Bad first semester as freshmen, are my Harvard Med dreams done for?

[anthrochique]

I am currently in my second semester as a freshmen at an Ivy League university. I would love to attend Harvard Medical School, except adjusting first semester did not go very well and as a result my grades were not so good.

I got a B in General Chemistry I and a B- in Calculus II. However, the worst was getting a C in Microeconomics, which I took to fulfill general requirements. By the end of the semester, my GPA was a 3.04. I know that pre-med GPA obviously does not take into account a course like economics, but would this still hurt me in admissions? I worry it might show a weakness in that I am not as apt in courses that are not pre-med related.

This semester, I believe that I am doing a lot better and project to getting A's and A-'s. I do a lot of extracurriculars and am doing research work. As long as I can show improvement from a rough start and significantly raise my GPA, hopefully my Harvard dreams are not dunzo?

--edit
This may sound like I want to go to Harvard just for name, but no I don't. I'm interested in its New Pathway Program, and I'll looking at many med schools regardless of any level of "status."

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[ksmi117]

I am currently in my second semester as a freshmen at an Ivy League university. I would love to attend Harvard Medical School, except adjusting first semester did not go very well and as a result my grades were not so good.

I got a B in General Chemistry I and a B- in Calculus II. However, the worst was getting a C in Microeconomics, which I took to fulfill general requirements. By the end of the semester, my GPA was a 3.04. I know that pre-med GPA obviously does not take into account a course like economics, but would this still hurt me in admissions? I worry it might show a weakness in that I am not as apt in courses that are not pre-med related.

This semester, I believe that I am doing a lot better and project to getting A's and A-'s. I do a lot of extracurriculars and am doing research work. As long as I can show improvement from a rough start and significantly raise my GPA, hopefully my Harvard dreams are not dunzo?

The C grade will not be reflected in your science GPA, but it will be reflected in your cumulative GPA. Both are seen by admissions committees and both are taken into account. As far as Harvard med, I think you'll need to do your best to pull of A's for the rest of your undergrad (maybe another B or two, tops to be competitive). You'll need to do well on the MCAT, too. The ECs and research are good though. Keep those up, and volunteer and shadow, as well, before you apply.

Just curious. Why are you so set on Harvard? Is it the name? Or is there something else about it that you love?

 

[AdemTD]

If you make high grades the rest of the way, you'll get in somewhere provided you don't just sit in your apartment the rest of the time and your MCAT score is good...I wouldn't worry about Harvard being your medical school of choice as an MD is an MD whether you get it from Harvard or Howard. Ok, it might matter if you want to be a Radiation Oncologist, but you can still match into very competitive residencies no matter where you go if you do really well on your USMLE. Just do your best and forget the rest 🙂

 

[anthrochique]

The C grade will not be reflected in your science GPA, but it will be reflected in your cumulative GPA. Both are seen by admissions committees and both are taken into account. As far as Harvard med, I think you'll need to do your best to pull of A's for the rest of your undergrad (maybe another B or two, tops to be competitive). You'll need to do well on the MCAT, too. The ECs and research are good though. Keep those up, and volunteer and shadow, as well, before you apply.

Just curious. Why are you so set on Harvard? Is it the name? Or is there something else about it that you love?

I'm very interested in Harvard's New Pathway Program. But of course, I'm not just looking at Harvard. My main concern is that whether I can still stand as a competitive applicant for any school come admissions time, and I am looking into many medical schools besides Harvard and other Ivies.

 

[plsfoldthx]

The difference between getting into Harvard and getting into a less recognized Medical school isnt going to be determined by a C. It's going to be determined about how good of a candidate you are for the medical profession.

You want to become a doctor because you are interested in medicine and want to help people right? Not so you can tell people you went to Harvard medical school...

 

[Anatidae]

You'll obviously need to do better, but what makes you a competitive applicant (especially at Harvard) isn't really going to come down to your GPA and MCAT. It's everything else. If you have everything else going for you, a little bit of luck, and a lot of hard work, you'll be fine.

Of course, I don't think there's anything really special about Harvard NP except it being Harvard...

 

[Arjuna]

I am currently in my second semester as a freshmen at an Ivy League university. I would love to attend Harvard Medical School, except adjusting first semester did not go very well and as a result my grades were not so good.

I got a B in General Chemistry I and a B- in Calculus II. However, the worst was getting a C in Microeconomics, which I took to fulfill general requirements. By the end of the semester, my GPA was a 3.04. I know that pre-med GPA obviously does not take into account a course like economics, but would this still hurt me in admissions? I worry it might show a weakness in that I am not as apt in courses that are not pre-med related.

This semester, I believe that I am doing a lot better and project to getting A's and A-'s. I do a lot of extracurriculars and am doing research work. As long as I can show improvement from a rough start and significantly raise my GPA, hopefully my Harvard dreams are not dunzo?

