Getting a 4.0

[Uisa]

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Hey guys, I figured out that in order for me to be competitive amongst others I need just one semester of 4.0 or a 3.8 to really boost my GPA up before applying to medical schools. Needless to say the pressure is on constantly 24/7. Well all seemed to be going well until this previous week where I had 3 exams at once (now keep in mind, I've had 1 exam a week for 10 weeks straight now). I did not plan it for my exam schedule to be so hectic but for some unknown reason my professors love giving exams in various cycles so for me they come every week.

Well like I mentioned before, I had 3 this previous week ,well I just got my organic II exam back and I got a D+. My first D ever, the professor did mention that this was one of the hardest exams he's ever given and I only had 8 hours to study for this (include other excuse here).

I am in the midst of getting my other 2 grades back this week and I swear, if they those both are any less than an A. I'm not sure what to do with myself. It's not like I crammed for 3 exams, it really purely came down to not having enough time (I did not sleep for 4 days straight) plus other 3 days of 16+ hour studying.

Anyway, my main concern is that I feel like I can't get into medical school if I don't get this 4.0 this semester and I'm really bummed. What would you do if you're in my shoes? Would you be as bummed about this?

- Thanks, a depressed pre-med


PS. I did ask for my exams to be pushed back but none of the 3 budged and said it was my responsibility. Well no **** it's my responsibility...yada yada don't want to bore you with excuses lol

 

[armybound]

I don't see how you only had 8 hours to study. You begin studying when you get home from class. I'm sure you had weeks to study.

My opinion is that you need to figure out new study habits, because you shouldn't have to pull an all-nighter.. ever.

 

[RySerr21]

Hey guys, I figured out that in order for me to be competitive amongst others I need just one semester of 4.0 or a 3.8 to really boost my GPA up before applying to medical schools. Needless to say the pressure is on constantly 24/7. Well all seemed to be going well until this previous week where I had 3 exams at once (now keep in mind, I've had 1 exam a week for 10 weeks straight now). I did not plan it for my exam schedule to be so hectic but for some unknown reason my professors love giving exams in various cycles so for me they come every week.

Well like I mentioned before, I had 3 this previous week ,well I just got my organic II exam back and I got a D+. My first D ever, the professor did mention that this was one of the hardest exams he's ever given and I only had 8 hours to study for this (include other excuse here).

I am in the midst of getting my other 2 grades back this week and I swear, if they those both are any less than an A. I'm not sure what to do with myself. It's not like I crammed for 3 exams, it really purely came down to not having enough time (I did not sleep for 4 days straight) plus other 3 days of 16+ hour studying.

Anyway, my main concern is that I feel like I can't get into medical school if I don't get this 4.0 this semester and I'm really bummed. What would you do if you're in my shoes? Would you be as bummed about this?

- Thanks, a depressed pre-med


PS. I did ask for my exams to be pushed back but none of the 3 budged and said it was my responsibility. Well no **** it's my responsibility...yada yada don't want to bore you with excuses lol

i dont really understand why you HAVE to get a 4.0 this semester. One semester of a good GPA at the end of your college career is not going to impact your overall GPA that much. how much are you expecting it to jump? Chances are your GPA is just fine and you are freaking yourself out for no reason. It also doesnt really make sense how you have an exam every week for 10 weeks. How many friken classes are you taking? Even if they did cycle so that you had a different test every week you'd have at the most like 4 or 5 weeks. And you cant possibly be getting that much material so that you have major exams in every class every other week. There is like 3 hours of lecture a week for undergad per class. Most classes youll have a few tests a semester....maybe 3 or 4 at most.

Dude you probably did poorly b/c you DIDNT SLEEP FOR 4 DAYS. You need to seriously re evaluate your study habits and how much other **** you are doing. You should not be that crammed for time.

 

[redsquareblack]

I don't see how you only had 8 hours to study. You begin studying when you get home from class. I'm sure you had weeks to study.

My opinion is that you need to figure out new study habits, because you shouldn't have to pull an all-nighter.. ever.

Seconded.

 

[chman]

If it was one of the hardest tests he had ever given won't the curve help you out a lot?

Otherwise my suggestion is to buy a calender an map out how much you will study each day. I would normally not do this but if you have a real tough course load it is important to stay organized and on track. Otherwise I would just give the normal suggestions of re-writing notes, study groups, practice problems, etc.

 

[smarttee88]

I don't see how you only had 8 hours to study. You begin studying when you get home from class. I'm sure you had weeks to study.

My opinion is that you need to figure out new study habits, because you shouldn't have to pull an all-nighter.. ever.

Thank You. I am glad someone finally addressed this!..That, "I HAD to stay up ALL NIGHT studying for an exam and I am oh so tired. Will you please feel sorry for me?" crap kills me!! With that being said, good look to OP!

 

[allinthecookies]

If you only studied the night before an OChem test you're going to be screwed, that's a given. That's a class you always have to be ahead in and then studying should be mostly review, you can't expect to learn all of Organic Chemistry the night before!

