Big problem. HELP!!!

[mastamark]

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Hello SDNrs,

I mentioned earlier that I was retaking O-Chem over the summer at my college after failing it last year. I failed due to extreme family issues. If someone views my transcript they would see I withdrew from three classes(Genetics and Lab, and Intro to christian theology). I Flunked Orgo and got a C+ in music. It is evident that I was going through something this semester, I mean a Cin music for the listener.

Well I planned on retaking orgo this summer followed by orgo II imediately afterwards for the first time. I had confidence I could do this. Well I had no choice seeing as I have to take Physics 1 with genetics in the fall (both with labs), followed by Physics 2 and Microbiology in the spring of 07. Also, Orgo is full now. No more seats for the fall. I planned on taking the MCAT in april or may of next year(CBT). In order for any of this to work I will have to take Orgo over the summer.

I just received news that my school has cancelled Organic 1 and 2 over the summer, and now I am in panic mode. I was told by the chemistry chair that I can take it off campus. The problem is that the new grade received won't be calculated into my GPA. The F will remain and I will have a hard time pulling my gpa back up. It is 2.8 with the F. i calculated my GPA with the new grade and it would have been 3.199... with an A(I could pull it off). I know it is low form the start but I was still keeping up the fight and planning on doing my best on the MCAT. I have been a paramedic for 5 years and I am non-trad. I was hoping that also counted for something.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this situation/Words of encouragement. This has really fussed up my plans and I am in the process of, "What do I do now?" I called my dean and was told my GPA would not be affected by retaking a course off campus, as opposed to on campus in which the latest grade is counted.

One last thing, I recently switched to Lib arts from Bio. My school requires you to be a biology major to get Pre-professional LORs. The bio chair told me know matter how well I did on the MCAT medical schools wont touch me because they know that they have a Pre-Pro committee and they must give me the stamp of approval. Also she said no science professor will be allowed to give LORs without the P-P committee's permission, even if they are not biology related. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

 

[beachbunny]

Oh, I feel for you!! That's a tough situation all around....(sympathy from another non-trad EMT!)

I assume you are taking Genetics and Micro next year as requirements for your major to graduate?? If not, why not drop Genetics and Micro (take next year or next summer) and replace with Orgo I and Orgo II (couses you NEED for med school)? So, you say Orgo I is full for the fall? Find out who the prof is and try to get signed in. It seems like you have a good case to present. Most of all, the Orgo I you wanted to take is cancelled this summer through no fault of your own. I would hope the prof for the Orgo class in the fall would cut you a break on this one.

I can't comment on the LOR issue though, I don't really know what to tell you on that one. But don't let anyone discourage you! Your work as a medic WILL help you in med school (even though the PhD's who interview you may not weigh it as heavily as you might want!)

I wish you luck!!!

 

[HemaOncoDoc]

Hello SDNrs,

I mentioned earlier that I was retaking O-Chem over the summer at my college after failing it last year. I failed due to extreme family issues. If someone views my transcript they would see I withdrew from three classes(Genetics and Lab, and Intro to christian theology). I Flunked Orgo and got a C+ in music. It is evident that I was going through something this semester, I mean a Cin music for the listener.

Well I planned on retaking orgo this summer followed by orgo II imediately afterwards for the first time. I had confidence I could do this. Well I had no choice seeing as I have to take Physics 1 with genetics in the fall (both with labs), followed by Physics 2 and Microbiology in the spring of 07. Also, Orgo is full now. No more seats for the fall. I planned on taking the MCAT in april or may of next year(CBT). In order for any of this to work I will have to take Orgo over the summer.

I just received news that my school has cancelled Organic 1 and 2 over the summer, and now I am in panic mode. I was told by the chemistry chair that I can take it off campus. The problem is that the new grade received won't be calculated into my GPA. The F will remain and I will have a hard time pulling my gpa back up. It is 2.8 with the F. i calculated my GPA with the new grade and it would have been 3.199... with an A(I could pull it off). I know it is low form the start but I was still keeping up the fight and planning on doing my best on the MCAT. I have been a paramedic for 5 years and I am non-trad. I was hoping that also counted for something.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this situation/Words of encouragement. This has really fussed up my plans and I am in the process of, "What do I do now?" I called my dean and was told my GPA would not be affected by retaking a course off campus, as opposed to on campus in which the latest grade is counted.

