c's the day

[yessira]

Hi everybody, I was just wondering what you think my chances are strictly based on some of my grades. My major is biomedical engineering.

general chemistry 1 - A
general chemistry 2 - C
organic chemistry 1 - C
organic chemistry 2 - C
organic chemistry lab - B
physics 1 (calculus based) - A
physics 2 (calculus based) - C
calculus 3 - A
differential equations - C

I have a 36 (13PS, 12BS, 11VR) on the mcat so i am hoping that it counters my Cs. my science gpa is 3.2. I would retake some of the classes but I can't fit it into my schedule. my extracurriculars are pretty decent and i have been doing research for the last 2.5 years. also, i live in illinois. i appreciate any feedback!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[GlamDoc]

..

 

[yessira]

thanks so much for the quick reply. the problem is i am applying this coming cycle and I want to be get my apps in super early. Can I write on the amcas that i plan on retaking some classes? im thinking that probably won't mean much, yeah?

 

[turtledog]

You should apply and retake them at the same time. And make sure to get A's.

 

[iPremed]

Hey!

Just checking..but you are on the semester system right? Are you a junior or senior?

and..do you have a reason for the C's?

 

[yessira]

Hey, yeah we're on the semester system. I am a junior. Funny story about the c's actually. I got 3 of them in the same semester (orgo 2, diff eq, and physics 2). I just tried to do too many things I think. Outside of school work, I was volunteering, working and researching probably more than 40 hours a week.

 

[BigD311]

my question is if youre absolutely sure your sGPA is a 3.2 with all those C?

I feel like with a few Cs its extremely hard to make it above a 2.5

 

[iPremed]

i would have guessed much lower as well...but now my question is..that if he is able to get his gpa above a 3.5..would the C's in bcpm courses be overlooked?

 

[iPremed]

for just the grades you have posted, i calculated your gpa to be 2.757 assuming that the lab is worth 1 credit and all the other classes are 4...

 

[yessira]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. These aren't the only grades that make up my BCPM gpa (I am engineering after all). These are just the most general of the courses i've taken. The only reason I added the classes i got a B and As in to that list is because I kind of lumped them with the others. Its the Cs I am worried about. I've taken classes like neuroscience, modern physics, neural engineering, fluid dynamics, etc. too but I did much better in them. My cumulative GPA is 3.4 and my science GPA is 3.2 for sure, and im pretty sure thats the GPA i will be applying with.

I just hope that because i went 13/12 in PS/BS, it kind of shows that I understand the material and that the Cs are not representative of what I've learned. yeah?

 

[Shawnpremed]

I'm not sure how many more classes you're going to take before applying, but your MCAT score will definitely help at least a bit. In the (near) future, if you feel like you'll receive another C, you may want to withdraw instead.

Since you're in IL, maybe one of the many med schools there will accept you.
Good luck.

 

[yessira]

oh hey, i also have a pretty decent letter of recommendation from my orgo professor who gave me a C. do you think that will benefit me or will schools not even see that until after theyve made up their mind?

 

[9000]

You have got to get past the automatic auto screen before the LORs are even looked at. Judging by your numbers, you should at least be considered for an interview.

 

[BigD311]

why such an erratic performance? I feel like a lack of consistency will be your biggest obstacle.

Im no adcom so I can't say whether you will be OK or not, but from my POV, I see problems with consistent performance?

Any explanation? I know you said 3 in a semester because of too many things on your plate, but you have 2 more. Why didn't you change anything?

 

[yessira]

Any explanation? I know you said 3 in a semester because of too many things on your plate, but you have 2 more. Why didn't you change anything?

Yeah that's a good question. This was was early in my college career. This is just an excuse but I was caught up in the life part of it I guess. And those classes are pretty hard. 4 of these Cs came in the same year (except for general chemistry II which I got a C in freshman year because I had an unexcused absence for a lab. yeah im dumb but I thought you could make up the lab. Needless to say, the lab TA was not feeling me.). But I have had a strong upward trend as of junior year (right now). This year I'm taking a total of 43 credits, which is pretty much what I took my first 3 semesters, and I am rocking them. It's my hail mary. So I guess I am changing something, right? I'm just hoping they notice.

 

[surftheiop]

I think the fact that your an engineer will probaly help somewhat, If you were a psych major they would see this and think you can't do science.

Luckily that wont be an issue for you because like %90 of your classes are harder than GenChem and like %50 of your classes harder than orgo so they are going to know that you have the capacity for science, but your probaly still going to have to do some explaining/maybe retake a class or two.

 

[Slack3r]

...but I was caught up in the life part of it...

That's my excuse. C in Orgo 1, C in Physics 1, D in Physics 2 (missed a test). Oh, yeah, and a C in Italian Theatre (don't ask).

How do they look at retakes? I retook physics 1 and got a B (****ing 89.4%), and I'm retaking physics 2 and orgo 1 this semester. I imagine A's in these will help, but it IS a retake...