 

[EmpathMan]

Hey OP, I'm sure you'll honestly be fine. If you take a look at most people's MDapplicants profile or see their GPAs, the mass majority do NOT have perfect 4.0s. A 3.5-3.6 is considered competitive to get into a medical school period. If you want to shoot for a more top-ranked school, you should aim to get above those GPAs. However, keep in mind that there are like what, 146 medical schools in the United States? If you really want to be a doctor, I'm absolutely sure you will get into one of those schools.

As for your study habits, do your best to start studying in advance so you don't have to cram at the last minute like the others have said.

Don't stress though! Keep the faith, you're good to go mate. 🙂

 

[zetabetazeta]

I totally understand your pressure and stress. I had the same problem when I got my first biochem midterm back (First I got a D but my TA was nice enough to regrade my test and gave me a B- instead). I am going to have two midterms next week. After I got such a bad grade on my midterm, I decided to change my study habit. You said you did not have enough time to study. I felt the exact same thing (I'm only taking three classes this quarter and work 7 hours per week, but I still feel I don't have enough time to study). I don't know what to say, but I believe you will have time to study if you try to make time.

I'm extremely scared of not getting into medical school, but seriously, there is nothing I can do except to do my best. I can see that you are a serious pre-med and you really want this. So..cheer yourself up and WE CAN DO IT! 😀

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=677540

 

[dudechiefboss]

Thank You. I am glad someone finally addressed this!..That, "I HAD to stay up ALL NIGHT studying for an exam and I am oh so tired. Will you please feel sorry for me?" crap kills me!! With that being said, good look to OP!

You need to sleep before an exam - as other posters have stated: the night before an exam should be review (not learning).

 

[csmittyB]

I totally understand your pressure and stress. I had the same problem when I got my first biochem midterm back (First I got a D but my TA was nice enough to regrade my test and gave me a B- instead). I am going to have two midterms next week. After I got such a bad grade on my midterm, I decided to change my study habit. You said you did not have enough time to study. I felt the exact same thing (I'm only taking three classes this quarter and work 7 hours per week, but I still feel I don't have enough time to study). I don't know what to say, but I believe you will have time to study if you try to make time.

I'm extremely scared of not getting into medical school, but seriously, there is nothing I can do except to do my best. I can see that you are a serious pre-med and you really want this. So..cheer yourself up and WE CAN DO IT! 😀

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=677540

How the heck do you get a D and after the regrade end up with a B-😕? That makes absolutely no sense.

 

[zetabetazeta]

How the heck do you get a D and after the regrade end up with a B-😕? That makes absolutely no sense.

Ohh, there was one question that my TA graded wrong (worth 15% of the whole test). So I told him to regrade my test.

 

[Bbon]

My opinion is that you need to figure out new study habits, because you shouldn't have to pull an all-nighter.. ever.

Thirded.. never pulled anything remotely close to an all-nighter in my life. Actually, I almost always get 8 hours or more the night before. Always figured an all-nighter would do more harm than good. How can you perform well on a test when you're barely conscious?

 

[MexicanDr]

(I'm only taking three classes this quarter and work 7 hours per week, but I still feel I don't have enough time to study).

I dont think that is a heavy load at all, maybe you need to reconsider your study methods. Remember, MORE doesn't mean BETTER.

Preview material before class, pay attention/take good notes in class, review/practice problems after class

...I think if you keep this cycle on a daily basis you should be pretty good before exams, and like it has been mentioned here, this way your studying of the test should be mostly review.

 

[randombetch]

i don't see how you only had 8 hours to study. You begin studying when you get home from class. I'm sure you had weeks to study.

My opinion is that you need to figure out new study habits, because you shouldn't have to pull an all-nighter.. Ever.

+1

If I procrastinate on homework, I pull an all nighter for it. But I NEVER allow myself to procrastinate for studying for a test. I plan weeks in advance how I'm going to study, study according to schedule, and then conquer the test. For example, for my organic chemistry test that's a week and a half from now, I'm going to be taking 2 practice exams (2 hrs each) on Friday, 3 practice exams Saturday, 3 practice exams Sunday, 1 on Monday, 1 on Tuesday, and 1 on Wednesday before the test.

When you have multiple tests, it's especially important to divide your time wisely. I can't start studying until Friday because I have my Genetics midterm on Thursday, which takes priority over everything else because it's worth 35%. It's always a good idea to have a plan of attack - well worth few minutes necessary to make one.

 

[zetabetazeta]

I dont think that is a heavy load at all, maybe you need to reconsider your study methods. Remember, MORE doesn't mean BETTER.

Preview material before class, pay attention/take good notes in class, review/practice problems after class

...I think if you keep this cycle on a daily basis you should be pretty good before exams, and like it has been mentioned here, this way your studying of the test should be mostly review.

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do. I have a different study habit now.

Thank you for your suggestion.

 

[ApoK]

If you only studied the night before an OChem test you're going to be screwed, that's a given. That's a class you always have to be ahead in and then studying should be mostly review, you can't expect to learn all of Organic Chemistry the night before!