One last thing, I recently switched to Lib arts from Bio. My school requires you to be a biology major to get Pre-professional LORs. The bio chair told me know matter how well I did on the MCAT medical schools wont touch me because they know that they have a Pre-Pro committee and they must give me the stamp of approval. Also she said no science professor will be allowed to give LORs without the P-P committee's permission, even if they are not biology related. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

If you can't take it at your current university, there's no use fighting about it. You'll have to take it outside. However, you can transfer the credit into your current college and it will appear on your transcripts. Later, on the AMCAS/AACOMAS, you can address the issue if you so please.

I'm not sure what to tell you about your pre-professional LOR. You could always petition and talk to the board about it. That couldn't hurt. Write them a letter and ask to meet with them. At the very least, they'll see your devotion and motivation. Best of luck.

 

[scpod]

I can't comment on the LOR issue though, I don't really know what to tell you on that one.

There are plenty of people in med school now who simply got their own LORs and skipped the committee because it had silly rules like: you must be a biology major. The sad truth is that there are a LOT of pre-med committees and advisors who are totally out of touch with the med school process these days.

 

[beachbunny]

So, my point was that, in my opinion, you should try your hardest to retake Orgo at your school to get rid of that F. If your new grade will completely replace the F on your official transcript, then you're golden. 👍

I think you should do this even if it takes you a little longer to finish your courses. A GPA with an F calculated into it will be drastically different, and could make the difference between you getting an interview and not. I know it's stupid and unfortunate, but I think some schools have automatic cut-offs for GPA's and if you don't meet the cut-off, they don't even look at your app. You are fortunate that your school will wipe out that grade for a retake. Not all schools do. However, be aware that if the F does show up on your transcript even with the new grade beside it and only the new grade is used to calculate your GPA, I belive you still have to put the F in your AACOMAS and AMCAS app. AMCAS will use it to calculate their GPA, but AACOMAS will not! AACOMAS will only use the retake grade. I love AACOMAS!

 

[beachbunny]

The sad truth is that there are a LOT of pre-med committees and advisors who are totally out of touch with the med school process these days.

I could not agree with you more. I am restraining myself from elaborating so I don't get angry.

 

[HemaOncoDoc]

So, my point was that, in my opinion, you should try your hardest to retake Orgo at your school to get rid of that F. If your new grade will completely replace the F on your official transcript, then you're golden. 👍

I think you should do this even if it takes you a little longer to finish your courses. A GPA with an F calculated into it will be drastically different, and could make the difference between you getting an interview and not. I know it's stupid and unfortunate, but I think some schools have automatic cut-offs for GPA's and if you don't meet the cut-off, they don't even look at your app. You are fortunate that your school will wipe out that grade for a retake. Not all schools do. However, be aware that if the F does show up on your transcript even with the new grade beside it and only the new grade is used to calculate your GPA, I belive you still have to put the F in your AACOMAS and AMCAS app. AMCAS will use it to calculate their GPA, but AACOMAS will not! AACOMAS will only use the retake grade. I love AACOMAS!

AACOMAS has too many limitations. Maybe I'm just sore because I never retook a course. Maybe I should have. lol

 

[CatsandCradles]

Hello SDNrs,

I mentioned earlier that I was retaking O-Chem over the summer at my college after failing it last year. I failed due to extreme family issues. If someone views my transcript they would see I withdrew from three classes(Genetics and Lab, and Intro to christian theology). I Flunked Orgo and got a C+ in music. It is evident that I was going through something this semester, I mean a Cin music for the listener.

Well I planned on retaking orgo this summer followed by orgo II imediately afterwards for the first time. I had confidence I could do this. Well I had no choice seeing as I have to take Physics 1 with genetics in the fall (both with labs), followed by Physics 2 and Microbiology in the spring of 07. Also, Orgo is full now. No more seats for the fall. I planned on taking the MCAT in april or may of next year(CBT). In order for any of this to work I will have to take Orgo over the summer.

