I failed all my finals. please be my friend and talk to me.

[meepification12]

hi.

so im a soph. bme/pre-med.

yay for that. i love it actually. I can't imagine doing anything else..

but anyway, worked my butt off all semester, am involved in a lot of stuff etc etc. 2 days before finals week comes around and I got some bad news from the family...couldnt go home because i had to finish out the semester.

To myself : ok, meepification, put it out of your head and kill these exams and go home and deal with it.

not so easy. I couldnt focus. at all. I failed pretty much everything.

here's the exciting part...i got a bunch of Bs ... so it just looks like I got a B because I performed at an average level throughout the course. not because i literally got F's on my finals in classes I had to do minimally well on the final to maintain an A/A- in.

2 of them are in pre-reqs. sweet.

I was going to go talk to professors and explain the situation...but really, what would they do? I don't want to be one of those grade grubbers becuase i have never been....and dont want it to come off like im making excuses. And when it comes down to it, considering the load I had this semester my gpa is kind of legit and most people wouldnt see a huge problem with it.

But it sucks because I worked for more than that and I was accomplishing it.

And finals are always when I do the best. I thrive in high stress situations..but I guess emotional stress is a whole different ball game. Even when I wasnt thinking about it, I was.

Im looking at a 3.25 this semester. 3.50 overall. This bad week is going to follow me for awhile. Goodbye semi-attractive gpa. i'll miss you. I hope we'll meet again soon. really, it would be fantastic.

I know im not in a devastating place and the grade point can still be salvaged but of all semesters this was not the one to screw up. Too many pre-reqs. I was hoping to be in a really good place once application time rolled around but im just going to have to give it my best shot.

SO, in addition to the need to emotionally unload on anonymous strangers, I need some advice.

1. When it comes time for that wonderful time, a year and a half from now, when I'm getting my app. materials together, is this something I should explain? Will it come off as whiny, childish etc? or will they understand? It seems silly to "explain" a B. but seriously, I feel like I should get to. Thoughts?

2. I'm irritated at myself about how I dealt with this emotionally. I actually can handle a significantly large amount of stress(meaning work, school, large leadership committments) without "losing it" or compromising my performance on anything. Im calm and I fix problems systematically. Its one quality that I am actually proud of and something other people recognize in me. But this just hit me like a pile of bricks and I was just emotionally spent because it wasnt something I could fix.

Not to be a crazy person, but isn't that a crappy quality for a doctor? If I can't deal with emotional stress when I'm just taking exams how will I be able to handle it when situations are more serious and demand more? How would you guys have dealt with it to avoid compromising a semester of hard work? Just curious.

That was ridiculously long. im sorry. if you made it this far you are a champ.

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[bannie22]

ILL BE YOUR FRIEND *pat pat*

 

[mangomadness]

well first of all, sorry about whatever it is that your family is going through. that can't be easy, esp around finals time. you say you thrive in high stress situations, but no one is going to fault you for not being able to focus if something really serious was going on. just be thankful that your grades were high enough already that literally FAILING the finals can still lead to a B in the class, not that many people have that kind of advantage.

second, i wouldnt think you need to mention this in your applications unless you were asked about it during interviews. where would you put this anyway? personal statement? no, just take the grades for now, and try your hardest to get mostly A's from here on out. your lucky this is your soph yr, and not senior. you have time to bring up the gpa. im not saying this isnt a setback, but you can get thru it!

goodluck

 

[sustentacular]

I was going to go talk to professors and explain the situation...but really, what would they do? I don't want to be one of those grade grubbers becuase i have never been....and dont want it to come off like im making excuses. And when it comes down to it, considering the load I had this semester my gpa is kind of legit and most people wouldnt see a huge problem with it.

1. When it comes time for that wonderful time, a year and a half from now, when I'm getting my app. materials together, is this something I should explain? Will it come off as whiny, childish etc? or will they understand? It seems silly to "explain" a B. but seriously, I feel like I should get to. Thoughts?

