Insanity is doing the same thing over...

[fluorometholone]

...And expecting different results.
Hey there folks, long time reader first time poster. Anyway, I'll cut to the chase- I need someone (ANYONE. PLEASE DEAR GOD) to tell me all hope is not lost, because pretty much everyone and their mother wants to share their opinion, and that opinion is always bad.
When I was in high school, I was on top of the world. Got an almost perfect score on my SATs. Grades were always pretty decent. Not stellar, but I always made first honors and I didn't really have to work too hard. Was in fun clubs, volunteered at my church and at a hospital, and even did a little research at a cancer center. Got accepted to a BS/MD program at our state school and was on my way.
Lived on campus my first year there, against my parents' wishes. Tanked. Barely joined any clubs, had a hard time making friends, and overall got crappy grades. Came home every weekend to work, so I was definitely NOT living the wild party college lifestyle.
Moved home the second year and commuted. Did OK the fall semester. Did worse in spring. Still not really in any clubs, don't have many good friends. Still working 20 hours a week (usually spread between Fri/Sat/Sun). Find out my scholarship is suspended, I'm on academic probation, and for all intents and purposes, kicked out of BS/MD.
Year 3, transfer schools. My younger sister is going to a well-known private university in our area. I transfer there, we commute together.Spend semester 1 retaking 2 science classes. Semester ends OK (like fall year 2). Semester 2, tank worse than ever. Still haven't really joined any meaningful clubs. Made a friend or two, develop inferiority complex. Keep working to pay for stuff, because now I have tuition on top of commuting, books, life in general.
Get accepted to a locally well-known pre-med volunteer program at our nearby hospital, 100% thanks to a glowing rec letter from hospital from high school. Cry. Take Physics 1 during SS1. STILL can't get a good grade, even though it's my only class (but passed). Parents threaten to kick me out. Already paid for Physics 2, so I'm stuck there. Still working 20 hrs/wk. End here.
I took a practice MCAT the other day and got a 25 without ever having taken OChem 2 or Physics 2, so I know I'm not a total and complete idiot. I know that. I KNOW I could be a great doctor. I want to be a navy physician so much it depresses me. My life just took a downturn when I turned 18 and I keep thinking "things will be better next semester" and they never are. Right now my cumGPA is probably a 2.3 and my sGPA might be a 2.0. Maybe (don't know how to compute retaking classes, etc). I don't know when, if ever, I can graduate now, and I don't know what to do next. People keep asking me my back-up and I really have nothing. What do I do now?
And for the record, as you can see, it's not like I'm enjoying the "s000 c0lleGe" lifestyle. I work no less than 20 hrs/week. I have exactly 1 really close (emotionally and geographically) friend. I don't drink or smoke ever. If it were that easy to fix, I'd have done that a long time ago.

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[FrkyBgStok]

it looks like you copied and pasted twice. you need to figure out how to study properly because as it looks right now, there is no way you could handle medicine. things are not totally lost, retake the classes you did bad and move forward towards DO. cut back your hours or stop working, i am not sure but you HAVE to figure out how to succeed in your classes.

 

[Eric01]

What are you majoring in right now? You might want to consider changing your major into a field of study you feel more confident in. You mentioned a more socially involved life when you were in high school. Do you think you've become depressed? I don't mean the simple blues but clinical depression. I would also suggest getting a research job at your uni and work only 10 or so hours a week if possible. 20 seems too much. No your dream isn't over but you'll probably have to do a post bacc program

 

[fluorometholone]

Thanks for the advice. I'd actually thought about changing my major once or twice (to poli sci, of all things. but hey, it's something I know I'm good at), but I'm afraid that if I'm only taking a bunch of PSC classes, my sGPA will be stagnant. Thoughts?
My other big fear is that I don't even stand a chance at a formal postbac program right now. Without giving too many personal details, I happen to live in a city with 5 med schools (4 MD/1 DO) and an overabundance of hungry premeds ready to fight for spots. Any advice on programs for people with crummy GPAs? I know that with a little bit of work, I can do pretty well on the MCAT. I can't raise my GPA without a postbac, and I can't get into a postbac without a decent GPA. It's frustrating.

