2.56.. too low of a gpa?!

[cara]

although i've only completed my first semester of my freshmen year, i ended with a 2.56 GPA. what disappoints me so much is the fact that i put a lot of hard work.. hardly partied, studied for exams well in advance, etc. i'm starting to think that maybe i'm just not fit for a science major, and that if i continue to take classes like biology, i'll only perform worse, thus lowering my overall GPA. i even retook chemistry (the same college class that i took in high school) and recieved the same grade!!

any suggestions?

would you suggest continuing on with my pre-pharm track, or explore other fields?

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[ultracet]

do you like sciences?

if there is something out there that you enjoy more than i would go with that....

 

[CauBePharmD]

You need to have a confident in yourself. I am not good at science at all, and I really hate it but i still do well. If you don't understand something, you need to ask you prof right away. If you have any friends, get together with them to study as a group. Try to ask questions all the time...okay?? 2.56 is very bad. You need to try hard next semister to bring it up and you need to have a confident in yourself.

Good luck!!!>....If you are not feeling better, you can try to PM me

 

[Glycerin]

2.56 is very bad.

2.56 is NOT "very bad." There are those with GPAs much lower than that. What it is, though, is not good enough to get into pharmacy school.

To the OP, talk to your advisor. You've only completed one semester of college, which is the good news. You have time to bring your GPA up, and rather quickly, I might add, if high grades are in your future. Also, get to know your professors next semester. Within the first couple of weeks, if you feel that you are sturggling, talk directly to them. Ask them for advice and alternate methods of studying. Good luck.

 

[Abilify]

At one point in my undergrad career, I had a 1.8 GPA. I managed to get into a couple pharmacy schools, so it's not impossible. It all depends on your desire

 

[leoproductionz]

im in the same boat, except im a sophomore. i have a 3.0 overall and a 2.39 pre-science/math GPA. i like science, but i just feel ******ed in my classes. i cant think of any other career i want, but i cant continue like this so i dont really know what i should do. i might plan on making an appointment with my advisor

 

[calrx]

although i've only completed my first semester of my freshmen year, i ended with a 2.56 GPA. what disappoints me so much is the fact that i put a lot of hard work.. hardly partied, studied for exams well in advance, etc. i'm starting to think that maybe i'm just not fit for a science major, and that if i continue to take classes like biology, i'll only perform worse, thus lowering my overall GPA. i even retook chemistry (the same college class that i took in high school) and recieved the same grade!!

any suggestions?

would you suggest continuing on with my pre-pharm track, or explore other fields?

First of all, you just completed your 1st semester of your freshman year... a 2.56 is NOT bad at all!! I'm not going to tell you that this is an easy major, but if it is what you are truly passionate about then please stick with it. I started out college very similar to you- my 1st semester I got 2.62, second semester I got a 2.71, sophomore year I got a 2.91 then a 3.1, then junior year something just clicked and I never got below a 3.78 the remaining 4 semesters of college. I think part of it had to do with the fact that I was done taking all the core biology and chemistry classes and was able to take science electives that really interested me... classes like Microbiology, Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Psychopharmacology. Since I liked the material it was much easier for me to do well and studying wasn't as much of a chore. I think another part of it was the fact that I learned how I needed to study in order to really absorb the material. It took me a few semesters to realize that my learning style isn't always going to coincide with my professor's teaching style, and that's ok because I knew how to work around it and still do well.

Personally, I think you are being way too hard on yourself! You have sooo many more opportunities to succeed and do well. In reality, a few semesters of sub-3.0 grades aren't going to prevent you from getting into pharmacy school, but if you continue to carry the attitude that you aren't smart enough or good enough, that will stop you.

Moral of the story: keep your head up, put that 2.56 behind you, and strive to do a little better each semester.

 

[Requiem]

At one point in my undergrad career, I had a 1.8 GPA. I managed to get into a couple pharmacy schools, so it's not impossible. It all depends on your desire

hahahahah

 

[ultracet]

At one point in my undergrad career, I had a 1.8 GPA. I managed to get into a couple pharmacy schools, so it's not impossible. It all depends on your desire

i don't believe you are in the majority....


and how did you do on the pcat?

