Anyone else struggling with mediocre but not bad grades?

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Princeton Medical Student

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Hey guys. Although Ive never scored below a B in any class so far, pulling A's just seems so stupidly tough and its making my GPA suffer. Do any of you have any tips or mindsets for trying to make B's into A's? Just been feeling down lately etc.
 
Hey guys. Although Ive never scored below a B in any class so far, pulling A's just seems so stupidly tough and its making my GPA suffer. Do any of you have any tips or mindsets for trying to make B's into A's? Just been feeling down lately etc.
Bs are bad grades when you are trying to get >3.5......take less classes, go to the tutoring labs, drop the extra curriculars until you figure it out
 
Hey guys. Although Ive never scored below a B in any class so far, pulling A's just seems so stupidly tough and its making my GPA suffer. Do any of you have any tips or mindsets for trying to make B's into A's? Just been feeling down lately etc.

Gosh how you did you manage to get into Princeton Med with Bs. Are those Bs for blasphemy?

On a more serious note: I found studying with friends works for me. The group effort helps me to highlight potential pitfalls and traps that students typically make. So even if I don't make them, talking to friends alerts me to avoid them in the actual exams or projects. Also, when your friends ask your help to explain stuff and concepts, you are forced to translate them into your own language. This process reinforces the ideas for you because you are internalizing them.
 
Have you tried being smarter?
Wow, that was incredibly unhelpful. I see no reason to bully the OP. I don't know if I'm missing something, but telling someone who says that they're feeling down to "try being smarter" is among the most pointlessly mean things I've seen said while perusing this site.
 
Hey guys. Although Ive never scored below a B in any class so far, pulling A's just seems so stupidly tough and its making my GPA suffer. Do any of you have any tips or mindsets for trying to make B's into A's? Just been feeling down lately etc.
Is there a specific area that is pulling down your grades? Tests, quizzes, labs, homework, etc?
 
What does your day look like?

How much time are you spending on the internet/facebook/etc. that isn't productive?

Are you exercising? Cardio?

Good sleep schedule?

Alcohol?

I don't want to give you any answers, but these were some of the questions I asked myself when evaluating my performance.
 
I remember you helped me when I was in a slump with grades and I really appreciate it.

I boosted my grades last semester by spending every day in the library. I had one day for volunteering but besides that I had no other ECs.
 
I found the difference between getting a B and an A is how early or prepared students are for exams. A B student does all of his/her hw and crams before exams or rushes essays but finishes all of their work. An A student is just above that. Prepares for assignments and exams a week or 2 in advance. That's just my 2 cents. Maybe you're just not giving enough time to study for exams and do assignments
 
Wow, that was incredibly unhelpful. I see no reason to bully the OP. I don't know if I'm missing something, but telling someone who says that they're feeling down to "try being smarter" is among the most pointlessly mean things I've seen said while perusing this site.

You can come out of your safe space. OP knows I’m joking.
 
Hey guys. Although Ive never scored below a B in any class so far, pulling A's just seems so stupidly tough and its making my GPA suffer. Do any of you have any tips or mindsets for trying to make B's into A's? Just been feeling down lately etc.

Does your school give letter grades based on a curve? That can make it incredibly difficult. I remember getting a 93.5 that was considered a B+ because of the curve.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
My brother used to play this computer game where there were a bunch of skills you could level up, from 1-99. But each time you increased a level it got harder to get to the next level. As in, getting from 1-40 is really easy and could be done in a day, getting from 40 to 60 is moderately difficult and takes some time, getting from 60 to 80 is hard and requires some seriously sustained effort, and getting from 80 to 99 is extremely difficult and takes a really long time. I think the same principle applies to grades. Getting from B to A is considerably more difficult than getting from, say, F to B. So I think a lot of it is pure effort. If you're putting in maximum effort and still not getting results you're happy with, it's time to look at your actual study strategy. The best use of your time is active learning. Active learning is anything that requires you to actively recall or apply information. For example, flashcards that ask you to remember something, or practice problems. Passive learning is bad and you want to minimize that. An example of passive learning is watching the lecture and taking notes on it. It has to be done, but your efficiency in term of learning when you're doing this is going to be only a fraction of what it could be if you're actively applying the material. I learned this the hard way when I took organic chemistry. For the first exam, I studied by watching the lectures over and over again, hoping that organic chemistry knowledge would diffuse into my brain. Some of it did but I still did relatively mediocre on that first exam. After that, I relentless did practice problems, basically lived in office hours, and actually practiced it over and over again. I went on to get an A in that class and become a TA! The same principle is grossly magnified in medical school, also. So that's my spiel on studying. Good luck!
 
