Did I kill my chances with one F?

[hockey833]

Last semester I took 4 credit Calculus and failed it because I honestly hated it and didn't know MD programs take into account all your grades or else I would've withdrawn. I got A's in my 3 Bio classes, A in gen chem 2, and B- for the lab so it's not like I'm a stupid kid barely getting by my pre-reqs. I am freaking out because I feel like my chances have been absolutely ruined because of how much it killed my GPA. A doctor I talked to said as long as I retake the class and get an A in it I will be fine, which I know I can do and will have time to explain in my interview and personal statement. But it is the damage it has done to my GPA that's making my stomach sick. It is a 4 credit class which has more weight to it than other classes and even if I get an A, it will be averaged out to 8 credits of C.

Went into the semester with a 3.4, and would be walking out with a 3.55 if it wasn't for Calculus but now I am sitting at a miserable 3.23. I am aiming for MD programs and after retaking the class and getting an A, I would only be sitting at a 3.3. That means I pretty much have to get straight A's the rest of my college career in order to get a 3.6 which is pretty discouraging because I've worked hard in all my other classes. I don't even need Calculus for the med school I want to go to, physics, or the MCAT, just for my major (Neuroscience) which is what makes me so angry!

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[SN12357]

No, you didn't ruin your chances. Use the search function.

This is not something that would need to or should be explained in a personal statement. It might come up in interviews.

 

[HelpPleaseMD]

like you said you will have to do pretty damn stellar the rest of the way. your gpa w/o the F wasn't that high to begin with. You can turn it around though, as it seems like you are at the beginning of your college career. you would definitely drop classes before withdrawal deadline if it appears to be a class you won't do well in.

 

[Goro]

100% concur

like you said you will have to do pretty damn stellar the rest of the way. your gpa w/o the F wasn't that high to begin with. You can turn it around though, as it seems like you are at the beginning of your college career. you would definitely drop classes before withdrawal deadline if it appears to be a class you won't do well in.

 

[QuantumJ]

No

 

[hockey833]

I'm a sophomore going into my Spring semester. I received straight A's freshman year first semester, except for one B for 3.75.
Then got straight B's my freshman second semester which lowered it to 3.4.
This just happened my sophomore first semester.
So what should my plan of action be?

Just get straight A's the rest of my college career? Its so stressful, every test I take will be a make or break of whether I get into med school which terrifies me, even one B will screw me! I can get into a DO program but I really really want to be an MD

 

[911 Turbo]

I'm a sophomore going into my Spring semester. I received straight A's freshman year first semester, except for one B for 3.75.
Then got straight B's my freshman second semester which lowered it to 3.4.
This just happened my sophomore first semester.
So what should my plan of action be?

Just get straight A's the rest of my college career? Its so stressful, every test I take will be a make or break of whether I get into med school which terrifies me, even one B will screw me! I can get into a DO program but I really really want to be an MD

this is the reason why most of those kids freshman year who raised their hands when the professor asked who was premed arent premed anymore
luckily you have SDN.... I agree, just try to do well in all your classes but don't stress out too much. There are a lot of other posters who have gotten in with Fs.

 

[hockey833]

Will MD admissions officers take into account what your gpa would of been had you not gotten that F? It's not that fact that I got an F, I know I can retake the class and get an A to prove to med schools I can do it and explain it in mypersonal statement/interview. As I said before, it is solely the damage to my GPA that makes me sick to my stomach.
I know I can get into med school, but it may have to be a DO program which upsets me because I feel like I'll be looked down on for not being smart enough to be an MD....all because of one grade

 

[SN12357]

Will MD admissions officers take into account what your gpa would of been had you not gotten that F? It's not that fact that I got an F, I know I can retake the class and get an A to prove to med schools I can do it and explain it in mypersonal statement/interview. As I said before, it is solely the damage to my GPA that makes me sick to my stomach.
I know I can get into med school, but it may have to be a DO program which upsets me because I feel like I'll be looked down on for not being smart enough to be an MD....all because of one grade

That's not how GPA math works. Collectively that pattern of Bs has been as damaging to your GPA as the single F.

If you don't get into MD school it won't be because of any single grade. If you're serious about medical school, figure out why you haven't been getting As and fix the underlying problem.