 

[DHG]

If you are like I was, it isn't that you don't study, you just don't know how to study. I had to learn how to study when I got to college. It took a few semesters. Don't sell out so soon. Stick with it and try different study habits. It took me a while to determine what worked for me. Trial and error. Don't give up yet. First semester of freshman year is tough for a lot of reasons. So don't let people judge you by that. More importantly, don't judge yourself too harshly just yet. Try some new things this next semester and see if life gets better.

 

[Rxbound]

Learning to study is the biggest problem for many college students. How much did you study in high school? Most would say not much. You could get away with it then...personal experience says so.
Very good advice, DHG!

 

[coffee4drug]

I would say stick to a science major. Science is interesting and intellectually stimulating. Even if you don't get into a pharmacy school, you can still land a rewarding job (like a position in biotech firm) if you choose the right major. My cousin studied business and graduated with 4.0, but he is still jobless.

Focus not on how much time you put into studying, but how you think about the materials so that you can understand and remember them. Bring questions regularly to office hours; that is a helpful start.

 

[Abilify]

i don't believe you are in the majority....


and how did you do on the pcat?

You're probably right...

I got a 99 on my PCAT

I just didn't care about college when I first started....

 

[JordanP]

If I had a penny for every time I tried to switch out of the Pre-pharm/ biology major, I would be rich by now. LOL it is normal for everyone to have their ups and downs. At one point my GPA was a 2.5 as well, and I was not accepted to the pharmacy school that I applied to, but I became stubborn, and started studying in such a way, that I owned the material, I went to tutoring, and did not give up, well, my family didnt let me give up.......In one year I got my GPA from a 2.8 to a 3.6, and this year, I got accepted to 3 pharmacy schools. It is not a matter of "liking" science, you can like it, and still not do well on the tests, if you don't study hard.

Hang in there....We are all human.

although i've only completed my first semester of my freshmen year, i ended with a 2.56 GPA. what disappoints me so much is the fact that i put a lot of hard work.. hardly partied, studied for exams well in advance, etc. i'm starting to think that maybe i'm just not fit for a science major, and that if i continue to take classes like biology, i'll only perform worse, thus lowering my overall GPA. i even retook chemistry (the same college class that i took in high school) and recieved the same grade!!

any suggestions?

would you suggest continuing on with my pre-pharm track, or explore other fields?

 

[b*rizzle]

In one year I got my GPA from a 2.8 to a 3.6, and this year, I got accepted to 3 pharmacy schools. It is not a matter of "liking" science, you can like it, and still not do well on the tests, if you don't study hard.

Congrats, dude! I mean, I know you've been accepted already, but that deserves a friggin' standing ovation.

 

[bananaface]

Congrats, dude! I mean, I know you've been accepted already, but that deserves a friggin' standing ovation.

That is pretty awesome.

For the OP, sometimes it take awhile to adjust to a full time college experience. Give it another semester, keep working hard, and see where that puts you.

 

[b*rizzle]

For the OP, sometimes it take awhile to adjust to a full time college experience. Give it another semester, keep working hard, and see where that puts you.

That's the honest truth. Some folks just take a bit longer to adjust to college than others.

Also, sit back and re-evaluate your study habits. Do you just read over your notes several times? I’m definitely not a passive studier, I need to be writing and actively thinking about what I’m looking at, otherwise my attention goes all over the place. If I just sat there and stared at a page of notes, my GPA would probably be a full point lower than it is right now. This past semester, I deviated most from my normal study habits and had the lowest GPA so far in college (I still made the Dean’s List) although I usually do better in the spring anyway.

To cara, the OP:

-I'm very big on flash cards (the big thing I didn't do this semester). However, when I do them, I just don't put a word on the front and a definition on the back. I generally jot a few "questions' related to a particular point in lecture material (i.e. "What does ADH stand for? Where is it produced? What effects does it have in the body?") on the front of the card and I supply the answers in the appropriate order on the back, instead of just making a card with "ADH" on the front and then writing all the information about ADH on the back.