Hey, I really think you should talk to your professors and explain the situation now. Just tell them you thought you could handle the exams because you'd worked so hard in the classes already but unfortunately things turned out as they did. The worst they can say is, "oh well" but maybe some of them will let you retake the final or something to improve your grade. I'd like to think your profs will sympathize since they should have recognized something was off when you were solid all semester and then out of nowhere failed the final.
It's better to try and do some explaining now rather than on your application.

 

[Pedie Packs]

Sorry to hear about your situation.

The good news is that you are only a sophomore. You have plenty of time to get your gpa up. Life happens. Don't be angry with yourself for the way you've dealt with it thus far.... you can still show your spirit by bouncing back from the last few days from here on out. Doctors are not robots, they are human beings as well.... you just needed time to get back on your feet, which you unfortunately did not have.

As far as explaining it... yeah, after reflecting on this situation, this is something that can be talked about in your personal statement or essays. But you probably shouldn't do it just to explain away bad grades. I think it would come off as more mature and strong-willed if you are able to articulate how you were able to bounce back from such a tough situation instead of focusing on the negatives that the situation lead to.

Good luck to you from here on out.

 

[whatuthinkin]

1. 3.25 for a semester isn't that bad... and you have a significant amount of time to make it up.

2. college is a period in which you need to learn how to deal with LIFE cause it sure as hell isn't gonna get easier.

3. I think you are overreacting. Suck it up and move on, learn how to cope better for the next family catastrophe that happens because they never stop until everyone is dead.

*pat pat* *smack on the ass* ...now get on with it!

 

[UAAWolf]

Alright you've had your chance to sulk and be depressed about this. That ends now.


The only reason people get 4.0's is because of HARD WORK. Even those who are very intelligent work hard to obtain perfect grades.

You messed up- but ask yourself why? What could you have done better? Form a plan of attack and get to work bro...it's a long ass road. Either grow from this experience or let it destroy you..the choice is yours.

 

[J1515]

Sorry about any difficult times you're going through, but why wouldn't you talk to the professors before you took the finals? Students who bring this stuff up after the fact look like they're just making excuses and get no sympathy from anyone.

 

[anonymousername]

 

[meepification12]

thanks for the words guys.

just for the record im done sulking 🙂 **** happens...yes?

im going to plan on dominating the next semester..and the next. i just need to not talk about it with my pre-med friends because their looks of pity kill me inside.

and by the way this:

3. I think you are overreacting. Suck it up and move on, learn how to cope better for the next family catastrophe that happens because they never stop until everyone is dead.

made me laugh really hard. i dont know if that was the intent..but it was appreciated.

i feel like its not quite time to throw in the towel. just a little disappointed in how the situation panned out.

whatever. i get to go home tommorow. its all good 🙂

thanks new friends.

 

[futureboy]

Hey, I really think you should talk to your professors and explain the situation now. Just tell them you thought you could handle the exams because you'd worked so hard in the classes already but unfortunately things turned out as they did. The worst they can say is, "oh well" but maybe some of them will let you retake the final or something to improve your grade. I'd like to think your profs will sympathize since they should have recognized something was off when you were solid all semester and then out of nowhere failed the final.
It's better to try and do some explaining now rather than on your application.

You are still in good shape with your 3.5 GPA, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. You will probably be fine even if you don't say anything to your professors. However, I agree with the post quoted here. I think you should talk to your professors about the situation. Depending on what happened, they may let you take makeup finals. Actually, they are all probably wondering how on earth you failed the final after doing so well all semester.

I had a serious personal situation in school (relative attempted suicide--fortunately wasn't successful). My professors were very understanding, even more than I thought they would be.

 

[locus000]

hi.
here's the exciting part...i got a bunch of Bs ... so it just looks like I got a B because I performed at an average level throughout the course. not because i literally got F's on my finals in classes I had to do minimally well on the final to maintain an A/A- in.

So you got a few Bs!!! Its not the end of the world. Dont worrry about it.

I know a few people that would love for Bs after they failed their final.

