I screwed up this semester..

[citylights25]

I just finished my first semester as a sophomore and my grade are really not up to par with were they should be. I did really well my first semester freshman year with four A's and one B so my GPA was 3.81, then second semester I got one C+, two B+, and two A's.. so my GPA at the end of freshman year was around 3.57.

However, this semester I took seven classes and only managed to get 2 A's and the rest is a nightmare.. withdrew from anatomy lab, C's in physics and chem lab, and a D in anatomy lecture, my final grade in chem is not posted yet but I'm right at the edge of a C or a D.. I'm so disappointed in myself. I feel like I wasn't mentally motivated for school and my grades really showed it.

Balancing 7 classes was tough, I wasn't mentally prepared for all the work load is there any chance of me being able to get into med school with such low grades on my transcript? I really need some advice, especially on how to do better next semester

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[Catalystik]

I just finished my first semester as a sophomore and my grade are really not up to par with were they should be. I did really well my first semester freshman year with four A's and one B so my GPA was 3.81, then second semester I got one C+, two B+, and two A's.. so my GPA at the end of freshman year was around 3.51.

However, this semester I took seven classes and only managed to get 2 A's and the rest is a nightmare.. withdrew from anatomy lab, C's in physics and chem lab, and a D in anatomy lecture, my final grade in chem is not posted yet but I'm right at the edge of a C or a D.. I'm so disappointed in myself. I feel like I wasn't mentally motivated for school and my grades really showed it.

Balancing 7 classes was tough, I wasn't mentally prepared for all the work load is there any chance of me being able to get into med school with such low grades on my transcript? I really need some advice, especially on how to do better next semester

A bad semester is not a bar to getting into med school. The important thing is that you figure out where you went wrong and adjust course. Did you take too heavy a course load? Did you let extracurriculars and social considerations keep you from adequate study? Are you overwhelmed by family considerations? Are you depressed?

Med schools aren't necessarily looking for perfect applicants. They are looking for folks who can acknowledge their mistakes, change their behaviors, and do better.

Plan a smaller course load next term. Take no more than two labs. Minimize your ECs. Meet with an academic counselor if necessary. Expect to stay in college longer to get your GPA back on track. Don't rush it.

 

[citylights25]

A bad semester is not a bar to getting into med school. The important thing is that you figure out where you went wrong and adjust course. Did you take too heavy a course load? Did you let extracurriculars and social considerations keep you from adequate study? Are you overwhelmed by family considerations? Are you depressed?

Med schools aren't necessarily looking for perfect applicants. They are looking for folks who can acknowledge their mistakes, change their behaviors, and do better.

Plan a smaller course load next term. Take no more than two labs. Minimize your ECs. Meet with an academic counselor if necessary. Expect to stay in college longer to get your GPA back on track. Don't rush it.

Thank you. Family and workload were a big factor to what may have caused such lack of motivation. I also realized I can't get by with cramming every bit of information the night before, especially with so many classes. I am striving to build an upward trend with my grades and stay focused on my studies. Do you happen to have any study tips that you use?

 

[Catalystik]

Do you happen to have any study tips that you use?

Well, it's been a few years, but 1) I never crammed, I always kept up with studying all along and got a good night's sleep the night before tests, 2) I answered all the questions at the end of the chapters, and 3) I studied for each test as if it could be multiple choice, True/False, or essay (having learned the hard way that teachers lie.)

 

[ScottTenorman54]

For future semesters - ya gotta plan your schedule out better than that. 7 courses, including two of the more difficult prereqs, with poor study skills = bad time. If you really need to overhaul your study habits, take a semester with a lighter load and hone your skills / discipline. Then you can pile on the work again.