Anyone else get reduced to tears when they fail a test? Maybe I'm not fit for this.

[NeuroDroid]

So, bear with me I'm a little emotional. I've just gotten out of an extremely difficult physics test that I likely failed (Possibly a D or C, if I'm lucky B). The last time this happened was with my chemistry final. While I ended up getting an A in that class, I worry about how much it affects me to do badly. I always get this doom feeling like: "This is it. My future is over." I'm probably being dramatic but how could I not feel this way when our grades basically decide our future?

I'm just kind of tired of it. I'm tired of this feeling after a hard test. It crushes me. I get depressed (for a short while, anyways). Right now I'm thinking of all the tests I'm going to have to deal with in the next ten years. I just don't know that I can do this. I can handle enormous amounts of stress but failing a test just reduces me to tears. Especially when I know I studied enough for an A.

Do other people just brush it off and move on? I feel like people who end up in med school never failed a test in their life.

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[theonlytycrane]

Everyone bombs a test- maybe it wasn't as bad as you thought or it will be curved?

Take a breather and think about how to better prepare for the next one. More practice problems? Studying earlier?

 

[NeuroDroid]

Everyone bombs a test- maybe it wasn't as bad as you thought or it will be curved?

Take a breather and think about how to better prepare for the next one. More practice problems? Studying earlier?

Yeah. Honestly, I only get really upset when I know I studied for an A. I got a 76 recently in another class for a test I didn't study for and it didn't affect me. That was the grade I deserved. I'll do better next time. But it just ruins my life when I did everything possible and still fail. For this particular test I studied for a week and did all the exercises the professor assigned. There's no reason I should've done badly. But oh well. Maybe it won't be so bad...

 

[rossatron7]

So, bear with me I'm a little emotional. I've just gotten out of an extremely difficult physics test that I likely failed (Possibly a D or C, if I'm lucky B). The last time this happened was with my chemistry final. While I ended up getting an A in that class, I worry about how much it affects me to do badly. I always get this doom feeling like: "This is it. My future is over." I'm probably being dramatic but how could I not feel this way when our grades basically decide our future?

I'm just kind of tired of it. I'm tired of this feeling after a hard test. It crushes me. I get depressed (for a short while, anyways). Right now I'm thinking of all the tests I'm going to have to deal with in the next ten years. I just don't know that I can do this. I can handle enormous amounts of stress but failing a test just reduces me to tears. Especially when I know I studied enough for an A.

Do other people just brush it off and move on? I feel like people who end up in med school never failed a test in their life.

Lol no. Got a 32 on one of my physics exams. It's only one test in one class and won't destroy your dreams.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Being upset when you fail a test isn't a problem. Failing tests is a problem. Figure out how to stop that from happening

 

[pandamic]

I am the same way (and always have been), so I definitely get how you feel. I think when I get stressed about grades, it's good for me to take a break from studying and go outside, hang out with friends, etc. One test won't ruin your dreams, and I think it is good to learn how to deal with "failures" like this now, so you can better handle the stress of med school and being a doctor. You may feel that everyone else applying has never failed a test, but the majority of people in college have done badly in a class before, we aren't robots!

 

[samac]

Yeah. Honestly, I only get really upset when I know I studied for an A. I got a 76 recently in another class for a test I didn't study for and it didn't affect me. That was the grade I deserved. I'll do better next time. But it just ruins my life when I did everything possible and still fail. For this particular test I studied for a week and did all the exercises the professor assigned. There's no reason I should've done badly. But oh well. Maybe it won't be so bad...

Just noting a C is not failing. A 76 is a C. A high enough C it can easily be brought to a B. It'll all be ok.

 

[Mclovin0351]

Say "good," take ownership, and move on. If you failed, "good" you know you can work harder and crush the next one. Let attitude determine outcome not the other way around.

 

[NotYou20]

Being upset when you fail a test isn't a problem. Failing tests is a problem. Figure out how to stop that from happening

Eh, med school is stressful even if you do well. I can't see it going well for op unless he/she gets help, which is totally possible. Op, that's no way to live. I'd recommend that you see a professional and try to get this sorted out a bit

 

[Fluffy123]

my man/woman! don't worry about it. Take a chill pill! I literally got a 50% on a micro exam and got a B in the class. I am more pissed than anything because if I got a C I could have had an A but it is NOT the end of the world. I have my fair share of B. Not everyone you see is a 3.9/520 MCAT robot. Those are literally 50-100 people in the THOUSANDS of people that apply every year. If you did not do well on this one exam, move forward. F it! In med school, you need a C to pass. You think people are trying to get A's? just relax, open up a pint of Ben and Jerry's and binge on some netflix.

