3.8 gpa as a sophomore

[vampyre_angel]

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Hello everyone. I am unsure if this is the right place to post this, but if anyone could offer guidance, encouragement, harsh truth, etc, I would really appreciate it :3

I am a dual credit high school student who is earning an associate's degree in science and graduating this April. I started dual credit as a freshman in high school, and I was unsure of my future career and going through serious health problems, so I didn't beat myself up over Bs. Unfortunately, I really should have as I received 3 Bs in one semester. Now, I've maintained all As up until Calc 2. I normally score around 80- 90% on calc tests, as I am not the strongest in math. (I'm great at English and science thankfully). I scored a 68 on the first test of the semester. We have 6 tests left, but I'm really doubting my ability to succeed as I work as a CNA and private tutor, am in theater, etc. To maintain my GPA I would need to somehow bring this 68 up to an A. Or withdraw.

My GPA was a decent 3.86 at the beginning of my senior year. Now, if I get a B in Calc 2, it will plummet to a flat 3.80. I feel like all my hard work and progress is over before I even make it to college. I am paying my own way though most of college, so I was hoping to finish my remaining 60 credits in only 2.5 years, so I don't have to pay housing for 3 whole years. I have multiple learning disabilities and have accommodations for them, but I don't think I can handle over 12 credit hours a semester. I would be entering college as a freshman with junior standing. I have 90 credits and UT Austin (my undergrad institution this fall) would be accepting 60 of them. An SMP or post bacc is my LAST choice because as stated I am low/medium income and I want to avoid loans if possible. And I wanna maximize my clinical hours because I love being an EMT.

I'm mostly asking a few questions:
1. Withdraw or stay in calc?
2. Am I doomed entering real uni for the first time as a 'junior' with a 3.80, taking biochem, ochem, etc right off the bat?
3. Is a post bacc in my future 🙁((

Last little piece of context: I need a high GPA because I am a poor test taker (SAT 1460 when I feel I could easily have made a 1550+ with better test taking skills) and aiming for a T20 MD. I have significant clinical experience (EMT, CNA). I have over 400 hours of clinical volunteering. (IDK if med schools count this because I was technically a full time college student when I did this, but I was also in high school). I have very little research.
I am graduating at 21 and planning to take a gap year for research and clinical hours and MCAT study. Applying at 22, so traditional applicant.

 

[Rabbsters]

As someone with a health splattering of Bs and Cs on my transcripts, 3.80 is a high GPA in my opinion regardless of what the 4.00 perfectionists will tell you. I wouldn't stress about that. Don't beat yourself up, your hard work and progress is evident in your journey, you're not defined by a few undergrad classes.

If Calc isn't required for the path you want to take (i.e. is it required for your AA in science?) and it's not a strong suit (definitely wasn't for me as evident by my Cs) I would consider potentially withdrawing, but I might also stick it out (sorry for no real advice there)...

I don't see how you would be 'doomed' taking biochem and ochem right off the bat. If your general chemistry knowledge is solid, you'll be fine. I might just suggest taking one of the other (i.e. OChem 1) that first semester so you can get your feet under you at 'real uni'.

I see no reason for postbacc at this point.

Take all that with the fact that I'm a non-trad, career changer, DIY post bac, with years of work experience, that was in no way trying to get into a T20. But from what I've seen with a 3.8 and 515+ MCAT you're in the running for mostly any school out there.

You've got good clinical exposure, make sure you're getting service oriented volunteering in as well.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

First off all, I commend you for doing what you can despite the setbacks you have been dealt.

That said, no one gets a seat in medical school through sympathy or excuses. Worse, you also don't get into medical school without being fully informed about the process.

A 3.80 GPA is high, but you may also be setting yourself up for a big GPA crash if you keep carrying on like Luisa Madrigal (Encanto) with a heavy load of science courses in your first year at UT-Austin.

Your transfer counselors and the prehealth advising office at UT-Austin can give you informed advice about your plans. I'm sure calculus may be required for your degree but not for medical school. I presume you want to stay in Texas. I don't know how you will get research experience if you attend UT-A for 2 years while working and juggling other commitments. I also don't know how you would get enough service orientation activities to become competitive.

Also, you will be competing against a lot of applicants who participate in JAMP as their direct to Texas medical schools. It seems to me you would have been eligible for Early Admission... did you apply?

 

[vampyre_angel]

Welcome to the forums.

First off all, I commend you for doing what you can despite the setbacks you have been dealt.

That said, no one gets a seat in medical school through sympathy or excuses. Worse, you also don't get into medical school without being fully informed about the process.

A 3.80 GPA is high, but you may also be setting yourself up for a big GPA crash if you keep carrying on like Luisa Madrigal (Encanto) with a heavy load of science courses in your first year at UT-Austin.

Your transfer counselors and the prehealth advising office at UT-Austin can give you informed advice about your plans. I'm sure calculus may be required for your degree but not for medical school. I presume you want to stay in Texas. I don't know how you will get research experience if you attend UT-A for 2 years while working and juggling other commitments. I also don't know how you would get enough service orientation activities to become competitive.

