I need some consolation.

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YourBro

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I need some advice / consolation about school. This past summer I decided to pick up a second major in mathematics on top of my original major in biochemistry. I like math, and I've always had somewhat of a natural ability in the area. Additionally, I came in with AP credit for calc I and II, so I had a slight leg up. Anyway, my first semester of my junior I was in six classes: Biochem II, PChem (Thermo), DiffEq I, Calc IV, Spectroscopy, and Molecular Biology. Before this semester, my cumulative GPA was 3.71, with notable class grades including:

Gen Chem I/II B (honors) / A-
Orgo I/II A / A
Orgo lab (honors) A
Physics (honors) I/II A- / B+
Bio A
Bio lab B+
Biochem I A-

The reason that I'm writing is that I think I did terribly on my finals, and I think my GPA is going to tank. My grades are up, but I'm too afraid to look because I think they are going to be much lower than I am used to (maybe a C or two). So, I suppose my question is: do medical schools recognize tough schedules and grant leeway? This was certainly my most difficult semester, and I am lucky to escape alive. I was really riding the edge with my cumulative GPA beforehand, and now I am certain it will be compromised. Also, how much will a double major in two difficult areas be viewed?
 
Take what I say with a grain of salt:

When applying to medical school, they will look at your GPA (science and cumm) + your MCAT score. Then, they will consider other things in your application to differentiate you from others.
Your number one priority in undergrad should be able to do very well in your science classes and maintain a high GPA. A double major will not help you very much. If possible, I would recommend that you drop the double major and focus on bringing up your GPA during your senior year. Get a 30+ on the MCAT and you will be in good shape.
You will need to explain why you did not do well this semester and show major improvement the next semester to prove to the med schools that it was just one slip up.
Sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear. I was in your boat a few years ago...

Feel free to message me if you have specific question, I'm more than happy to give you some advice.
Relax and enjoy your holiday
 
The perceived difficulty of your coursework is given consideration, but I'm not going to lie, if your GPA goes down, it's going to hurt you.

That being said, a few C's here and there won't keep you from med school. Just learn from your mistakes and move on.
 
get a drink and relax until ur grades come out... there's no point in prematurely freaking out..
 
Hey,

I can commiserate as to the difficulty of carrying this type of load. I am a math/chem double major, having picked up chemistry in my sophomore year. Also eight years ago I failed out of Ga Tech and from there joined the army before starting all over as a freshman, so i am familiar with overcoming gpa hurdles. You are by no means out of the running or anything like that, however strong academic performance from here in is essential. Academic progression is important, so If return to your previous baseline or even improve upon it than you can explain this semester away as an aberration while you were adjusting to the new workload. If you continue to struggle it may be viewed as poor judgement to have taken on more than you could handle.
But worry not, double majoring in math and a science is managable, I was able to turn a 1.1 in 31 hours at tech into a 3.45 overall and have a couple acceptances to choose from now. Your gpa will certainly be higher than mine is, thus you dont have to worry about being prescreened out or anything.

On another note, if you have the opporunity you should take real analysis and combinatorics, they were my two favorite math courses.

gl, steve
 
stevesavi said:
On another note, if you have the opporunity you should take real analysis and combinatorics, they were my two favorite math courses.

gl, steve
Click to expand...
I am taking analysis of complex variables next semester, and real analysis senior year. My school is actually offering combinatorics for the first time next semester, and while my DiffEq teacher hyped it up a lot (and it seems interesting), I don't have to take it, and probably won't.
 
Go get laid. If you can not get laid like me, go get a Xbox360 and call of duty modern welfare.
 
YourBro said:
I am taking analysis of complex variables next semester, and real analysis senior year. My school is actually offering combinatorics for the first time next semester, and while my DiffEq teacher hyped it up a lot (and it seems interesting), I don't have to take it, and probably won't.
Click to expand...

I didnt love complex, but real analysis is awesome.
 
I thought that was what I was going to hear. The thing is, I really enjoy math, and I think the math classes were the ones in which I might have done better. This semester and my conflicting interests have made me wonder if it's really worth it... I don't want to compromise learning what I'm interested in for the sake of making a high GPA, but at the same time I do...

Maybe I should just go to grad school. I'm sure my double major and research experience will count there.
 
Your situation resembles my own: graduated in 4 years, w/three majors (computer science & engineering, mathematics, biology). Cumulative GPA: 3.68 w/3 B-'s and 1 C+ [ochem III]. Now, I've received several outstanding interviews (stanford, harvard, northwestern, etc.), but I've also been rejected/received no news from many more (cornell, yale, and all of the UCs).

I'm near 100% certain that my lower GPA is the reason for the latter group of schools. I have a good MCAT score (37Q) and extensive volunteering/outreach (hospital and TFA). Considering I had 3 majors, including one in engineering, I don't think adcoms exchange degrees for GPA points. GPA is more important.
 
