depressed freshman

[vinisew]

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Well I had always intended on doing medicine, but did not start taking the requirements till Spring Semester...
Fall semester went well, not what i wanted, but atleast a GPA over a 3.0. This semester has been horrible, due to many issues...to summarize it stress, physically assaulted in my dorm, and a whole bunch of stuff went on...anyways i know my grades are not going to be good at all...i will be getting an appeal to drop my bio lecture and lab as well as my art history class. i also probably wont be making anything higher then a C in my microbiology and college algebra class. my GPA this semester, most likely will be a 2. something....i feel very ashamed, and worried that this will look terrible when it comes time to apply...with a DR in more then one class, and a C in a math class......am i over reacting??? I plan on taking 14 credits this summer, to bring up my GPA(easy core classes)...any other suggestions..

 

[shawty ya'head]

hi

not to worry. you have a long time ahead of you in college. i've had MANY a-bad semester and i'll be going to med school next year. You should take how many ever courses you feel comfortable with and what will allow you to do well.

medical schools will realize you had a tough semester provided you give them a reason and yours is certainly valid.

on a different note, i hope you take the right course of action in regards to the assault you stated. that is appalling and whomever was involved should feel the repurcussions. g'luck with everything and don't stress about medicine, you'll be fine.

 

[Kazema]

One semester of bad grades isn't going to hurt you too much. Just do well from now on and you'll be fine.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Well I had always intended on doing medicine, but did not start taking the requirements till Spring Semester...
Fall semester went well, not what i wanted, but atleast a GPA over a 3.0. This semester has been horrible, due to many issues...to summarize it stress, physically assaulted in my dorm, and a whole bunch of stuff went on...anyways i know my grades are not going to be good at all...i will be getting an appeal to drop my bio lecture and lab as well as my art history class. i also probably wont be making anything higher then a C in my microbiology and college algebra class. my GPA this semester, most likely will be a 2. something....i feel very ashamed, and worried that this will look terrible when it comes time to apply...with a DR in more then one class, and a C in a math class......am i over reacting??? I plan on taking 14 credits this summer, to bring up my GPA(easy core classes)...any other suggestions..

1. I know several people that interviewed at top 15 medical schools with one or more semesters below 3.0

2. Drops are never good as they admit failure, but can be excusable if you discuss the reasoning on your application

3. Taking that many credits in the summer is a VERY bad idea---there is no time to complete that many hours successfully

4. A few C's will not hurt you at all, especially when counterbalanced with A's in other courses

 

[vinisew]

Thank you all for the encouragement...

OSU-its 4 classes im actually taking....2 the first half and 2 the other....I am taking Spanish I & II which are 4 credits each...still a bad idea?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Thank you all for the encouragement...

OSU-its 4 classes im actually taking....2 the first half and 2 the other....I am taking Spanish I & II which are 4 credits...still a bad idea?

Ok, if it's Spanish, then you'll be fine. I suppose I assumed they were all science.

 

[acidhouse303]

yo, you got time. alot of ppl dont do as well as they would like their freshman year. schools look at the "upward trend". they know youre still trying to figure out your study skills/ time management etc the 1st year. i didnt have the most stellar freshman (haha or sophomore) year either but I'm going to med school in the fall and had a lot of acceptances and interviews. dont get down on yourself. find out why you did poorly in the class and see about getting extra help (TA, office hours etc) i was a microbio TA for several years, so I wanna see u rock that class! 🙂

 

[llort]

Well I had always intended on doing medicine, but did not start taking the requirements till Spring Semester...
Fall semester went well, not what i wanted, but atleast a GPA over a 3.0. This semester has been horrible, due to many issues...to summarize it stress, physically assaulted in my dorm, and a whole bunch of stuff went on...anyways i know my grades are not going to be good at all...i will be getting an appeal to drop my bio lecture and lab as well as my art history class. i also probably wont be making anything higher then a C in my microbiology and college algebra class. my GPA this semester, most likely will be a 2. something....i feel very ashamed, and worried that this will look terrible when it comes time to apply...with a DR in more then one class, and a C in a math class......am i over reacting??? I plan on taking 14 credits this summer, to bring up my GPA(easy core classes)...any other suggestions..

lets hear more about the assault. please expand.

