I screwed up Major...any advices right now?

[DeltaPlaya]

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Freshman Year
First semester and Concurrent Enrollment
English 2:C
Poly Science:C
Col Alg:B
Calc 1:B
Chem 1:C
Art: D (extremely hard class...average grade was C and by that I mean most people got Cs...)
Religious Studies:C
2nd semester
Chem 2 - Projecting a B i need perfect grades on my finals to get an A
Zoology- Projecting a B i need a perfect grade on my finals to get an A
Bio lab-B
Calc- Projecting a B...dunno cause my recent test hasnt come back but I do have a shot at an A
University COllege course-B

I haven't even gotten to my hard classes for Engineering yet and I am making terrible grades. I know that I messed up my first semester really badly and I was trying to recover from it this semester but now ill most likely make all B's, my finals are coming in 3 weeks.

I need some good advice and and some inspiration to not quit, any advice or insight is appreciated...just help me.

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[Naijaba]

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Freshman Year
First semester and Concurrent Enrollment
English 2:C
Poly Science:C
Col Alg:B
Calc 1:B
Chem 1:C
Art: D (extremely hard class...average grade was C and by that I mean most people got Cs...)
Religious Studies:C
2nd semester
Chem 2 - Projecting a B i need perfect grades on my finals to get an A
Zoology- Projecting a B i need a perfect grade on my finals to get an A
Bio lab-B
Calc- Projecting a B...dunno cause my recent test hasnt come back but I do have a shot at an A
University COllege course-B

I haven't even gotten to my hard classes for Engineering yet and I am making terrible grades. I know that I messed up my first semester really badly and I was trying to recover from it this semester but now ill most likely make all B's, my finals are coming in 3 weeks.

I need some good advice and and some inspiration to not quit, any advice or insight is appreciated...just help me.

Whatever you are concurrently enrolled in, drop one of them.

 

[kcin]

Could you tell us more about the art class? As for the other stuff, cut back if you're taking more than you need to and study more or more efficiently.

 

[Mahliah]

Well I think you first step is to figure out why you are screwing up, to prevent further damaging your gpa with future classes. Not studying enough? Wrong technique? etc.

 

[StudyShy]

Are you going to a really difficult university?

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Could you tell us more about the art class? As for the other stuff, cut back if you're taking more than you need to and study more or more efficiently.

Sure, the art class was pretty hectic. It just mostly freshman taking the class, and by the time the withdraw date had passed, we still didn't have any grades in, meaning no tests or assignments. After the drop date we had our first test. Test scores were averaged around 55 I remember. He curved it a little, not too much. The class final grade was all on the three tests we took. Basically he taught the class as if it was an Art for majors course. Everybody was complaining about it because no one had idea how tough it was going to be. The syllabus did mention that we had to memorize a lot, but we had no idea that we had to memorize 200+ paintings as well as the artist, location, style, and period for each test and have the spelling on point for full credit. I understand about cutting back more, it doesn't seem like thats the problem though, I just need advice on my GPA. what the crap am I going to do with a sub 3.0 with 35 credits. I probably cant even manage being competative for a DO school by the time I am applying.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Well I think you first step is to figure out why you are screwing up, to prevent further damaging your gpa with future classes. Not studying enough? Wrong technique? etc.

I don't know, I mean sometimes I feel like I am not studying enough, but when I look back at the semester, I have missed out on so much that other freshman didn't. What confuses me is that whenever a test is coming up and I start studying in advance, students that cram the day before and the day of the test end up doing better than me...

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Whatever you are concurrently enrolled in, drop one of them.

Can't drop at this moment, finals are coming up drop date has passed

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Are you going to a really difficult university?

The university i am going to is not known for being too hard. Its a public university on the levels of University of Florida, Rutgers, University of Alabama, etc, basically its a University of "my state". I don't know how else you can explain that, but basically its not too high in the rankings, but in terms of difficulty it has its times. My Zoology class here is a 1000 level class and lower division, yet the way the professor teaches, its a weed out course. It is extremely difficult comprehension beyond textbook given information is sometimes needed.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

so thats it? nothing I should do?

 

[CurrySpice]

Do you want a magic solution?

You may indeed be studying more than other students. That shouldn't matter to you. You may have poor study methods and/or be worse at the course. It happens.

Talk to your professor and get suggestions on how to do better in their course. Get a tutor (or two or three). Hole yourself up in the library. = Success.

 

[estradiol9]

so thats it? nothing I should do?

Have some patience jeez.

Honestly, you really have to stop and ask yourself where you are going wrong. When you apply to medical school they will most likely ask you why you did poorly in your classes in a secondary or interview. I don't think any adcom will appreciate your response of "well the class was hard".

There are thousands of applicants for a little over 100 spots in medical school. We all take difficult classes. We all have other things going on in our lives. There are many applicants with nearly a 4.0 gpa and amazing MCATs. This is what you are running up against. If you want medicine, you have to work for it.

It sounds like there may be a few potential problems:

How many credits are you taking at a time? What other commitments do you have? If you are taking too many credits at once and attempting to juggle volunteering, school clubs/activities, and a job .. well that can be a problem.