 

[NeuroDroid]

just relax, open up a pint of Ben and Jerry's and binge on some netflix.

Ugh, now I desperately want Ben and Jerry's. Gonna get some tomorrow.

Eh, med school is stressful even if you do well. I can't see it going well for op unless he/she gets help, which is totally possible. Op, that's no way to live. I'd recommend that you see a professional and try to get this sorted out a bit

I'm sorry but I think this forum is completely ridiculous with suggesting people need therapy. Yes, I cry after my test, I feel awful and like a failure and I'll probably eat some ice cream and go to bed. But I move on. I'm not cutting my wrists here and beating myself while screaming mea culpa. People need to stop trivializing mental illness this way. Like I said, I handle stress well, thrive on it even. But yes, I hate failing something I worked hard on. Thanks for your suggestion though, I'm sure you meant well.

To everyone else, thank you so much for your responses. Feel free to keep it going. It's hard to imagine sometimes that other people fail. It just seems like students on SDN and in general have 3.90-4.0 perfect MCAT, never a dropped grade, perfect ECs etc. Sometimes we need a reality check.

 

[NeuroDroid]

Being upset when you fail a test isn't a problem. Failing tests is a problem. Figure out how to stop that from happening

Thank you, you're absolutely right. Thankfully I've never gotten an F or D in a test or in a class. This isn't something that happens frequently which is probably why it affects me so bad. Physics is just so tough man...

 

[Fluffy123]

Ugh, now I desperately want Ben and Jerry's. Gonna get some tomorrow.

Ahahaha sorry! anything that makes you feel better tho

 

[Goro]

Yes, and they certainly are NOT perfect. But you really need to drop the perfectionist attitude, or Med school will kill you.

Do other people just brush it off and move on? I feel like people who end up in med school never failed a test in their life.

 

[NeuroDroid]

Yes, and they certainly are NOT perfect. But you really need to drop the perfectionist attitude, or Med school will kill you.

Thank you. I'll try to get on that. It's just tough when a B in a class can lower your GPA so much.

 

[sedgeshaveedges]

OP, one B isn't going to keep you from being a physician but lack of resiliency will. It's perfectly fine to feel your feelings - everyone feels disappointed and frustrated when they aren't as successful as they'd expected. Do what you need to do: cry/call your mom/go for a run, but give yourself a time limit and then move on. An emotional response doesn't mean you're not cut out for medicine, but you have to deal with it appropriately, not allow it to paralyze you, and keep going.

 

[NeuroDroid]

OP, one B isn't going to keep you from being a physician but lack of resiliency will. It's perfectly fine to feel your feelings - everyone feels disappointed and frustrated when they aren't as successful as they'd expected. Do what you need to do: cry/call your mom/go for a run, but give yourself a time limit and then move on. An emotional response doesn't mean you're not cut out for medicine, but you have to deal with it appropriately, not allow it to paralyze you, and keep going.

Thank you

 

[Frogger27]

Try not to take things like doing poorly on a test to0 hard.. Know that life is a long journey. All you can do is learn, continue to work hard, and try to do better. A couple bad grades will NOT ruin your future, I promise you that. Try to be introspective and think about the things in life you are complaining about: not getting an A on a test. Many people would love the opportunity to fail a test...

 

[sedgeshaveedges]

Thank you

Sure thing. And for what it's worth, I got an overall B in Physics II, have done all of the above after an exam or two (including call my mom, and I'm old!) and will still be matriculating in medical school next year.

 

[RunawayGrape]

.

 

[Frogger27]

I got a B- in Gen Chem 1/2.... I got a B- in Ochem 1... I got a C+ in physics II (retook for an A).. matriculating next fall (YOU CAN DO IT!!!!)

 

[NeuroDroid]

Ahhh this is all so encouraging. I can't stop smiling I'm sure you guys had amazing ECs and research though. I need to get on that.

 

[Frogger27]

Ahhh this is all so encouraging. I can't stop smiling I'm sure you guys had amazing ECs and research though. I need to get on that.

