A Bombed semester at Berkeley....

[humarathumara]

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Hello everyone. I have just completed my first year at UC Berkeley, with an astoundingly low 3.16 gpa. The first semester I scored a 3.78, second semester a 2.65. The main reasons for the low second sem: Computer Science + Organic Chemistry. I scored a C- in computer science and a C+ in organic chemistry, despite making a lot of efforts.

I have now dropped the idea of pursuing a CS double major which I was originally planning on doing. I am now much smarter (I hope) in how to pick courses and keeping GPA as my number one priority.

I attended a program where I finish the last 2 years of high school (Texas Academy of Math and Science) on a college campus, so I brought 2 years of college credit to berkeley, so I will finish Berkeley in a total of 3 years (2 more years).

My question is, do you think that if I brought this GPA up in the next 2 years I would still have a shot at a decent medical school? Hypothetically, if I can make mostly A's and a few B's, is it possible? Maybe, pull my overall GPA up to a 3.4.

I am also taking the MCAT this summer, I am scoring 34's on the practice tests right now with a month left in the course (hopefully, ill score 35+).

My GPA from the two years at Texas Academy of Math and Science on the University of North Texas campus was a 3.67.

Will they combine these GPA's when they evaluate me for medical school? So they would look at 2 years at UNT + 3 years at Berkeley? Do they hold the same weightage?

Would they cut me some slack since it was my first yr at a new school I bombed? Would they take into account that Berkeley is ridiculously hard, especially at computer science and ochem?

If I standardize my GPA so that all A's are 4.0, B = 3, etc. then I have a higher GPA, is that the way they will do it?

I plan on also taking a year/2 years off to go India (i am indian) after I am done with ugrad to do clinical work in some rural spots. That should help right?

Goal = UT Southwestern, possible?

Thank you so much for all your guys' help! I really appreciate any advise

 

[voirlesetoiles]

It's impressive that you finished two years of undergrad while in high school. I wouldn't sweat the two C's if you can make sure you get all As/Bs from this point onwards. As long as you don't get anymore C's and have the rest of your application (PS, ECs) in top shape, the two bad grades won't keep you out of medical school.

If you're getting good MCAT practice test scores and have a good GPA by the next year, why don't you go ahead and apply? I think you have a good chance given your practice MCAT scores and two years to improve your GPA. Your stats should be fine by then. Of course, if you want to do service abroad for 2 years before applying - that will be an addition plus point to your application.

 

[Meatwad]

Calm down; I'd hardly call a 3.16 "astoundingly low."

 

[whatintheworld?]

Just do your best to not get any more low grades, especially in the sciences. Get some awesome ECs (which are not to make up for poor grades but to make you look unique). And study hard for the MCAT. Perhaps an A in Org Chem 2 will help your C+ in Org Chem 1.

I started out with low (lower than yours) GPAs during my 1st half of college-- I wasn't focused and didn't know what I wanted to do, but then I figured it out my junior year. None of my low grades were in sciences, though.

Don't let this discourage you, though. Like the previous posters said... 3.16 is not "astoundingly low".

 

[KeyzerSoze]

I attended a program where I finish the last 2 years of high school (Texas Academy of Math and Science) on a college campus, so I brought 2 years of college credit to berkeley, so I will finish Berkeley in a total of 3 years (2 more years).

My question is, do you think that if I brought this GPA up in the next 2 years I would still have a shot at a decent medical school? Hypothetically, if I can make mostly A's and a few B's, is it possible? Maybe, pull my overall GPA up to a 3.4.

I am also taking the MCAT this summer, I am scoring 34's on the practice tests right now with a month left in the course (hopefully, ill score 35+).

My GPA from the two years at Texas Academy of Math and Science on the University of North Texas campus was a 3.67.

Will they combine these GPA's when they evaluate me for medical school? So they would look at 2 years at UNT + 3 years at Berkeley? Do they hold the same weightage?

College classes taken during high school count equally towards your AMCAS GPA. If the classes you took there fit that definition, then hopefully they will count. You should be able to overcome one semester with a 2.65 by doing very well for the next two years.

 

[TheRealMD]

What a small world...

UNT counts. PM me for info TAMSter. 😀

 

[humarathumara]

Hey, thanks for all the encouraging responses. It's good to know I'm not completeley doomed. Yeah, by astoundingly low I guess it just seems that way when all of the avg GPA's are like 3.5+ for med school. I guess I'll just try to really nail the mcat and the next 2 years. if you guys have any knowledge on whether all schools standardize your score (make a = 4, b=3) that would be really appreciated. thanks again

 

[TheRealMD]

Hey, thanks for all the encouraging responses. It's good to know I'm not completeley doomed. Yeah, by astoundingly low I guess it just seems that way when all of the avg GPA's are like 3.5+ for med school. I guess I'll just try to really nail the mcat and the next 2 years. if you guys have any knowledge on whether all schools standardize your score (make a = 4, b=3) that would be really appreciated. thanks again

There's no doom and gloom. Just be glad you have Texas to fall back on. Though you're gonna need to bust your behind to get where you want to go, because nothing's gonna be easy from now on.

 

[GreenShirt]

Don't sweat it. A lot of applicants have a bad semster of bomb a course or two along the way and get in. Make it an exception not a pattern.

 

[somethingpositi]

Hey, thanks for all the encouraging responses. It's good to know I'm not completeley doomed. Yeah, by astoundingly low I guess it just seems that way when all of the avg GPA's are like 3.5+ for med school. I guess I'll just try to really nail the mcat and the next 2 years. if you guys have any knowledge on whether all schools standardize your score (make a = 4, b=3) that would be really appreciated. thanks again

AMCAS standardizes your grades so that A=4, A-=3.7, B+=3.4, B=3, etc.