 

[TriagePreMed]

You need to find help in your classes, desperately. If you can't handle a hard science curriculum, there's absolutely no reason to keep sinking yourself with a science major. Your issues will not be helped here. You need to go to your school's learning specialist (or something like that) and get a game plan. If what you want to know is if you have a chance at med school, you still do, but that's not even close to what you should be worrying for right now.

 

[md2bknox]

Hey, I am/was in a similiar situation, I am now recouping somewhat. In short, I was not assimilating for whatever reason, even though I was really popular in high school, well liked, and very involved in the community. I was an athlete made okay grades, but I was always the one to be apart of something and friendly. When I got to college I tried to do the same, but it didn't stick, I hated the school, and I just became depressed. That was exacerbated by three deaths in my family. I was very foolish in that I didn't take time off to think (mainly because the advisor who told me hated me, so I didn't want to take their advice), I was embarassed to tell my family that I felt I couldn't hack it, and that something was wrong with me (depression). So I kept going, graduated with the GPA from HELL. I took a summer, reevaluated myself. I moved back home, started classes at my local university, doing a second bachelors. Still messed up in chem two with a C- and Physics one with a D. The hard part was evaluating myself, why was I struggling, when I was going to classes, but then I realize that I do better studying with others. I formed a study group toward the end of chem two, as you can see pulled myself up, but not enough. Then Physics was met with a math challenge, not great in math, haven't taken it in a while. I was getting the physics and messing up my math. So I literally spent 4 weeks of intense math on my own, looking at videos, doing problems I found online. Finally I told myself if I fail, C or down, I would quit, there is no excuse to waste my time, family's time, and meds schools time if I can not be serious. At some point you have to evaluate yourself as a student and candidate for medical school. We all want to believe we can do it (whatever we want to do ), but point is some of us can't, and I really wanted to make sure that I could, so I am currently taking physics one, two and organic 2, as well as doing 2 reserach projects, volunteering, and heading the premed club I found. Evaluation is the name of the game. Another thing I learned is to communicate (with family), I was ashamed, but I really thought why do I feel this way. I think I felt I let them down, but I honestly feel had I told them it would have lightened the load (in my mind). After the string of deaths, like the second one. I just got so depressed I spent a semester in my bed, not going to class..Called off from work..The whole works..It was me and my dog..lol literally a blues song! I decided I had to go to counseling. I flunked all of my classes except one (they were seriously just being nice, she gave me an A). By the way this is what worked for me, please don't take such a full course load. The advice originally given to me was to take a light load until you make As. Part of my problem was lack of confidence. I challenged myself, because that's what I felt I needed to do. For the longest time, people told me things I couldn't do, I wasn't going to graduate from my alma mater, I wouldn't be able to deal with the course work, and it became ingrained. I had no back up plan so this was like telling me not to breath. I had never felt helpless before. As for being social, please put yourself out there. For me it started off the same way, couldn't get into clubs consistently. I worked all the time, I had two job at all times. I never partied, but then I realize how much I missed. Never went to a football game, didn't have buddies to go on a road trip with, or even to drink a beer with. I was not living at all, but life is short, really short! At this age you think oh whatever, but I've just seen alot of crazy stuff happen to very young people, so enjoy and live it! You need the release, so your not obsessing all the time. So the take away: 1. Evaluate a.the situation b.yourself 2. Communicate a. with your family, be straight up, say there is NOTHING else I want to do, and I need your support right now! If no support find a way to support yourself and keep it moving! 3. Take time for yourself a. Think about taking time off from school and finding a job and working. In this time meditate on your environment/situation and come up with a plan. 4. Live it up a. Have fun b. Know that so long as your able to wake up another day, you can fix it. 5. Be realistic a. Talk to a medical school advisor but don't take what they say to heart but use what they say as a tool. Find someone who will say yea it will be hard but if your willing, we can devise a plan. If they are going harp on your situation and say you'll never make it, just Thank them and move on. b. Know that this will be hard, and alot of work. We all fall but how we get up says alot about who we are. c. Humble yourself, your not the person you were in high school, that's okay it's apart of growing up. I hope this helps, please don't retake anything until your sure you can fix the problem. Take it from me, I wish I was intuitive enough. When you keep doing the same things with the same results that's the kid in you saying I want it now. I did it, and I'm going to be 26 applying, and hopefully someone can give me a chance. Had I evaluated myself, I could have salvaged my GPA, even if I was the same age, I would have a better chance of not going through a million hoops to get in. A mature soul evaluates and fixes the problem. There is no equation to getting into med school hunGood luck and keep us posted on the progress!BTW my life is more chaotic now with two jobs, two research projects, three classes, and community service. I 'm loving every bit of it, because I enjoy what I am doing, learning, and the environment. I will be applying soon, if I don't get in I will try again. As for my classes I am excelling, I have one A, and two high Bs that I am confident will be made into two As toward the end. Through all of this I am happy I went through this, its life, and someone else will have a problem then you can help them through. This is wisdom, I plan to talk about this when I apply because its apart of me, all of it.

