How bad does a C look?

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mbowmar

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I know this may be a little dramatic... but I made a C in my Physics II class this semester. I go to a top-ranked undergraduate school, and it is the only C that I have ever made. The rest of my grades are all A's and then one B in Organic Chemistry II. Overall, that brings me to a science GPA of 3.7. I know that a 3.7 is still considered somewhat competitive for medical schools, but will the C in a pre-requisite for med school hurt me in my chances of getting interviews? Have any of you that have been accepted have an experience like this?

Thanks for any sort of advice/help!
 
Historically, somewhere between a C- and a C+.
 
Thanks! I was freaking out, but this makes me feel so much better. and circulus vitios... I appreciate your sarcasm 😉 Definitely needed to help me chill out during the stressful time of final exams and the application process!
 
mbowmar said:
Thanks! I was freaking out, but this makes me feel so much better. and circulus vitios... I appreciate your sarcasm 😉 Definitely needed to help me chill out during the stressful time of final exams and the application process!
Click to expand...

I had a couple of C's and B-'s, didn't take a year off, and ended up with 5 acceptances by July. You'll be fine. Grades are one part of your story, just make sure everything else is tidy.
 
iniquus said:
I had a couple of C's and B-'s, didn't take a year off, and ended up with 5 acceptances by July. You'll be fine. Grades are one part of your story, just make sure everything else is tidy.
Click to expand...

Okay good to know, thank you! Do you mind me asking if your C's were in pre-med pre-reqs (bio, chem, or physics)? I know that medical schools require Physics 2, which is why I am worried that that is the class that I got a C in...
 
circulus vitios said:
Historically, somewhere between a C- and a C+.
Click to expand...
:laugh:

In a serious note, you will be okay. Just don't make it a habit, and be prepared to explain any circumstances that led to the C. Otherwise, shake it off and try to Ace the rest of your classes.

Look at big picture: GPA, MCAT.
 
mbowmar said:
I know this may be a little dramatic... but I made a C in my Physics II class this semester. I go to a top-ranked undergraduate school, and it is the only C that I have ever made. The rest of my grades are all A's and then one B in Organic Chemistry II. Overall, that brings me to a science GPA of 3.7. I know that a 3.7 is still considered somewhat competitive for medical schools, but will the C in a pre-requisite for med school hurt me in my chances of getting interviews? Have any of you that have been accepted have an experience like this?

Thanks for any sort of advice/help!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess you could call a 3.7 science gpa somewhat competitive.
 
As long as your cGPA/sGPA remain somewhat competitive, it really isn't too big of a deal
 
iniquus said:
I had a couple of C's and B-'s, didn't take a year off, and ended up with 5 acceptances by July. You'll be fine. Grades are one part of your story, just make sure everything else is tidy.
Click to expand...

I agree. Had 2 Cs and a few B-s and didn't stop me from getting into 2 schools.
 
I've got a C in calc, withdrawals in calc 2 and economics, C in chem lab, and Bs in both gen chem semesters...but A's mostly everywhere else. Don't sweat it OP. do well on mcat
 
You're toast. Hope you like feet
 
greg1184 said:
:laugh:

In a serious note, you will be okay. Just don't make it a habit, and be prepared to explain any circumstances that led to the C. Otherwise, shake it off and try to Ace the rest of your classes.

Look at big picture: GPA, MCAT.
Click to expand...

That has been troubling me for some time. What does one say if the grade is completely unjustified and not fair? I usually reserve my emotions and I am intelligent enough not to say anything bad about anyone for fear of my interviewer having the same opinions/biases as the guy who gave me the grade. But this time, I am so furious at how undeserved this is that I won't even be able to fake a story. What do you do? Say the truth? Say that the professor was a biased nut, and that I deserved an A+? That sounds extremely arrogant, conceited and close minded.

What would you guys do? Lie? Make up a story and falsely admit your own fault?
 
Thego2guy said:
That has been troubling me for some time. What does one say if the grade is completely unjustified and not fair? I usually reserve my emotions and I am intelligent enough not to say anything bad about anyone for fear of my interviewer having the same opinions/biases as the guy who gave me the grade. But this time, I am so furious at how undeserved this is that I won't even be able to fake a story. What do you do? Say the truth? Say that the professor was a biased nut, and that I deserved an A+? That sounds extremely arrogant, conceited and close minded.

What would you guys do? Lie? Make up a story and falsely admit your own fault?
Click to expand...

That is a tougher question. I would definitely not blame the professor, or that would show your interviewer that you are pointing fingers or deflecting responsibility. These adcomms deal with premeds all the time, and this is a common thing they do. Instead, I would take responsibility, mentioned that the class itself was difficult and it is what it is, however the rest of my academic record has shown what I am capable of. This is true especially if it is only one C in your record.
 
What did you get in Physics I?

Also, why did you get a C? Did you do poorly on an exam or did you not turn something in and get a 0 on it, even though you know the material?
 
Tatiana3325 said:
What did you get in Physics I?

Also, why did you get a C? Did you do poorly on an exam or did you not turn something in and get a 0 on it, even though you know the material?
Click to expand...

Yeah I made an A in physics 1 last semester. so our entire class for physics 2 was based on a curve and the averages on all the exams were 45-55... So I basically bombed the final exam because I had three exams that day and it blew my average in that class to a C+..

I know everyone says its fine but is it also considered fine if this C+ was made the second semester of my junior year? I'm applying for med schools this cycle and am a second semester junior currently... My GPA for sciences is now a 3.77 for Texas apps (I'm a Texas resident) because they dont use plus/minus and for AMCAS, my GPA is a 3.697, but now there's not really any time to redeem myself from the C+ in physics II....
 
mbowmar said:
Yeah I made an A in physics 1 last semester. so our entire class for physics 2 was based on a curve and the averages on all the exams were 45-55... So I basically bombed the final exam because I had three exams that day and it blew my average in that class to a C+..

I know everyone says its fine but is it also considered fine if this C+ was made the second semester of my junior year? I'm applying for med schools this cycle and am a second semester junior currently... My GPA for sciences is now a 3.77 for Texas apps (I'm a Texas resident) because they dont use plus/minus and for AMCAS, my GPA is a 3.697, but now there's not really any time to redeem myself from the C+ in physics II....
Click to expand...

I guess apply with what you've got.... I don't really know what the best thing to do is.
 
mbowmar said:
I know this may be a little dramatic... but I made a C in my Physics II class this semester. I go to a top-ranked undergraduate school, and it is the only C that I have ever made. The rest of my grades are all A's and then one B in Organic Chemistry II. Overall, that brings me to a science GPA of 3.7. I know that a 3.7 is still considered somewhat competitive for medical schools, but will the C in a pre-requisite for med school hurt me in my chances of getting interviews? Have any of you that have been accepted have an experience like this?

Thanks for any sort of advice/help!
Click to expand...

Nobody can give you any advise without an MCAT score. What is yours? It matters. If you get a high MCAT that C never happened. If you get a low MCAT either your app gets scrutinized and that C will matter, or you'll just get rejected right away and that C won't matter.

So essentially we need to know your MCAT before assessing the situation.
 
Knocked Up said:
Nobody can give you any advise without an MCAT score. What is yours? It matters. If you get a high MCAT that C never happened. If you get a low MCAT either your app gets scrutinized and that C will matter, or you'll just get rejected right away and that C won't matter.

So essentially we need to know your MCAT before assessing the situation.
Click to expand...

True, but kinda weird how that works, huh?
 
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