I just received news that my school has cancelled Organic 1 and 2 over the summer, and now I am in panic mode. I was told by the chemistry chair that I can take it off campus. The problem is that the new grade received won't be calculated into my GPA. The F will remain and I will have a hard time pulling my gpa back up. It is 2.8 with the F. i calculated my GPA with the new grade and it would have been 3.199... with an A(I could pull it off). I know it is low form the start but I was still keeping up the fight and planning on doing my best on the MCAT. I have been a paramedic for 5 years and I am non-trad. I was hoping that also counted for something.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this situation/Words of encouragement. This has really fussed up my plans and I am in the process of, "What do I do now?" I called my dean and was told my GPA would not be affected by retaking a course off campus, as opposed to on campus in which the latest grade is counted.

One last thing, I recently switched to Lib arts from Bio. My school requires you to be a biology major to get Pre-professional LORs. The bio chair told me know matter how well I did on the MCAT medical schools wont touch me because they know that they have a Pre-Pro committee and they must give me the stamp of approval. Also she said no science professor will be allowed to give LORs without the P-P committee's permission, even if they are not biology related. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

Whoa. You're going through a lot right now. But don't let that get you down.

1) AACOMAS is different from AMCAS. AACOMAS will replace that F with an A should you be able to get an A in organic chemistry. So with osteopathic schools you get a second chance.

2) You are a paramedic with 5 years of experience. Osteopathic schools love paramedics. There are some really long time posters on SDN who are paramedics and can help you out too.

3) You will have to take O chem off campus. Don't panic. You could probably take it at a community college and still be fine.

4) The pre-med committee is trying to make you nervous. They do that to everyone.

 

[JasonUD]

Don't worry at all about the committee letter. I was .02 under what my school required to recommend me and they would not do it so I bypassed the entire system. My advisor agreed to hold all my letters of rec from profs so I had them all sent to her and then gave her envelopes when I was ready to mail them out. If you look at the required letters needed for each school most say: 1. a letter from a premed committee OR 2. 2 science letters and 1 nonscience. I went with step 2 for all my schools and was never asked about why I bypassed the committee (I go to a large school that most people in the business know has a committee).

Many times the premed committees are out of touch. I felt like mine was only interested in the kids who were going to harvard and couldn't care less about the rest of us. You said your school requires you to be a bio major?? I would say screw that, do what you want to do, but be sure you take all the med school prerecs (you can find them on each med schools website). In the long run I think medical schools would prefer that you studied what you wanted to study so long as you meet all their requirements, not that you studied what some out of touch committee told you medical schools want you to study.

As for orgo, did you meet with your dean and tell him your specific situation? You may be able to get the F off of your transcript. I had a friend at my school who also had major family problems one semester and he got his grades revoked. Good luck!

 

[HunterGatherer]

Don't be afraid to commute to take your summer courses. Last summer I took courses at two schools at the same time because Orgo lecture was not offered at my undergrad in the summer. I had a 1.5 hour commute to one of my schools and then a 1 hour commute to my undergrad school then additional commuting for volunteering and going home. Summer only last 3 months.

If you plan to earn a degree at your school be sure that you will be able to meet the GPA requirements for graduation. Either way you still have to take the premed prereqs.

Many people have been in your situation before and came out on top. You just need to work a harder now.

Start prepping for the MCAT as you take your courses. You may need a 28+ MCAT to make your academic improvement look stronger.

 

[scrubs07]

I think the only thing we can hope for as far as "erasing" that Organic Chem grade at the college you previously had taken it at, is to wait it out and see if anyone drops the course in the fall, it often happens. Or perhaps you can get a professor to extend the number of spots, especially if you go to a fairly small school, I had actually gotten my genetics professor to increase a spot for me when I had a talk with her in wanting to take it last minute.

