B in Bio?

[Lady Victoria]

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I've read many threads here where people say Bio was their easiest pre-rec. I'm in the opposite boat. I aced Gen Chem I and Gen Chem II but I am struggling really bad in Bio I. I'm very good at memorization and can spit back all the information back on the test and probably get a 100% if it was just straight forward, but our teacher knows that most of us can do that so her questions are so tricky. As in there are two or three right answers in her multiple choices and we have to pick one that's most correct and then the short answer or essay questions are theoretical as in you know this, now what do you think would happen if..... Needless to say I'm working my tail off and my class average is a very low B and there's no curve and no extra credit. Has anyone else had a tough time in Bio?

 

[Mac11]

"Bio[chem], it can be difficult"

You should get a tutor. If you do it through your school it'll even be free.

 

[Lady Victoria]

I tried that, but the tutor only quizzed me on the concepts. I understand the concepts but I guess I'm not good at the essay questions because they're so theoretical and they come from left field. In fact they come from the parking lot behind left field. There are 150+ people in our class and nobody made an A on this last exam we took on Friday which was our fourth one. Highest grade was an 87, but no curve. I have another exam in there a week from today and it seems a bunch of us are struggling because we don't know what to expect and don't know how to prepare.

 

[Gabby]

Wow, I'm in the same boat! I have a B average in Bio I - Cellular Processes after acing Gen Chem I (haven't taken II yet) and A&P I and now A&P II.

Regardless of how much I studied for our second Bio exam, I still didn't know how to answer some of the questions. The instructor is great and the tests really make you think, which is good preparation for the MCAT, so I can't complain. I just wish I knew the secret to getting an A on these tests. They come from a national test bank so she doesn't come up with them herself, though she picks and chooses which ones to use.

She doesn't expect you to regurgitate facts, which I could do easily. She asks questions based on the concepts, but because the concepts are so new to me, it's difficult to really theorize what would happen next or what would happen "if." Once I can crack that little problem and think the way she expects us to, I think I'll be better off in the long-run. Getting there is a real PITA though.

 

[dantt]

I've read many threads here where people say Bio was their easiest pre-rec. I'm in the opposite boat. I aced Gen Chem I and Gen Chem II but I am struggling really bad in Bio I. I'm very good at memorization and can spit back all the information back on the test and probably get a 100% if it was just straight forward, but our teacher knows that most of us can do that so her questions are so tricky. As in there are two or three right answers in her multiple choices and we have to pick one that's most correct and then the short answer or essay questions are theoretical as in you know this, now what do you think would happen if..... Needless to say I'm working my tail off and my class average is a very low B and there's no curve and no extra credit. Has anyone else had a tough time in Bio?

Welcome to life. At any major public university, if there was a curve, it would be bell curved to the average being a C+/B-. You're obviously not smart enough to be a doctor, better switch majors now because you can't do anything with a BS degree in biology.

 

[Toohotinvegas33]

Withs "B's" in bio you guys need to move on down to the pre dent or podiatry forum.

 

[MinnyGophers]

Meh don't worry about a B. General Biology stinks anyways. You're not going to be kept out of med school for a B...

 

[girlincogneato]

Where I finished post-bacc, bio is supposedly the hardest class in the premed reqs-- my coworker's friend who completed the program got a B- in the class and still got into Columbia P&S with strong grades in the other subjects!! Dont worry!

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Welcome to life. At any major public university, if there was a curve, it would be bell curved to the average being a C+/B-. You're obviously not smart enough to be a doctor, better switch majors now because you can't do anything with a BS degree in biology.

I never understand why people who have nothing to cntribute bother replying. I don't believe the OP was looking for sarcasm. I think her point was more along the lines of "I'm busting my ass like never before for a B!" It's frustrating, I'm sure. It was for me when I busted my ass and still couldn't pull off that A.

Try reading the post before snarking at posters who don't deserve your acid tongue rebuttals.

 

[MirrorTodd]

I never understand why people who have nothing to cntribute bother replying. I don't believe the OP was looking for sarcasm. I think her point was more along the lines of "I'm busting my ass like never before for a B!" It's frustrating, I'm sure. It was for me when I busted my ass and still couldn't pull off that A.

Try reading the post before snarking at posters who don't deserve your acid tongue rebuttals.

Because if everyone was serious all the time, the suicide rate would be much higher. Life is depressing when there's nothing to laugh about. I'm being serious too.

 

[chable]

Withs "B's" in bio you guys need to move on down to the pre dent or podiatry forum.

Not necessary. Bs in intro bio don't mean you can't go to allopathic schools.

 

[chable]

Because if everyone was serious all the time, the suicide rate would be much higher. Life is depressing when there's nothing to laugh about. I'm being serious too.

While that statement may be true, you have to choose wisely what to be serious about and what to joke around about. This part of the forum is not one of the places. Just get to the damn point and answer the question and save your sarcasm for something else.

 

[kenmc3]

Yeah don’t worry about it – just get good grades in your other classes and score at least a 10 on the bio section of the MCAT. Receiving a B in an undergrad class doesn’t mean too much – many people in medical school receive B’s in their classes. Now you don’t want to receive too many and no more than 1 or 2 C’s. I personally received a B+ in Orgo1 and a B in Orgo 2. Everyone on SDN says that you need to do well in organic chemistry because orgo is hard and it shows if you can handle a rigorous med school curriculum. Well, I am a currently a MS2 at a top 50 med school and I am in the top quartile of my class – so it obviously didn’t hurt me too much. Don’t worry – keep up the good work in your other subjects and good luck…

Oh, and if you want to offset the B you receive here – take some higher level bio classes and get A’s in them.