Do you go to class? A lot of students skip out on class and study at home. You might be missing out on vital information that the professor presents during his/her lectures.

What are your study habits like? You say you start studying ahead of time but don't do as well as those who cram. Well.. sometimes I "cram" at the last minute but I spend all of my time studying. No facebook. No TV. No annoying room mates or friends distracting me. Maybe these students are studying for less time but are getting more done because they are in "their zone". Studying early and longer won't necessarily help if you're switching back and forth between SDN, FB, MTV, and whatever else.

You might also want to look at the personal factors in your life. My GPA dropped a bit in the fall because there was a lot going on with my health and my personal life.

If all the above doesn't seem to help, approach your professors individually and explain to them that you are having difficulty and ask them for advice on how you can do better. Who can give you better advice on what to focus on rather than the person who makes your tests and grades your projects?

 

[estradiol9]

Oh and I just noticed that you say you are a biomedical engineering major. My best friend is a BME major. I have to say something about this.

It seems that you are still only a freshman. You've had difficulty in simple classes such as art, english, chemistry, etc. It doesn't seem like you have even begun to take engineering classes or courses for your major. I strongly recommend reconsidering whether you'd like to change your major. I don't want to say that you can't do it but engineering classes are difficult. Most students who major in engineering do so because they want to become engineers. They often have less than stellar GPAs because the classes can be overwhelming. A 3.0 is not a crisis if you're looking to become a biomedical engineer but a 3.0 can break you if you want to become a physician.

By all means, if you love biomedical engineering go right ahead. People tend to do better in subjects that they like than the ones they don't but do you think you will be able to handle calculus II, calculus III, differential equations, linear algebra, statics, thermodynamics, biomechanics, etc if you can't handle english 102 or general chemistry 1?

 

[naijadoc]

I agree with the above. If you screwed up in freshman year, you want to be able to show them progression by getting stellar grades the rest of the time you're in college. Engineering in itself is hard (whichever kind you choose). If you really feel that that major is right for you, then you have to seriously assess yourself and what you're doing wrong. Otherwise, change your major to something that you're still interested and will make better grades in. It also comes down to study techniques and study habits (no matter what your major). Some people can skim a chapter once and understand everything, and others (like me) have to read it thoroughly twice to really grasp concepts. Some people concentrate better with music in their ears and some need complete silence. You should assess those things and make sure you're doing all you can to make the grades you want. Whatever you do, just DONT GET DISCOURAGED! You'll find a way if you really want it.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Do you want a magic solution?

You may indeed be studying more than other students. That shouldn't matter to you. You may have poor study methods and/or be worse at the course. It happens.

Talk to your professor and get suggestions on how to do better in their course. Get a tutor (or two or three). Hole yourself up in the library. = Success.

i never asked for a magic solution, just advice like maybe a certain type of EC in the future to stand out or some sort of GPA repair?

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Have some patience jeez.

Honestly, you really have to stop and ask yourself where you are going wrong. When you apply to medical school they will most likely ask you why you did poorly in your classes in a secondary or interview. I don't think any adcom will appreciate your response of "well the class was hard".

There are thousands of applicants for a little over 100 spots in medical school. We all take difficult classes. We all have other things going on in our lives. There are many applicants with nearly a 4.0 gpa and amazing MCATs. This is what you are running up against. If you want medicine, you have to work for it.

It sounds like there may be a few potential problems:

How many credits are you taking at a time? What other commitments do you have? If you are taking too many credits at once and attempting to juggle volunteering, school clubs/activities, and a job .. well that can be a problem.

Do you go to class? A lot of students skip out on class and study at home. You might be missing out on vital information that the professor presents during his/her lectures.

What are your study habits like? You say you start studying ahead of time but don't do as well as those who cram. Well.. sometimes I "cram" at the last minute but I spend all of my time studying. No facebook. No TV. No annoying room mates or friends distracting me. Maybe these students are studying for less time but are getting more done because they are in "their zone". Studying early and longer won't necessarily help if you're switching back and forth between SDN, FB, MTV, and whatever else.

You might also want to look at the personal factors in your life. My GPA dropped a bit in the fall because there was a lot going on with my health and my personal life.

If all the above doesn't seem to help, approach your professors individually and explain to them that you are having difficulty and ask them for advice on how you can do better. Who can give you better advice on what to focus on rather than the person who makes your tests and grades your projects?

sorry lol by the time i looked again where this thread was on the forum, it was at the bottom with no views at the time so i just wanted to bump it.

The main problem I had last semester was my family emergency issue. I was skipping out on classes a lot because I had to help out with a family emergency regarding family health and business. Even still I could have managed to do so much better.

This semester I was 4.0 all the way through spring break, and the ONE weekend I decided to have fun ALL semester long, I miss out a key deadline and missed a morning quiz in a class which put me from a borderline A potential to a definate B at the most. Just 1 day, talk about bad luck. My friends havent even seen me all semester long. I think my main problem is anxiety, these classes do not seem too difficult, its just that I spend most of my time just thinking about my future and I get discouraged a lot when I look at my grades. A lot of the times I can't focus on **** cause all I think about is how im a screw up and that ive dissappointed my parents.