 

[riverjib]

hi.

so im a soph. bme/pre-med.

yay for that. i love it actually. I can't imagine doing anything else..

but anyway, worked my butt off all semester, am involved in a lot of stuff etc etc. 2 days before finals week comes around and I got some bad news from the family...couldnt go home because i had to finish out the semester.

To myself : ok, meepification, put it out of your head and kill these exams and go home and deal with it.

not so easy. I couldnt focus. at all. I failed pretty much everything.

here's the exciting part...i got a bunch of Bs ... so it just looks like I got a B because I performed at an average level throughout the course. not because i literally got F's on my finals in classes I had to do minimally well on the final to maintain an A/A- in.

2 of them are in pre-reqs. sweet.

I was going to go talk to professors and explain the situation...but really, what would they do? I don't want to be one of those grade grubbers becuase i have never been....and dont want it to come off like im making excuses. And when it comes down to it, considering the load I had this semester my gpa is kind of legit and most people wouldnt see a huge problem with it.

But it sucks because I worked for more than that and I was accomplishing it.

And finals are always when I do the best. I thrive in high stress situations..but I guess emotional stress is a whole different ball game. Even when I wasnt thinking about it, I was.

Im looking at a 3.25 this semester. 3.50 overall. This bad week is going to follow me for awhile. Goodbye semi-attractive gpa. i'll miss you. I hope we'll meet again soon. really, it would be fantastic.

I know im not in a devastating place and the grade point can still be salvaged but of all semesters this was not the one to screw up. Too many pre-reqs. I was hoping to be in a really good place once application time rolled around but im just going to have to give it my best shot.

SO, in addition to the need to emotionally unload on anonymous strangers, I need some advice.

1. When it comes time for that wonderful time, a year and a half from now, when I'm getting my app. materials together, is this something I should explain? Will it come off as whiny, childish etc? or will they understand? It seems silly to "explain" a B. but seriously, I feel like I should get to. Thoughts?

2. I'm irritated at myself about how I dealt with this emotionally. I actually can handle a significantly large amount of stress(meaning work, school, large leadership committments) without "losing it" or compromising my performance on anything. Im calm and I fix problems systematically. Its one quality that I am actually proud of and something other people recognize in me. But this just hit me like a pile of bricks and I was just emotionally spent because it wasnt something I could fix.

Not to be a crazy person, but isn't that a crappy quality for a doctor? If I can't deal with emotional stress when I'm just taking exams how will I be able to handle it when situations are more serious and demand more? How would you guys have dealt with it to avoid compromising a semester of hard work? Just curious.

That was ridiculously long. im sorry. if you made it this far you are a champ.

This happened to me spring semester of my junior year, which made me decide to apply this year instead. You're in a much better position for damage control.

PM me if you want advice. This is not the end of the world, though it feels that way now. Trust me, you'll be okay!

 

[zayka]

There's nothing you can do about the B's now (no time machine yet, unfortunately), and don't annoy your profs because things like that give pre-meds a bad reputation. Kill the next semester, and the next, and all the other things that make up a good app.

 

[futureboy]

Sorry, double post.

 

[futureboy]

don't annoy your profs because things like that give pre-meds a bad reputation.

We're a bit in the dark because we don't know exactly what happened to cause the OP to be so upset. However, assuming the situation was serious, it is not "grade grubbing" to explain the situation to the professors and respectfully ask for some accommodation. Be prepared to document the situation if possible (death/funeral notice, etc.). Professors are human, and will usually understand.

Talking to the professors seems to be particularly appropriate in this case, where the OP was crushing his classes and all of a sudden fails all of his finals.

 

[da8s0859q]

Sorry about the family issues, but I gotta tell you, being a sophomore with a 3.50 means two things: one, you're still in decent shape, and two, you've got plenty to go to bring that grade back up to a more acceptable-to-you level.

Even if you end up having to accept the Bs, hey, so what? MD programs across the country are full of students that have a handful of Bs and Cs on their undergrad transcripts.

I had one crappy semester in college -- my second or third one -- and just decided that I was going to destroy every semester after that. And that's how it played out. This is in your control, sir; hang in there. 👍