Saddest Freshman GPA

[Malkin.12]

Here's the deal, I didn't perform the best for my first year of college. I took way too many credits. First semester: 18, and second semester: 15. Not to mention, taking too much credits was a learning experience. I am in a panic mode. I don't even know if it's even possible to raise it up towards a 3.7 by the time I'm a senior. I don't like the idea of taking a gap year. How high could I raise my GPA, because currently, I have a 2.6 GPA. I would really appreciate your advise and suggestions!

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[Ehwic]

I might be a little biased, but 18 credits was the average for the bulk of the students at my school.

Anywhoo, Yes, it's should be possible if you strap down and do well (you're going into sophomore year, im assuming?) When I say well, I mean really well as in mostly A's and not A-'s. You also gotta realize that by Junior/Senior year, you should have the ability to overload on classes and do well. I remembered I averaged 21 credits per semester for Senior and last-half of junior year just because there were so many classes that I wanted to take and I did fine GPA wise. Maybe not as much in the social life department

 

[Malkin.12]

I might be a little biased, but 18 credits was the average for the bulk of the students at my school.

Anywhoo, Yes, it's should be possible if you strap down and do well (you're going into sophomore year, im assuming?) When I say well, I mean really well as in mostly A's and not A-'s. You also gotta realize that by Junior/Senior year, you should have the ability to overload on classes and do well. I remembered I averaged 21 credits per semester for Senior and last-half of junior year just because there were so many classes that I wanted to take and I did fine GPA wise. Maybe not as much in the social life department

Thanks for the advise. The university that i'm at, the average student takes 14 credits. If you don't mind, what did you end up with towards your freshman gpa?

 

[Ehwic]

A ~3.5?

 

[fursty13]

I'd say you're fine. If you kill your second and third years (3.8+), it'll make an an awesome success story and can be a talking point for how you developed as an individual and as a student.

 

[Malkin.12]

I'd say you're fine. If you kill your second and third years (3.8+), it'll make an an awesome success story and can be a talking point for how you developed as an individual and as a student.

I appreciate your response. I know that it's going to be difficult. Sometimes the problem is that, I stare at the future to much;can be distracting sometimes. I still have the fire in me. 6 more semesters, here I come!

 

[MareNostrummm]

I might be a little biased, but 18 credits was the average for the bulk of the students at my school.

Anywhoo, Yes, it's should be possible if you strap down and do well (you're going into sophomore year, im assuming?) When I say well, I mean really well as in mostly A's and not A-'s. You also gotta realize that by Junior/Senior year, you should have the ability to overload on classes and do well. I remembered I averaged 21 credits per semester for Senior and last-half of junior year just because there were so many classes that I wanted to take and I did fine GPA wise. Maybe not as much in the social life department

18 credits of what though? Science classes? GEs?

3 science classes + 3 labs is only 12 quarter units. 18 units of science would be overkill, especially for freshmen

edit: just noticed everyone is talking about semester and not quarter units lol. Not sure how tough 18 semester units would be but 18 quarter units of science prereqs will be very time consuming, especially since those classes only give As to the top 10% at my school.

 

[Malkin.12]

18 credits of what though? Science classes? GEs?

3 science classes + 3 labs is only 12 quarter units. 18 units of science would be overkill, especially for freshmen

edit: just noticed everyone is talking about semester and not quarter units lol. Not sure how tough 18 semester units would be but 18 quarter units of science prereqs will be very time consuming, especially since those classes only give As to the top 10% at my school.

First semester: One science course, and the rest general eds.

 

[Go_Pokes_11]

If you only have 33 hours under your belt, this is approximately 1/4 of the grades you will receive completing your degree, therefore raising your gpa is relatively easy, but as you move forward and complete more hours the grades you are receiving become less of a percentage of your overall grade, meaning your gpa will rise by a smaller amount each respective semester. If you take another 33 hours your sophomore year and get a 4.0 your overall will sit at 3.3. Reaching a 3.7 will be realistically tough, but that being said you do not need a 3.7 to get in to a school. My advice would be to make As in all of your pre-req and science classes. The Gen Eds and other science classes should be easy As. Best of luck.