 

[kcin]

i never asked for a magic solution, just advice like maybe a certain type of EC in the future to stand out or some sort of GPA repair?

Nothing is going to help unless you get your gpa under control. How much do you actually study? When I say study I mean sit down with your books and actually study, not check sdn/watch tv/whatever. Do you guys out at night a lot?

sub 3.0 at 35 credits isn't optimal, but it's not the end of the world. If you manage to pull it together you can get your GPA up. If you aren't able to pull it up enough you can always retake some of the classes you did poorly in. DO schools are much more forgiving in GPA calculations since retakes replace the original grade.

A lot of universities offer small sessions for incoming students on studying habits/etc. Maybe that's something you can look into, to see if you can pickup anything. I'd also check with your classmates and see what they do.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Oh and I just noticed that you say you are a biomedical engineering major. My best friend is a BME major. I have to say something about this.

It seems that you are still only a freshman. You've had difficulty in simple classes such as art, english, chemistry, etc. It doesn't seem like you have even begun to take engineering classes or courses for your major. I strongly recommend reconsidering whether you'd like to change your major. I don't want to say that you can't do it but engineering classes are difficult. Most students who major in engineering do so because they want to become engineers. They often have less than stellar GPAs because the classes can be overwhelming. A 3.0 is not a crisis if you're looking to become a biomedical engineer but a 3.0 can break you if you want to become a physician.

By all means, if you love biomedical engineering go right ahead. People tend to do better in subjects that they like than the ones they don't but do you think you will be able to handle calculus II, calculus III, differential equations, linear algebra, statics, thermodynamics, biomechanics, etc if you can't handle english 102 or general chemistry 1?

lol english was an issue in high school when I took it as a college credit course, I didnt try at ALL, it was my senior year, i had senioritis, i had no idea it was mandatory to transfer the credits, and i took the class for free. on top of that I was working A LOT and had football on the side. with that i messed up college algebra, english and poly science and had mandatory credit transfers.

GEn Chem was rough going into the finals. I had an F and the only way to make it to CHem 2 was to get a 100 on the final along with the previous chapters as a retake...which I did successfully...

as for the major...i really cant see myself not having an engineer major. Even though it doesn't seem like it right now, Math is my only strength IF I have ANY. it comes naturally to me, and besides that my dad is an engineer and I am inspired by that...

 

[kcin]

This semester I was 4.0 all the way through spring break, and the ONE weekend I decided to have fun ALL semester long, I miss out a key deadline and missed a morning quiz in a class which put me from a borderline A potential to a definate B at the most. Just 1 day, talk about bad luck.

That doesn't sound like bad luck. I'm guessing you're an adult since you're in college, so you need to realize that a missed deadline and a missed quiz isn't bad luck. It's poor decision making. If you're serious about applying to medical school you need to stay on top of crap like this. Don't blame luck for carelessness.

edit: I graduated with an electrical engineering degree, so I don't know a ton about the BME degree. However, engineering courses in general aren't a walk in the park, and success in math classes won't guarantee you a thing in actual engineering courses. At least in my experience the engineering courses were much harder than calc/diff eq/lin alg/etc.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

That doesn't sound like bad luck. I'm guessing you're an adult since you're in college, so you need to realize that a missed deadline and a missed quiz isn't bad luck. It's poor decision making. If you're serious about applying to medical school you need to stay on top of crap like this. Don't blame luck for carelessness.

edit: I graduated with an electrical engineering degree, so I don't know a ton about the BME degree. However, engineering courses in general aren't a walk in the park, and success in math classes won't guarantee you a thing in actual engineering courses. At least in my experience the engineering courses were much harder than calc/diff eq/lin alg/etc.

Your right, not bad luck. I know im really serious, I have missed out on so much college experience, a lot of people ask me how do I make it through each day without taking time to enjoy anything. Every moment, I always have med school on my mind consciously or not. I sacrificed so much this semester, and its all in the drain now...


EDIT: I understand that all doesn't really guarantee success in Engineering, but honestly its the only major I can see myself doing. I honestly feel like I would not enjoy any other major...

 

[donttazemebro]

Sure, the art class was pretty hectic. It just mostly freshman taking the class, and by the time the withdraw date had passed, we still didn't have any grades in, meaning no tests or assignments. After the drop date we had our first test. Test scores were averaged around 55 I remember. He curved it a little, not too much. The class final grade was all on the three tests we took. Basically he taught the class as if it was an Art for majors course. Everybody was complaining about it because no one had idea how tough it was going to be. The syllabus did mention that we had to memorize a lot, but we had no idea that we had to memorize 200+ paintings as well as the artist, location, style, and period for each test and have the spelling on point for full credit. I understand about cutting back more, it doesn't seem like thats the problem though, I just need advice on my GPA. what the crap am I going to do with a sub 3.0 with 35 credits. I probably cant even manage being competative for a DO school by the time I am applying.

dont worry too much. I have a gpa of zero on 18 credits but I'm still not giving up hope.
1) D.O. schools replace the first grades with the retakes
2) an upward trend and a solid mcat redeem you for MD schools
3) u now also need to apply to an extra 10 or so schools. granted applying to 30-35 schools is gonna be costly and the secondaries time consuming.