 

[Shizz]

Hey, I am/was in a similiar situation, I am now recouping somewhat. In short, I was not assimilating for whatever reason, even though I was really popular in high school, well liked, and very involved in the community. I was an athlete made okay grades, but I was always the one to be apart of something and friendly. When I got to college I tried to do the same, but it didn't stick, I hated the school, and I just became depressed. That was exacerbated by three deaths in my family. I was very foolish in that I didn't take time off to think (mainly because the advisor who told me hated me, so I didn't want to take their advice), I was embarassed to tell my family that I felt I couldn't hack it, and that something was wrong with me (depression). So I kept going, graduated with the GPA from HELL. I took a summer, reevaluated myself. I moved back home, started classes at my local university, doing a second bachelors. Still messed up in chem two with a C- and Physics one with a D. The hard part was evaluating myself, why was I struggling, when I was going to classes, but then I realize that I do better studying with others. I formed a study group toward the end of chem two, as you can see pulled myself up, but not enough. Then Physics was met with a math challenge, not great in math, haven't taken it in a while. I was getting the physics and messing up my math. So I literally spent 4 weeks of intense math on my own, looking at videos, doing problems I found online. Finally I told myself if I fail, C or down, I would quit, there is no excuse to waste my time, family's time, and meds schools time if I can not be serious. At some point you have to evaluate yourself as a student and candidate for medical school. We all want to believe we can do it (whatever we want to do ), but point is some of us can't, and I really wanted to make sure that I could, so I am currently taking physics one, two and organic 2, as well as doing 2 reserach projects, volunteering, and heading the premed club I found. Evaluation is the name of the game. Another thing I learned is to communicate (with family), I was ashamed, but I really thought why do I feel this way. I think I felt I let them down, but I honestly feel had I told them it would have lightened the load (in my mind). After the string of deaths, like the second one. I just got so depressed I spent a semester in my bed, not going to class..Called off from work..The whole works..It was me and my dog..lol literally a blues song! I decided I had to go to counseling. I flunked all of my classes except one (they were seriously just being nice, she gave me an A). By the way this is what worked for me, please don't take such a full course load. The advice originally given to me was to take a light load until you make As. Part of my problem was lack of confidence. I challenged myself, because that's what I felt I needed to do. For the longest time, people told me things I couldn't do, I wasn't going to graduate from my alma mater, I wouldn't be able to deal with the course work, and it became ingrained. I had no back up plan so this was like telling me not to breath. I had never felt helpless before. As for being social, please put yourself out there. For me it started off the same way, couldn't get into clubs consistently. I worked all the time, I had two job at all times. I never partied, but then I realize how much I missed. Never went to a football game, didn't have buddies to go on a road trip with, or even to drink a beer with. I was not living at all, but life is short, really short! At this age you think oh whatever, but I've just seen alot of crazy stuff happen to very young people, so enjoy and live it! You need the release, so your not obsessing all the time. So the take away: 1. Evaluate a.the situation b.yourself 2. Communicate a. with your family, be straight up, say there is NOTHING else I want to do, and I need your support right now! If no support find a way to support yourself and keep it moving! 3. Take time for yourself a. Think about taking time off from school and finding a job and working. In this time meditate on your environment/situation and come up with a plan. 4. Live it up a. Have fun b. Know that so long as your able to wake up another day, you can fix it. 5. Be realistic a. Talk to a medical school advisor but don't take what they say to heart but use what they say as a tool. Find someone who will say yea it will be hard but if your willing, we can devise a plan. If they are going harp on your situation and say you'll never make it, just Thank them and move on. b. Know that this will be hard, and alot of work. We all fall but how we get up says alot about who we are. c. Humble yourself, your not the person you were in high school, that's okay it's apart of growing up. I hope this helps, please don't retake anything until your sure you can fix the problem. Take it from me, I wish I was intuitive enough. When you keep doing the same things with the same results that's the kid in you saying I want it now. I did it, and I'm going to be 26 applying, and hopefully someone can give me a chance. Had I evaluated myself, I could have salvaged my GPA, even if I was the same age, I would have a better chance of not going through a million hoops to get in. A mature soul evaluates and fixes the problem. There is no equation to getting into med school hunGood luck and keep us posted on the progress!BTW my life is more chaotic now with two jobs, two research projects, three classes, and community service. I 'm loving every bit of it, because I enjoy what I am doing, learning, and the environment. I will be applying soon, if I don't get in I will try again. As for my classes I am excelling, I have one A, and two high Bs that I am confident will be made into two As toward the end. Through all of this I am happy I went through this, its life, and someone else will have a problem then you can help them through. This is wisdom, I plan to talk about this when I apply because its apart of me, all of it.

