GPA shifts

[ohopenyoureyes]

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Hey, so the past 2 years, I think my GPA changed quite a lot in the 4 semesters I have been in undergrad. (I've taken no summer classes.)
1st semester: 3.90
2nd semester: 3.96
3rd semester: 3.29
4th semester: 3.82

My freshmen year, I took 17 credits each semester, with bio + chem + their labs + electives. I was part of a few clubs and had a research position.
I thought I could handle 17 again so when I entered my sophomore year, I added a small part time tutoring job with the course work. I didn't realize the radical shift in the workload between the two years and I really struggled my third semester.
I honestly felt that I didn't have enough time to devote to my classes (the classes were def. harder and I think the breaker of my GPA was Orgo) and I had a lot of health issues due to the stress.

After that semester, I decided to focus just on my clubs and school. I did bring my GPA up but I had a much lighter course load.

I've been hearing that med schools like to look at trend. I'm hoping to never get my GPA down that much again, but it does hurt me trying to bring both my science and regular one up again.

What I'm wondering is and hoping is true that one semester won't break your chances? I don't mean to seem like I slacked that semester because I really did not. It's just I constantly felt as if I was running out of time though that is no excuse.

 

[Axes]

I haven't crunched any numbers but it seems like one bad semester won't kill you, I mean just mathematically speaking your cumulative should be fine. That said, it sounds like you got a C or worse in orgo-- if so that in itself is sort of a problem, and it will also probably bring down your science GPA depending on how many science classes you have left. I think you're still fine though just make sure you kill the rest of undergrad. And prepare thoroughly for the MCAT since organic will be tested there

 

[Goro]

Concur.

I haven't crunched any numbers but it seems like one bad semester won't kill you, I mean just mathematically speaking your cumulative should be fine. That said, it sounds like you got a C or worse in orgo-- if so that in itself is sort of a problem, and it will also probably bring down your science GPA depending on how many science classes you have left. I think you're still fine though just make sure you kill the rest of undergrad. And prepare thoroughly for the MCAT since organic will be tested there