I went from being a C student to an A student by taking a break from the sciences and taking classes about stuff that was hard but I enjoyed.
 
My attitude towards undergrad class is that I’m there to get an A. Anything I’m interested in learning occurs in my free time. Look through the syllabus at the start of class, plan out how to get an A. Carry out the plan. The end.
 
I found the difference between getting a B and an A is how early or prepared students are for exams. A B student does all of his/her hw and crams before exams or rushes essays but finishes all of their work. An A student is just above that. Prepares for assignments and exams a week or 2 in advance. That's just my 2 cents. Maybe you're just not giving enough time to study for exams and do assignments
Exactly. That's what I'm trying to do at the beginning of the semester: really learn and master the topics so a review is just only for essential topics. makes it easier to learn further topics and even try understanding those random information professors throw out of the blue.
 
Sure you can! Dump your 300M and Santa on a newbie and be too broke to ever want to log in again.
Yeah, my entire childhood was filled my brother talking about stuff like this that I didn't remotely understand. He LOVED that game. I think he still plays it from time to time. He came up with scams to trick other players (as well as the system itself) that were so complicated and involved that I couldn't believe it came from the mind of an 11-year-old child.
 
Wow, that was incredibly unhelpful. I see no reason to bully the OP. I don't know if I'm missing something, but telling someone who says that they're feeling down to "try being smarter" is among the most pointlessly mean things I've seen said while perusing this site.

I know right! What makes you the judge.
 
What helped me most was timing my study time. Time yourself on your phone and see how much time you need to prepare for an exam to get a sense for it and I mean time ONLY when you're studying: on Facebook, stop timer. On Sdn, stop timer. Looking at passing girl's a**, stop timer. For me I could get usually about 75% efficiency (time in libarry vs time studying) and found for a hard exam (physics 🙁 ) I needed about 13-16 hours which translated to >20-25 linear hours and I'd start about 2 weeks before the exam.
 
Wow, that was incredibly unhelpful. I see no reason to bully the OP. I don't know if I'm missing something, but telling someone who says that they're feeling down to "try being smarter" is among the most pointlessly mean things I've seen said while perusing this site.
Every post I see, he's either arguing with someone or putting someone down. I turn to a new thread, oh there he is, trying to prove his point again. Lol
 
I know right! What makes you the judge.
Every post I see, he's either arguing with someone or putting someone down. I turn to a new thread, oh there he is, trying to prove his point again. Lol

Uhh i don’t know why you are reviving a situation that’s been resolved and continuing to attack him for no reason.

You can come out of your safe space. OP knows I’m joking.
Cool, glad you guys are on the same page. Jokes on me I guess 🙂
No worries! No way for you to know! 🙂

See? Situation is resolved. So let’s put it to rest and stop attacking people.
 
Every post I see, he's either arguing with someone or putting someone down. I turn to a new thread, oh there he is, trying to prove his point again. Lol

My post was for the OP, and the OP got the joke. You'll never make it as a doctor if you get this upset over an anonymous internet post that wasn't directed at you.
 
Uhh i don’t know why you are reviving a situation that’s been resolved and continuing to attack him for no reason.





See? Situation is resolved. So let’s put it to rest and stop attacking people.

Some people like to white knight. No big deal.
 
For me really focusing on learning techniques (pneumonics, imagining myself conceptualizing ideas, discussing topics) basically any form of active learning where you engage your brain helped me improve my scores and grades. Simply reading and studying / taking notes doesn't help as efficiently, i've noticed ~ try to focus on your study techniques and efficiency rather than spending more time. You can accomplish alot in 8-10 days if you put your mind to it c:
 
Uhh i don’t know why you are reviving a situation that’s been resolved and continuing to attack him for no reason.





See? Situation is resolved. So let’s put it to rest and stop attacking people.