Just find out why you're not preforming as well as you should. And by the time your mcat scores come in, you'll know if u should keep at it or if you should think of another career path.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

dont worry too much. I have a gpa of zero on 18 credits but I'm still not giving up hope.
1) D.O. schools replace the first grades with the retakes
2) an upward trend and a solid mcat redeem you for MD schools
3) u now also need to apply to an extra 10 or so schools. granted applying to 30-35 schools is gonna be costly and the secondaries time consuming.

Just find out why you're not preforming as well as you should. And by the time your mcat scores come in, you'll know if u should keep at it or if you should think of another career path.

thats easy to say man but im on immense stress right now. idk how your holding up with 0.0 on 18 credits either.

it kind of sucks knowing that whatever chances i had left in college to have some fun are probably gone now. but w/e i can give up all that for med school, i already have been giving that up

 

[HAV000]

thats easy to say man but im on immense stress right now. idk how your holding up with 0.0 on 18 credits either.

it kind of sucks knowing that whatever chances i had left in college to have some fun are probably gone now. but w/e i can give up all that for med school, i already have been giving that up

It does seem like a very rough first year, but maybe once you settle into classes that deal with your biomed engineering things will look up and you'll do a lot better

 

[estradiol9]

Your right, not bad luck. I know im really serious, I have missed out on so much college experience, a lot of people ask me how do I make it through each day without taking time to enjoy anything. Every moment, I always have med school on my mind consciously or not. I sacrificed so much this semester, and its all in the drain now...


EDIT: I understand that all doesn't really guarantee success in Engineering, but honestly its the only major I can see myself doing. I honestly feel like I would not enjoy any other major...

Engineering is more than just math. Are you good at physics? I would say that maybe if you are excellent at math AND physics, you could do acceptably well in engineering.

And no offense but you say you're good at math yet you got a B in the two math courses you took. I tell everybody I am terrible at math but I managed to pull an A in the two college math courses I've taken.

There is nothing you can magically do that will improve your GPA. You have to discover where your weak spots are and work on them. If you're missing class, I suggest you start attending. If you're missing deadlines, use the calendar application on Gmail and sync it to your Blackberry or whatever. Being organized helps A LOT, whether it comes to handing things early or keeping your notes in order.

Like others said, it's not the end of the world yet. You have time to improve. If anything, medical schools will appreciate the upward trend.

That doesn't sound like bad luck. I'm guessing you're an adult since you're in college, so you need to realize that a missed deadline and a missed quiz isn't bad luck. It's poor decision making. If you're serious about applying to medical school you need to stay on top of crap like this. Don't blame luck for carelessness.

edit: I graduated with an electrical engineering degree, so I don't know a ton about the BME degree. However, engineering courses in general aren't a walk in the park, and success in math classes won't guarantee you a thing in actual engineering courses. At least in my experience the engineering courses were much harder than calc/diff eq/lin alg/etc.

My boyfriend is an EE major. He's a senior now. The classes you guys take.. I think that BM engineering is easier, at least from what I've seen from my friends but it also depends on what track you take ultimately. My friend is on the tissues track.

I have seen WAY too many biomedical engineering kids switch majors later on because BME was too much engineering and not enough biomedical. They were all premeds. OP- I tell you to consider it seriously now only because it will be a bitch to switch later. You'll be a junior stuck in classes with freshman and most likely get stuck graduating late.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Engineering is more than just math. Are you good at physics? I would say that maybe if you are excellent at math AND physics, you could do acceptably well in engineering.

And no offense but you say you're good at math yet you got a B in the two math courses you took. I tell everybody I am terrible at math but I managed to pull an A in the two college math courses I've taken.

There is nothing you can magically do that will improve your GPA. You have to discover where your weak spots are and work on them. If you're missing class, I suggest you start attending. If you're missing deadlines, use the calendar application on Gmail and sync it to your Blackberry or whatever. Being organized helps A LOT, whether it comes to handing things early or keeping your notes in order.

Like others said, it's not the end of the world yet. You have time to improve. If anything, medical schools will appreciate the upward trend.



My boyfriend is an EE major. He's a senior now. The classes you guys take.. I think that BM engineering is easier, at least from what I've seen from my friends but it also depends on what track you take ultimately. My friend is on the tissues track.

I have seen WAY too many biomedical engineering kids switch majors later on because BME was too much engineering and not enough biomedical. They were all premeds. OP- I tell you to consider it seriously now only because it will be a bitch to switch later. You'll be a junior stuck in classes with freshman and most likely get stuck graduating late.

No, I'm fine with the major. Switching majors wasn't really the advice I'm looking for. I'm just gonna go no more bull**** from now on cause it's my life on the line. Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

[SarahBellum1]

May I ask exactly how you study for your classes? More studying does not necessarily equal success. You need to study the right way (and by the right way, I mean the right way for YOU).