Oh yeah, it's no problem OP, I'm pretty sure you're going to be good. Let me give you one of my inspirational stories too: Ok, I turned 16 yesterday (YaY Me!) and a group of my BEST friends went to the movies day b4 yesterday (The Simpsons Movie Rocks!) and well my friend (thats a grl) sat next to me and all throuh the movie i was playing with her class ring and her fingers and she played back, I didnt think much of it until she started to hold and rub the palm of my hand (ill admit I did have a tiny crush on her but wasnt making a move) then later that night me, her, and another friend were on our way to my house (other friend also a grl, most of my friends are girls) where she actually kissed me and my other friend saw, ofcoarse she was FREAKING out cuz thats her best friend too (have you noticed the word 'friend' comes up alot in this giant wall of text?) then we went inside my house and watched "V For Vendetta" (all of us's fav. movie of all time! WooT!) on my computer, in the dark, in my room. Imm in my computer chair, she's on anther chair (the grl dat kissed me) and my other friend on my bed. I looked at her in the eyes and then kinda just 'fell into it' I mean some harcore making out and feeling up...I do have to say its been a while since I had a girl in my arms and was glad to have anotherone once again. ofcoarse my other friend was like ''whatever'' so me and her were just going at it. then they left. and I could NOT GO TO SLEEP that night just thinking of her. the next day I tried to invite a few friends to 'Chillies' and oddly enough no1 but her could go so we went and ate dinner and headed back to her house but her dad wasnt home and her phone was dissconnected so she didnt want to stay there, so we went to my house and went in my room (hmmm, sounds familiar) and started to finish the movie (couldnt finish the night before) and were holding hands and she saw my cologne and started smelling them then i told her which was my fav. (Drakkar btw) and she pulled out her perfume and put some on and I was smelling her neck and just wanted to die, I told her I had never smelt somthing so beutiful and just stared into each others eyes for a moment and we just went at it again just MORE intense then the night before, I was biting her lip and neck and kissing her all over and was moving down to her chest where I started 'caressing her breast and then moved her shirt down and kissed her breast (btw at which no point went near her nipple) and gave her a TINY hickie on her breast. She grabbed me with one finger under my chin and pulled me to her face and just started kissing me and kissing my neck then I went for the spot that I know for a fact makes alot of girls go wild (if you dont know it, its the ear lol sounds freakin crazy but OMG DOES IT WORk) and I was nibbleing on her ear and all I heard was her breathing get faster and a very quiet moan in my ear then we were uh, 'ahem' feeling up each other (oddly her more then me lol) and then she got her nails and put them on my back while i was sucking on her neck and then slowly draged them accross my back and I just was thinking "OMFG Do me right now plz!" and my breathing got intense where hers did too. we went back n forth until she had to go then when we got up to walk out of my room I grabbed her arm and spun her arround and gave her one more deep, passionate kiss and then thrusted her backwards onn to my waterbed where she fell on her back and I got on top of her and she just went crazy and started kissing me, it was almost hard for me to keep up with her and then it all stopped and I stared into her eyes and gave her one more deep kiss. Ok, I turned 16 yesterday (YaY Me!) and a group of my BEST friends went to the movies day b4 yesterday (The Simpsons Movie Rocks!) and well my friend (thats a grl) sat next to me and all throuh the movie i was playing with her class ring and her fingers and she played back, I didnt think much of it until she started to hold and rub the palm of my hand (ill admit I did have a tiny crush on her but wasnt making a move) then later that night me, her, and another friend were on our way to my house (other friend also a grl, most of my friends are girls) where she actually kissed me and my other friend saw, ofcoarse she was FREAKING out cuz thats her best friend too (have you noticed the word 'friend' comes up alot in this giant wall of text?) then we went inside my house and watched "V For Vendetta" (all of us's fav. movie of all time! WooT!) on my computer, in the dark, in my room. Imm in my computer chair, she's on anther chair (the grl dat kissed me) and my other friend on my bed. I looked at her in the eyes and then kinda just 'fell into it' I mean some harcore making out and feeling up...I do have to say its been a while since I had a girl in my arms and was glad to have anotherone once again. ofcoarse my other friend was like ''whatever'' so me and her were just going at it. then they left. and I could NOT GO TO SLEEP that night just thinking of her. the next day I tried to invite a few friends to 'Chillies' and oddly enough no1 but her could go so we went and ate dinner and headed back to her house but her dad wasnt home and her phone was dissconnected so she didnt want to stay there, so we went to my house and went in my room (hmmm, sounds familiar) and started to finish the movie (couldnt finish the night before) and were holding hands and she saw my cologne and started smelling them then i told her which was my fav. (Drakkar btw) and she pulled out her perfume and put some on and I was smelling her neck and just wanted to die, I told her I had never smelt somthing so beutiful and just stared into each others eyes for a moment and we just went at it again just MORE intense then the night before, I was biting her lip and neck and kissing her all over and was moving down to her chest where I started 'caressing her breast and then moved her shirt down and kissed her breast (btw at which no point went near her nipple) and gave her a TINY hickie on her breast. She grabbed me with one finger under my chin and pulled me to her face and just started kissing me and kissing my neck then I went for the spot that I know for a fact makes alot of girls go wild (if you dont know it, its the ear lol sounds freakin crazy but OMG DOES IT WORk) and I was nibbleing on her ear and all I heard was her breathing get faster and a very quiet moan in my ear then we were uh, 'ahem' feeling up each other (oddly her more then me lol) and then she got her nails and put them on my back while i was sucking on her neck and then slowly draged them accross my back and I just was thinking "OMFG Do me right now plz!" and my breathing got intense where hers did too. we went back n forth until she had to go then when we got up to walk out of my room I grabbed her arm and spun her arround and gave her one more deep, passionate kiss and then thrusted her backwards onn to my waterbed where she fell on her back and I got on top of her and she just went crazy and started kissing me, it was almost hard for me to keep up with her and then it all stopped and I stared into her eyes and gave her one more deep kiss.

