How do I increase my science GPA, sophomore in undergrad

[laxgirl06]

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Hello everyone,
I am a rising junior pre-med, and am very unsure as to what I should do. Currently a biology major, and recently switched my minor from Spanish to English. 😛 My freshman year was okay (3.5 gpa overall) but my sophomore year was abysmal. I currently have a 3.44 overall gpa and I don't even want to know what my science gpa is. 🙁 I was recently thinking that maybe I should double major in bio and English and stop pursuing the 5-year master's degree I was going to pursue. I would graduate in 5 years instead of 4 though. My problem is spacing out science classes, because I am very unsuccessful when I take multiple ones at the same time. What is the best way to increase my science gpa? Please help out a fellow premed! 😀

 

[nwts]

Hello everyone,
I am a rising junior pre-med, and am very unsure as to what I should do. Currently a biology major, and recently switched my minor from Spanish to English. 😛 My freshman year was okay (3.5 gpa overall) but my sophomore year was abysmal. I currently have a 3.44 overall gpa and I don't even want to know what my science gpa is. 🙁 I was recently thinking that maybe I should double major in bio and English and stop pursuing the 5-year master's degree I was going to pursue. I would graduate in 5 years instead of 4 though. My problem is spacing out science classes, because I am very unsuccessful when I take multiple ones at the same time. What is the best way to increase my science gpa? Please help out a fellow premed! 😀

There is no "best way" that works across the board. Obviously, you need to get good grades in your science courses from this point on, but I think you already knew that. You just have to figure out what is the best way for you to succeed in the science courses that you take from this point forward. You have already said that you'll need to space them out because you don't do well when you try to take them all at once. That's a start. There are other things, though. Do you need tutoring? Do you need to change your study habits? Is there some branch of science (biology, chemistry, etc.) that is your strong suit that you could take more electives in that you would be likely to do well in? Nobody can answer these questions except you.

I will give you some advice on what NOT to do, though. Don't try to artificially inflate your GPA by taking courses you have no business taking. For example, don't be a junior who is taking 100-level science courses for non-science majors just because it will boost your science GPA. Adcoms will see right through this, and they won't look favorably upon it.

 

[Axes]

Three pass method:

1st pass: read the material before class
2nd pass: class
3rd pass: review before test

 

[laxgirl06]

There is no "best way" that works across the board. Obviously, you need to get good grades in your science courses from this point on, but I think you already knew that. You just have to figure out what is the best way for you to succeed in the science courses that you take from this point forward. You have already said that you'll need to space them out because you don't do well when you try to take them all at once. That's a start. There are other things, though. Do you need tutoring? Do you need to change your study habits? Is there some branch of science (biology, chemistry, etc.) that is your strong suit that you could take more electives in that you would be likely to do well in? Nobody can answer these questions except you.

I will give you some advice on what NOT to do, though. Don't try to artificially inflate your GPA by taking courses you have no business taking. For example, don't be a junior who is taking 100-level science courses for non-science majors just because it will boost your science GPA. Adcoms will see right through this, and they won't look favorably upon it.

Hi nwts, I really appreciate your honest feedback. I definitely need to change my study habits, and biology is my strong suit of science. I agree with your advice on what not to do. My intention was to drop the master's program, otherwise I would be taking physics, cell phys, biochem, and human genetics, plus labs and one additional class in one semester. Also, I was thinking I should maybe switch my major to English (36 credits) and then spread out the additional upper level science courses I want to take, or just double major in Biology and English, and still spread out the science classes. Basically, as things are now, I need to take additional science classes, because I am trying to increase my science GPA, and I also take writing very seriously, and think it would be beneficial to take up an English major. If not, I could also just keep my English minor, but spread out the upper level science courses I want to take. Please let me know what your thought are. 😀

 

[laxgirl06]

Three pass method:

1st pass: read the material before class
2nd pass: class
3rd pass: review before test

Thanks for the response, but what other study habits do you use? 😀

 

[nwts]

Hi nwts, I really appreciate your honest feedback. I definitely need to change my study habits, and biology is my strong suit of science. I agree with your advice on what not to do. My intention was to drop the master's program, otherwise I would be taking physics, cell phys, biochem, and human genetics, plus labs and one additional class in one semester. Also, I was thinking I should maybe switch my major to English (36 credits) and then spread out the additional upper level science courses I want to take, or just double major in Biology and English, and still spread out the science classes. Basically, as things are now, I need to take additional science classes, because I am trying to increase my science GPA, and I also take writing very seriously, and think it would be beneficial to take up an English major. If not, I could also just keep my English minor, but spread out the upper level science courses I want to take. Please let me know what your thought are. 😀

You've said that you don't do well at taking many science courses in the same semester, so dropping the master's program is probably a good idea if that will help you avoid taking all of your sciences in the same semester. As far as whether you should do an English major or minor, that's completely up to you. It all depends on what you want out of your education. If a very writing-intensive education is very important to you, then an English major or minor is a good idea. I don't think anyone can really tell you whether or not you should pursue this.

As far as the science classes you take, you should probably take biology courses when you have options or electives because you have said that this is your strong suit. It is also a good idea to see how much impact your courses can have on your GPA. First, you need to actually calculate your science GPA to see where it stands now and how much improvement is needed. Then, you need to see how much progress can be made. How many credits of science courses have you already taken? How many more do you plan to take? It is important to consider how much potential you have to raise your science GPA. For example, if you already have taken 60 credits of science courses and your science GPA is 3.1, you have your work cut out for you. You would have to get straight A's in 30 credits worth of science courses in order to raise your science GPA to a 3.4 if this were the case.

 

[NotYou20]

Hello everyone,
I am a rising junior pre-med, and am very unsure as to what I should do. Currently a biology major, and recently switched my minor from Spanish to English. 😛 My freshman year was okay (3.5 gpa overall) but my sophomore year was abysmal. I currently have a 3.44 overall gpa and I don't even want to know what my science gpa is. 🙁 I was recently thinking that maybe I should double major in bio and English and stop pursuing the 5-year master's degree I was going to pursue. I would graduate in 5 years instead of 4 though. My problem is spacing out science classes, because I am very unsuccessful when I take multiple ones at the same time. What is the best way to increase my science gpa? Please help out a fellow premed! 😀

That's a good start 😏

 

[Axes]

Thanks for the response, but what other study habits do you use? 😀

That's pretty much it. It works for me because I learn very well by reading material-- I've always been a verbal thinker. You would have to figure out your own learning style, it could be visual or audial etc