 

[Citron]

Mathematically speaking, not only do you need to take a gap year, but you will also have to do some post-bacc classes in order to get 3.7 cGPA.
For now: you have 33 credits, 2.6 GPA => credit grade = 2.6*33 = 85.8
To graduate: you'll need 87 more credits, if you have 4.0 for all of them => credit grade = 4.0*87 = 348
Total cumulative grade for all undergrad = 348+85.8 = 433.8
cGPA = 433.8/120 credits = 3.615 this is the best case scenario provided your school doesn't have A+ in their grading scale. Realistically, freshman year has many intro classes, which are usually less rigorous than upper level courses so getting A will become tougher from now on.

So, the short answer is no, you won't have 3.7 by senior year or junior year.
In order to get 3.7 GPA, you'll need to take 121 more semester credits (i.e. 34 credits post graduation) with A in all of them.

 

[MareNostrummm]

Mathematically speaking, not only do you need to take a gap year, but you will also have to do some post-bacc classes in order to get 3.7 cGPA.
For now: you have 33 credits, 2.6 GPA => credit grade = 2.6*33 = 85.8
To graduate: you'll need 87 more credits, if you have 4.0 for all of them => credit grade = 4.0*87 = 348
Total cumulative grade for all undergrad = 348+85.8 = 433.8
cGPA = 433.8/120 credits = 3.615 this is the best case scenario provided your school doesn't have A+ in their grading scale. Realistically, freshman year has many intro classes, which are usually less rigorous than upper level courses so getting A will become tougher from now on.

So, the short answer is no, you won't have 3.7 by senior year or junior year.
In order to get 3.7 GPA, you'll need to take 121 more semester credits (i.e. 34 credits post graduation) with A in all of them.

In other words, GPA repair sucks

 

[Malkin.12]

Mathematically speaking, not only do you need to take a gap year, but you will also have to do some post-bacc classes in order to get 3.7 cGPA.
For now: you have 33 credits, 2.6 GPA => credit grade = 2.6*33 = 85.8
To graduate: you'll need 87 more credits, if you have 4.0 for all of them => credit grade = 4.0*87 = 348
Total cumulative grade for all undergrad = 348+85.8 = 433.8
cGPA = 433.8/120 credits = 3.615 this is the best case scenario provided your school doesn't have A+ in their grading scale. Realistically, freshman year has many intro classes, which are usually less rigorous than upper level courses so getting A will become tougher from now on.

So, the short answer is no, you won't have 3.7 by senior year or junior year.
In order to get 3.7 GPA, you'll need to take 121 more semester credits (i.e. 34 credits post graduation) with A in all of them.

Interesting, seems like a hassle to get a 3.7. I'll still try to aim high though. If I end up with a 3.5, I will be still set for medical school, especially osteopathic schools.

 

[Go_Pokes_11]

Interesting, seems like a hassle to get a 3.7. I'll still try to aim high though. If I end up with a 3.5, I will be still set for medical school, especially osteopathic schools.

DO schools will also factor in grade replacement, so if that is the route you want to take retake some of those bad grades and improve your GPA even more.

 

[Malkin.12]

DO schools will also factor in grade replacement, so if that is the route you want to take retake some of those bad grades and improve your GPA even more.

I don't know if it's worth retaking Biology 105 because I earned a C. I was able to move on and take Human anatomy, which I got a B. I didn't fail any courses. Majority of the grades that I received were B's and C's. I will step up my game this coming semester. I know that I can earn a 3.5 at the end of my Junior year, taking interim classes will help, and maybe some other summer course.

 

[MareNostrummm]

I don't know if it's worth retaking Biology 105 because I earned a C. I was able to move on and take Human anatomy, which I got a B. I didn't fail any courses. Majority of the grades that I received were B's and C's. I will step up my game this coming semester. I know that I can earn a 3.5 at the end of my Junior year, taking interim classes will help, and maybe some other summer course.

You really should not be getting anything below a B+ in general ed classes.

 

[Mad Jack]

I might be a little biased, but 18 credits was the average for the bulk of the students at my school.