 

[fluorometholone]

This is exactly what I was hoping to hear- someone in a similar situation telling me all is not lost. I know that right at this moment, my head isn't screwed on right. Counseling might be a good idea- we do have a pretty decent thread of varying levels of mental instability in my family; unfortunately, 99% of my fam thinks depression is "all in the head" (pun). I think I should also maybe get my thyroid checked while I'm at it.
Out of curiosity, MD2B, what are your 2 degrees in (the one you completed and the one you're working on now)? I don't know if I could handle starting a third undergrad course at a different university, but I can definitely stay an extra year at my current school (assuming I do well in physics now and can win back the financial and emotional support of my family). The only things I have left to complete are 2 Ochems, 4 bios, and 2-3 humanities...my advisor thought I could fit them all in easily this year, but the more I think about it, the more 3 sciences sounds like a nightmare. In general, are you in favor of retaking classes? I got Ds in genetics and physiology this semester and don't know what to do about them.
Currently, I'm standing with a B in Bio 1 (up from a C the first time), C in Bio 2 (taken once), B- in chem 1 (up from a C-) and B in chem 2 (D the first time). Should I even bother retaking them or just push on forward? Seems stupid to take most of those a third time. Insanity, again.
Any advice for how to get a research gig with my lack of resume? That's one of the things that holds me back- I'm so embarrassed that I don't even try. But I know I'm a hard worker!