YourBro said:
The reason that I'm writing is that I think I did terribly on my finals, and I think my GPA is going to tank. My grades are up, but I'm too afraid to look because I think they are going to be much lower than I am used to (maybe a C or two). So, I suppose my question is: do medical schools recognize tough schedules and grant leeway? This was certainly my most difficult semester, and I am lucky to escape alive. I was really riding the edge with my cumulative GPA beforehand, and now I am certain it will be compromised. Also, how much will a double major in two difficult areas be viewed?
Click to expand...
You're putting the cart before the horse here; you haven't even looked at your grades yet. Go log on and look at them right now. You can't expect to figure out how to do damage control if you don't even know what the damage is.
 
stevesavi said:
I didnt love complex, but real analysis is awesome.
Click to expand...

I'm the exact opposite. Complex was by far my favorite math class, and analysis was awful. I just finished my second analysis class and I'm so glad to be done. I only have one more math class left to take - probability. Oh math, I'll miss you. 🙁

YourBro said:
I thought that was what I was going to hear. The thing is, I really enjoy math, and I think the math classes were the ones in which I might have done better. This semester and my conflicting interests have made me wonder if it's really worth it... I don't want to compromise learning what I'm interested in for the sake of making a high GPA, but at the same time I do...

Maybe I should just go to grad school. I'm sure my double major and research experience will count there.
Click to expand...

Sigh. While you should be concerned about your GPA, I think you should also do what makes you happy. I just can't see how being stressed with all those classes would make you happy, but I'm not really one to talk as a double major too. I think if you can work it out that this won't happen again, you should def. do the math thing too. I def. think it's worth it having almost finished my math degree. Plus, med schools love it for some reason (well, as long as you can explain why you choose math and why you think math and medicine are related... my interviewers ate that stuff up).

Now, take a deep breath and go look at your grades. Maybe you didn't do as bad as you thought. Besides they aren't gonna change if you wait.
 
ksmi117 said:
Now, take a deep breath and go look at your grades. Maybe you didn't do as bad as you thought. Besides they aren't gonna change if you wait.
Click to expand...
I seriously have grade-o-phobia; I can't. Plus, I'm taking the MCAT in January and I don't want the actual grades looming over me. I don't know if that really makes sense, but I find looking at grades mortifying for some reason. Finally, I think they really will be as bad as I think. My predictions are: Biochem II : B - C+, Pchem B - C+, molecular B+ - B-, spec B+ - B-, Diffeq A - B+, Calc 4 A - B+.

I forgot to mention that I had five finals in two days. FML.
 
YourBro said:
I seriously have grade-o-phobia; I can't. Plus, I'm taking the MCAT in January and I don't want the actual grades looming over me. I don't know if that really makes sense, but I find looking at grades mortifying for some reason. Finally, I think they really will be as bad as I think. My predictions are: Biochem II : B - C+, Pchem B - C+, molecular B+ - B-, spec B+ - B-, Diffeq A - B+, Calc 4 A - B+.

I forgot to mention that I had five finals in two days. FML.
Click to expand...

Well, if those are you're predictions and you decide you want to drop a major, drop biochem. Seems your math grades are better and math is cooler anyway. 😀
 
ksmi117 said:
Well, if those are you're predictions and you decide you want to drop a major, drop biochem. Seems your math grades are better and math is cooler anyway. 😀
Click to expand...
But I'm so close! It would be really awesome if I didn't want to go to medical school because then I could do whatever I wanted. The double major is fine, it's just getting perfect grades in a double major that's hard. I think I'm going to stick with it and just apply early decision to my in state school and pray for the best. Perhaps I can do a little bit above average on my MCAT and that will give me a boost. I agree about math being cooler to an extent. I definitely felt like math was a breathe of fresh air last semester (minus stokes' theorem).
 
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Also, I realize why you don't want to see. But aren't you gonna freak yourself out and not be able to focus on the MCAT? Even if you did the worst you predicted, I doubt it'd bring you down more than a tenth, and you'll have next semester to pull it back up. I really think you'll be ok.
 
GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES GO LOOK AT YOUR GRADES.

What if you failed a class and you're put on academic probation? What if a prof made a mistake (there's usually a deadline to correct grading mistakes)? Go check grades now.
 
Ok. Christmas present to myself tomorrow: I'll look at my awful grades.
 
A shot of Vodka helps if you are afraid of checking your grade, plus you won't feel so bad
 
in case the grades are bad:
OP, the 2nd major isnt worth tanking your med school chances. i was a chem major and considered throwing in a math or physics minor/major on top but decided in the end to tkae a few classes in those fields without doing a major/minor to protect my gpa a little.. i wanted to take general relativity and some ODE but i definitely didnt want to tank my GPA with those math and physics classes that only the most brilliant physics and math majors get A's in.. not joking here.. in my college, the major physics and math clases were split between the people who would go on to be math and physics phd's and theeveryone else getting the B's and C's because they werent as brilliant....
 
mmmcdowe said:
I'm looking forward to the OP posting that he has been all depressed and silly for nothing and that his grades weren't nearly as bad as he feared.
Click to expand...

Molecular Bio. B+
Physical Chemistry: Thermo. B+
Calculus 4 A-
DiffEq I A-
Biochem. II B+
Spectrochem. A-

That's a relief. Honestly, I am not one to be overdramatic; I'm pretty sure I failed two of the finals, at least one for sure. Curves are a blessing. My GPA dropped .05, but I can get that back this semester and then some.
 
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