Anywhoo, Yes, it's should be possible if you strap down and do well (you're going into sophomore year, im assuming?) When I say well, I mean really well as in mostly A's and not A-'s. You also gotta realize that by Junior/Senior year, you should have the ability to overload on classes and do well. I remembered I averaged 21 credits per semester for Senior and last-half of junior year just because there were so many classes that I wanted to take and I did fine GPA wise. Maybe not as much in the social life department

18 credits may have been the average for your major or department, but it's highly unlikely it is the average for your school unless literally everyone had two majors or a substantial minor, as that's nearly an extra year's worth of credits by the end.

 

[Mad Jack]

18 credits of what though? Science classes? GEs?

3 science classes + 3 labs is only 12 quarter units. 18 units of science would be overkill, especially for freshmen

edit: just noticed everyone is talking about semester and not quarter units lol. Not sure how tough 18 semester units would be but 18 quarter units of science prereqs will be very time consuming, especially since those classes only give As to the top 10% at my school.

15 semester hours is a standard course load to compete a degree in 4 years.

 

[Mad Jack]

I don't know if it's worth retaking Biology 105 because I earned a C. I was able to move on and take Human anatomy, which I got a B. I didn't fail any courses. Majority of the grades that I received were B's and C's. I will step up my game this coming semester. I know that I can earn a 3.5 at the end of my Junior year, taking interim classes will help, and maybe some other summer course.

You can bring your GPA up to a respectable level, but you can't get any more Cs moving forward, and Bs won't be doing you any favors.

 

[MareNostrummm]

15 semester hours is a standard course load to compete a degree in 4 years.

True, but I'd say 4 hours of Science class w/ lab are more time consuming than most GEs

 

[Mad Jack]

True, but I'd say 4 hours of Science class w/ lab are more time consuming than most GEs

Doesn't matter- to undergrad admins, 15 credits is 15 credits. All that extra work doesn't get factored in from their perspective. Hence why an engineering degree is usually 120 credits or so, while an English degree is also around the same number, despite the longer lab hours and such the engineering degree would require.

 

[Hazydance]

I will give my experience. During my freshman year, my cGPA was 2.85 and my sGPA <2.5 . Then got mostly B/A sophomore, then got all A-/A junior year. Now that I'm a rising senior I'm at 3.3 cGPA, hopefully 3.45 by graduation. For me it was very very far off to get 3.7+ accumulatively, not to mention anything above 3.5+ sGPA.

TLDR: Just do it. Stressing over something you haven't done yet add needless worries. Think, do, reflect.

 

[studpremed]

I started off with a 2.3 gpa first semester. Now I have a 3.6 gpa by taking courses every summer semester and doing course overload in my senior year. It's doable but very difficult. In my opinion the gpa is the hardest thing to compensate for and you will stress a lot about it.
You probably won't get a 3.7 gpa by senior year since pulling a 4.0 gpa every semester is very difficult so it is more important to demonstrate an upward trend and crush the mcat. If your gpa is still not up to par, consider taking a fifth year which I am doing.
I'm sure you will do well since you realize it is a learning experience. Take your time and pace yourself and you will at least get a 3.5 gpa which is a perfectly fine gpa to apply with as well.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Yea you'll probably not be getting a 3.7 undergrad gpa, and med schools aren't going to view post bac work as part of your uGPA. But you should be able to get a respectable GPA (3.5ish) that will work with a solid MCAT.

But hey, if it makes you feel better I finished sophomore year with a 2.8 and was able to do enough GPA repair to get accepted without postbacc work (although I did take a research gap year)

 

[Malkin.12]

Yea you'll probably not be getting a 3.7 undergrad gpa, and med schools aren't going to view post bac work as part of your uGPA. But you should be able to get a respectable GPA (3.5ish) that will work with a solid MCAT.

But hey, if it makes you feel better I finished sophomore year with a 2.8 and was able to do enough GPA repair to get accepted without postbacc work (although I did take a research gap year)

That's awesome, and that's great for you! Did you get accepted into a D.O school or an MD? I might take a gap year.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

MD...feel free to check out my MDapps or PM me if you want some specifics on how to do GPA salvage