 

[MedAdComMD]

Your situation is really not that uncommon.

How many credit hours do you already have? It is really a numbers game - do you think taking 4 more years of school work + summer courses will bring it to about a 3.5 or so?

 

[fluorometholone]

Your situation is really not that uncommon.

How many credit hours do you already have? It is really a numbers game - do you think taking 4 more years of school work + summer courses will bring it to about a 3.5 or so?

I'm not sure how GPA is recalculated with my retaking classes. I have a 1.9 sGPA, but it's higher if I take out the first round of chem 1, bio 1, and chem 2 (the classes I retook). And would be higher if I retook genetics and/or physio. How does that work?

 

[MedAdComMD]

For MD schools, retaking a class doesn't replace the grade - just counts as a second grade averaged into it.

Only for DO schools, do they have the grade replacement policy.

The key question you haven't answered is how many credit hours you currently have.

1.9 GPA on 120 credit hours is different if you have 1.9 GPA on 60 credit hours.

 

[fluorometholone]

For MD schools, retaking a class doesn't replace the grade - just counts as a second grade averaged into it.

Only for DO schools, do they have the grade replacement policy.

The key question you haven't answered is how many credit hours you currently have.

1.9 GPA on 120 credit hours is different if you have 1.9 GPA on 60 credit hours.

Oh, I am definitely at the upper end of credit hours. I've probably got about about 72 science credits and maybe close to 120 total (though the total gpa is more like 2.75 and I've only gotten maybe two or three B's in all non science classes ever. So it's really just the sciences that are the problem now.

 

[NFkappaB]

Oh, I am definitely at the upper end of credit hours. I've probably got about about 72 science credits and maybe close to 120 total (though the total gpa is more like 2.75 and I've only gotten maybe two or three B's in all non science classes ever. So it's really just the sciences that are the problem now.

In this case, I think you should only think about DO schools. Take all the courses you got a C or below in, and get an A. Hopefully 2 years of such effort should bring both your cGPA and sGPA to >3.0

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Ok first of all get your GPA up. Most if not all don't take that low of a GPA, regardless of MCAT score. Retake all your science and try and get an A or B. IMO forget MD. It looks like a long shot and I'm not gonna give you false hope but you have absolutely no chance right now at MD with a GPA of 2.3 and sGPA of 1.9. DO is your best option of you really want to be a doctor.

 

[sublm128]