 

[AmateurChef]

Well I had always intended on doing medicine, but did not start taking the requirements till Spring Semester...
Fall semester went well, not what i wanted, but atleast a GPA over a 3.0. This semester has been horrible, due to many issues...to summarize it stress, physically assaulted in my dorm, and a whole bunch of stuff went on...anyways i know my grades are not going to be good at all...i will be getting an appeal to drop my bio lecture and lab as well as my art history class. i also probably wont be making anything higher then a C in my microbiology and college algebra class. my GPA this semester, most likely will be a 2. something....i feel very ashamed, and worried that this will look terrible when it comes time to apply...with a DR in more then one class, and a C in a math class......am i over reacting??? I plan on taking 14 credits this summer, to bring up my GPA(easy core classes)...any other suggestions..

Don't take this the wrong way....but you're a freshman! Lighten up! It's okay to have a bad semester, especially if it's freshman year! Most med schools recognize that you're still adjusting to college, let alone actually preparing for medical school. Take a deep breath and relax. You have plenty of time ahead of you...don't kill yourself with stress just because you had a bad term.

 

[virilep]

Well I had always intended on doing medicine, but did not start taking the requirements till Spring Semester...
Fall semester went well, not what i wanted, but atleast a GPA over a 3.0. This semester has been horrible, due to many issues...to summarize it stress, physically assaulted in my dorm, and a whole bunch of stuff went on...anyways i know my grades are not going to be good at all...i will be getting an appeal to drop my bio lecture and lab as well as my art history class. i also probably wont be making anything higher then a C in my microbiology and college algebra class. my GPA this semester, most likely will be a 2. something....i feel very ashamed, and worried that this will look terrible when it comes time to apply...with a DR in more then one class, and a C in a math class......am i over reacting??? I plan on taking 14 credits this summer, to bring up my GPA(easy core classes)...any other suggestions..

people have rough semesters and they have to make sure they can explain it well to the adcom. don't fret. many people end up graduating college with a <3.0 (this isn't a specific number, just any "low" GPA) and do a post bacc if necessary and do well in med school and get in. you have hope. don't give up.

Ps... let's hear about this assault.

 

[boardchic]

lets hear more about the assault. please expand.

That's none of your business. Why is everyone pushing the OP to reveal personal details that have absolutely no bearing on the question being asked. Drop it. Do you not have enough drama in your real life so you have to fish for drama from an anonymous poster?

 

[Larsitron]

The OP didn't mention this, but I think we can infer it from the post that there's a fair amount of anxiety being dealt with here. I don't know about the specific campus, but I know most major universities (and a lot of smaller ones) have great counseling services that help people manage the anxiety and stress that comes with a rough semester. I know that I was depressed and anxious my freshman year, but going to counseling and therapy really helped talk me though it. Sometimes talking to a professional having them tell you that you're okay is just what we need sometimes. Good luck and if you want to ask me about my experience with counseling and therapy to combat anxiety, just send me a PM.

 

[fpr85]

You should be discussing this with a counselor, not a bunch of people off the net.

 

[virilep]

You should be discussing this with a counselor, not a bunch of people off the net.

that's what SDN is....and to boardchic. we're not "pushing." if he wants to, then he will

 

[rpkall]

Don't take this the wrong way....but you're a freshman! Lighten up! It's okay to have a bad semester, especially if it's freshman year!

^ good advice.

Don't sweat it. Figure out WHY you're not doing well, and do your best to change it.

They have counseling services at most schools; if you're fortunate, you have some friends and family members you can talk to about the assault and about what's been going on with you emotionally.

Don't be ashamed--nobody's perfect. But people can strive to be better--to cope more successfully, to focus, etc. You just have to be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses, abilities and limitations.

Good luck to you; I hope things do get better!

 

[crys20]

i got a D and 3 C's my frosh year...eek! i'm applying this june with a 3.56 GPA. I may not be Harvard material, but it's competitive and it has a huge upward trend. No doubt you'll have to bust ass the next couple years, but if you want it badly enough you'll do just fine. Good luck

 

[OSUdoc08]

i got a D and 3 C's my frosh year...eek! i'm applying this june with a 3.56 GPA. I may not be Harvard material, but it's competitive and it has a huge upward trend. No doubt you'll have to bust ass the next couple years, but if you want it badly enough you'll do just fine. Good luck

Crys, have you considered retaking that D this summer?