 

[Elevencents]

I know I can get into med school, but it may have to be a DO program which upsets me because I feel like I'll be looked down on for not being smart enough to be an MD....all because of one grade

Then go to the Caribbean for your MD initials and don't look back. Let me know how that works out for you.

One F won't keep you out, you need to chill out.

 

[chinsucl]

In my opinion, you should retake class.

 

[justAstudent]

I agree with what everyone is telling you. The one F won't keep you out of medical school. Mediocre grades resulting in a less than stellar GPA will. Figure out what you need to do to get you over the hump to get more A's instead of B's and you'll be fine. Good luck.

 

[OphthoBio]

I would hope not as well. I had a very bad first semester freshman year (serious issues w/ depression). But since then (now going into spring of sophomore year) I've basically pulled all A's with only 2 B's. It freaks me out, but it's just about taking it one test at a time. I talked about it with my advisors, and they've all said it's going to be a hard road, but you have to be in the present if you want to succeed.

 

[hockey833]

Thanks guys, now I feel stupid for getting straight B's but hope a upward trend of grades can help me recover. Any other tips or advice for studying, tests, grades for my position?

 

[SN12357]

Thanks guys, now I feel stupid for getting straight B's but hope a upward trend of grades can help me recover. Any other tips or advice for studying, tests, grades for my position?

Two major possibilities: you aren't studying enough or at the right times (partying too much? procrastinating and trying to cram right before the test? these two things are both easy to fix) or you aren't studying well. Look up study methods, talk to people who do well in the classes, go to your school's learning center, start figuring out the way forward.

In your position I also strongly suggest a gap year so that when you apply you can show two years of improved grades and raise your GPA more. If you try and apply as a senior in college you won't have nearly as much time to make up ground.

 

[hockey833]

Definitely not partying because I'm not a big partier, I work Friday through Monday from 7 PM-2 AM to pay my apartment and food. I think the semester I got straight B's I didn't study hard enough. This semester I'd study a week before the test and got A's in all those classes. But Calculus I could never study for because I'd look at a problem and not know where to start, then go to the math center and get one question done every 20 minutes because they help other people too. First semester of college I got one B and in what class? Math...I'm just not good at it because it doesn't interest me at ALL. I need one on one for math tutoring, which is what hurt me because I stopped caring and material started building up. I went to class and paid attention, but when I looked at the homework just couldn't understand it and gave up.

• Would it help me to e-mail professors over winter break asking how I can prepare for the class? Like what chapters I could start reading before class? Or is that useless?

• How about meeting teacher's in their offices? I NEVER do that and my goal last semester was to actually go to their office and do practice problems and go over stuff I didn't understand in class EVERY week. (I failed this goal but still got A's). How helpful is that really or does it depend on the professor? Should I just go into their office only when I don't understand a topic, or can I go in there to just talk more about the subject and do review with them so I solidify the material in my mind?

Girl I know who get's straight A's says all she does is goes over her notes for that day every night she goes to bed, but she is naturally very very smart so it makes me wonder if being a doctor is only for those with near photographic memory.

 

[chinsucl]

This is how I study Math (got A+ in calculus) - I'm not very smart but hard-working. I hope this helps.

-Read the textbook before going to the class.
-Try to "really" understand the concept first and visualize it. Don't use formulas as a machine.
- Systemize your knowledge.
- Know where the concepts are applied and conditions by which the concepts exist. Some of my friends find critical points and inflection points without knowing that they are not in the domain of the function. The reverse of some rules or principles is not right!!!
- Practice is the key.
- On the day before the test, review the concepts and work "some" problems again.
- Believe in yourself!
Good luck

 

[hockey833]

See that's where math can't be understood by me. How the heck are you supposed to visualize and understand the concepts of math. The only concept I understood from calc was derivative=slope of line, that's literally all I learned over a semester. I can't learn math from reading the text, I have to practice it.

 

[Contr0lz]

Try khanacademy; his videos are pretty helpful. Attempt to solve problems in his videos before he solves them. If you don't get it, you can follow along with the written and verbal explanation. Other than khanacademy, there are also other really helpful math based youtubers, such as PatrickJMT. Try them out! These guys tend to do pretty easy problems in their videos, but if you can get the basics down cold, you can do the harder problems as well with a bit of practice. Since you already took calculus I and got a F, retake calc I and try this method out alongside doing all of the hw problems given in class and going to office hours. Best of luck! You can do it!