All hope lost??

[pnoybballin]

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I received an F for one of my GE courses due to irresponsibility. I missed the final exam and apparently my instructor would not let me retake it, thus plummeting my grade. With that being said, are my chances of getting into med school hopeless? I plan on retaking it..but it sucks having that F lying around on your transcript.. 🙁

 

[instigata]

I received an F for one of my GE courses due to irresponsibility. I missed the final exam and apparently my instructor would not let me retake it, thus plummeting my grade. With that being said, are my chances of getting into med school hopeless? I plan on retaking it..but it sucks having that F lying around on your transcript.. 🙁

How do you "miss" a final exam? When I am going to take an exam which most of the time accounts for at least half of my grade, a test that I have been studying for weeks, I make sure my alarm clocks are all set. I basically memorize my schedule for finals week to know what to cover in a specific amount of time. So back to my question, how did you manage to miss it?

 

[Daydreamer2008]

I received an F for one of my GE courses due to irresponsibility. I missed the final exam and apparently my instructor would not let me retake it, thus plummeting my grade. With that being said, are my chances of getting into med school hopeless? I plan on retaking it..but it sucks having that F lying around on your transcript.. 🙁

eek. ya retake it. it will count on ur amcas but hopefully the A next time around will average that to 2.0. sucks. but u got to just get through it

 

[pnoybballin]

Well the thing was I actually showed up to the final on the scheduled date but my professor scheduled the final exam during the week before finals which I was unaware of because I did not attend class that week. So I ended up missing it. I am trying to protest it but I dont know how well thats going go.

 

[pnoybballin]

But anyways what do you guys think? I have an overall GPA of 3.125. I believe I have around a 3.1 for my science GPA. The rest of my classes I have A's and B's it's just that one course is killing my GPA with that F. Im currently a sophomore but should I continue as Pre-Med?

 

[instigata]

But anyways what do you guys think? I have an overall GPA of 3.125. I believe I have around a 3.1 for my science GPA. The rest of my classes I have A's and B's it's just that one course is killing my GPA with that F. Im currently a sophomore but should I continue as Pre-Med?

Dude if you could get that F out of your transcript, it will not only improve your GPA like crazy but med schools obviously won't notice it. I think it is imperative that you do whatever you can to get it off. By that I mean, persistently petitioning it, even if they deny you several times. Don't drop your dreams because of one grade.

Also, you could probably raise your GPA to like a 3.5 or so if you get straight A's from now on, and if you own the MCAT you will have a decent shot at med school.

 

[wkt1955]

At most universities professors are requried to give their finals only during the officially designated time period. That may not be public knowledge on campus, but is generally true. I would think that an official petition would get favorable review from an appeals board.

 

[Apparition]

If you won't be able to get it off, it's really not that big of a deal if you get your GPA up to 3.4+ by the time you apply. It's not a science class. It's a good idea to retake though and get an A. If you do really well in other classses, it will just look like anomaly. Don't quit premed because of one F.
I got in with an F in a more serious class.

 

[HumbleMD]

Sounds like a good reason to go to class...

 

[grahambranchno9]

Well that sucks... are you a freshman? If so then you can make up for it. My freshman year I received an F and a D. Retake the classes, and take more classes (tack on an extra semester or something). I'll (hopefully!) be finishing with around a 3.7 overall and a 3.9 BCPM.

You can turn this into a positive:

1. NEVER let anything like this happen again
2. Use it as motivation to rock the rest of your classes, your MCAT, and your ECs.
3. If you stick with and dig yourself out of your hole it will show a great deal of maturity and perserverance.

Everyone makes mistakes. The difference is how you react to those mistakes. Most "pre-meds" would receive an F, see a long uphill path ahead of them, and quit. If you truly want it, you will stick with it and you will get it.

 

[Vanguard23]

I made a couple of C's in a high school English class that was college credit. They're really not that big of a deal, but would it be possible to petition to get rid of those as well? I already re-took my basic English classes way back and this C's were earned through a different college anyways.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

Well the thing was I actually showed up to the final on the scheduled date but my professor scheduled the final exam during the week before finals which I was unaware of because I did not attend class that week. So I ended up missing it. I am trying to protest it but I dont know how well thats going go.

THis also highlights the importance of making friends with at least one or two people in the class - networking on the most basic level - to cover your butt in cases like these. I'm thinking you probably had at least one or two friends or acquaintances in this class, unless you have none which I become even more sad for you, next time if you miss a class always get the lowdown from one of them.

 

[PeripateticMD]

Not only are you doomed, but you're also going to hell, for sloth (laziness), and possibly gluttony (if drinking was even remotely involved). Which are, by the way, two of my favorite seven sins 🙂.

Okay, on a serious note - can you drop the course? It seems like it's to early not to be able to withdraw or something. Unless this is the quarter system, in which case you may be out of luck. Once a grade is reported it is very hard to change, so try to get to your prof. before he reports the grade. Work your arse off, do some good for the world, and you still have a chance.

