C's how many is just too many ?

[chebella7604]

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I'm a junior and I have 3 c's... one in biochem, orgo 1 and calc 1. I've heard that one or even two are ok, but 3? I'm planning to go the SMP route but even if I were to be successful there, is 3 c's as an undergrad simply too much to overcome? I know MCATs will probably factor in here but I haven't taken them yet. I was planning on taking them in the Spring...

 

[Dendrite]

I'm a junior and I have 3 c's... one in biochem, orgo 1 and calc 1. I've heard that one or even two are ok, but 3? I'm planning to go the SMP route but even if I were to be successful there, is 3 c's as an undergrad simply too much to overcome? I know MCATs will probably factor in here but I haven't taken them yet. I was planning on taking them in the Spring...

3 C's is not an impassable barrier. If there are circumstances that surrounded the C's, then it will help explain them. Since you are going the SMP route, just make sure to show a strong upward trend, and do well on your MCAT. Try to show the Adcoms that you can handle med-school-type courses.

However, your EC's will also factor in. Make sure you have a lot of clinical experience.

 

[MDRus]

if you have to ask, it's too many.

 

[armybound]

No

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

I'm a junior and I have 3 c's... one in biochem, orgo 1 and calc 1. I've heard that one or even two are ok, but 3? I'm planning to go the SMP route but even if I were to be successful there, is 3 c's as an undergrad simply too much to overcome? I know MCATs will probably factor in here but I haven't taken them yet. I was planning on taking them in the Spring...

If your GPA isn't bad, I don't think they're going to care. Especially if those Cs came earlier in your undergrad career.

 

[craniotomy30]

3 C's won't kill your shot at getting in, but make sure you do well on the MCAT and have nice ECs

 

[ODorDO]

hello there, think im in the almost same situation as you.... but a little worse? C in calc (took a harder calc class and go an A), C in ChemII, D in ochem am i still in the game?

 

[doinmybest5840]

hello there, think im in the almost same situation as you.... but a little worse? C in calc (took a harder calc class and go an A), C in ChemII, D in ochem am i still in the game?

You need to retake organic chemistry. I think all schools require a C or higher in pre-reqs (maybe a C-, but I don't think so).

 

[Kthanksbye]

If you have more than 3 Cs, you may get an interview, but you really shouldn't even go, because the sole purpose of an interview under those circumstances is so they can shoot you.

 

[ab2701]

oh, man it seems as if im going to have abut 3-4 C/C+ grades in undergrad....however i had severe circumstances (parent terminally ill + bankruptcy and poverty which caused me to work alot)....I dont want to essentially be screwed as my grades are alot better now...mostly A's and if I continue on the same route my cum gpa will be around a 3.63...will schools such as cornell and mount sinai even consider this?

 

[DrBubbles]

oh, man it seems as if im going to have abut 3-4 C/C+ grades in undergrad....however i had severe circumstances (parent terminally ill + bankruptcy and poverty which caused me to work alot)....I dont want to essentially be screwed as my grades are alot better now...mostly A's and if I continue on the same route my cum gpa will be around a 3.63...will schools such as cornell and mount sinai even consider this?

You might be alright with your extenuating circumstances, but just like you said, keep up the A work, and I think you've got a shot 🙂

 

[Maxprime]

If you have a normal (in this screwed up pre-med world) GPA and BCPM above 3.5 or 3.6, it won't be a death sentence.

ADCOM's don't obsess about individual grades, except when they want to screw with you in an interview. They took these classes too and they all didn't get 4.0's.

 

[DrBubbles]

There was a thread on this exact topic a few months ago, I think--it's definitely worth looking up.

Basically, C's won't kill you (although Ds can, and C-'s might (it depends on the school).

I think I had five total: four C's (Chem I, Honors Bio I, Orgo I and an upper level science class) and one C- (in an intro level not-quite-science class).

I don't know if that killed my application the first time around, or if it was my interview skills, or withdrawing from a master's program.

I was, however, able to pull around and re-apply with a bungload more things to add to my app, including an SMP.

The bottom line: you can still get in with C's! It just takes more effort beefing up the rest of your application.

 

[funshoayo1]

Well....I think the question should be how many C's are you allowed to have in science classes? I just had an interview and the interviewer basically saw my transcript, saw a C in real estate and said " i don't care about this C since it is in Real estate"....so my guess is that some schools frown upon having C's in science classes as opposed to non-science class.. i would rather have a C in real estate than a C in biochem......

 

[nick_carraway]

I had 6 C's. Four were in science courses, another 2 in GE courses. I think 4 of them were in one quarter and I was definitely asked about it in my only interview so far.

Do I think that it's hurt me a lot so far in my application cycle? Yes.

Am I looking into SMPs now that it's nearly 2008? You bet.

 

[student12x]

What about W's. I got 2 W's in my first quarter of freshman year in gen chem and calc based physics. But I retook them for A's.