If not, I think you're saying that your old grade with a new wishful A in Orgo will combine and your gpa will be saved, if that is the case then quickly look to other local colleges and universities for registering as soon as possible. I actually had a hard time finding an Organic Chem II in a lot of colleges over the summer so I'd also suggest you switch your plans around and register to atleast get done with Physics I and Physics II this summer. That's atleast what I'm doing, it is tough though...
You have to really do whatever you possibly can within the next couple of days since a lot of summer courses have already begun, good luck!

 

[Raven Feather]

You take ochem off campus and get an LOR from THAT professor. I'm sure you could find some professor from your current UG institution even if the chair said that you can't. He doesn't have to know about it? Are you pretty personable with one?

It doesn't matter if you have an F on your transcript when it comes to AACOMAS (as stated before) they will replace the grade with your most recent attempt. They will however, see that awful grade (trust me, I'm nontrad and have an F on my from freshman year of my 1st degree)--I was asked about it only at one interview and I still got into all the DO schools I interviewed at. Granted, I did maintain a 4.0 with this degree but my MCAT sucked in a major way. I am a RN and I think they liked that. You just do the above, come hell or high water you ensure you do well in your courses from here on out and concentrate on taking the MCAT! By the way, why are you taking micro?

 

[tkim]

I retook a prereq class - 7 years after the first attempt, at a different school. AACOMAS replaced the grade. So no worries.

It wouldn't hurt to ask individual non-bio professors for LORs - I'm sure some of them would be surprised to hear that *they* cannot write letters for whomever they please.

Bypass the committee entirely and get two science and one non-sci LOR, and send letters to every school you apply to explaining that non-bio majors do not qualifiy for a committee LOR from your school.

The worst a school could do is require a dean's letter stating that you are a student 'in good standing' at your school, in lieu of a committee letter.

Committee letters are overrated and sometimes the bottleneck to the application process. Be grateful you have a valid reason to bypass it.

Good luck!

- Tae, EMT-P ('91-'03)

 

[mastamark]

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and advice. It never dawned on me to just take Physics off campus over the summer and take ochem in the fall, Thanks Hunter. It's amazing how simple solutions can be presented to you in the heat of panic. You always get one of those, "why didn't I think of that" moments. Now all I have to do is get my Chemistry chair to give let me into the full chem class this fall.

As for the other issue I knew that LOR stuff was a load. I just needed to hear you guys say it. Sometimes small seeds of doubt start entering the psyche causing a slight psychosis. LOL

 

[mastamark]

.

 

[mastamark]

You take ochem off campus and get an LOR from THAT professor. I'm sure you could find some professor from your current UG institution even if the chair said that you can't. He doesn't have to know about it? Are you pretty personable with one?

It doesn't matter if you have an F on your transcript when it comes to AACOMAS (as stated before) they will replace the grade with your most recent attempt. They will however, see that awful grade (trust me, I'm nontrad and have an F on my from freshman year of my 1st degree)--I was asked about it only at one interview and I still got into all the DO schools I interviewed at. Granted, I did maintain a 4.0 with this degree but my MCAT sucked in a major way. I am a RN and I think they liked that. You just do the above, come hell or high water you ensure you do well in your courses from here on out and concentrate on taking the MCAT! By the way, why are you taking micro?

Oh yeah,

I am a liberal arts major. Which for my school is basically 2 minors. I am focusing on Bio and psych. Micro is a part of the bio minor. I was also told that it would help on the MCAT. I am getting even more than that since calc and physics are not necessary for my minor. Trust me I definitely wouldnt take that if I didn't have to.

The psych minor also allowed me to take Psychobiology and statistics which helps, so I've heard. I also have a very good repor with the dean of arts and sciences. She already promised me a LOR since I had her for sociology. She mentioned that I had a very sociological approach toward medicine and she would be happy to do it.

BTW, how would physics be during the summer? If anyon has taken it. I am taking college physics(algebra based). Is it harder than orgo?

 

[Skaterbabe74]

Oh yeah,

I am a liberal arts major. Which for my school is basically 2 minors. I am focusing on Bio and psych. Micro is a part of the bio minor. I was also told that it would help on the MCAT. I am getting even more than that since calc and physics are not necessary for my minor. Trust me I definitely wouldnt take that if I didn't have to.