 

[baylormed]

Sounds like a good reason to go to class...

Or to always make sure you ask other people what happened during class when you do decide to miss. I'm paranoid like that so that's what I always do.

 

[psipsina]

Or to always make sure you ask other people what happened during class when you do decide to miss. I'm paranoid like that so that's what I always do.

Yeah in UG I always had a friend who would give me their notes when I missed and I would do the same for them. That way your never in the dark when proffs switch stuff up on you or give away test answers during their lecture. In medschool we seem to have taken this comraderie to a whole new level with our notesets and mass e-mails about proff's announcements to take care of our stay at home and study bretheren 🙂

 

[punkindrublic]

You tanked, but if you don't let it happen again, don't worry about it too much, just be prepared to talk about it should it come up at interviews.

Lessons learned, personal growth, blah blah blah.

Has anyone ever considered how much the interview process seems like a hearing before a parole board?

 

[PepperMD]

One time I missed a final because somehow I got it into my head that it was on a Wednesday but it was actually on that Tuesday. I didn't think anything of it because I memorized my finals schedule and "knew" it was on Wednesday. Tuesday evening I got a call from the professor asking me why I wasn't at the final and I asked him what he was talking about because the test was the next day. Long story short, he let me come in to his office and take it later that week. He didn't have to do it and quite frankly I'm surprised he even called me. Really nice guy. In any event, it's possible to have a mental lapse like this, particularly when you have a lot going on and you're "sure" you have everything figured out.

 

[baylormed]

Yeah in UG I always had a friend who would give me their notes when I missed and I would do the same for them. That way your never in the dark when proffs switch stuff up on you or give away test answers during their lecture. In medschool we seem to have taken this comraderie to a whole new level with our notesets and mass e-mails about proff's announcements to take care of our stay at home and study bretheren 🙂

Networking is always good. However, don't be shy to ask people even if you don't know them. Just saying "Hey, can I ask you if I missed anything important last week? I wasn't here" can do wonders.

 

[trevagandalf]

But anyways what do you guys think? I have an overall GPA of 3.125. I believe I have around a 3.1 for my science GPA. The rest of my classes I have A's and B's it's just that one course is killing my GPA with that F. Im currently a sophomore but should I continue as Pre-Med?

"Im currently a sophomore but should I continue as Pre-Med?" If that's a question that you have to ask, then the answer is no. If you really want to get into med school, a simple misunderstanding should not stop you, not that, not most things (unless you're GPA is absolutely horrible because you are just lazy over years and years or have a mental condition). An F can be really really really bad to your application and it will NOT look good to medical schools. I am not sure, but I thought that LEGALLY a teacher cannot change the final dates outlined in the syllabus that is given out at the beginning of the semester, without notice (and in-class notice does not count, he didn't even send an email for god's sake and college students really aren't required to attend class). I don't know if that's the law just in my school, but I am pretty sure that it is the way it works at most universities. Even the academic board would be on your side. I would look into the legality of this and then complain, petition, sue the hell out of the school until they drop that grade. You don't want a dumb-ass teacher that changes his mind in the middle of the semester to ruin your life-dream. It is like 3 hours of his time for you to retake the test and your-life long regret if you don't get into med school... You decide...

 

[Soccer885]

At most universities professors are requried to give their finals only during the officially designated time period. That may not be public knowledge on campus, but is generally true. I would think that an official petition would get favorable review from an appeals board.

I agree. I think you have good grounds for a petition.

 

[pnoybballin]

Thanks for the input everyone I really appreaciate it. Yea it would have been great to have made a couple of friends in that class but everyone was unsociable and pretty much went about their own ways. But yea I guess the best thing to do is petition it and hopefully see how that goes. Once again thanks a lot everyone.

 

[MChitty]

"Im currently a sophomore but should I continue as Pre-Med?" If that's a question that you have to ask, then the answer is no. If you really want to get into med school, a simple misunderstanding should not stop you, not that, not most things (unless you're GPA is absolutely horrible because you are just lazy over years and years or have a mental condition). An F can be really really really bad to your application and it will NOT look good to medical schools. I am not sure, but I thought that LEGALLY a teacher cannot change the final dates outlined in the syllabus that is given out at the beginning of the semester, without notice (and in-class notice does not count, he didn't even send an email for god's sake and college students really aren't required to attend class). I don't know if that's the law just in my school, but I am pretty sure that it is the way it works at most universities. Even the academic board would be on your side. I would look into the legality of this and then complain, petition, sue the hell out of the school until they drop that grade. You don't want a dumb-ass teacher that changes his mind in the middle of the semester to ruin your life-dream. It is like 3 hours of his time for you to retake the test and your-life long regret if you don't get into med school... You decide...

I agree with this. My impression has always been that the syllabus is kind of like a 'contract' between you and the professor. I mean, I doubt it would hold up in 'real' court, but for the purposes of the University, I think you're right.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

So how clear was he about the rescheduling? Did the syllabus give a time for the final, which he later changed? I agree with the post above, too, that you generally can't change the schedule for finals -- it's unfair to the students and could be unfair to other professors.