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Seriously you've got some bad study habits going on or you're just lazy...how do you get a C in both an intro poly sci class AND religious studies??

Come on now be real, you might think you're "studying really hard" but anyone can BS almost anything in a religious studies class and at least pull a B/B+.

Oh and for future reference, don't take any more art classes if you don't have to. Those classes are usually EXTREMELY heavily curved. I have a friend whose a double bio and art major and in his classes there's usually only one slot allotted for an A.

 

[BiopsychStudent]

You took seven classes your first semester, and five heavy math and science classes your second semester? Are you in a rush to graduate early? Most people take about four per semester, and of those maybe only 1-2 hard sciences.

Relax and register for way fewer classes next semester, you still have plenty of time to repair your GPA. Maybe take one class over the summer to lighten your future load?

 

[ladybug1122]

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Freshman Year
First semester and Concurrent Enrollment
English 2:C
Poly Science:C
Col Alg:B
Calc 1:B
Chem 1:C
Art: D (extremely hard class...average grade was C and by that I mean most people got Cs...)
Religious Studies:C
2nd semester
Chem 2 - Projecting a B i need perfect grades on my finals to get an A
Zoology- Projecting a B i need a perfect grade on my finals to get an A
Bio lab-B
Calc- Projecting a B...dunno cause my recent test hasnt come back but I do have a shot at an A
University COllege course-B

I haven't even gotten to my hard classes for Engineering yet and I am making terrible grades. I know that I messed up my first semester really badly and I was trying to recover from it this semester but now ill most likely make all B's, my finals are coming in 3 weeks.

I need some good advice and and some inspiration to not quit, any advice or insight is appreciated...just help me.

Don't give up hope. It is most likely your study habits. I've seen people put in quadriple the work I put in and I still make better grades at times. The secret is finding what study method works for you. You have to figure out if you are a visual, auditory,...etc kind of learner. Also, you have to figure out if you need an absolutely quiet place to study or you need to be where you will be motivated to study( like a library or starbucks . Also, when you say its time to stud, actually do studying.
Like I said, it's not all over. you have to figure out what works best for you. What works best for me is getting in my zone 2-3 days before a big test and doing long study sessions. The information sticks that way but I bet reading a little each day and doing a big review at the end also helps.
Also, with math classes, you absolutely have to practice daily. Not the night before, Daily!.
Also, you can't spend time thinking about all the fun you are missing. actually try to enjoy what you are studying, and if you get yourself in this mind frame, studying becomes easier.
As a final piece of advice, which was already mentioned, try to lighten your load up.
Use the summer to retake the classes you messed up on, and remember slow and steady wins the race

 

[pkwraith]

I graduated as a BME myself. So, I would say that you're not completely screwed, but that's a really, really bad start. Kind of confused how you haven't had any general engineering classes yet, and why a freshman engineer would have that many humanities classes.

If you can pull together a B average to finish off the year, that's a start. But the worst is ahead, as you're going to be taking most of the engineering AND premed prequisates/weedout classes Sophomore/Junior year. Never take seven classes in one semester again.

You're not really going to have much room for GPA repair until near the end of your UG tenure. I picked up an Econ major myself, as I had some breathing room. Most engineers aren't going to have any spaces for electives.

You need to take a hard look at what you're doing wrong. You haven't really given any indications on what your problems are. You should be acing any humanities classes from now (those are supposed to be GPA repair). Once you actually hit the difficult part of the major, you need to network with other BMEs and work with them.

 

[alienshards]

Switch majors.

I know you said you didn't want to, but seriously, switch majors.

 

[GreenRabbit]

Switch majors.

I know you said you didn't want to, but seriously, switch majors.

I second this. Seriously, engineering pre-meds are for the gifted.

 

[Bmed]

You need to do some honest introspection at this point and really figure this thing out soon.

Why are you doing poorly in your classes?

1. Your classes are too difficult / you are not intellectually prepared to take these courses
3. You are not putting enough hours into studying
4. You use ineffective studying techniques
5. You are disorganized or careless about turning in class material

Be dead honest with yourself, even ask friends that you might study with or know well and ask their opinion. Your self perception may not represent the reality of the situation.

Second, how badly do you want to go to medical school? Having a strong GPA is the most important factor of getting accepted. What are you willing to do to get those grades?

You might have to drop your engineering major for an easier one. You might say engineering is the only thing you can see yourself majoring in, but you really have to ignore that if you realize that engineering is too difficult of a major. Being an engineering major ain't going to help out if you have a 2.5 gpa.

Choose which classes you take wisely. Research the professors. Take a look at the syllabus and gauge difficulty.

Consider an easier course load. Having a lighter course load might allow you to focus better

Consider summer school at a community college to get some easier classes in.


I don't want to discourage you in any way, but if you want a half-decent gpa by the time you graduate, you're gonna have to put in some superhuman effort. Be honest with yourself if you can pull this off, and whether you want to go through the trouble.

 

[scarshapedstar]

Here's my quick story.

