low GPA freshman year, need help

[premed_101]

Hi
I just completed my freshman year. I had a 3.7 the first semester, but after this semester I will most likely end up with a 2.4. The class I failed was gen chem and I got a C+ in a Bio class. I did very well in my science classes the first semester, but not so much this semester. I am retaking both classes.

My question is specifically for students who have done very well in pre-medical courses. How did you do it? Specifically, chem and the DREADED organic chemistry (which I am scared out of my mind to take). I am not one of those people who didn't work hard. I worked so hard in general chem. Looking back on it, there are absolutely things that I would/will do differently when I retake the course. But I was not one of those people who did not try. This was GEN CHEM!!!!! I have much harder sciences next semester. How do you study for those impossible pre-medical course in order to excel in them? I cannot afford any more bad grades.

Thank youuuuuu

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[Magus5454]

Hi
I just completed my freshman year. I had a 3.7 the first semester, but after this semester I will most likely end up with a 2.4. The class I failed was gen chem and I got a C+ in a Bio class. I did very well in my science classes the first semester, but not so much this semester. I am retaking both classes.

My question is specifically for students who have done very well in pre-medical courses. How did you do it? Specifically, chem and the DREADED organic chemistry (which I am scared out of my mind to take). I am not one of those people who didn't work hard. I worked so hard in general chem. Looking back on it, there are absolutely things that I would/will do differently when I retake the course. But I was not one of those people who did not try. This was GEN CHEM!!!!! I have much harder sciences next semester. How do you study for those impossible pre-medical course in order to excel in them? I cannot afford any more bad grades.

Thank youuuuuu

Don't retake the C+. Organic is totally different than gen chem, my prof focused on the why does this happen and not just brute memorization of reagents .

If you worked hard, you're not doing something right. Go to office hours. Find what works for you.

 

[itslilytho]

I haven’t made all A’s but I did pretty ok later on mixture of B’s and A’s. From what I know about going through college, a C means you don’t know the material well enough. A B means your able to apply the concepts and higher level thinking. An A shows mastery and thorough understanding. At least this is how a prof I know put it.

For advice:
1. Tutor.
I can’t emphasis this enough. If you can afford one, get one. If not utilize all campus tutoring which is offered for free if you are tight on money. A lot of kids won’t admit they used a tutor. ESP for Ochem. There is no shame in it. Get help, get the knowledge, the grade is what matters most.

2. Friends classmates strangers
Ask a variety of these people if they have material from this class. Ask upperclassman. Connect to people who are in your same field. Trade H.W. quizzes and PowerPoints.
HOWEVER. Do NOT plagiarize. Copy. Or reuse material. When I say hW and quizzes I mean things prof allow you to take home and are worth 5-10% of your grade. The purpose is to jumpstart and get ahead of the material not to cheat. Ask upperclassman friends if they are willing to teach you a particular subject they are really good at.

3.utilize breaks and summer. If you know your going to take Ochem during let’s say this fall. This is what I did. This spring semester I would contact people and ask around about best books to buy, extra prep material they bought for Ochem outside of req course reqs,etc etc. gathered all the intel. Then I would spend my break constructing a schedule for myself to study and tried to stick to it. I worked through the material at my own pace and marked areas/chapters I sucked at. Then when Fall came, I knew my weak areas and just focused on those first and reviewed the easier ones last.

4 online materials and websites for free
I used clutchprep for Ochem I remember.
Coursehero and khan academy are great as well

5. Teachers
Honestly having a supportive, kind, not overly harsh grader is seriously important I think. I always looked up teachers on ratemyprof and looked at their ratings. I gave many of mine excellent reviews bc they were consistent and very helpful.

6. Everything else
Just don’t give up. You might get a teacher who says your too dumb for this or classmates might judge you for your grades. At the end of the day it’s your journey, your life, your goals. If you want to become a doctor keep plugging at it. It’s hard not to get defeated along the way but it is important to keep going

I do hope this was helpful

 

[Asiago]

I literally had the same GPAs for my freshman year. Can't remember the exact timing of it all but I failed my anatomy lab and got Cs in Gen Chem 1 & 2. Retook the anatomy lab but left the Cs.

Like others have said, organic chem is way different. Personally, it made way more sense to me and I aced both classes. Ochem is way more conceptual, I found that using plastic molecular models to visualize the reaction mechanisms and orientations of everything was crazy helpful. I also remember not being able to follow the lecture very well unless I read the chapter beforehand, it takes some time/work but it honestly turned into one of my favorite undergrad classes.

 

[premed_101]

I haven’t made all A’s but I did pretty ok later on mixture of B’s and A’s. From what I know about going through college, a C means you don’t know the material well enough. A B means your able to apply the concepts and higher level thinking. An A shows mastery and thorough understanding. At least this is how a prof I know put it.

For advice:
1. Tutor.
I can’t emphasis this enough. If you can afford one, get one. If not utilize all campus tutoring which is offered for free if you are tight on money. A lot of kids won’t admit they used a tutor. ESP for Ochem. There is no shame in it. Get help, get the knowledge, the grade is what matters most.

2. Friends classmates strangers
Ask a variety of these people if they have material from this class. Ask upperclassman. Connect to people who are in your same field. Trade H.W. quizzes and PowerPoints.
HOWEVER. Do NOT plagiarize. Copy. Or reuse material. When I say hW and quizzes I mean things prof allow you to take home and are worth 5-10% of your grade. The purpose is to jumpstart and get ahead of the material not to cheat. Ask upperclassman friends if they are willing to teach you a particular subject they are really good at.

3.utilize breaks and summer. If you know your going to take Ochem during let’s say this fall. This is what I did. This spring semester I would contact people and ask around about best books to buy, extra prep material they bought for Ochem outside of req course reqs,etc etc. gathered all the intel. Then I would spend my break constructing a schedule for myself to study and tried to stick to it. I worked through the material at my own pace and marked areas/chapters I sucked at. Then when Fall came, I knew my weak areas and just focused on those first and reviewed the easier ones last.

4 online materials and websites for free
I used clutchprep for Ochem I remember.
Coursehero and khan academy are great as well

5. Teachers
Honestly having a supportive, kind, not overly harsh grader is seriously important I think. I always looked up teachers on ratemyprof and looked at their ratings. I gave many of mine excellent reviews bc they were consistent and very helpful.

6. Everything else
Just don’t give up. You might get a teacher who says your too dumb for this or classmates might judge you for your grades. At the end of the day it’s your journey, your life, your goals. If you want to become a doctor keep plugging at it. It’s hard not to get defeated along the way but it is important to keep going

I do hope this was helpful

This response is amazing thank you so much!!