Also, you will be competing against a lot of applicants who participate in JAMP as their direct to Texas medical schools. It seems to me you would have been eligible for Early Admission... did you apply?

Hi! I appreciate your advice!
In my first year at UT, I'm planning to take Ochem and a public health class (that is my major!) and 1 easy art of fashion elective (huge passion of mine, I have my fashion collection I designed/made, etc).

I'm not working at all while actively in school, (just living off of my savings) but working full time (40-50 hrs / week) in the summers. That way, I can focus on uni-specific activities during fall and spring (research, school orgs and clubs) and do other stuff in summer (EMT, volunteering, CNA). Plus, I'm also having a gap year where I will work for around 6 months full time. Is that a good plan? I believe Im taking a research lab at some point during my first year. I'm in Health Science Scholars as well, idk if that helps. I didn't make Dean's Scholars 🙁

Also, I read on this forum that Calc 2 was required for AMCAS,,,, I passed calc 1 with a 96. Very much regretting my decision of taking Calc 2 rn haha, i don't think I need it for my major either!

I'm actually looking to go out of state for medical school (although applying to every single Texas school I can, of course). I didn't apply to JAMP as at that time I was high income, but I'm low income now due to some personal stuff.

Last question: is a variety of medical / clinical hours better? I've had my run being a CNA, going to have my run as an EMT, and am looking at becoming a CCMA next. The courses are really cheap for me due to waivers. Just was curious if that training was worth the time. Thank you!

 

[vampyre_angel]

Hi everyone. I previously posted on this forum asking for advice for one of my classes. I updated that thread, but nobody has replied to it after the update (got 3 very helpful responses previously tho! ty to mrsmile12 especially for the helpful info.)

Calc 2 is not a required course for my major. It will drop my gpa to a 3.8. I don't want to withdraw because I know that I might need to save the withdraws for my hard classes like upper level bios, orgo, etc. But would it be bad to withdraw since I already have a gpa on the lower end of the range for my dream schools? (median is 3.89, I had a 3.86 and that is dropping soon to a 3.80 flat if not lower. rip)

I think with calc, I had one rough unit at the beginning and started over studying (5-6 hours a day for this class alone), second guessing myself and changing my answers on tests even though i KNEW they were correct originally, etc. I'd never struggled so much with math before due to my own lack of performance. I got an 88 (B) in precal, but I was in the hospital for 3 weeks and my ****ty teacher wouldn't let me make up most of the major grades, never held tutoring hours etc. So I self studied a lot and I did well for what I could do. (If I could have taken the exams I missed due to literal hospitalization, I'd have had close to a 95. Ugh.)

But guys, this calc grade is genuinely my fault. My teacher is great, has office hours every day which I go to all the time, etc. I'm just genuinely experiencing levels of second guessing and premed neuroticism to the point where I'm actually doing horrible. I have a 71 in the class, not due to missed assignments or a bad teacher, ut literally my own fault. I don't need this class for my major. Do I jump ship? What would yall do in my situation? Im a high school senior but I have like 90 credits lolz. Im going to uni (UT Austin) as a freshman w junior standing and staying for 3 years. I'm spacing out my classes to 12 credit hrs a semester so I can do Longhorns EMS, lab research / Freshman Research Initiative, work as a CNA, and enjoy college. Is this a good move, or should I take the traditional 15 hrs a semester?

Also note (and I plan to explain this to med school admissions):
My high school doesn't honor my 504 / IEP plan (my parents have considered going to the superintendant over this lol). therefore I have no accomodations during my dual credit classes. But, I have accomodations at UT Austin. So hopefully I can do a little better but honestly my faith in myself is zero.

Last question. Is studying for the MCAT realistic after taking Bio 2+lab, gen chem 2 + lab, pysch / soc, etc? Should i begin studying summer before college? My MCAT score is gonna need to save me lmao

 

[Rabbsters]

It sounds like you just need to withdraw from Calc, you're sinking too much into it for minimal value gain.

If you're going to do the 3 years (instead of the 2.5 I think you mentioned in your other post) 12CR a semester is probably good, if after your first semester/year you feel like you can handle more, maybe take a 5th class.

You have 2 years before you need to take the MCAT (if you're on a 3 year plan), I wouldn't worry about studying for it specifically until after at least your first year at UT Austin. I'd say spend a class worth of time over the fall semester of your 2nd year studying then test Spring of your 2nd year and apply that summer.

 

[chilly_md]

I have merged your threads for better context since you do not need to maintain separate ones.

Im a high school senior but I have like 90 credits lolz. Im going to uni (UT Austin) as a freshman w junior standing and staying for 3 years. I'm spacing out my classes to 12 credit hrs a semester so I can do Longhorns EMS, lab research / Freshman Research Initiative, work as a CNA, and enjoy college. Is this a good move, or should I take the traditional 15 hrs a semester?

Just drop it. If you are taking only 12 credits or so in the future per semester, then you won't have a W unless you get sicxk or something extraordinary. Enjoy you last semester of HS. There's a lot of time left before applying to med school