Low GPA: HELP!!

[ZaiNaJaNan786]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Sorry in advance for the long read...

So, here is where I stand:

Student at the University of San Francisco
Standing: Senior in Fall 2009, Graduate in May 2010
Major: Exercise and Sport Science (switched from Philosophy end of sophmore year)

Science courses completed thus far:
*Gen Bio (sophmore year) B-, B-
*Gen Chem (junior year) C, C
*OChem (senior year?
*Physics (senior year?)
*Anatomy (at CC) & Physiology (at USF) C, B-

Have not taken and plan on not taking MCAT until after I graduate.

Cum. GPA: 3.12

ECs:
A lot of leadership positions, volunteer work for NPO, volunteering at hospital, tutoring, shadowing

My poor grades were due to lack of effort and focus. I did not party throughout the last three years but I put more time in ECs than is required or recommended, which consequently, had a negative effect on my grades. However, I am confident in my ability to do well academically (I worked hard and did well in high school) and hope to show it through doing very well senior year (in sciences and overall).

So, I know I have to take a year off to raise my GPA and prove that I can handle the sciences. My question is, what is the best way to do it?

I will be applying for the UC Post Bacc programs but want to have other options too. I have thought about doing a Masters but I feel like that would be very expensive and I would not get the benefit of preparing for the MCAT.

What if I was to not take OChem and Physics together next year and instead take extra science courses at a CC or state school to try and save my undergrad GPA? Should I retake Bio and Chem? 😕

What should I do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jamesq]

Sorry in advance for the long read...

So, here is where I stand:

Student at the University of San Francisco
Standing: Senior in Fall 2009, Graduate in May 2010
Major: Exercise and Sport Science (switched from Philosophy end of sophmore year)

Science courses completed thus far:
*Gen Bio (sophmore year) B-, B-
*Gen Chem (junior year) C, C
*OChem (senior year?
*Physics (senior year?)
*Anatomy (at CC) & Physiology (at USF) C, B-

Have not taken and plan on not taking MCAT until after I graduate.

Cum. GPA: 3.12

ECs:
A lot of leadership positions, volunteer work for NPO, volunteering at hospital, tutoring, shadowing

My poor grades were due to lack of effort and focus. I did not party throughout the last three years but I put more time in ECs than is required or recommended, which consequently, had a negative effect on my grades. However, I am confident in my ability to do well academically (I worked hard and did well in high school) and hope to show it through doing very well senior year (in sciences and overall).

So, I know I have to take a year off to raise my GPA and prove that I can handle the sciences. My question is, what is the best way to do it?

I will be applying for the UC Post Bacc programs but want to have other options too. I have thought about doing a Masters but I feel like that would be very expensive and I would not get the benefit of preparing for the MCAT.

What if I was to not take OChem and Physics together next year and instead take extra science courses at a CC or state school to try and save my undergrad GPA? Should I retake Bio and Chem? 😕

What should I do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Im not sure retaking your old science courses will help , considering MD schools do not replace the lower score. However, if you apply DO, then you should consider retaking as they actually replace the lower grade. Overall, it looks like the best stratergy would be to do very well in your senior year. Ochem is a touch course, so i would not reccommend taking it with physics together unless you know you can handle it, which from your grades does not seem to be the case. I think if you do well in ochem it would definitley offset your C grades in gen chem. Overall, you seem to be the perfect candidate for a post-bacc program and if you can do well in a post-bacc with a decent MCAT score, then I dont see why you wouldnt get in somewhere. Good Luck and PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[Left4Med]

Ochem is a tough course, so i would not reccommend taking it with physics together unless you know you can handle it

👍

This should really be a concern for you if you haven't been able to earn As consistently in your science courses. Make sure that you stay on top of the material. You'll have to cut down on the amount of time you spend on your extracurriculars if they were the reason that you couldn't focus on your coursework.