How many C's did you have applying to medical school?

[cryhavoc]

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Overall my GPA is a 3.8 but I still have two C+'s undergrad. One in a pre-req and the other in a science class I took for "fun" (had nothing to do with major, just interested me) but ended up being a nightmare.

My adviser told me not to worry about them but I was curious how many, if any (which I strongly suspect none) my peers have?

 

[Louis C.K.]

Many of us (including myself) have none. However, I also have several friends who have also gotten in with a few Cs. I think it depends on the classes you received the Cs in as well as when they happened. If you still have a 3.8, I think you are good to go as long as the rest of your app is strong. Dominate the MCAT!!

 

[outdoorsmd]

I have 2 C+'a freshman year in gen chem 1 and 2. So far after that I have done very well.. A's in OChem and physics..

 

[Hospitalized]

Personally, I have none. Ultimately, you've made up for the C+'s by attaining a 3.8. Your GPA is strong, so whether or not you make it into medical school with depend on other portions of your application.

 

[cidem2065]

>10, but who's counting?

 

[BarcelonaFan2]

C's?

try being the guy that has D's and F's on his transcript

 

[anbuitachi]

No C but had 1 B-.. still ended up w a 3.9 from a top 20 college. With that said, none of the top 30 schools even invited me for an itnerview

 

[grivacobae]

C's?

try being the guy that has D's and F's on his transcript

you called?

i keed i keed

 

[cryhavoc]

Thanks everyone, feel slightly better.

 

[Louis C.K.]

Thanks everyone, feel slightly better.

I think, if the rest of your app is looking very nice (by SDN standards, of course), it won't prevent you from receiving interview invitations. However, you may very well be asked about these Cs during interviews. Just make sure you have a great explanation (nothing you can do about them now anyways), and you'll be fine. I think med schools really want to know that you will be able to handle the curriculum (among many many other things), so if you still have great academic credentials otherwise, that part of your application shouldn't wreck your chances of admission. Again, as I'm sure you're well aware, academics are but one part of the arduous process that is medical school admissions, so make sure the rest of your application is to the best of your ability.

 

[dacas]

2 C+'s during my undergrad. It has only been brought up during one of my interviews. As long as you have a good GPA (which you do) I don't think it matters much.

 

[tymont12]

Two C+'s, one C-. Retook the C+'s for A's, couldn't retake the C-. Not accepted yet but have had interview invites so...

 

[Ace Khalifa]

1 C+ in nonpremed nonmajor class, cGPA and sGPA both 3.7<x<3.8 from top 20 deflating school, was only brought up once during my interviews because I wrote about it in my "greatest challenge..." secondary essay. With a 3.8, you should be fine if you don't purposely draw attention to it.

 

[MrLogan13]

I have 5 C's, a few F's, a couple of D's, and 3 W's. But I also have a steep upward trend and reinvented myself later in my academic career. I have one acceptance so far this cycle. Your cGPA is a lot better than mine, so I think you'll be okay as long as the rest of your app is strong.

 

[Lamel]

I feel a 3.8 GPA speaks for itself, no matter what individual classes one may mess up in.

 

[ProudMD]

Multiple C's. Don't sweat it!

 

[its_done_sorta]

One C+ in Organic Chem and one quarter with a 3.1 GPA with a Withdrawal, still got a November acceptance. I was questioned once on grades but it was the quarter with straight B's and not the C+ in Ochem.

Focus on the rest of your app and you will be fine. Kill the MCAT and they wont question lower grades as long as your at 3.5+

 

[mimelim]

Zero C's, one B-, 3.4 overall, interviewed at every top 10 I applied to. Grades are meaningless without context. What we want to know is, can you survive medical school academically. Yes, we want to grab as many students that have the potential to be great doctors in the future, but if you can't survive the training, everything else is moot. There are plenty of doctors with C's, D's and even F's on their transcripts. None are incompatible with not surviving medical school or being a bad doctor.

The real question.... But, why take the risk on someone when we have so many 3.8+ zero Cs students to choose from? Answer: because they have something that makes them special that the legions of academic automatons don't have. You don't need to be a 3.9+, 40+ student to get through medical school. The bar is much, MUCH lower. But your past academic performance is the best indicator of your future academic abilities, so yes, it does matter.

No C but had 1 B-.. still ended up w a 3.9 from a top 20 college. With that said, none of the top 30 schools even invited me for an itnerview

 

[miamiheatfan]

Overall my GPA is a 3.8 but I still have two C+'s undergrad. One in a pre-req and the other in a science class I took for "fun" (had nothing to do with major, just interested me) but ended up being a nightmare.

