I just got my first D :(

[garyinthehouse]

Hey guys!

I just received my quarter grades from UCI, and I have 4 A's, 1 B and 1 D+

The D+ was in a neuro class that was 2 units. This is my senior year, how bad can this be? I am planning on doing an SMP for fall of 2010 and prepping for my MCAT soon. Will this prevent me from entering med school?

My gpa is a 3.3, and this is my first D. I am so sad now.

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[Mobius1985]

This is not going to look good, especially since your D+ is in an upper-level science class. Can you repeat it this quarter before graduating?

 

[garyinthehouse]

This is not going to look good, especially since your D+ is in an upper-level science class. Can you repeat it this quarter before graduating?

Sadly, no. No repeats are allowed for this class. It is specific to neuro majors only, which I am, but no repeats are permitted. This didn't do anything on my gpa, actually, my gpa increased this quarter bc of how well I did in my other science courses. Would med schools not accept me because of this?

 

[Mobius1985]

I'd say the GPA of 3.3 is more of a hindrance than one bad grade for which you likely (hopefully) have a good excuse, especially as you'll have 1-2 years of excellent SMP grades to redeem your record before you apply. But I guess I'd look at it as an honor thing, as it was afterall in your major and relevant to med school.

When you say no repeats are permitted, what does that mean? If it means they will not include a retake grade in your GPA calculation, you might try to take the class anyway, because AMCAS and AACOMAS will use the repeat grade regardless of what your school did. Could you meet with the head of the department and get special permission to register, discussing your career goals?

Why did you get that D?

 

[garyinthehouse]

No repeats allows means that the class cannot be retaken. I got a D bc I didn't study as well as I should have for the midterm (the class was weird, the midterm was based off of 11 lectures while the final was only 2, which screwed me).

So if I was to drop neuro as my major, and just return to bio, this will not look as bad? If after a year or so of an SMP, I still can't redeem myself?

Also, this class is only offered 1 a year, and you usually take it your senior year and I think that is the reason no repeats are allowed, but I will check with my bio office.....

 

[Mobius1985]

So if I was to drop neuro as my major, and just return to bio, this will not look as bad? If after a year or so of an SMP, I still can't redeem myself?

Since it's a class you'll take at med school it will still look bad, but as I said above, your SMP will redeem you if you perform well, since by the time you apply the grade will no longer be a recent one. Adcomms don't care what your major is.

 

[garyinthehouse]

Adcomms don't care what your major is.

I knew it!! Wow mobius, thanks for the quick reply to my posts. Your a great help. I had a hunch that a really well SMP can redeem me of my low GPA. My grades show a decent improvement, especially in my senior year. I went from a 3.0 to a 3.3 which is not easy considering I have more than 200 units !! But like I was saying, if I do an SMP and do it well (which I think I can), I have a shot at a US MD medschool? If not, then the Caribbean is the way to go?

Thanks so much mobius!!

 

[Mobius1985]

if I do an SMP and do it well (which I think I can), I have a shot at a US MD medschool? If not, then the Caribbean is the way to go?

Pick an SMP with a linkage to a med school or with good success stats. See the Post-bac forum if you don't know what this means. When you apply, include DO schools in the mix. If you fail to get an admission, then Caribbean is your backup plan.