-It's much easier for me to remember specific details by breaking the material into bite-size chunks. Also, if you think about it enough, you can start to anticipate the kinds of questions you will be asked because you're forced to really go back and synthesize the material as you make the cards. This is also a very effective way to find holes in your understanding of the material, especially if every now and then you ask yourself "summary" questions that are specifically related to CONCEPTS and not DETAILS. Occasionally drawing a random concept map is also a helpful tool; I’m a big fan of these as well.

-When I first started doing this, I was amazed at how easy it was to go back and study for exams; I didn't know it was possible to spend only about 3 hours the night before the exam studying my cards and reviewing class notes, get a nice full night’s sleep, go into the midterm the next morning and make a 96. I was definitely much less stressed when studying (a plus for concentration!) and find that I retain material very well this way.

-However, there is a caveat: it can be time-consuming, but I find that if I do notecards for each lecture that day when I get back from class, it’s very manageable. (It’s also why I never schedule all my classes for only MWF or only TR).

-Fall semesters are generally busier for me, and so I usually fall behind on the notecards (and eventually give up for the whole semester) and as such my exam grades usually take a slight hit until I rediscover my motivation in a last-minute final exam frenzy.

-I know this is long-winded, and this definitely may not work for everyone, especially if you’re not an “active” studier. But to the OP, if you have questions, please PM me.

 

[JordanP]

Thanks, LOL but I am a girl...lol

But yeah, it was a long, hard road, and I worked by butt off for a year, to do it, but I did it, and it definitely could be done, if you are determined enouph.

Congradulations on UNC!

Congrats, dude! I mean, I know you've been accepted already, but that deserves a friggin' standing ovation.

 

[b*rizzle]

Thanks, LOL but I am a girl...lol

But yeah, it was a long, hard road, and I worked by butt off for a year, to do it, but I did it, and it definitely could be done, if you are determined enouph.

Congradulations on UNC!

Lo siento mucho!

And thank you!!

 

[cheesygal]

To the OP:
Don't worry about your first semester GPA. It's your first semester in college and maybe you haven't found your true study habits yet. I went to a quarter school, so my first quarter GPA was only about a 2.4 and I'm still a science major, still pursuing pharmacy, and getting interviews. If worse comes to worse, retake those classes, but really, don't let your first semester GPA stop you from being a sci major or pursuing pharmacy because you know you will improve. It can be done!

 

[sarahjth]

First of all, you just completed your 1st semester of your freshman year... a 2.56 is NOT bad at all!! I'm not going to tell you that this is an easy major, but if it is what you are truly passionate about then please stick with it. I started out college very similar to you- my 1st semester I got 2.62, second semester I got a 2.71, sophomore year I got a 2.91 then a 3.1, then junior year something just clicked and I never got below a 3.78 the remaining 4 semesters of college. I think part of it had to do with the fact that I was done taking all the core biology and chemistry classes and was able to take science electives that really interested me... classes like Microbiology, Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Psychopharmacology. Since I liked the material it was much easier for me to do well and studying wasn't as much of a chore. I think another part of it was the fact that I learned how I needed to study in order to really absorb the material. It took me a few semesters to realize that my learning style isn't always going to coincide with my professor's teaching style, and that's ok because I knew how to work around it and still do well.

Personally, I think you are being way too hard on yourself! You have sooo many more opportunities to succeed and do well. In reality, a few semesters of sub-3.0 grades aren't going to prevent you from getting into pharmacy school, but if you continue to carry the attitude that you aren't smart enough or good enough, that will stop you.

Moral of the story: keep your head up, put that 2.56 behind you, and strive to do a little better each semester.

If that's not inspiration for ya, what is??

 

[leoproductionz]

Thanks @ b*rizzle, i will try flash cards this coming semester

 

[rxwannabe]

I'm in the same situation...my GPA is really low (2.25). I've also been wondering what my chances are. I have already graduated and majored in Biology @ UMD. My PCAT scores are pretty good though, I scored in the 91st percentile overall. Also, I have a ton of experience in pharmacy doing retail, regulatory, clinical trials, etc. and have letters of reference from all the "right" pharmacists. I want to get into UMD pharmacy for Fall '06. Do I have any chance of getting in at all??? Good luck to you BTW, at least your GPA meets most minimum requirements.