Im not attacking anyone actually he is the one doing that and from different threads according to the person above.
 
Tell them what they want to hear, don't tell them what they need to know. Timmy's not stuck in a well, he's training to become a world class swimmer. What's important is that Lassie needs to consider her bed side manner every time she saves Timmy. Licking the patient has been shown to reduce patient reported satisfaction scores by 99%.
 
You know, at least for bio classes, I've always found writing things down multiple times to do the trick. This worked in genetics and principles of cell, and sort of worked in stem cell. Take notes in class, and then take notes from the lecture Ppts , draw out all the diagrams and flow charts, and write down answers to what you think will be the Open response questions. Write down every pathway ( this binds to that which has this structure so it binds to this which does that) Don't just read over class notes, that gets you a B/C, but writing this much helps cement things in your brain.
I don't know if this what you're already doing but since you didn't say what you do to study I found this works for me.

And you're what, OP, a sophomore? You still have 2.5 more years ( since most ppl are taking gap years right now anyway). You have time, and there are always Do programs if in the end, you feel borderline.
 
I was an SI leader, and this past semester, I started doing the same activities I used to make my students do to organize the information. Matrices, venn diagrams, flow charts, hierarchies, "piece the process", etc. it's more involved and takes more time but saved my a** when I was struggling in my grad classes
 
Alternatively, you could take a lot of easier classes. My GPA is a rollercoaster between tough fall semesters, like orgo and bchem, and easy spring semesters with maybe 1-2 sci classes and electives. I've had semesters GPAs of 3.6 vs ones with 3.9s...in the end it balanced out nicely & med schools never asked me about it.
 
I am a huge fan of using a white board and multiple expo markers! I find that if I'm able to draw and say it aloud as I am writing it helps me remember and understand the material better. Also if it is because of a lack of interest (like with some classes I was straight bored and it was hard to study) try studying by saying it aloud in an excited voice. I know this sounds ridiculous, but if you trick yourself into thinking it's super exciting you tend to recall it better.
 
Hey guys. Although Ive never scored below a B in any class so far, pulling A's just seems so stupidly tough and its making my GPA suffer. Do any of you have any tips or mindsets for trying to make B's into A's? Just been feeling down lately etc.

I've never had it in me to make an account and respond to you, but I happen to stumble across this thread. As a carib student who watches you demonize my path, I find this all too karmic. The high and mighty premed, having trouble with his intro sciences. :corny:


Not everyone who ends up in the carib is unqualified, some individuals have a bad go and the process is incredibly unforgiving. Though I will admit many are not qualified.


I always hear people always fall back on, "i hate the school not the students" but in truth, you have no respect for us. Which is fine, speaking for myself I have no need of your validation. I'm doing me.


And as you will find out(or not), the journey is long, and the obstacles plenty. My only advice would be this:

Keep yourself grounded, an ego in the medical field is a dime a dozen, and you have yet to even start. Exercise some empathy, it'll make you a better doctor.



But as a believer in Karma, I wish you the best, truly.
 
I've never had it in me to make an account and respond to you, but I happen to stumble across this thread. As a carib student who watches you demonize my path, I find this all too karmic. The high and mighty premed, having trouble with his intro sciences. :corny:


Not everyone who ends up in the carib is unqualified, some individuals have a bad go and the process is incredibly unforgiving. Though I will admit many are not qualified.


I always hear people always fall back on, "i hate the school not the students" but in truth, you have no respect for us. Which is fine, speaking for myself I have no need of your validation. I'm doing me.


And as you will find out(or not), the journey is long, and the obstacles plenty. My only advice would be this:

Keep yourself grounded, an ego in the medical field is a dime a dozen, and you have yet to even start. Exercise some empathy, it'll make you a better doctor.



But as a believer in Karma, I wish you the best, truly.
Yet my GPA is still not trash enough to go to the Carribean and well within acceptable for MD. I never demonized your path. I have empathy for Carribean students and I believe many of them have the chance to become amazing docs. Frankly I have no respect for the institution that took advantage of your primal needs to succeed and become a doctor. You yourself will see the percentages of students who get dropped like flies because the school foolishly ( well actually purposefully) admitted them in hopes of making bank from their dirt cheap preclinical years. There are very few students who actually benfit from going to the Carrib. Perhaps a 1/4 will actually make a match and become doctors in the United States. And frankly for a school to have a 25% success rate is attrocious and you know it. The fact that you chose to create this account is also ****ing hillarious to me. Perhaps it will serve a purpose when you need advice for when your school drops you or you dont match.