 

[Foreman45]

B+ = 3.4? not 3.3?

 

[Sir Buckethead]

hahahaha!

You kids crack me up. Astoundingly low? I cant imagine what you would have done with my freshman gpa. Killed yourself immediately, most likely.

 

[TheRealMD]

hahahaha!

You kids crack me up. Astoundingly low? I cant imagine what you would have done with my freshman gpa. Killed yourself immediately, most likely.

hey, cut him some slack. When you've got people on SDN pimpin their 4.0s like it was nothing, it's gonna make a person who got a 3.1 cum gpa sweat like no other because it's not the position they'd want to be in.

By the way, you're cum GPA is really around a 3.5 or something (remembering that UNT DOES count). 1 semester is not the end of the world. Just don't repeat it again.

 

[littlealex]

I think the conversion is A- = 3.66, B+ = 3.33.

I could be wrong.

 

[etf]

I think the conversion is A- = 3.66, B+ = 3.33.

I could be wrong.

at berkeley, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3. and it took me four years to realize what the op learned after his first year, so he's still got room to improve.

 

[sonofschmilsson]

unless i'm counting years wrong, your mcat score will expire if you go to india for 2 years after 2 more years of school. if you go for one year, the experience wont make it on your primary (not sure how much that matters), and it'd be pricey to fly back to the states for interviews. maybe think about putting the test off?

 

[deleted77919]

at berkeley, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3. and it took me four years to realize what the op learned after his first year, so he's still got room to improve.

What Berkley does doesn't really matter. If I recall correctly AMCAS uses .66 and .33 for - and + respectively. Therefore a calculated AMCAS GPA can be somewhat different from what your school uses (more so by factoring in credits earned from other instituitions however).

 

[DreamyKid]

Calm down; I'd hardly call a 3.16 "astoundingly low."

in reality, and in every pre-med student's own eyes, 3.16 is astoundingly low^1000

To be honest, I don't think most are even that satisfied with a 3.5 or 3.6

 

[dragonark]

in reality, and in every pre-med student's own eyes, 3.16 is astoundingly low^1000

To be honest, I don't think most are even that satisfied with a 3.5 or 3.6

Man...I hear the sound of a weapon being cocked...Just realize that sometimes people major in engineering and not the traditional memorize regurgitate majors. 👎

One bad semester can always be brought up. Don't sweat people trying to bring you down. All you can do is your best right? So chill out and just try hard. Your GPA the first semester shows that things are fine. You probably just got over confident from first semester.

 

[batman1983]

I think I might be able to help, since I essentially had the same background. When I first entered Cal, I planned on doubling in CS and MCB, as well. Unfortunately, my first year at college was a disaster. I overwhelmed myself during my first semester, and it ended up costing me big-time (Phys 7A(Engineering)=C, Math 54(linear algebra)=B-, CS61A and B=B). My freshman GPA was 3.1. Fortunately, I gave up the CS major, and focused on MCB, and was eventually able to bump my GPA to 3.6. Honestly, in my opinion, I think a lot of the med schools are full of BS in regards to considering undergrad school and course difficulty, as well as looking for GPA improvement.

As for hoping for Southwestern, if you are able to bump up your GPA as well as score high on MCAT, and have Texas residency, you might have a chance. But, Southwestern is a very competitive school, and even with the stats, there is still no guarantee.

As for your other questions:
1. From my experience, I dont think school really matters. I talked to the deans at a couple of schools that I got rejected at, and asked them how do they consider the fact that I went to Cal and took several hard CS classes(top 3 program), where even getting a B is considered great(esp with that hard curve and all the smart students). Some downright said they dont care about what school you went to, as long as you have a high GPA. I figure school only matters when you have two applicants with identical stats, but one went to MIT and the other went to Chico State.
2. As for your GPA, they combine all your undergraduate classes and calculate an overall and BCPM GPA. For your CS classes, they dont consider that part of your BCPM, and as long as you maintain that, you should be fine. I recommend that you take your premed courses at an easier school. A lot of Cal students do their premeds at easy colleges, JCs, or via postbacs. Or, take a bunch of Bio GPA booster classes, I wish I had. Try to take as many easy bio classes as you can, such as the MCB 60 series. It will help boost your BCPM GPA, esp, since the schools, from my experience, really dont seem to care about the difficulty of the class.

 

[DreamyKid]

I wasn't trying to bring the OP down in any way, I was just agreeing with Op's own view that 3.16 is low and should be brought up. Its definitely very possible to bring it up, probably to a 3.6 or even 3.7 by the end of Jr. year if OP gets straight A's and takes a lot of units. 🙂

 

[Meatwad]

I wasn't trying to bring the OP down in any way, I was just agreeing with Op's own view that 3.16 is low and should be brought up. Its definitely very possible to bring it up, probably to a 3.6 or even 3.7 by the end of Jr. year if OP gets straight A's and takes a lot of units. 🙂

Sure, a 3.16 is low for medical school, but it is not a prohibitive GPA, assuming they keep working over the years. Plenty of kids bomb their freshman year, in the truest sense of the word, and make a comeback and get into med schools. They also don't have the luxury of having 2 years of good grades prior to fall back on like the OP does.

Honestly, the OP may have to say goodbye to any hopes of Harvard, but I don't see many other doors being closed.

 

[spanamit]

It seems to me that you are rushing into the MCAT.

Granted you are getting pretty good scores on practice tests, you want to make sure that you don't rush into the real thing and get screwed.

After all, I would expect you to have at least taken Bio 1A and Chem 3B before taking the MCAT.

I am guessing you got owned by CS 61A?