My adviser told me not to worry about them but I was curious how many, if any (which I strongly suspect none) my peers have?

Had a C+ in a major science class and B- in a random social science, ~3.7 overall. I was only asked about it at one of several. You may get asked about it at interviews, just explain your story and move on.

 

[MajorBubblez]

One C, luckily it was a one credit engineering course. damn mathcad.

 

[Promethean]

No Cs. Only As and Fs. Seriously, I never gave half effort. I either was 100% engaged and devoted to my studies, or I flaked out completely and focused on trying to survive with no attention to school whatsoever. The Fs all came early on, but there were several of them. So, if I can get in with 4 Fs, your two Cs aren't going to be a big deal.

 

[cryhavoc]

Are there certain excuses medical schools don't like to hear? Cause this is what happened.

The ochem 2 C+ I got because I took a notoriously hard professor at my school because she was the only one available when I scheduled. Her averages were 30-50% on a test.

____________________________________________
The non-premed science class I got a C in was incredibly difficult material, but I felt I could have gotten an A or high B if life didn't get in the way. I didn't realize how he tested, and studied wrong for the first test worth 22% of my grade. Completely my fault.

I did awesome on the second. On the third one, I had five days to prepare, but I had a fever/sore throat/headache, and lived alone.

I was too weak to even get out of bed for days. I really should have went to the hospital, as I was in severe pain, and sort of delusional fever.

Ended up only having one day of good health to study and bombed it. Aced the cumulative final.

 

[cidem2065]

GPA is different from the MCAT in that it's a long-term average of your academic performance vs. a snapshot standardized test. For this reason, outliers like a couple hard classes become less relevant on an individual basis while your performance over several years is what is considered. Anyone can get screwed over with a difficult professor or get sick or even a TA that isn't keen on giving high grades. It's almost certain that an undergrad will lose a grandparent or fall ill in those four years. Looking at the bigger picture compensates for this.

 

[MrLogan13]

Are there certain excuses medical schools don't like to hear? Cause this is what happened.

The ochem 2 C+ I got because I took a notoriously hard professor at my school because she was the only one available when I scheduled. Her averages were 30-50% on a test.

____________________________________________
The non-premed science class I got a C in was incredibly difficult material, but I felt I could have gotten an A or high B if life didn't get in the way. I didn't realize how he tested, and studied wrong for the first test worth 22% of my grade. Completely my fault.

I did awesome on the second. On the third one, I had five days to prepare, but I had a fever/sore throat/headache, and lived alone.

I was too weak to even get out of bed for days. I really should have went to the hospital, as I was in severe pain, and sort of delusional fever.

Ended up only having one day of good health to study and bombed it. Aced the cumulative final.

Don't make excuses for poor grades. They're a dime a dozen, and no one likes to hear excuses. If asked, do address it and provide an explanation that doesn't sound like an excuse or playing the blame game (eg. Bad professor). More importantly, talk about what you learned from that experience and how you corrected yourself in later coursework.

 

[ProudMD]

Zero C's, one B-, 3.4 overall, interviewed at every top 10 I applied to. Grades are meaningless without context. What we want to know is, can you survive medical school academically. Yes, we want to grab as many students that have the potential to be great doctors in the future, but if you can't survive the training, everything else is moot. There are plenty of doctors with C's, D's and even F's on their transcripts. None are incompatible with not surviving medical school or being a bad doctor.

The real question.... But, why take the risk on someone when we have so many 3.8+ zero Cs students to choose from? Answer: because they have something that makes them special that the legions of academic automatons don't have. You don't need to be a 3.9+, 40+ student to get through medical school. The bar is much, MUCH lower. But your past academic performance is the best indicator of your future academic abilities, so yes, it does matter.

Well said.

I am a testament to this fact!

 

[Promethean]

Are there certain excuses medical schools don't like to hear? Cause this is what happened.

If you are asked, have reasons. A minor, but still somehwhat debilitating, illness counts. Keep your explanation simple and then refocus on the positive... Oh, that was the semester that I had mono. It was awful, but I got past it. And you can see that grade doesn't reflect the overall pattern of my academic performance.

Or...

Yes, I could really have done a lot better in that course. I let myself be distracted by problems with family/social life. Getting that poor grade was a wake up call to me, though, and it spurred me to do better in the next two years.