In terms of respect, I will admit that I have less respect towards you then to US medical students. That is because they worked their ass off during college to be where they are and many instead of going for immidiate gratification of med school went for a masters or a post bacc instead. You chose to gamble. Think of it this way, would you respect someone who won a lottery ticket and got a high sum of money or would you respect someone who earned it. Replace the above with med school acceptance and you will see my point.

As for me personally full disclosure my GPA is a solid 3.4. Half the time I dont think I will make it to med school. Yet I have enough of a brain to recognize the Caribbean as a piss poor decision. Like being in debt and going to Vegas and betting $400,000 on black and even (statistically it literally is as bad). You know what I will do if I dont get in? I will have some patience to address the issues in my application instead of gambling with my life. You know what I will do if I cant improve my application? I will grow the **** up and get a job and certainly not go to a Carribean med school and **** on a random premed who dared to question the validity of their scam for profits schools.

Also your hollier than thou attitude is truly hilarious. My mates will get a kick out of it. In the end, it's you who is on this path, and you really have no need to justify it to some random premed on the internet. Justify it to yourself and prove me wrong (for your n case at least).
 
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Yet my GPA is still not trash enough to go to the Carribean and well within acceptable for MD. I never demonized your path. I have empathy for Carribean students and I believe many of them have the chance to become amazing docs. Frankly I have no respect for the institution that took advantage of your primal needs to succeed and become a doctor. You yourself will see the percentages of students who get dropped like flies because the school foolishly ( well actually purposefully) admitted them in hopes of making bank from their dirt cheap preclinical years. There are very few students who actually benfit from going to the Carrib. Perhaps a 1/4 will actually make a match and become doctors in the United States. And frankly for a school to have a 25% success rate is attrocious and you know it. The fact that you chose to create this account is also ****ing hillarious to me. Perhaps it will serve a purpose when you need advice for when your school drops you or you dont match.

In terms of respect, I will admit that I have less respect towards you then to US medical students. That is because they worked their ass off during college to be where they are and many instead of going for immidiate gratification of med school went for a masters or a post bacc instead. You chose to gamble. Think of it this way, would you respect someone who won a lottery ticket and got a high sum of money or would you respect someone who earned it. Replace the above with med school acceptance and you will see my point.

As for me personally full disclosure my GPA is a solid 3.4. Half the time I dont think I will make it to med school. Yet I have enough of a brain to recognize the Carribean as a piss poor decision. Like being in debt and going to Vegas and betting $400,000 on black and even (statistically it litterally is as bad). You know what I will do if I dont get in? I will have some patience to address the issues in my application instead of gambling with my life. You know what I will do if I cant improve my application? I will grow the **** up and get a job and certainly not go to a Carribean med school and **** on a random premed who dared to question the validity of their scam for profits schools.

Also your hollier than thou attitude is trully hillarious. My mates will get a kick out of it.
Still solid for DO
 
Yet my GPA is still not trash enough to go to the Carribean and well within acceptable for MD. I never demonized your path. I have empathy for Carribean students and I believe many of them have the chance to become amazing docs. Frankly I have no respect for the institution that took advantage of your primal needs to succeed and become a doctor. You yourself will see the percentages of students who get dropped like flies because the school foolishly ( well actually purposefully) admitted them in hopes of making bank from their dirt cheap preclinical years. There are very few students who actually benfit from going to the Carrib. Perhaps a 1/4 will actually make a match and become doctors in the United States. And frankly for a school to have a 25% success rate is attrocious and you know it. The fact that you chose to create this account is also ****ing hillarious to me. Perhaps it will serve a purpose when you need advice for when your school drops you or you dont match.
.

ahh the primal needs of premeds... eat, reproduce, and become a doctor lolol

i agree with OP tho, I'm sure some arrogant med students look down on Caribbean students but the majority just have a problem with the schools in general who literally give 0 f**s about the students and hate to see qualified students make a haste decision and jeopardize their future...
 
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