How many C's?

[TexasFight]

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I have this problem where I seem to really suck at one class every semester. I get A's (and a few B's) in other classes, but there's always one where I get overconfident and the final kicks my ass. So my question is, assuming you have an 'acceptable' GPA (nothing fancy here, around 3.5-3.6), does it matter how many C's you have on your transcript? Is it a red flag on my app?

 

[JoshUNCW]

Are we talking about freshman year? If we're not... I'd say no Cs. I mean, I'm sure you can have one or two. But if your consistently getting Cs every semester. That will show as a red flag. You're gonna be up against a lot of people who haven't gotten a C (or possibly a B) in years, if ever in their college career. And I'm not trying to say my app is perfect. I have a couple Cs. But they were from freshman year and I haven't repeated it since. I would suggest not getting a C in your classes from here on out.

 

[TexasFight]

Freshman and sophomore year 🙁

Every semester I think I've learned my lesson, but I seem to always surprise myself in the end (in a bad way).

 

[Perrotfish]

Unless the Cs are in your premedical requirements I don't think you have a problem. Everything I've seen here indicates that ADCOMs care much more about numbers than letters.

 

[Naijaba]

I got one C+ in the last semester of my senior year in organic chemistry III. The only school that brought it up was HMS, although it could have been the reason that I wasn't interviewed at many schools despite an overall good application.

 

[Frederico Albin]

I got one C+ in the last semester of my senior year in organic chemistry III. The only school that brought it up was HMS, although it could have been the reason that I wasn't interviewed at many schools despite an overall good application.

lol you got asked because you had 1 C!!! Imagine me with my 6 Cs... hopefully i can somehow manage to get some interviews lol

 

[SurgeonTime]

I have this problem where I seem to really suck at one class every semester. I get A's (and a few B's) in other classes, but there's always one where I get overconfident and the final kicks my ass. So my question is, assuming you have an 'acceptable' GPA (nothing fancy here, around 3.5-3.6), does it matter how many C's you have on your transcript? Is it a red flag on my app?

If its freshman year,...no one cares; if its sophmore year, it's like, "comon, learn your lesson already," definatly NONE in junior and senior year...I have friends in top med schools with 4-5 Cs but it was their freshman year and freshman summer...so you better clean up your act!

 

[GatorHater]

I would say it depends on your major/difficulty of classes that you made a C in.
I made a C in Physical Biochemistry my junior year....which I got lucky with. Now if you are a non science major there probably is no reason to make Cs

 

[causalinference]

Out of the 40+ classes that I took in undergrad, I received 4 C's. One of those was in a prerequisite (Calculus-Based Physics I) during my sophomore year. Two of the other C's occured during my senior year. None of the C's were mentioned during interviews or prevented me from being accepted to my top-choice school.

 

[dingyibvs]

well i have a boatload of c's, none of them came up during interviews, probably because they were busy inquiring about my incomplete and w's lol

 

[imorbust]

I have this problem where I seem to really suck at one class every semester. I get A's (and a few B's) in other classes, but there's always one where I get overconfident and the final kicks my ass. So my question is, assuming you have an 'acceptable' GPA (nothing fancy here, around 3.5-3.6), does it matter how many C's you have on your transcript? Is it a red flag on my app?

Well, first I think it would be hard to have an "acceptable" GPA if you're collecting Cs every semester...keep in mind right now almost 60% of people applying to medical school don't get in *anywhere*, so it's not really a process where you want to just aim for average.

But the broader problem, I'd say, is that you seem to have recognized the problem but aren't making much effort to respond and change. In the very least, that's not something you can get away with in medical school, where the main problem isn't so much difficulty but rather sheer volume of content. Also, your explanation for your grades would be a definite red flag for interviewers when they ask...and trust me, they'll ask.

The good news is you definitely have time to turn things around....or in the very least, reassess your priorities. You seem to know you need to be doing better but still can't quite get yourself to do it, which to me would suggest you're not entirely sold on your current career path. If that's not the case, that's great...so go study!

 

[SurgeonTime]

Well, first I think it would be hard to have an "acceptable" GPA if you're collecting Cs every semester...keep in mind right now almost 60% of people applying to medical school don't get in *anywhere*, so it's not really a process where you want to just aim for average.

But the broader problem, I'd say, is that you seem to have recognized the problem but aren't making much effort to respond and change. In the very least, that's not something you can get away with in medical school, where the main problem isn't so much difficulty but rather sheer volume of content. Also, your explanation for your grades would be a definite red flag for interviewers when they ask...and trust me, they'll ask.

The good news is you definitely have time to turn things around....or in the very least, reassess your priorities. You seem to know you need to be doing better but still can't quite get yourself to do it, which to me would suggest you're not entirely sold on your current career path. If that's not the case, that's great...so go study!

That is....killer.😱

 

[FuturaDocta]

Unless the Cs are in your premedical requirements I don't think you have a problem. Everything I've seen here indicates that ADCOMs care much more about numbers than letters.

Yup! Unfortunately that is the reality (took me a while to figure out the game). We are basically just numbers until the interview. Then, all the other stuff counts.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

This is the pre-allopathic forum where you're expected to have a 4.0, whatever a high MCAT score is, and conjugal favors for the admissions committees.

It's real life, dude. You're going to have C's. Cliche here, "Do your best and forget the rest."

 

[apumic]

From a professor I TA'd for:

You know what helps a lot when you're preparing for a midterm exam? Making peace with a "C"

 

[Jumpman04]

well i have a boatload of c's, none of them came up during interviews, probably because they were busy inquiring about my incomplete and w's lol

Hahaha! must've had a mad MCAT / E.C.'s to get that interview!

 

[ProgPenguin]

jkgawrkjygwhrkaahf!!! NO APOSTROPHE NECESSARY. Jeez people.

 

[PotentialDexter]

DUDE forget your C's
What the hell do I do if I get a D?!?!?!

 

[Hifey]

I had two C's, both in prereqs. The first was freshman year calculus and the second was junior year physics. I wasn't really asked about them but offered explanations anyways because I didn't want anyone to think I was trying to hide it and a couple of interviewers expressed that they were pleasantly surprised with the fact that I didn't cower away from the subject. You gotta have good reasons though. Also, I proved I can master the material by acing the next class in the series for both of them.

 

[ilovebiology]

C in Orgo II...not a big deal.