Just because your GPA is good, it may still be a problem.

 

[crys20]

OSUDoc...Well, the D was from Calc II my first quarter of freshman year. I debated retaking it many times but decided not to...Let's just say I'm horrible at math and at the time my theme was moving on, trying to get confident, and banking on a big upward trend that would offset that D. The fact of the matter was that I didn't know if I'd do better than a C the second time around so I thought maybe it was best to leave it be. Trend wasn't huge, but I pulled it up to above a 3.5. It may cause problems of course but since it was my first quarter and I've gotten quite a few As since...I don't know, I'm confident that it will be ok. I'm applying widely and to DO schools as well w/ the 3.5 and a 30 so I'm hopeful to get some looks despite the D.

 

[OSUdoc08]

OSUDoc...Well, the D was from Calc II my first quarter of freshman year. I debated retaking it many times but decided not to...Let's just say I'm horrible at math and at the time my theme was moving on, trying to get confident, and banking on a big upward trend that would offset that D. The fact of the matter was that I didn't know if I'd do better than a C the second time around so I thought maybe it was best to leave it be. Trend wasn't huge, but I pulled it up to above a 3.5. It may cause problems of course but since it was my first quarter and I've gotten quite a few As since...I don't know, I'm confident that it will be ok. I'm applying widely and to DO schools as well w/ the 3.5 and a 30 so I'm hopeful to get some looks despite the D.

A D and a C are a big difference. Make sure you are prepared to give a good reason why you didn't retake it all this time. They will ask.

Discussing the reasoning for your grade slips should be included on the pertaining areas of your application as well.

 

[ellia08]

I suppose Im just restating what everyone else has said.but the gist is ... breathe. One bad semester is ok. Dont overload the next few (which could make it worse). Just give yourself a little space, do well in the classes you do take, and you will be fine. The most important thing is that you come through the personal stuff ok, and then the classes will come along too.

It sounds like you were dealing with a lot of crap so a bad semester is understandible. Just hang in there and it will get better.

 

[Shaz]

One semester of bad grades isn't going to hurt you too much. Just do well from now on and you'll be fine.

Yeah. This is just one semester. From now on, its really up to you to make this happen.

Don't put any uneeded pressure on yourself. Take it easy, maybe one or two hard science classes/semester and make sure you get A's. Subsequently, add more "hard" classes.

You can do it buddy. No question. The real question is are you motivated enough?

 

[crys20]

OSU...You don't think me chalking it up to being my 1st quarter of college and not retaking because I do struggle with calculus and I didn't want to look back but instead press on and rebuild my GPA by acing a ton of upper-div, difficult classes...That at the time I wanted to move on in order to gain more confidence and move forward and as time progressed I became pleased with the way things were going as my study skills and focus improved and less concerned with going back and fighting the battle with calculus again...I had worked very hard, albeit inefficiently and misguidedly probably, that first quarter to do better than that in the class and it didn't work out; I was unsure at the time that I could improve a whole lot in the course and as time went on the material was so far lost on me and I felt like I was making genuine progress toward being a competitive applicant all the same...Do you think that explanation works?

And yes, I did address in my PS my rocky transition to college. As a med student though do you think the D...since you already know my other stats...is going to completely screw me over?

 

[OSUdoc08]

OSU...You don't think me chalking it up to being my 1st quarter of college and not retaking because I do struggle with calculus and I didn't want to look back but instead press on and rebuild my GPA by acing a ton of upper-div, difficult classes...That at the time I wanted to move on in order to gain more confidence and move forward and as time progressed I became pleased with the way things were going as my study skills and focus improved and less concerned with going back and fighting the battle with calculus again...I had worked very hard, albeit inefficiently and misguidedly probably, that first quarter to do better than that in the class and it didn't work out; I was unsure at the time that I could improve a whole lot in the course and as time went on the material was so far lost on me and I felt like I was making genuine progress toward being a competitive applicant all the same...Do you think that explanation works?

And yes, I did address in my PS my rocky transition to college. As a med student though do you think the D...since you already know my other stats...is going to completely screw me over?

For M.D. schools, yes. (Unless you have an exceptional MCAT.) They are pretty stingy on allowing more than a few C's in. D = done.