Hey, I am/was in a similiar situation, I am now recouping somewhat. In short, I was not assimilating for whatever reason, even though I was really popular in high school, well liked, and very involved in the community. I was an athlete made okay grades, but I was always the one to be apart of something and friendly. When I got to college I tried to do the same, but it didn't stick, I hated the school, and I just became depressed. That was exacerbated by three deaths in my family. I was very foolish in that I didn't take time off to think (mainly because the advisor who told me hated me, so I didn't want to take their advice), I was embarassed to tell my family that I felt I couldn't hack it, and that something was wrong with me (depression). So I kept going, graduated with the GPA from HELL. I took a summer, reevaluated myself. I moved back home, started classes at my local university, doing a second bachelors. Still messed up in chem two with a C- and Physics one with a D. The hard part was evaluating myself, why was I struggling, when I was going to classes, but then I realize that I do better studying with others. I formed a study group toward the end of chem two, as you can see pulled myself up, but not enough. Then Physics was met with a math challenge, not great in math, haven't taken it in a while. I was getting the physics and messing up my math. So I literally spent 4 weeks of intense math on my own, looking at videos, doing problems I found online. Finally I told myself if I fail, C or down, I would quit, there is no excuse to waste my time, family's time, and meds schools time if I can not be serious. At some point you have to evaluate yourself as a student and candidate for medical school. We all want to believe we can do it (whatever we want to do ), but point is some of us can't, and I really wanted to make sure that I could, so I am currently taking physics one, two and organic 2, as well as doing 2 reserach projects, volunteering, and heading the premed club I found. Evaluation is the name of the game. Another thing I learned is to communicate (with family), I was ashamed, but I really thought why do I feel this way. I think I felt I let them down, but I honestly feel had I told them it would have lightened the load (in my mind). After the string of deaths, like the second one. I just got so depressed I spent a semester in my bed, not going to class..Called off from work..The whole works..It was me and my dog..lol literally a blues song! I decided I had to go to counseling. I flunked all of my classes except one (they were seriously just being nice, she gave me an A). By the way this is what worked for me, please don't take such a full course load. The advice originally given to me was to take a light load until you make As. Part of my problem was lack of confidence. I challenged myself, because that's what I felt I needed to do. For the longest time, people told me things I couldn't do, I wasn't going to graduate from my alma mater, I wouldn't be able to deal with the course work, and it became ingrained. I had no back up plan so this was like telling me not to breath. I had never felt helpless before. As for being social, please put yourself out there. For me it started off the same way, couldn't get into clubs consistently. I worked all the time, I had two job at all times. I never partied, but then I realize how much I missed. Never went to a football game, didn't have buddies to go on a road trip with, or even to drink a beer with. I was not living at all, but life is short, really short! At this age you think oh whatever, but I've just seen alot of crazy stuff happen to very young people, so enjoy and live it! You need the release, so your not obsessing all the time. So the take away: 1. Evaluate a.the situation b.yourself 2. Communicate a. with your family, be straight up, say there is NOTHING else I want to do, and I need your support right now! If no support find a way to support yourself and keep it moving! 3. Take time for yourself a. Think about taking time off from school and finding a job and working. In this time meditate on your environment/situation and come up with a plan. 4. Live it up a. Have fun b. Know that so long as your able to wake up another day, you can fix it. 5. Be realistic a. Talk to a medical school advisor but don't take what they say to heart but use what they say as a tool. Find someone who will say yea it will be hard but if your willing, we can devise a plan. If they are going harp on your situation and say you'll never make it, just Thank them and move on. b. Know that this will be hard, and alot of work. We all fall but how we get up says alot about who we are. c. Humble yourself, your not the person you were in high school, that's okay it's apart of growing up. I hope this helps, please don't retake anything until your sure you can fix the problem. Take it from me, I wish I was intuitive enough. When you keep doing the same things with the same results that's the kid in you saying I want it now. I did it, and I'm going to be 26 applying, and hopefully someone can give me a chance. Had I evaluated myself, I could have salvaged my GPA, even if I was the same age, I would have a better chance of not going through a million hoops to get in. A mature soul evaluates and fixes the problem. There is no equation to getting into med school hunGood luck and keep us posted on the progress!BTW my life is more chaotic now with two jobs, two research projects, three classes, and community service. I 'm loving every bit of it, because I enjoy what I am doing, learning, and the environment. I will be applying soon, if I don't get in I will try again. As for my classes I am excelling, I have one A, and two high Bs that I am confident will be made into two As toward the end. Through all of this I am happy I went through this, its life, and someone else will have a problem then you can help them through. This is wisdom, I plan to talk about this when I apply because its apart of me, all of it.

Very wise advice, and well thought out. Im in a similar boat - 2.55 AMCAS gpa and 30 MCAT, as well as an institutional action record for cheating. Ive been told by so many people that I wouldnt be able to make it, and most probably I wont my first time around. But that does not mean that im not going to try my best. I have improved a lot, but there was a time that i was not getting good grades, whether it be due to negligence or lack of study habits. I was not getting good grades. Eventually I decided it was do or die time, and if I didnt get an A in Human Phys I would drop the premed track. I ended up passing with flying colors while I worked 20 hours a week. Perseverance, my friends is all you need. Hang in there and if you already graduated go back and take non-degree classes in bio - start small with introductory bio if absolutely necessary, but do something in the BCPM so it'll help pull your science gpa up. If your school offers a grad degree apply for that - since its your alma mater you'll probably get in, and you can use that as a stepping stone. It probably wont help all that much in the MD ADCOMMs eyes, but it'll help you demonstrate to yourself that you can do it and the GPA will factor into DO schools.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Very wise advice, and well thought out. Im in a similar boat - 2.55 AMCAS gpa and 30 MCAT, as well as an institutional action record for cheating. Ive been told by so many people that I wouldnt be able to make it, and most probably I wont my first time around. But that does not mean that im not going to try my best. I have improved a lot, but there was a time that i was not getting good grades, whether it be due to negligence or lack of study habits. I was not getting good grades. Eventually I decided it was do or die time, and if I didnt get an A in Human Phys I would drop the premed track. I ended up passing with flying colors while I worked 20 hours a week. Perseverance, my friends is all you need. Hang in there and if you already graduated go back and take non-degree classes in bio - start small with introductory bio if absolutely necessary, but do something in the BCPM so it'll help pull your science gpa up. If your school offers a grad degree apply for that - since its your alma mater you'll probably get in, and you can use that as a stepping stone. It probably wont help all that much in the MD ADCOMMs eyes, but it'll help you demonstrate to yourself that you can do it and the GPA will factor into DO schools.