 

[TPROrgoTutor]

I only recieved one B at my university and this was in Bio 1. Any other B's were at the community college I attended beforehand.

 

[MirrorTodd]

Au contrare. I think that this is the perfect place for sarcasm. There are so many people here that the serious and legit answers will far outweigh the sarcastic dingus answers. Sometimes a little sarcasm is needed to brighten an otherwise pointless and well-covered topic. BTW none of this is directed at the OP.

 

[jackbauer!]

Withs "B's" in bio you guys need to move on down to the pre dent or podiatry forum.

wow, my first time overlooking the pre-med board and i come across this, lol. i scored a 34 on the MCAT and chose to apply to dental school. people like you make me glad i made the decision.

gl,
jB!

 

[wolfram241]

Before it was threads about C's. Now B's. Let's do a little math, and perhaps some common sense. The average science GPA of matriculants is about a 3.6. An A-, as per AMCAS, is a 3.7. Therefore, on average, matriculants get somewhere between a B+ and A- in their sciences. The take home point of this is the world average. Average.


Average.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Before it was threads about C's. Now B's. Let's do a little math, and perhaps some common sense. The average science GPA of matriculants is about a 3.6. An A-, as per AMCAS, is a 3.7. Therefore, on average, matriculants get somewhere between a B+ and A- in their sciences. The take home point of this is the world average. Average.

You know what I hate? I hate when someone comes to a thread and asks others to use common sense when they haven't used COMMON SENSE. Where in the OP's post does it say she's worried about getting into medical school? Where does it even ask what her chances are or if anyone got in with a B? Nowhere. That's because the OP was venting, blowing off steam. The OP simply states that she studies really hard and can't get higher than a B even though she's read here that Bio is easier than Chem for most people. She's asking for advice on how to tackle BIO, not how to get into med school or if she's good enough for med school.

For pre-meds who constantly brag about their intelligence and put down others in every other thread, some of the people on these forums have a lot to learn about reading comprehension. Geez.

 

[wolfram241]

You know what I hate? I hate when someone comes to a thread and asks others to use common sense when they haven't used COMMON SENSE. Where in the OP's post does it say she's worried about getting into medical school? Where does it even ask what her chances are or if anyone got in with a B? Nowhere. That's because the OP was venting, blowing off steam. The OP simply states that she studies really hard and can't get higher than a B even though she's read here that Bio is easier than Chem for most people. She's asking for advice on how to tackle BIO, not how to get into med school or if she's good enough for med school.

For pre-meds who constantly brag about their intelligence and put down others in every other thread, some of the people on these forums have a lot to learn about reading comprehension. Geez.

Please. Now it's your turn to use some common sense. Where in my post did I directly reply to the OP? Where did I claim she was worried about admission? Please touch up on your reading comprehension, you tool.

 

[thebeav007]

calm down

 

[kenmc3]

Ok - everyone needs to just calm down. And to those of you who like to harass others on this board - you better check you attitudes of superiority at the door. I can’t speak for other med schools, but we don’t tolerate that at mine.

 

[bubabugster]

Advise about the B: Focus on the general concepts first instead of honing in on minute details. Then, come up with various types of theoretical situations, such as what if this went wrong in X process? You can always memorize the details later- good luck!

 

[MirrorTodd]

Ok - everyone needs to just calm down. And to those of you who like to harass others on this board - you better check you attitudes of superiority at the door. I can't speak for other med schools, but we don't tolerate that at mine.

Oh ho ho. Now look who's being superior. You're starting to sound like my Drill Sergeant. I didn't know you owned the med school.

I'm kidding. I know that you were referring to the school that you go to. BTW Giving out orders over the internet isn't very effective. And I mean the in the least condescending way possible.
EDIT: we're pre-meds give us a break.

 

[Rafa]

Put on some music and chill out. Life's too short for arguing on message boards.

 

[MirrorTodd]

Put on some music and chill out. Life's too short for arguing on message boards.

No, it isn't. Yes, it is. Isn't! Is! Isn't! Is! Isn't! Is! Oh yeah! Yeah! Oh yeah! yeah! aaaaaaaaaaand SCENE.

 

[defrunner]

I've read many threads here where people say Bio was their easiest pre-rec. I'm in the opposite boat. I aced Gen Chem I and Gen Chem II but I am struggling really bad in Bio I. I'm very good at memorization and can spit back all the information back on the test and probably get a 100% if it was just straight forward, but our teacher knows that most of us can do that so her questions are so tricky. As in there are two or three right answers in her multiple choices and we have to pick one that's most correct and then the short answer or essay questions are theoretical as in you know this, now what do you think would happen if..... Needless to say I'm working my tail off and my class average is a very low B and there's no curve and no extra credit. Has anyone else had a tough time in Bio?

You have got to be joking.

If not, then... um, ok...

A 'B', last time I heard... was not a 'bad' grade, except for the overly neurotic, of course.

I think your medical school chances are safe and sound, my dear. Do not worry so.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

B's aren't that bad. Even a couple C's are forgivable. Don't stress about it too much.