My advice would be to continue working hard in your classes and find activities that you are really passionate about... When you get ready to apply, you want to have a narrative/story to convey to adcoms that show why you want to be a doctor/good fit for that particular school. This narrative should be evident and supported through your experiences/personal statement. Good luck and do not sweat the small things!

 

[Astra]

Don't get so emotionally vested into the exams. Step back and look at for what they are. Exams.

Just because you fail a test, you are not a bad student, or stupid. It just means you failed that test.

Learn from what you did wrong. Did you not study properly? Did you misinterpret questions? Did you run out of time?

Calmly analyzing your mistakes is a skill that you will gain over time.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Thinking you failed a test doesn't mean you failed it.

Failing a test doesn't mean you'll fail the class.

Failing a class doesn't mean you won't get into medical school.

You'd be hard pressed to find a doctor who hasn't done poorly on a test or two. It's part of being human. The important part is to identify what your mistakes are and correct them. That's just how you grow in the adult world

 

[Michael_Scott]

So, bear with me I'm a little emotional. I've just gotten out of an extremely difficult physics test that I likely failed (Possibly a D or C, if I'm lucky B). The last time this happened was with my chemistry final. While I ended up getting an A in that class, I worry about how much it affects me to do badly. I always get this doom feeling like: "This is it. My future is over." I'm probably being dramatic but how could I not feel this way when our grades basically decide our future?

I'm just kind of tired of it. I'm tired of this feeling after a hard test. It crushes me. I get depressed (for a short while, anyways). Right now I'm thinking of all the tests I'm going to have to deal with in the next ten years. I just don't know that I can do this. I can handle enormous amounts of stress but failing a test just reduces me to tears. Especially when I know I studied enough for an A.

Do other people just brush it off and move on? I feel like people who end up in med school never failed a test in their life.

well everyone feels like that...afterall you have a brain which can feel pain and joy...if you did not feel sad after a defeat, then how could you feel happy after a victory ?....but you need to learn how to get out of that doom and gloom feeling after maybe a hour, or a day....life goes on...you need to learn what failures lead you to that point and correct these and become a better student/person than what you were yesterday.....
That's a trait that will come by failures...if you have never failed in life, then you will never learn to overcome obstacles (not saying to purposely go out there and fail)

remember: success is not final and failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
...Trophies don't go to the ones that got a good beginning

 

[sedgeshaveedges]

Agreed with the above. My work history and ECs definitely distinguished as an applicant. My best advice is to find things that you are really passionate about and can dedicate yourself to for a sustained period of time. You want something that stands out and makes you memorable when your application is reviewed, and it definitely doesn't need to be medicine related (maybe even better if it isn't). One of my extracurriculars is pretty unique, not at all related to medicine/science, and has been brought up in every interview I've had so far, as well as conversations with admissions directors. I guarantee that it pushed me over the edge.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Agreed with the above. My work history and ECs definitely distinguished as an applicant. My best advice is to find things that you are really passionate about and can dedicate yourself to for a sustained period of time. You want something that stands out and makes you memorable when your application is reviewed, and it definitely doesn't need to be medicine related (maybe even better if it isn't). One of my extracurriculars is pretty unique, not at all related to medicine/science, and has been brought up in every interview I've had so far, as well as conversations with admissions directors. I guarantee that it pushed me over the edge.

Mind sharing what it is? Just because you've spiked my curiosity It's ok if you don't want to though!

 

[sedgeshaveedges]

Mind sharing what it is? Just because you've spiked my curiosity It's ok if you don't want to though!

I think it's unique enough that it would likely out me, but I compete in an amateur sport on an international level.

 

[ortnakas]

Yes, and they certainly are NOT perfect. But you really need to drop the perfectionist attitude, or Med school will kill you.

This. And I know this on a personal level because it applied to me my first year of medical school. It's understandable to be upset, but you have to learn to A) process those feelings relatively quickly and B) not let your grades define you. Neither of which is easy, but both are going to be necessary to get into and then survive med school.

 

[stickgirl390]

As stated previously, being upset that you failed is fine. At least you recognize your weaknesses that need improvement. Failing is not fine. The good news is, one low score will not crush your medical dreams. Find out what needs fixing in your study routine, and work on building up confidence! You got this

 

[MareNostrummm]

A couple of B's and C's won't hurt you.. as long as you learn what you did wrong and how to prevent it from happening again.

 

[Jarteblu]

You shouldn't be crying. It's childish and immature