 

[arsenewenger]

One time I missed a final because somehow I got it into my head that it was on a Wednesday but it was actually on that Tuesday. I didn't think anything of it because I memorized my finals schedule and "knew" it was on Wednesday. Tuesday evening I got a call from the professor asking me why I wasn't at the final and I asked him what he was talking about because the test was the next day. Long story short, he let me come in to his office and take it later that week. He didn't have to do it and quite frankly I'm surprised he even called me. Really nice guy. In any event, it's possible to have a mental lapse like this, particularly when you have a lot going on and you're "sure" you have everything figured out.

you didn't finish your story cos u left us in the dark as to what you gave beck in return to the professor?

 

[MedicFL]

I know many people who have gotten an F or even mulitple F's and have improved and did well on the Mcat and got into Medical school. You can explain it in your personal statement...

 

[baylormed]

you didn't finish your story cos u left us in the dark as to what you gave beck in return to the professor?

Hey, it's not so uncommon, some professors are understanding about mistakes. Once I overslept for a midterm, got to the classroom 10 minutes before the exam was over, and my *female* professor let me take the test with her other class about 4 hours later (I'm also female, and female professors aren't as nice to female students as male professors...with a male professor you can just shed a few tears, they will get very scared and let you take the test just so you stop ). It even gave me extra review time before I took the test. And yes, I told her I had overslept because I didn't have time to make up a better excuse, and even if I had time nothing would have sounded believable.

 

[RDickerson]

Hey, it's not so uncommon, some professors are understanding about mistakes. Once I overslept for a midterm, got to the classroom 10 minutes before the exam was over, and my *female* professor let me take the test with her other class about 4 hours later (I'm also female, and female professors aren't as nice to female students as male professors...with a male professor you can just shed a few tears, they will get very scared and let you take the test just so you stop ). It even gave me extra review time before I took the test. And yes, I told her I had overslept because I didn't have time to make up a better excuse, and even if I had time nothing would have sounded believable.

And now you're at UTSW. 😀

 

[ryandote]

My junior year I had a Macroeconomics exam scheduled from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. All of our final exams are scheduled for a 3 hour block of time, no matter if the test will really take that long. I had "memorized" my final exam schedule just like Instigata said, so I wouldn't make any mistakes like the OP. I also have this habit of showing up to my final exams a few hours early (when possible) and taking a leisurely final run-thru of my notes.

On exam day, I showed up at my assigned building about and took a seat on a bench just around the corner from the assigned room and got started with my final review. I noticed my professor (whom I actually knew fairly well) come around the corner and spot me studying.

He gave me the wink-and-the-gun and said "Last minute studyin', huh? You know it's already too late!"

I laughed and said something about being a tight-a**ed pre-med and he laughed and kept going.

I studied for a half-hour, then went and checked my email, then came back and studied some more, then went to a vending machine, then came back and studied some more. Finally, about 11:55 AM I decided to go find a seat in the room. When I walked in, the room was already in hushed silence and everybody was scribbling furiously.

I probably had a really confused look on my face, because the TA (who was proctoring the final exam) looked at me and said, "You better get cracking, you've only got 1 hour left!"

Turns out that I had made a mistake when "memorizing" my schedule and confused my Wednesday and Thursday! The exam had started at 10:00 AM instead of 12:00PM. Anyway, I had understood the material very well and when my professor came back to collect the exams I was the only one left in the room. I explained what an idiot I was and he gave me an extra 20 minutes to finish the exam.

Learned my lesson, though. My hand was SO cramped that I could barely fill in the Scantron for my last exam the next day.


EDIT: Looking back at my post, I realize it is novel-length. Sorry.

 

[baylormed]

And now you're at UTSW. 😀

Hehe. 😀

Let it be shown on the record that I didn't lie. Maybe the professor woke up feeling warm, fuzzy and nice that day, because she didn't even ask questions except "What happened?".

 

[PepperMD]

you didn't finish your story cos u left us in the dark as to what you gave beck in return to the professor?

Not sure what you're implying, but the true, non-funny answer is I gave him a sincere thank you.

 

[degoo_]

OP I feel ya. A week or two ago I stayed up all night for a midterm (granted, not as much as an exam), and then decided to rest my eyes for 10 minutes at 8am (test at 9am, and I was changed and ready). I opened my eyes at 10:30.

 

[pnoybballin]

Just want to say thank you all for the input. I'll do whatever I can to appeal the grade that my professor gave me.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

So how clear was he about the rescheduling? Did the syllabus give a time for the final, which he later changed? I agree with the post above, too, that you generally can't change the schedule for finals -- it's unfair to the students and could be unfair to other professors.

It's very important to see what the syllabus says about time/date for the final. If the syllabus is silent on this point, university policy prevails (i.e., you would take it in the appropriate time slot during finals week.) Based on what you're telling us, it sounds like you have excellent grounds to appeal this.