Can one Semester Ruin it all?

[Stversko]

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My current grades:

3.7 freshman I
2.5 freshman II
3.45 sophmore I
3.75 sophmore II


the reason for the really low gpa second semester freshman year is because of an illness in my family and i had to work 30+ hours a week while being full time taking (chem II, Calc I, )

this was a major hit to my overall gpa, i am wondering if it could really be the reason i don't get into med school. i do show some consistency and believe me i am working hard to increase my gpa my junior year. But at the moment i am at a mediocre 3.33. (science gpa just about same)

Would can i do to show the admissions commitee i am hard working and the explain the reason for the poor semester?

 

[Geekchick921]

I'm pretty sure your best bet would be to graciously address the dip and reason behind it in your personal statement. Be sure to point out that your grades have steadily increased since.

 

[MDROCKSTAR]

As long as the trend shows you are getting better, you'll be fine.

 

[MassTransport]

I think you'll do file, as long as you didn't score below a C in any of the med school pre-reqs that second semester.

 

[MrBurns10]

You're totally fine. I had one semester of a 2.5 or 2.7 (can't remember which) due to personal issues and it wasn't an issue at all. In fact, there were some schools to which I didn't even explain what happened and they never asked. All I would recommend doing is to have an explanation ready if they ask you about it, emphasize that that experience made you a stronger student that you feel is able to handle stress well now, and for goodness sakes, DO NOT put it in your personal statement. You don't need to focus on it when it was clearly an aberration. Good luck!

 

[brains]

I'm in a similar situation. Last fall my grandmother passed away from lung ca, I got laid off while in the middle of building our house😱 and my dad got very sick and had to have his leg amputated. All this while taking Ochem I/ Lab, A&P I/lab and precalc. It totally sucked. I even had to write a letter to a financial advisor just so I could get my grants back. Definitely not by best semester. I try to look at the bright side, which is that I (and my entire family) went through a very hard time together, but we toughed it out and dealt with the stress the best we could. Good luck to you

 

[Karen12345]

Can one Semester Ruin it all?


NO WAY!

 

[cbrons]

no you must be so perfect that you achieve absolute mastery of all course material and maintain above a 4.0. Then you must come here on SDN and ask people for note taking tips and whether or not you should wear a coat in 40 degree weather.

 

[nonesuchgirl]

no you must be so perfect that you achieve absolute mastery of all course material and maintain above a 4.0. Then you must come here on SDN and ask people for note taking tips and whether or not you should wear a coat in 40 degree weather.

i have a 53z and a 6.7 gpa and i cured pan ca with knitting needles and an orioles cap ans some spaghetti.......... do i have a shot?

 

[cbrons]

i have a 53z and a 6.7 gpa and i cured pan ca with knitting needles and an orioles cap ans some spaghetti.......... do i have a shot?

I'm sorry but you don't qualify. First you have to ask a ridiculously stupid question or try and make something so extremely simple into something complex. Example: asking people to prognosticate about weather patterns in city X so as to gauge whether or not you will put a coat in the back seat on your drive up.

 

[PatchesNBrownie]

no you must be so perfect that you achieve absolute mastery of all course material and maintain above a 4.0. Then you must come here on SDN and ask people for note taking tips and whether or not you should wear a coat in 40 degree weather.

Haha!

 

[Stversko]

I think you'll do file, as long as you didn't score below a C in any of the med school pre-reqs that second semester.

I didnt score below a C, but did get C in Chem II, and C+ Calc (ouchh I know)

do you think my transcript will get passed the cut off for secondary apps with these grades even?

and is there any other way to explain the situation other than mention something in my personal statement?

 

[nonesuchgirl]

I didnt score below a C, but did get C in Chem II, and C+ Calc (ouchh I know)

do you think my transcript will get passed the cut off for secondary apps with these grades even?

In the courses that follow these, are your grades higher?

 

[Stversko]

In the courses that follow these, are your grades higher?

aside from those 2 C's, i have recieved B+ and A's in the all the other required science courses. I'm currently taking organic chemistry, seem to be doing just fine. hence.. my current science gpa is also around 3.33 with those C's. Will i Make the cut at the moment?

 

[nonesuchgirl]

aside from those 2 C's, i have recieved B+ and A's in the all the other required science courses. I'm currently taking organic chemistry, seem to be doing just fine. hence.. my current science gpa is also around 3.33 with those C's. Will i Make the cut at the moment?

That your grades are higher is a plus- it tends to show that you can handle the coursework.

3.33 isn't great, but if you're only in junior year you can pull it up, right?

 

[taponthecloud]

Can one Semester Ruin it all?

Define "it." Seriously...

If your goal is to get in a medical school, then honestly I would say "it" is not over yet.

<----feeling like a smartass today