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SleepingPillow said:
Hello,

Last time I posted here, I finished freshman year (at WashU) with a 3.07 (C+ in bio 1 killed me)

With class ending soon, I wanted to get some feedback from SDN on how I am doing, because I don't have a premed advisor yet and my four year advisor doesn't really advise many premeds.

Orgo 1: B/B+ <-- worked really hard for this class, probably the most I've ever worked (easily studied 20hours just the weekend before exams, not counting other days). So, I feel like with a B or B+ I did the best I could. I've been just a hair above the curve on exams so far.

Bio 2: A-/A <-- liked this class a lot better than bio 1 (also with better study habits), and did decently above the curve on exams so far. A- is a lot more likely than A, simply because curves are harder to beat now.

Spanish 1: B+/A- <-- honestly, put in a lot of effort into this class, but I have never had any spanish before, so on exams I just make subtle mistakes that add up with no partial credit on exams 🙁 but yeah, will not be continuing because now I understand why the department has bad reputation for being tough. Actually was confident about an A- until today after I bombed a listening exam.

Psych 1: A-/A <-- hard to get an A on tests, but I should be able to squeeze out with an A-.

In addition, I started doing research 9 hours a week, along with other ECs that add up to just around 20 hours a week total.

Things I changed this semester:
1. Pomodoro <-- found out I way overestimated how much I studied last year (counting the hours I am in the library instead of actually studying). Now, I know I study/work for at least 4 hours during normal weeks, going up to 6/8+ before exams (which is pretty much half the time)
2. Planning <-- I plan out everything on calenders, even my classes, and has helped me a lot because I would forget assignments. Assignments forgotten this semester: 0
3. Studying in my room in addition to library <-- last year, couldn't study in my room without being really depressed. I still prefer the library, though.
4. No procrastination (mostly) <-- with planning + pomodoro, I'm constantly looking at what I have to do, which leads to me being stressed all the time but I guess that's what it should be like.


To be honest, I was studying for a 4.0 this semester, but now it's more like a 3.4/3.5 or 3.6. Still, I feel like I grew a lot this semester, and wish I did what I'm doing now last year (would've been a lot prettier than that 3 GPA).
I'm stressing about how med schools are gonna view my GPA, because I know that a 3.4 isn't "bad", but combined with a 3.07, I just feel a bit helpless because I worked really hard this semester but freshman year just keeps pulling me down.

Any advice from you all? Thanks! Please help out a desperate premed haha...
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You are doing very well.

just keep doing what you are doing.
 
Nothing much to say here, other than "keep improving, you're on the right path".

A 3.4-3.6 isn't terrible, but its by no means amazing either. Keep pushing for 3.8+ semesters.
 
The amount of improvement you have accomplished this year should now be your standard. Make the same leap forward going into next year and continue to increase your time management and study efficiency and you will continue to see GPA improvements.
 
One of the more important things med schools look for is that upward trend in your GPA over the years.

If you start out at say, a ~3.0 then by the time you apply have ~3.8 for that year, you may have a lower GPA than that ~3.8, like ~3.65, but this means you should be looking at schools in the ~3.8 range, as your most recent GPA. Schools will see that you have a strong upward trend and tend towards not weighing the earlier years as heavily.
 
Just because you dont have a prehealth advisor assigned to you yet doesnt mean you cant make an appointment with one/go to their hours.
 
Detective SnowBucket said:
One of the more important things med schools look for is that upward trend in your GPA over the years.

If you start out at say, a ~3.0 then by the time you apply have ~3.8 for that year, you may have a lower GPA than that ~3.8, like ~3.65, but this means you should be looking at schools in the ~3.8 range, as your most recent GPA. Schools will see that you have a strong upward trend and tend towards not weighing the earlier years as heavily.
Click to expand...

What if it's one bad semester in the middle. Like a U shaped thing. But the rest are like 3.7/3.8+ semesters?
 
SleepingPillow said:
Ok... I ended up with Orgo: B, Bio 2: B+, Spanish: A-, Psych: A.
A bit sad about orgo and bio, because I had been above the curve the entire year, but it became harder and harder to score that much higher than the curve (also means that there are so many smart people!!). Also the fact that they are graded on a curve meant that because I did a bit better than the curve it got me a B/B+. I think my lab grades also didn't help me(both curves at >93 rip, I got just around that)
Not how I envisioned my perfect turnaround (4.0 lol), but still an improvement of 2.97 -> 3.45 in one semester. Hopefully I continue to make bigger improvements in my following semesters and have a solid GPA (~3.5) by the end of senior year and can comfortably apply for med schools.
I will work even harder next semester.
Click to expand...

You are on the right path. Yes, starting out with a GPA that low sucks. As a current senior that has had a pretty bad freshmen year, I have been in the same shoes as you. However, I sit with a 3.7 now with a huge upward trend and a good narrative to tell about what I have learned since my freshmen year. The most important thing (as many people have already mentioned and is something you will see in various other posts about similar situations) is having that significant upward trend, year to year. Especially cause you are at a university that is well known for being difficult to get great grades in, especially in premed weed-out classes. Just take things semester by semester, with a clear goal in mind every time you start and end a semester (aim for atleast 3.7+ every semester now!). And to be completely honest, I found that as I got more involved in things after my freshmen year, I really improved my time management skills, better set my priorities (yes I partied too hard freshmen year), and generally worked SMARTER (not necessarily harder, but definitely smarter!).
 
WashU is a well known pressure cooker for premeds, nice job getting the grades up. Just keep doing what you’re doing!
 
My brother is a sophomore at washu and had Pretty similar classes. I wonder if you guys know each other.


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