The psych minor also allowed me to take Psychobiology and statistics which helps, so I've heard. I also have a very good repor with the dean of arts and sciences. She already promised me a LOR since I had her for sociology. She mentioned that I had a very sociological approach toward medicine and she would be happy to do it.

BTW, how would physics be during the summer? If anyon has taken it. I am taking college physics(algebra based). Is it harder than orgo?

Whether physics will be harder than orgo will depend on what kind of learning you are better at. I'm much better at gen chem/analytical chem/physics than I am at organic chem. I took O chem II over the summer and it didn't work well for me. I got a good grade in the lab, and my biochem I that summer but ended up having to retake Orgo II because it was just too much information within a short period of time, and I suck at synthesis on exams.

I then took Calc-based Physics I over the summer with Calc II. I did very well in those classes. It was a breeze compared to organic. There never seemed to be enough hours in the day to study and memorize all the stuff for organic, but physics was just doing the problems and memorizing a few equations (Physics I is almost all kinematics so there's only a few equations really). Plus our prof let us have a 3x5 notecard after the first exam, and a sheet of paper for the final.

So, if you're good at gen chem but bad at organic you'll probably find physics easier than organic, but if you were better at organic than gen chem then physics over the summer might be pretty hard.

 

[mastamark]

Whether physics will be harder than orgo will depend on what kind of learning you are better at. I'm much better at gen chem/analytical chem/physics than I am at organic chem. I took O chem II over the summer and it didn't work well for me. I got a good grade in the lab, and my biochem I that summer but ended up having to retake Orgo II because it was just too much information within a short period of time, and I suck at synthesis on exams.

I then took Calc-based Physics I over the summer with Calc II. I did very well in those classes. It was a breeze compared to organic. There never seemed to be enough hours in the day to study and memorize all the stuff for organic, but physics was just doing the problems and memorizing a few equations (Physics I is almost all kinematics so there's only a few equations really). Plus our prof let us have a 3x5 notecard after the first exam, and a sheet of paper for the final.

So, if you're good at gen chem but bad at organic you'll probably find physics easier than organic, but if you were better at organic than gen chem then physics over the summer might be pretty hard.

That sounds good. I was really good at gen chem. I got better the second semester when I got used to doing the problems. I heard physics was a little harder because you are not given all of the variables needed to come to a solution. I hear there is a lot of extrapolating and that.

I needed to hear that. I will be going to get a Physics for dummies book tomorrow to help me through. Not to say I am a dummy. I just like the format of those. The one for orgo is awesome.

 

[Skaterbabe74]

That sounds good. I was really good at gen chem. I got better the second semester when I got used to doing the problems. I heard physics was a little harder because you are not given all of the variables needed to come to a solution. I hear there is a lot of extrapolating and that.

I needed to hear that. I will be going to get a Physics for dummies book tomorrow to help me through. Not to say I am a dummy. I just like the format of those. The one for orgo is awesome.

Second semester physics has more extrapolation than first semester because you often have to go back to your kinematics/rotational motion equations to get some of your variables, but first semester is just kinematics (yes you may have to use a couple equations to find the final answer but nothing too terrible), Newton's laws (get good at drawing force diagrams lol), and rotational motion (which is really just kinematics but with different symbols lol). Or at least that's what physics I was at my school. Second semester was then electricity, magnetism, circuits (really easy), and optics (in alg-based. Calc-based has optics and thermo in physics III).

 

[davidrossms1]

Too bad that you are another "pre med" that won't get accepted.. Just find a different career. If you can't pass organic, it means two things.

1. you can't visualize 3 dimension
2. you can't handle rigorous courses

This means 2 things

1. you won't do well in Anatomy
2. you would fail out of med school

Don't worry, you could go to Nursing school.

 

[mastamark]

Too bad that you are another "pre med" that won't get accepted.. Just find a different career. If you can't pass organic, it means two things.

1. you can't visualize 3 dimension
2. you can't handle rigorous courses

This means 2 things

1. you won't do well in Anatomy
2. you would fail out of med school

Don't worry, you could go to Nursing school.

😴