, math) and go into computing your all important science GPA. Straight C's on 16 credits would devastate your science GPA and chances for medical school.

Keep the classes you're most likely to do well in whether or not they're needed for medical school.

Finally, drop the math major too. More advanced math classes are even tougher. If Calc 3, Linear Algebra and ODE are giving you fits, Real Analysis, Complex Analysis and Partial Differential Equations will eat you alive.

You don't need to be a math major to get into medical school. You do need a GPA of >3.6 in all likelihood.

 

[MyOdyssey]

I wanna know what community college is teaching calc 3, DiffE, and linear algebra.

Probably one of the California ones.

 

[Doctoscope]

I wanna know what community college is teaching calc 3, DiffE, and linear algebra.

Secondly, you should 100% withdraw from at least one class if you truly think you're about to "C" it across the board.

A "W" is better than a low GPA. It is extremely hard to come back from that many C's. I made one C in college, and it took my 3.76 GPA to a 3.51. It took me 3 semesters to crawl it back to a 3.6. (Granted, had I made a bunch of 4.0's it would have been easier, but that isn't the point here). You can explain a "W," and for the most part, medical school's don't care.

Also, medical school is so different from undergrad that the whole "I should be able to study 16 hours and be fine because Im going to have to do that in med school" argument is null and void. In undergrad, it isn't uncommon to have a bunch of assignments due a week, quizzes in different classes, and then maybe multiple tests in a week. In medical school, there are no real homework assignments, you focus on your classes, and the next upcoming exam. Its more material and its more in depth than undergraduate courses usually are, but its a straight line for what it takes to succeed.

Almost all of the community colleges in my area teach Calc 3 and Lin Alg+Diff Eq's with a pretty good reputation. Hell, I've even seen discrete math with graph theory taught as a standalone class at a CC 10 minutes from me.

I think CC's are becoming quite more rigorous, at least in CA, and the idea that CC coursework is "lesser" than 4-year's (within reason) is starting to get outdated. Hell, the general anatomy class I took at a CC was actually more rigorous than some of the BCPM classes I took at my alma mater lol.

But, it seems medicine is quite old-fashioned, and I don't know when or if adcom's perceptions toward them will change. Maybe if CC education becomes much more standardized across the country? Maybe that isn't possible.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Almost all of the community colleges in my area teach Calc 3 and Lin Alg+Diff Eq's with a pretty good reputation. Hell, I've even seen discrete math with graph theory taught as a standalone class at a CC 10 minutes from me.

I think CC's are becoming quite more rigorous, at least in CA, and the idea that CC coursework is "lesser" than 4-year's (within reason) is starting to get outdated. Hell, the general anatomy class I took at a CC was actually more rigorous than some of the BCPM classes I took at my alma mater lol.

But, it seems medicine is quite old-fashioned, and I don't know when or if adcom's perceptions toward them will change. Maybe if CC education becomes much more standardized across the country? Maybe that isn't possible.

Most CC classes across the country are not nearly as rigorous.

Outside California, CC is geared toward students who weren't prepared to attend a 4 year university after high school. A typical, non-Californian CC doesn't offer math beyond calculus 2.

 

[Rogue42]

Almost all of the community colleges in my area teach Calc 3 and Lin Alg+Diff Eq's with a pretty good reputation. Hell, I've even seen discrete math with graph theory taught as a standalone class at a CC 10 minutes from me.

I think CC's are becoming quite more rigorous, at least in CA, and the idea that CC coursework is "lesser" than 4-year's (within reason) is starting to get outdated. Hell, the general anatomy class I took at a CC was actually more rigorous than some of the BCPM classes I took at my alma mater lol.

But, it seems medicine is quite old-fashioned, and I don't know when or if adcom's perceptions toward them will change. Maybe if CC education becomes much more standardized across the country? Maybe that isn't possible.

I don't think I said a word about the rigor of CC.

I simply didn't think community colleges taught such advanced coursework. That is usually why they are only 2 year degrees.

 

[deleted1005514]

Most CC classes across the country are not nearly as rigorous.

Outside California, CC is geared toward students who weren't prepared to attend a 4 year university after high school. A typical, non-Californian CC doesn't offer math beyond calculus 2.

The CC in the area I came from topped out at Trig. It did however have the most rigorous A&P course I’ve ever had, taught by a retired doctor.

 

[MyOdyssey]

It did however have the most rigorous A&P course I’ve ever had, taught by a retired doctor.

Did it help on the MCAT? I wouldn't think so given that the B/B section emphasizes research related passages and reasoning skills.

 

[deleted1005514]

Did it help on the MCAT? I wouldn't think so given that the B/B section emphasizes research related passages and reasoning skills.

Not really, my upper level bio courses helped much more. I just wanted to take A&P...had no idea what I was getting myself into at the time, lol.

 

[MyOdyssey]

had no idea what I was getting myself into at the time, lol.

Accurate description of my life ...

 

[LunaOri]

You are taking too many difficult courses at one time. Withdraw from one or two. Keep the ones you most enjoy, or are most likely to get an "A". The early years of college are not the time to overload yourself, especially if you have a job or other responsibilities.