--edit
This may sound like I want to go to Harvard just for name, but no I don't. I'm interested in its New Pathway Program, and I'll looking at many med schools regardless of any level of "status."

Dont give up just yet; retake the C and drop econ as a major/minor if that was your plan formerly. I am also a freshman and didnt have such a good first semester, but I am not giving up anytime. You should also focus more on coursework and bring up that GPA, then focus on your ECs; Overloading on ECs at the risk of sacrificing your G.P.A is pure foolishness. Trust me, you wont even get past the computer that screens secondaries. Would you want that? No. I recommend not doing more than two activities starting freshman year. I call this the foundation year, along with the sophomore year. I plan to steadily add more activities over time, but I will make sure that by spring of sophomore year, I am set on my plans. Keep at it bro! Soon (hopefully) both you and me shall be posting in the HMS class of 2016! (oh that shall be the best day of our lives!)

 

[ksmi117]

Dont give up just yet; retake the C and drop econ as a major/minor if that was your plan formerly. I am also a freshman and didnt have such a good first semester, but I am not giving up anytime. You should also focus more on coursework and bring up that GPA, then focus on your ECs; Overloading on ECs at the risk of sacrificing your G.P.A is pure foolishness. Trust me, you wont even get past the computer that screens secondaries. Would you want that? No. I recommend not doing more than two activities starting freshman year. I call this the foundation year, along with the sophomore year. I plan to steadily add more activities over time, but I will make sure that by spring of sophomore year, I am set on my plans. Keep at it bro! Soon (hopefully) both you and me shall be posting in the HMS class of 2016! (oh that shall be the best day of our lives!)

OP, you really don't have to retake the C. If you retake, med schools will see both grades but your GPA will reflect an average between the two. It doesn't disappear magically if you do better the second time. I think you should just work on not getting anymore C's and keeping the B's to a minimum. No reason to take a class that you didn't enjoy again just to "look good," as it still won't look that good. The only classes I'd recommend retaking are the pre-reqs or any grade D or lower.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I agree. Do not retake the C class. Move on, and get as many A's as possible from here on out.

 

[Arjuna]

OP, you really don't have to retake the C. If you retake, med schools will see both grades but your GPA will reflect an average between the two. It doesn't disappear magically if you do better the second time. I think you should just work on not getting anymore C's and keeping the B's to a minimum. No reason to take a class that you didn't enjoy again just to "look good," as it still won't look that good. The only classes I'd recommend retaking are the pre-reqs or any grade D or lower.

This is wrong. The second repeat counts just as any other course with equivalent credit hours would. Say you repeat Calculus II after you got a C the first time. The second time, if you get an A, it counts as a separate course, so the OP could theoretically take any course with equivalent credit hours, and a good grade would have the same effect as having retaken calculus II. Also, I agree that retaking C's might not be such a good idea, but if it is an important prereq like Orgo, and the OP is aiming for HMS, I dont see why it would hurt to show the adcom that the OP is capable, not to mention GPA benefits. OP, be sure to go to your premed counselor and ask them about this. Good luck!

 

[anthrochique]

Thanks for the advice guys!

I do not plan on retaking the class that I got a C in. I took Microeconomics to fulfill a core requirement, and even with the C I still satisfied it.

 

[JJMrK]

This is wrong. The second repeat counts just as any other course with equivalent credit hours would. Say you repeat Calculus II after you got a C the first time. The second time, if you get an A, it counts as a separate course, so the OP could theoretically take any course with equivalent credit hours, and a good grade would have the same effect as having retaken calculus II.

Sure, but the statement you bolded isn't wrong. If retaken, the C and A will average out to a B. As far as GPA goes, that's 3 points instead of 2 or 4. Notice ksmi didn't say the grade will be replaced on transcripts as a B, just that it will average out in the GPA. So you're both right.

 

[Handy388]

harvard medical school is a crap shot for everyone.

 

[plsfoldthx]

its your first semester as a freshman... if you do well your next 3 years... anything bad your freshman year will be negligible

 

[bigman225]

You're not out of the running for medical school admissions by any means--just keep working hard and get the GPA up to the 3.7 range by the time you're applying. Straight As in Organic next year will make up for the B in gen chem.

I'd encourage you not to fixate on Harvard or any other top 20 medical school. Even top applicants (4.0, 40MCAT, pubs, etc) are statistical long shots at a school like Harvard. Talk to some doctors and realize that unless you're planning a career in academia or are dead set on the most competitive residency programs, where you obtained your MD matters little.

 

[longhorn09]

Yes, you're done, save the spot for me.














jk,
A few Bs won't kill your dream of going to Harvard. Just study hard in the upcoming semesters.