Not true for everyone. Although it sounds like it's true for the OP.

 

[Uisa]

Not true for everyone. Although it sounds like it's true for the OP.

Guys there seems to be lot of assumptions made and "judging" of my character. While I don't approve of it, I obviously am not going to waste my time and your time trying to convince you otherwise.

However, just to set the record straight, I mentioned earlier that I had a 10 week cycle of 1 exam/week. And when you're going for a 4.0, every single exam counts. Needless to say while I was studying for those weekly, I had to push back some of the other-not-so-pertinent subjects. I look back and I really wonder if I could have done more and while the answer might be yes, I feel that that was too theoretical, unforseen things occur and I can't always follow my schedule dead on.

Lastly, to get this cleared, the last 2 exams I got in organic were A's and they were also the result of studying for 3 nights straight, doing every single problem out of the book and re-doing mechanisms until I broke my white board (no joke). So perhaps, this was just a result of a harder exam, and not so much due to cramming...

Now please, let's all try to get back on topic

 

[Laryngophed]

I don't see how you only had 8 hours to study. You begin studying when you get home from class. I'm sure you had weeks to study.

My opinion is that you need to figure out new study habits, because you shouldn't have to pull an all-nighter.. ever.

This guy knows.

 

[jtimmer1]

Stop whining. If you cannot handle a heavy undergrad load, just wait until you "get in" to medical school.

 

[randombetch]

Guys there seems to be lot of assumptions made and "judging" of my character. While I don't approve of it, I obviously am not going to waste my time and your time trying to convince you otherwise.

However, just to set the record straight, I mentioned earlier that I had a 10 week cycle of 1 exam/week. And when you're going for a 4.0, every single exam counts. Needless to say while I was studying for those weekly, I had to push back some of the other-not-so-pertinent subjects. I look back and I really wonder if I could have done more and while the answer might be yes, I feel that that was too theoretical, unforseen things occur and I can't always follow my schedule dead on.

Lastly, to get this cleared, the last 2 exams I got in organic were A's and they were also the result of studying for 3 nights straight, doing every single problem out of the book and re-doing mechanisms until I broke my white board (no joke). So perhaps, this was just a result of a harder exam, and not so much due to cramming...

Now please, let's all try to get back on topic

Given 10 hours a day for sleep/food/showers, that leaves you with 98 hours a week left that you could have used for studying. If you had 2 weeks to study for orgo and another test, it would have been physically possible to spend 98 hours studying one and 98 hours studying another.

Hell, you could have even spent 6 hours a day on going to class and doing problem sets and still would have ended up with 56 hours to study for one test and 56 hours to study for the other.

I'm guessing that you allocated most your time to studying for one exam so that you could ace it, leaving you with much less time to study for orgo (which you thought might be okay since you aced your last exams...).

 

[Uisa]

I'm guessing that you allocated most your time to studying for one exam so that you could ace it, leaving you with much less time to study for orgo (which you thought might be okay since you aced your last exams...)

I think you nailed it perfectly 😀

It's just been a ****ty week, usually I don't complain but I needed some where to vent.

 

[Sillyshoes]

Cramming and studying the night before is such a bad idea.

Just doing light studying over a span of a few weeks before a test will do you a huge favor in both your grade and your mental state.
You retain information much better and your brain isn't as fried...

You need plenty of rest and sleep in order to perform well.

Sit down and mange your time more wisely. Good luck.👍

Also, you need to handle it somehow. Asking to have your test rescheduled is so high school.

 

[randombetch]

I think you nailed it perfectly 😀

It's just been a ****ty week, usually I don't complain but I needed some where to vent.

Haha, I let that happen once too for physics. Walked into the final with a solid A, got a B- on the final, got a B in the class. 😕

 

[Uisa]

Haha, I let that happen once too for physics. Walked into the final with a solid A, got a B- on the final, got a B in the class. 😕

Goes to show, things happen and we must move on.

but sometimes, it takes a couple days to do that 🙂

 

[bannie22]

learn from mistakes and move on.
try not to cram again, because it goes into short term memory and u do not really retain information for the future...
and as a physician, you probably do not want to forget what you studied!

 

[rockyDoctora]

i dont really understand why you HAVE to get a 4.0 this semester. One semester of a good GPA at the end of your college career is not going to impact your overall GPA that much. how much are you expecting it to jump? Chances are your GPA is just fine and you are freaking yourself out for no reason. It also doesnt really make sense how you have an exam every week for 10 weeks. How many friken classes are you taking? Even if they did cycle so that you had a different test every week you'd have at the most like 4 or 5 weeks. And you cant possibly be getting that much material so that you have major exams in every class every other week. There is like 3 hours of lecture a week for undergad per class. Most classes youll have a few tests a semester....maybe 3 or 4 at most.

Dude you probably did poorly b/c you DIDNT SLEEP FOR 4 DAYS. You need to seriously re evaluate your study habits and how much other **** you are doing. You should not be that crammed for time.

I've actually been in the same situation and just had two exams! M, T. 👎