Started out computer engineering at a very hard school. Wasn't thinking about med school, I wanted to be an engineer, although I wasn't really sure why aside from the value of the degree. I wasn't a math whiz but I was very good at the programming side of Comp.E so I figured I could just pass diff. eq. and circuits and the other serious engineering courses by the skin of my teeth, because nobody really cares what your GPA was in engineering school.

Unfortunately, I had some family problems of my own and my grades fell off a cliff. Wasn't lazy, things just didn't stick and once you start falling behind in such intense courses there's no bouncing back. I wanted to switch to BME but they wouldn't allow it because my GPA was already too low. So, I switched to biology, which I previously felt was a cop-out because it was such an easy subject. My GPA instantly doubled but the damage was done and I've had to do a postbac just to get an interview.

Anyway, I realize now that I was meant to be a bio and not an engineer, and if I'd have simply studied my favorite subject instead of pursuing a "useful" degree that I had no chance in hell of obtaining, I'd be graduating med school this year instead of applying.

So I'll say this. If you are struggling with math at all, as your B's in both algebra and calculus suggest, get out now while you still can. You know the "it gets better" guy? Well, in engineering, it gets worse. It gets so much worse. I started out with B's in calculus and eventually I realized that the real engineers aced all their math classes without ever studying because they're math whizzes. If you really want to be a doctor you should get a degree in your favorite science subject, whether it's bio chemistry or physics, because it really does take a certain kind of person to do well in engineering classes. Adcoms know full well that 90% of the cookie-cutter premeds they accept would suck in engineering courses, but they will not respect you for going out on a limb, unfortunately.

 

[Juicec]

I was a BME major and received A's in Calc I, II and III, diffy Q, chems, bio's, etc and I choose to switch after I confirmed medical school as my end goal given I was aware of the syllabi ahead.

If you have a "C-B trend" in 1st year humanities you have to weigh your long term goals over your short term. If your worrying this early about your GPA I have to assume some level of dedication towards medicine, however upper level physics classes will leave you in the dust.

I highly advise to ignore the fact you want a BME degree just "cuz" and pursue something else. If you are however pursuing BME for PhD/MD degree down the line or something of the like well then, get your butt in gear my friend. Do not miss a class, do not watch TV, do not do anything other them BME BME BME until you are 100% a solid A student. I tell you this because exams will cut you apart a lot more then you can believe if you are not a solid A student.

This is just my 2 cents, but I've been in your situation (not grade wise but same BME with med school in the future dilemma) and after A LOT of research (because I truly loved BME) I choose to get into my med school of choice laugh over having a degree I would probably never pursue any further.

Good luck either way. Long live BME!

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Switch majors.

I know you said you didn't want to, but seriously, switch majors.

can't do it, won't do it

sorry, my passion is BME, doesn't seem like it, but i always wanted to go into bioengineering/biomedical enineering

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Seriously you've got some bad study habits going on or you're just lazy...how do you get a C in both an intro poly sci class AND religious studies??

Come on now be real, you might think you're "studying really hard" but anyone can BS almost anything in a religious studies class and at least pull a B/B+.

Oh and for future reference, don't take any more art classes if you don't have to. Those classes are usually EXTREMELY heavily curved. I have a friend whose a double bio and art major and in his classes there's usually only one slot allotted for an A.

idk man...looking back it seems like i just didn't care... i never put in the effort in any of my easy classes at all...i didnt even know if i wanted to go into medicine then either...

this semester however it felt like i tried the first half...and the 2nd half where i screwed up was when i was just being lazy

 

[DeltaPlaya]

To all the questions regarding what was the reason why I messed up on humanity courses...when i took those classes, i really wasn't motivated to do well in them. I didn't really look into medicine, I was more of a health career person. I REALLY want to go medicine now, but I also want an engineering degree because I am really interested in it (NOW I AM). It kind of sucks that I get penalized for not being motivated early off, I mean I know it was all my fault, but it's the difference between wanting the career in medicine and striving for it, and then just blowing off not knowing what I wanted to do in life. I really know what I want now. My dad graduated from a highly respected engineering school on the east coast with a 3.8. I just know what I want now, and I am willing to do anything, change up my habits, every bit of them, studying and anything. I just don't think if any med schools will be able to look past my unambitious days and give me a new starting point.

 

[iqe2010]

OP, I'm in your same boat (actually you may be doing better than me because I'll have two D's at the end of the year), and the best advice I could give to you is to refine your study habits. The reason I'm not doing well is because I'm not used to studying, I never really had to study in high school and it's really showing right now. I recommend reading the chapter before and after class, and also read on days you don't have the class. Lots of people mess up freshman year, but the thing is to show steady improvement. In my case, I'm not expecting anything less than an A the rest of my college career starting this summer. I'm pretty sure there are doctors out there that had less than stellar marks their freshman year of college.

 

[scarshapedstar]

Look, if you can hack it, an engineering degree is great. But I've been there and the humanities classes are the least of your worries. DSP, Diffy Screws, etc... it's easy to say that you're oh-so-interested in engineering when you have yet to take a single engineering course. And BME is the toughest, imo; it has courses from ME and EE. Are you really, absolutely sure you know what you're getting yourself into?