 

[toye7690]

I just got my grade report for this quarter back. Unfortunately and stupidly, I took molecular genetics, calc based physics 2, gen chem 2, and calculus 4 all at the same time. I thought I could handle it. I just realized that it gave my 1A- in math, B- in molecualar genetics and C in physics. I'm really worried about med. school, and this affecting my transcript. This reduced my GPA drastically to a 2.8 this quarter. I really need some advice.What should I do? Prior to this quarter, I've been acing 99% of my classes.

 

[DrBubbles]

I just got my grade report for this quarter back. Unfortunately and stupidly, I took molecular genetics, calc based physics 2, gen chem 2, and calculus 4 all at the same time. I thought I could handle it. I just realized that it gave my 1A- in math, B- in molecualar genetics and C in physics. I'm really worried about med. school, and this affecting my transcript. This reduced my GPA drastically to a 2.8 this quarter. I really need some advice.What should I do? Prior to this quarter, I've been acing 99% of my classes.

If you've been acing 99% of your classes, and that brought you down to a 2.8, I'm going to assume you're a freshman, maybe a sophomore, and have two-three more years to bring up your gpa. Just be smarter about course scheduling, and continue acing 99% of your classes--you'll do fine 🙂

 

[Vihsadas]

wow. It's like we've been having one of these threads every day recently!

 

[nick_carraway]

wow. It's like we've been having one of these threads every day recently!

It's just that time of year. As current applicants gets flustered over their lack of good news, younger members start freaking out over their chances as well.

 

[idomyownstunts1]

I really dont think those C's will hurt you if ur Science GPA is still par and your MCAT is good. You will probably be asked about those C's in your interview so just be honest. Med school like an upward trend in grades. So you have that going for you. I have none quite a few ppl that have received F's and still gone to med school. Just do as much as you can to soften out those grades. Dont Give Up!! thats the worst thing you could do. Kill that MCAT and see if you can maybe retake those classes. But your GPA is good enough to get your foot through the door.
Good Luck!!

 

[pakbabydoll]

It's just that time of year. As current applicants gets flustered over their lack of good news, younger members start freaking out over their chances as well.

I can relate. I am freaking out😱
We don't get our grades till Wednesday, and I had to get a 88 to get an A in chem, and I have no idea about English because our class only met once a week and the prof said he'll bring his grade book to class then forgot all about it. He also had us turn in our journals (4 months), a 7000 words essay on Edgar Allan Poe, a research paper, our final in class essay, and a cumulative final exam all on last day of our class!!!!. Thats more then half of our grade so I have absolutely no idea what I have in English.

 

[Old Grunt]

I'm a junior and I have 3 c's... one in biochem, orgo 1 and calc 1. I've heard that one or even two are ok, but 3? I'm planning to go the SMP route but even if I were to be successful there, is 3 c's as an undergrad simply too much to overcome? I know MCATs will probably factor in here but I haven't taken them yet. I was planning on taking them in the Spring...

Actually, the magic number is 4.

Upon receiving your fourth C, you name is put into the black book, right by Al Capone.

Just don't do it again.

/sarcasm.

 

[MrsHouseMD]

Can I ask a seemingly dumb question??? What is an "smp"???

I havn't been on here in a while...lost touch...concentrating on school and all, but now that fall semester is over...i'm back.

 

[Kthanksbye]

Can I ask a seemingly dumb question??? What is an "smp"???

I havn't been on here in a while...lost touch...concentrating on school and all, but now that fall semester is over...i'm back.

Stands for Special Masters Program, usually a one year masters in the sciences that doesn't require a thesis.

 

[Phenol312]

6 C's here

Expository Writing C+ (rutgers BS class)
G. Chem I/II (taught by a professor who was demoted to a TA the next semester because over 50% of his class failed chem I)
Physics I (no excuse here)
Calc I (professor had an accent like you wouldn't believe)
Advanced Developmental Bio (cross listed grad class...professor didn't use text and contradicted himself in lecture at least 4 times daily.)

If an adcom asks me why I did poorly I'll tell the the truth I was dating a really hot girl who needed alot of attention and i was partying too much. So i ended up with a C in calc, chem II and physics but a B+ in bio (which really should be an A because i scored 90% or higher on all the exams). At least I got it out of my system.

As for the others...well the professors were just terrible...I dont know if that is viewed as a "mature" response but what if its the truth and i didn't like the way they ran the class?

 

[MrsHouseMD]

Stands for Special Masters Program, usually a one year masters in the sciences that doesn't require a thesis.

Oh, I see! Wow, sounds good. not alot of work and get that extra "umph" on your app.

 

[armybound]

Oh, I see! Wow, sounds good. not alot of work and get that extra "umph" on your app.

the curriculum is extremely challenging.

 

[nick_carraway]

the curriculum is extremely challenging.

Yep and the paperwork is the most disorganized junk I've ever filled out. At least for med school apps, there was a system.

Is my transcript + AMCAS not good enough? I need to transcribe every course I've ever taken? In your 15 slots that I have to Xerox over and over again? And recalculate my GPA by hand because you don't trust AMCAS? Ugh.

 

[MrsHouseMD]

the curriculum is extremely challenging.

Oh!