HELP! I have a question about grades

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ComicBookHero20

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currently I just finished my junior year--fall semester with a 2.33 GPA (i got a D+ in molecular Bio and a C in biochemistry--which is my major) and a 2.97 Cum GPA

I was wondering what the heck I am supposed to do if I want to get into a medical school...
 
It depends on why you performed so poorly this semester.

Study more?

I don't know how difficult it was taking molecular and biochem at the same time...but maybe it wasn't the wisest decision.

It's not the end of the world.

How are you going to regroup this semester?
 
next semester im taking classes that i have prior background in so it won't be as much of a problem and i could bounce back but this makes me feel horrible

and i can't really pinpoint any reason why...i put the effort in, it just never showed
 
Were your grades consistent with each exam? or did they fluctuate? Did you visit your professors during office hours for explanations? Did you take practice exams? Do you study alone or in groups? Do you cram? Do you read your material every night? Did you put enough effort in?

Your grades won't keep you out of medical school, but you need to uncover where the disconnect is between your "effort" and the outcome.

It seems troubling now, but this will build character. Be relentless. Be tenacious.
 
ComicBookHero20 said:
so there's a chance?
yes ..there is always a chance
...and we love you.
 
ComicBookHero20 said:
currently I just finished my junior year--fall semester with a 2.33 GPA (i got a D+ in molecular Bio and a C in biochemistry--which is my major) and a 2.97 Cum GPA

I was wondering what the heck I am supposed to do if I want to get into a medical school...


Dude that's ironic...i finished my fall semester of my junior year with a 2.33 as well...as a result my gpa dropped to a 3.0, so i feel ya...i loaded up a little bit, and along with the fall baseball season it ended up getting the best of me. Evaluate your shortcomings, work hard at raising your gpa to a 3.4ish and getting a good mcat score of 30 or some where around there (45t always helps), and build up your resume with extra-curriculars. Like someone said in another thread, it's not if you will get into med school, it's how you will because if you really want it, you'll find a way. There are many different routes to med school so put your head down and give it hell. Hope this helps a bit.
 
Most of the people I know who wanted to go to med school but had a low GPA did a feeder program - where you take classes for a year, and if you do well, it's easier to get into the med school. There is one at Drexel, and there are others too - you might want to check these out if you think that your GPA is going to be a problem.
 
It can't hurt to apply to med school and see what happens. If you get interviews but are not accepted then I would try to schedule time with the deans to see what they felt held you back. If you need to take some time to get your GPA up, then so be it.

Also, I think that trends are important in med school applications. If you are trending downward in your GPA, then that is a different story than if you are trending upward. So plan to hit the ball hard and get good grades this semester as well as during senior year.
 
You might need to take time off, and then go back to a post-bacc program. I don't know anything about feeder programs. But with a GPA that low and no obvious reason for it, it's going to be extremely hard. Feeder programs sound nice. If you're sure you have what it takes for med school (be sure, because these programs have a much higher drop-out rate than american med schools because they take people who think they want an MD but aren't cut out for it), you can try and get into one of the better Carribean schools. If you do have what it takes and have just been having problems with college at this point and do well on the boards, you'll do fine getting into residency (yeah, it's harder, but not to any extreme if you do well on the boards).

So keep all your options wide open: feeder programs, time off from school and then doing a post-bacc that u do well in, carribean schools (good ones with recognized names). there might be stuff that no one's thought of here yet. I'd suggest osteopathic schools, but those grades are still low for that and you should actually be interested in the osteopathic philosophy for that (and u need to spend time shadowing a DO).

And if u just like the field of medicine and just pure love for it is what you want in a job, u can consider becoming a PA. PA's pretty much get to do what regular docs get to do. the better PA u are, the better freedom u have, i'd say. The only real downsides are that salaries are lower and you don't get as much in-depth education as docs.
 
so are taking a year off after senior year and pursuing other interests the only option I have left?
 
try to get in, decide when you know your options, re-eval when you don't have any options. Use the set-back to ur advantage, to motivate urself. Kick ass, bro. No magic answers to be found here.
 
not to slight you, and I don't know what type of student you are but did you work at your full potential or did you slack off a little bit. Its all about focus and discipline. On the more practical side, consider doing a post-bacc program, polishing your e.currics (research, volunteering, shadowing a doctor etc), and looking into D.O.

Just a sidenote, you really need to shadow a D.O. for three things 1) to see that there isn't a huge difference between m.d.s and d.o.s 2) to see if you will go to D.O. school just in case you can't get into m.d. school 3) to get a letter of reccomendation from one for your D.O. applications ( they're required for D.O.s)
 
honestly i don't know what happened, i just tried my best and it didn't show this semester

i'm so worried that this is going to completely, massively screw me over
 
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