From the looks of things you will be a B engineer, and there's no shame in that IF you want to be an engineer, but you are shooting yourself in the foot as far as medicine goes. It ain't fair but life ain't fair.

Maybe you really can pull things together and get straight A's until you graduate. If you can do that, then this stuff won't matter, plus you can be an engineer instead (which are you more interested in, again?). It's good that you're not getting any more C's. But you need to be realistic about balancing what you're interested in and what you're good at. Engineers traditionally have low GPAs but nobody cares. Premeds traditionally have high GPAs because otherwise they have to spend years doing postbac BS.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

OP, I'm in your same boat (actually you may be doing better than me because I'll have two D's at the end of the year), and the best advice I could give to you is to refine your study habits. The reason I'm not doing well is because I'm not used to studying, I never really had to study in high school and it's really showing right now. I recommend reading the chapter before and after class, and also read on days you don't have the class. Lots of people mess up freshman year, but the thing is to show steady improvement. In my case, I'm not expecting anything less than an A the rest of my college career starting this summer. I'm pretty sure there are doctors out there that had less than stellar marks their freshman year of college.

I know what you mean. I went to a high school in the middle of nowhere, to get an A in a class meant studying the hour right before the tests because they were that easy (literally) and there were absolutely no assignments. I knew how bad my school was as well and that it would be different in college, but like I said, I didn't really give a damn. Are you an engineering major as well?

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Look, if you can hack it, an engineering degree is great. But I've been there and the humanities classes are the least of your worries. DSP, Diffy Screws, etc... it's easy to say that you're oh-so-interested in engineering when you have yet to take a single engineering course. And BME is the toughest, imo; it has courses from ME and EE. Are you really, absolutely sure you know what you're getting yourself into?

From the looks of things you will be a B engineer, and there's no shame in that IF you want to be an engineer, but you are shooting yourself in the foot as far as medicine goes. It ain't fair but life ain't fair.

Maybe you really can pull things together and get straight A's until you graduate. If you can do that, then this stuff won't matter, plus you can be an engineer instead (which are you more interested in, again?). It's good that you're not getting any more C's. But you need to be realistic about balancing what you're interested in and what you're good at. Engineers traditionally have low GPAs but nobody cares. Premeds traditionally have high GPAs because otherwise they have to spend years doing postbac BS.

I know what you mean, I know these classes I am about to take will be far harder than I imagine. And because of that, I plan on taking a good 6-9 hour load in the summer, and if i get a 4.0 and feel good about it, I will move on to continuing with my basic engineering courses. If I don't feel good, well then I will have to suck it up and make a choice ( yes you guys managed to convince me to even consider switching majors).

Is taking O Chem 1 in the summer a bad choice?

 

[iqe2010]

I know what you mean. I went to a high school in the middle of nowhere, to get an A in a class meant studying the hour right before the tests because they were that easy (literally) and there were absolutely no assignments. I knew how bad my school was as well and that it would be different in college, but like I said, I didn't really give a damn. Are you an engineering major as well?

no..I'm a biochem major.

 

[panasonic52]

OP, I'm confused. What is it that you want to do in the future? Physician, biomedical engineer, or both? If you want to do both, then continue on your path but you better figure out how you're going to study. If you want to be a physician only, then I recommend changing majors. There's no point in going through hell for a BME degree if you're not going to use it.

With the studying, obviously there's something wrong. If you can't find any time at all to hang out with friends until the middle of the semester, then that means your study habits are really inefficient. Hone your method over the summer and put it to use starting in the fall.

 

[alienshards]

can't do it, won't do it

sorry, my passion is BME, doesn't seem like it, but i always wanted to go into bioengineering/biomedical enineering

Then drop pre-med.

BME is no cakewalk. Hell, at my university you'd most likely already have been dropped from BME because of your GPA.

I really advise against doing BME/premed, even for bright, motivated students.

Now, given that you've yet to pull an A in your (pretty easy) math classes, drop BME.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

The worst part of BME is the EE classes (signal processing, etc). Physiology classes are a little differential equations heavy, but nothing you shouldn't be able to handle. The Bio-mechanics classes will probably be the easiest if you're good at physics (with the exception of fluid dynamics which is nasty if you get into pulsatile flow in elastic tubes, etc). Since you're taking a lot of chemistry and biology, the tissue/materials classes shouldn't be too hard either. All in all, don't think the major is TOO hard. It's also not too math heavy. There isn't going to be crazy derivatives or integrals, in fact most of my engineering classes deny you the use of a calculator. As long as you have the basic concepts down, you should do fine in engineering.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't think since you've screwed up Calc I you're screwed for your engineering classes, as long as you put in the effort the engineering classes won't be any more different than your traditional physics and math classes. Bring up your sGPA and your engineering grades will fall into place. The problem with engineering is that the people in the major tend to really love what they do, so the competition is intense and the work load is heavy.

However, if you're really serious about keeping your GPA above a 3.5, then I suggest you seriously consider staying 5 years and maybe using any free space for a minor (this is the norm at my school with engineering premeds). The course load is what's going to kill you in engineering, especially if you have to take a load of extra science classes on top of it to satisfy prereqs.