I'd still consider retaking it at an easy community college this summer, to erase the problem.

*this is my opinion, and I really do hope they don't care, but I really want to be practical here, so there are no unexpected disappointments*

My best advice to you is to apply to as many schools as possible.

Good luck....

 

[crys20]

For M.D. schools, yes. (Unless you have an exceptional MCAT.) They are pretty stingy on allowing C's in. D = done.

I'd still consider retaking it at an easy community college this summer, to erase the problem.

*this is my opinion, and I really do hope they don't care, but I really want to be practical here, so there are no unexpected disappointments*

My best advice to you is to apply to as many schools as possible.

Good luck....

Wow...Gotta say I've never heard that before, from anyone. And I know so many people on here who've gotten in with C's on their record. But luckily there's always DO. I'd love to live in AZ anyhow and the only way I will is if I get 0 MD acceps and 1 AZCOM one.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Wow...Gotta say I've never heard that before, from anyone. And I know so many people on here who've gotten in with C's on their record. But luckily there's always DO. I'd love to live in AZ anyhow and the only way I will is if I get 0 MD acceps and 1 AZCOM one.

Yeah, but do you know anyone who got in with D's?

If so, I'd be curious to know where they got in.

I was accepted to AZCOM, and I almost went there, by the way.

 

[crys20]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=55952&highlight=bad+grade+calc

I don't know...I mean you may be right and I may not get a single interview. However, I gotta think that as an Ohio resident w/ a 30 and a 3.5+ w/ an upward trend and some sweet ECs I won't get some looks at MCO, Wright State, etc. Thank God for DO though, thank God.

Oh, and it's not "D's", it's one lone D. 🙂 My first quarter. ONE. 🙂

 

[OSUdoc08]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=55952&highlight=bad+grade+calc

I don't know...I mean you may be right and I may not get a single interview. However, I gotta think that as an Ohio resident w/ a 30 and a 3.5+ w/ an upward trend and some sweet ECs I won't get some looks at MCO, Wright State, etc. Thank God for DO though, thank God.

Oh, and it's not "D's", it's one lone D. 🙂 My first quarter. ONE. 🙂

If you apply to enough schools, you'll get in. Just don't be overconfident. There are quite a few schools in Ohio, as I understand.

 

[crys20]

Oh, if it's one thing I'm not it's overconfident my friend. 🙂 Thanks for all the advice, seriously. Honestly, I'd be psyched MD, DO, carib, whatever, I'm just praying for something. 🙂

 

[OSUdoc08]

Oh, if it's one thing I'm not it's overconfident my friend. 🙂 Thanks for all the advice, seriously. Honestly, I'd be psyched MD, DO, carib, whatever, I'm just praying for something. 🙂

Let's not hang our heads too low. Many caribbean schools don't even require an MCAT. You have great overall stats, and will be going to school somewhere in the U.S.

(but I'm glad your passion for becoming a physician supercedes school location/type)

 

[riceman04]

Well I had always intended on doing medicine, but did not start taking the requirements till Spring Semester...
Fall semester went well, not what i wanted, but atleast a GPA over a 3.0. This semester has been horrible, due to many issues...to summarize it stress, physically assaulted in my dorm, and a whole bunch of stuff went on...anyways i know my grades are not going to be good at all...i will be getting an appeal to drop my bio lecture and lab as well as my art history class. i also probably wont be making anything higher then a C in my microbiology and college algebra class. my GPA this semester, most likely will be a 2. something....i feel very ashamed, and worried that this will look terrible when it comes time to apply...with a DR in more then one class, and a C in a math class......am i over reacting??? I plan on taking 14 credits this summer, to bring up my GPA(easy core classes)...any other suggestions..

What everyone has said here (well at least the ones I read) is absolutely correct. Do not worry about it at all! You have plenty of time to figure everything out. I understand where you are coming from with freshman year (except I had to deal with ish during my first semester). I will be honest with you - that was the first time (and last time) I cried over grades. The sad thing was that I did not enjoy winter break because I was so stressed out over it. I wanted to transfer and everything. But I stuck with it, and everything turned out great.

My point is that what wont kill you will only make you stronger. Keep your head up baby girl and keep striving for your goals! And don't let anyone on this board who may say something negative discourage you!!!

Be strong, "be still", and keep movin'! 😀