You don't want to hear that you won't get in, but you truly need to reconsider what you're doing. The cheating alone, even with a 4.0, might keep you from ever attending medical school. You should contact schools directly and ask them about it. Would hate to see you waste your time.

 

[sublm128]

You don't want to hear that you won't get in, but you truly need to reconsider what you're doing. The cheating alone, even with a 4.0, might keep you from ever attending medical school. You should contact schools directly and ask them about it. Would hate to see you waste your time.

i agree, and that was my biggest concern. i called a few schools and they said if it was five years ago and i truly learned my lesson then it shouldnt be a big deal. Not sure if i believe the "not a big deal" part, but i feel theres no real harm in applying. Other than money of course.

 

[md2bknox]

I apologize for the late response. So I am in favor for taking science courses over both for MD and DO but humanities I would only take over for DO ( bc of grade replacement). So both of my degrees are non science and with what I want to do in medicine (family/social/preventative medicine) they will help immensely. I have already targeted schools with a mission for the underserve, so in my case I feel its beneficial for me. I had planned to get a degree in a hard science but the school I attend is just starting a major in biology and health science. The other school is an hour away, I wasn't driving an hour each way to do that. Now I kinda traveling but its too much and I don't want to transfer because of the support I'm receiving from my current school. I already have LORS ready. I also take care of family member so its hard for me to take courses there at this hour away school. I do plan on taking upper level bio courses and i am prepared to do an SMP. I am lucky that I've only got a few poor grades in science courses and my gpa is higher for my science gpa. Oddly enough sorry I'm on my phone so excuse the grammar, and any out of place words. My phone loves to change words..feel free to ask any other questions. BTW another I plan to do soon is introduce myself get my name in the med school head, before I apply. I never understood why people wait right before of course I have not gone through the process so it maybe hardcore..they mat not want to talk to me but I'm gonna try feel free to ask any other questions!

 

[md2bknox]

Also I am doing 2.5 years worth of gpa repair..I was intuitive enough to stop taking science classes. But I so have the same amount of credits if not more. I've been taking 18 credits per semester.

 

[fluorometholone]

I did some computing. My cGPA without grade substitution is 2.808, with subs it's 3.068. sGPA is 2.164 w/o, 2.318 w. I'm already retaking ochem this fall, and if I retake genetics and physio, I think the subs will bring it up to 3.4/2.9. Hopefully if I can maintain somewhere around a 3.7+ for the next few semesters, that will matter more than the final numbers (upward trend, right?)
Next step: find someone who will take me on to their research team despite my abysmal track record.

 

[Goro]

I sense that you still need a lot of growing to do. Medicine isn't for everyone, no matter how hard you want it.

Right now, I'd say stop with college completely, as you're just wasting your time and money. Get a job, and then join the EMTs or similar. Try joining the NatGuard or Reserves. ONLY then should you reconsider a medical career.

There's also nursing and PA too.

 

[fluorometholone]

I sense that you still need a lot of growing to do. Medicine isn't for everyone, no matter how hard you want it.

Right now, I'd say stop with college completely, as you're just wasting your time and money. Get a job, and then join the EMTs or similar. Try joining the NatGuard or Reserves. ONLY then should you reconsider a medical career.

There's also nursing and PA too.

FYI, I already said that I DO work, 20 hours a week during the semester and more during breaks. Undergrad work study jobs are what, 8-12 hours a week, right? So I'm already ahead of the curve there.
As for the "need for growth" remark...I don't want to go into too much detail here, but I would bet that I'm far more jaded than most of my classmates (and I hear it all goes downhill from here). Growing up is awfully relative, isn't it?
I know I have a long road ahead, but I'd like to think that every day I'm just a little smarter than I was the day before.