Finally, despite what you hear, it is NOT ok to have a low GPA as an engineer. No reputable masters program will take you with a GPA below a 3.0 - remember that unlike medical school, engineering programs are almost exclusively a numbers game. Some of the higher end masters programs will require GPAs above and beyond what Med schools require (UCLA, MIT, Cal Tech, Berkeley, etc). Don't use engineering as an excuse for your low GPA, neither med schools nor graduate engineering programs will be impressed and you'll find yourself with nowhere to go after graduation. While I believe BME and premed are easily doable if you put in the effort, you really should sit down and ask yourself "is this worth it?"

 

[DeltaPlaya]

Then drop pre-med.

BME is no cakewalk. Hell, at my university you'd most likely already have been dropped from BME because of your GPA.

I really advise against doing BME/premed, even for bright, motivated students.

Now, given that you've yet to pull an A in your (pretty easy) math classes, drop BME.

read what I said earlier, I wasn't exactly motivated to even try. When I was taking those classes, most of my hours were spent goofing off.

Like I said, Im going to give Organic Chem and Calc 1 for engineers over the summer a try. If it turns out to be too hard (anything less than a stellar A) then Ill drop.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

OP, I'm confused. What is it that you want to do in the future? Physician, biomedical engineer, or both? If you want to do both, then continue on your path but you better figure out how you're going to study. If you want to be a physician only, then I recommend changing majors. There's no point in going through hell for a BME degree if you're not going to use it.

With the studying, obviously there's something wrong. If you can't find any time at all to hang out with friends until the middle of the semester, then that means your study habits are really inefficient. Hone your method over the summer and put it to use starting in the fall.

Both, I want to do research in Bioengineering and be a physician.

I know there is something wrong. I don't really care about hanging out with friends anymore lol at this point its the least of my worries/concerns etc.

 

[DeltaPlaya]

The worst part of BME is the EE classes (signal processing, etc). Physiology classes are a little differential equations heavy, but nothing you shouldn't be able to handle. The Bio-mechanics classes will probably be the easiest if you're good at physics (with the exception of fluid dynamics which is nasty if you get into pulsatile flow in elastic tubes, etc). Since you're taking a lot of chemistry and biology, the tissue/materials classes shouldn't be too hard either. All in all, don't think the major is TOO hard. It's also not too math heavy. There isn't going to be crazy derivatives or integrals, in fact most of my engineering classes deny you the use of a calculator. As long as you have the basic concepts down, you should do fine in engineering.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't think since you've screwed up Calc I you're screwed for your engineering classes, as long as you put in the effort the engineering classes won't be any more different than your traditional physics and math classes. Bring up your sGPA and your engineering grades will fall into place. The problem with engineering is that the people in the major tend to really love what they do, so the competition is intense and the work load is heavy.

However, if you're really serious about keeping your GPA above a 3.5, then I suggest you seriously consider staying 5 years and maybe using any free space for a minor (this is the norm at my school with engineering premeds). The course load is what's going to kill you in engineering, especially if you have to take a load of extra science classes on top of it to satisfy prereqs.

Finally, despite what you hear, it is NOT ok to have a low GPA as an engineer. No reputable masters program will take you with a GPA below a 3.0 - remember that unlike medical school, engineering programs are almost exclusively a numbers game. Some of the higher end masters programs will require GPAs above and beyond what Med schools require (UCLA, MIT, Cal Tech, Berkeley, etc). Don't use engineering as an excuse for your low GPA, neither med schools nor graduate engineering programs will be impressed and you'll find yourself with nowhere to go after graduation. While I believe BME and premed are easily doable if you put in the effort, you really should sit down and ask yourself "is this worth it?"

Thanks for all this. Are you a BME as well?

 

[scarshapedstar]

Both, I want to do research in Bioengineering and be a physician.

Like, you want to see patients by day and do research by night?

At some point you really are gonna have to pick one or the other. I mean you're a freshman, so you will be an official practicing physician in about 11 years at the earliest. At that point your BS in BME will mean comparatively little, especially because you won't be doing a lot of engineering in the meantime, I promise.

Perhaps I'm misreading this and you want to be some kind of samurai badass doctor-engineer at a biotech firm, the go-to guy who knows everything. That's a pretty lofty goal, but if you want to be the guy who, let's say, gives the last word on whether or not an artificial heart will keep people alive, the decade of doctor training outweighs the two-and-a-half years of engineering courses.

Freshman year is too early to talk about how you're going to become a hermit. Things shouldn't be that hard. I once had an attitude that I should only study subjects that I found difficult (contrast with challenging) and realized too late that I was ignoring my own natural talents. I'm still paying the price for it. I can't tell you what your best subject is but if you're a premed, that is what you should study. I know people with business and anthropology degrees who got straight A's and got accepted straight from undergrad, and I know a BME who's still trying to get in after 4 years and a master's degree. I'm somewhere in between, having left engineering after it ruined my grades, worst of both worlds.

Your grades are the only thing that matters. (unless your MCAT totally blows)