getting low grades...explaining them

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mozart_fan

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I do want to become a Pharmacist. This is my first full time year in undergradute study, after high school I took only one quarter because I went on performance tour.

I had one W....in calculus, getting a 2.7-2.8 in General Chem. I know there is alot of time to improve things up the next four years or so but did anyone here explain low grades at an interview? Honestly...what do they think about the excuse: "i made bad choices..."

honestly, I look back...i was hardly devoted to academics at all this quarter. Plus, I only work 15 hours a week (in a pharmacy), sometimes less. I hardly even took notes during class.

Did anyone else here just slack off one quarter....??? I'm not going to do it again.

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mozart_fan said:
I do want to become a Pharmacist. This is my first full time year in undergradute study, after high school I took only one quarter because I went on performance tour.

I had one W....in calculus, getting a 2.7-2.8 in General Chem. I know there is alot of time to improve things up the next four years or so but did anyone here explain low grades at an interview? Honestly...what do they think about the excuse: "i made bad choices..."

honestly, I look back...i was hardly devoted to academics at all this quarter. Plus, I only work 15 hours a week (in a pharmacy), sometimes less. I hardly even took notes during class.

Did anyone else here just slack off one quarter....??? I'm not going to do it again.

Don't stress about it too much. Some schools will inquire about less-than-stellar grades in science courses just because the field is so concentrated in that area. If you are still very motivated, are willing to put in the effort, and end up getting an interview, than it is your chance to prove to them that you are still a strong candidate for their school! Don't let it discourage you--one bad quarter/semester won't hurt you too badly as long as you make sure you lift your grades afterwards.
 
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i had 2 Ws. 1. computer science class. i dont know why the heck i signed up for it, 2, some religion course. again i dont know why i signed up for it.
 
I had 1 W, 1 C-, 2 C+ and 1 C while in college and at one time my GPA was like a 2.7, but i eventually brought back up to a 3 something...but don't even stress about it...i mean i had some bad grades but as long as you have an increasing trend for grades then you're ok. I got interviews to uop and usc even with that C-...i of course retook that class at a JC to show them that i was willing to do it over and do better. i mean it wasn't as hard as CAL but it was still a class.
 
Showing an upward trend is more important, and since it's only your first year, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I had a C- in General Chem, and that's the only grade I had that was lower than a B for the rest of my four years in undergrad, so one C- (or even a D and F, as long as you make it up) won't kill you as long as you improve and excel in the more difficult courses. I was actually asked about the C- at one interview because it really stood out on my transcript, and I explained it was my first semester, I was still adjusting from the high school transition, and that it actually made me work harder from there on out.
 
Pikers...you guys really just weren't trying at amassing a record of inemptitude.
 
imperial frog said:
I had 23 Ws . And 3 Fs.
wow! are you currently in pharmacy school (if so, where?) or are you currently applying (any interviews yet?) :thumbup:
 
No joke. 23 Ws and 3 Fs. These were mainly from my from my first years...everything else was As and Bs after that with the exception of 1 C. My bachelor's GPA was about 3.7 and my master's was about 3.9 so you can see I did get better.

And yes I did get into pharmschool...1PD at UF right now, the only school I applied to. 4.0 sciences and 99% on PCAT helped, but I think the personal statement helped a bit too because I was able to show how I overcame an unbelievable period of suckiness and turned it around.
 
imperial frog said:
No joke. 23 Ws and 3 Fs. These were mainly from my from my first years...everything else was As and Bs after that with the exception of 1 C. My bachelor's GPA was about 3.7 and my master's was about 3.9 so you can see I did get better.

And yes I did get into pharmschool...1PD at UF right now, the only school I applied to. 4.0 sciences and 99% on PCAT helped, but I think the personal statement helped a bit too because I was able to show how I overcame an unbelievable period of suckiness and turned it around.

all I have to say is wow....
 
Hi!
imperial frog,

Were those your recent grades or old grades?

Eventhough, you had 23Ws, 3Fs, your Bechaler and Master's really helped you get in?

Do you go to UF-Gainesville?

Thanks!
 
Orlando campus.

They were old...starting about 1984 till I got serious and got my Bachelors in 92. The MBA was more recent, I got that in 2000. I don't know if the 2 degrees helped because I had them or if it was more that they showed that I was a capable student when I finally set my mind to my education. The massive amounts of Ws had me worried so I used most of my personal statement to explain them.
 
imperial frog said:
Orlando campus.

They were old...starting about 1984 till I got serious and got my Bachelors in 92. The MBA was more recent, I got that in 2000. I don't know if the 2 degrees helped because I had them or if it was more that they showed that I was a capable student when I finally set my mind to my education. The massive amounts of Ws had me worried so I used most of my personal statement to explain them.


Thanks!
 
how likely would an applicant with straight C's throughout college, but is highly active, get accepted to a pharm school?! LOL =D
 
imperial frog said:
No joke. 23 Ws and 3 Fs. These were mainly from my from my first years...everything else was As and Bs after that with the exception of 1 C. My bachelor's GPA was about 3.7 and my master's was about 3.9 so you can see I did get better.

And yes I did get into pharmschool...1PD at UF right now, the only school I applied to. 4.0 sciences and 99% on PCAT helped, but I think the personal statement helped a bit too because I was able to show how I overcame an unbelievable period of suckiness and turned it around.

wow - i'm impressed
 
wwwlongcom said:
how likely would an applicant with straight C's throughout college, but is highly active, get accepted to a pharm school?! LOL =D

i wouldnt count straight C's completely out of the race - if you were taking 21+ units (5 or 6 classes here at UCDavis) every quarter & got a 2.0, it's a different story than taking 15 units (3-4 classes) and getting C's. UOP is actually really good at looking at trends.
 
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