Scheduling dilemma, bad commute- grades going down :(

[Hopefulpremed123]

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Hey everyone,

This is long but I would greatly appreciate your input. Thank you so much in advance.

So I'm currently a junior at de anza community college. Thus far I have finished bio 1, ochem 1, physics 1, calc 1/2, stats, gen chem 1/2 and English 1/2 for my prereqs. So far I only recieved one B in physics 11 in regards to all my classes(ge too), I have a cumulative gpa of 3.9.

This semester I am taking ochem 2, physics 2, bio 2 and a philosophy class which adds to 17 units. The semester has been very rough for me as I find myself behind in phyiscs and ochem as bio take up alot of time. I currently have a A in bio, a 90 in ochem and a 90 in phyiscs. Recently I had a Physics quiz which I feel I totally bombed and the teacher drops the lowest quiz but I already got a 7 on one quiz and a 10 on another. I am really down right now because I worked extremely hard to get my GPA to where it is and don't want to see it drop.

What I really feel is a bane to my application is the commuting I do. Mondays and Wednesdays I go from my home at about 8:30 to a community college about 30 minutes away for lecture from 9:30-11 and soon after I come home, rest for 30 min and leave once again to a different community xollege in the opposite direction from my home, another 30 minute commute by 12:30 for 1 pm lecture-3:30. Then I drive back and reach home at 4:30. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I leave home at 11 to one community college, and have classes there until 8:30 at night. Fridays, I have a lab which I go to at 8:30-12:30.
- so I don't know if this commute seems normal but I'm getting stressed out.

Like I said my physics is going to go down to a B and I'm worried if I cna save it. I don't want to see my ochem go down too along with the other classes, but a part of me thinks I cna handle it. I am considering withdrawing from it and taking it over summer, but I have one W already from an English class which I retook and got an A. What do you guys reccomend?

@ goro @Goro

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[Dr.Sticks]

Go to office hours, and express your concerns with your professor.
Go to your colleges tutoring center and get additional help.

Also why don't you just go to a university??
I never heard of someone going to two different community colleges..

 

[Hopefulpremed123]

Go to office hours, and express your concerns with your professor.
Go to your colleges tutoring center and get additional help.

Also why don't you just go to a university??
I never heard of someone going to two different community colleges..

I wasn't able to get all my classes at one cc, and so to finish the lower division I need to transfer I had to look for other local cc offering g it to get out on time. Oh and I'm transferring next semester to a 4 year.


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[KShah1]

I don't want to see my ochem go down too along with the other classes

You answered your own question.

 

[dpmd]

Your commute isn't terrible. Maybe you can figure out a way to make it more productive (would listening to lectures you recorded help perhaps). Also where are the two colleges in relation to each other? Would it be better to spend time at one of them before or after class instead of stopping at home?

 

[Hopefulpremed123]

Your commute isn't terrible. Maybe you can figure out a way to make it more productive (would listening to lectures you recorded help perhaps). Also where are the two colleges in relation to each other? Would it be better to spend time at one of them before or after class instead of stopping at home?

So like my house is the epicenter, and both colleges are in opposite directions from my home, each 30 minutes away. On Mondays/ Wednesdays my lecture at one ends at 11, and lecture in another starts at 1 and commuting there would take be 45 min to go directly, so I just come home relax for 30 min then drive to the other one. Furthermore I am taking three labs and with the commute I am worrying if I'm not capable of getting A's. I worry if my physics is down my other classes will start to go down with it, if I'm not putting enough practice into ochem. Bio is what requires the most time though with the amount of memorization. Every week I quizzes/ exams in all classes so I often study the day before for physics and ochem, not because I want to but because I am not able to dedicate enough time to them I feel as I do with bio. For example, I had a test in bio this Wednesday and I studies solely for it on Sat, sun, mon, and Tuesday and didn't look at the other two. Maybe I have to better allocate my time? I dont go out much too so I basically study all day with a few extracurricualrs that don't really get in the way.


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[Hopefulpremed123]

You answered your own question.

You reccomend dropping?


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[dpmd]

So like my house is the epicenter, and both colleges are in opposite directions from my home, each 30 minutes away. On Mondays/ Wednesdays my lecture at one ends at 11, and lecture in another starts at 1 and commuting there would take be 45 min to go directly, so I just come home relax for 30 min then drive to the other one. Furthermore I am taking three labs and with the commute I am worrying if I'm not capable of getting A's. I worry if my physics is down my other classes will start to go down with it, if I'm not putting enough practice into ochem. Bio is what requires the most time though with the amount of memorization. Every week I quizzes/ exams in all classes so I often study the day before for physics and ochem, not because I want to but because I am not able to dedicate enough time to them I feel as I do with bio. For example, I had a test in bio this Wednesday and I studies solely for it on Sat, sun, mon, and Tuesday and didn't look at the other two. Maybe I have to better allocate my time? I dont go out much too so I basically study all day with a few extracurricualrs that don't really get in the way.


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I think you need to find a more efficient way of studying because you have a lot of time not in class and if you are spending most of it studying that is a lot of hours. The tutoring center idea someone else posted is probably a good idea. Dropping won't help with the studying efficiency and you may end up taking bad habits into med school which will make life more difficult.

 

[TXMED_1695]

Do not drop a B, that is just crazy. I had a nasty commute too, and you're hitting the burnout phase. Hit the library after the second trip course group is done. I know it is tempting to jump into your car and drive straight home - do not do it. My efficiency dramatically improved after I started studying immediately after my courses ended. For me, I was able to store my notes better in my brain cells.

You reccomend dropping?


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[Toutie]

Are you taking ALL of your pre-med reqs at CC? While I suppose that's kinda okay...maybe...sort of. But you really should save some for when you get to your 4 year. Otherwise you are probably going to have to take a lot of upper div BCMP courses to impress adcoms. What is your major?

Oh, and don't worry about a B or 2. It's not the end of the world. As long as you can keep your GPA around 3.7-3.8 you're fine.

 

[Hopefulpremed123]

Are you taking ALL of your pre-med reqs at CC? While I suppose that's kinda okay...maybe...sort of. But you really should save some for when you get to your 4 year. Otherwise you are probably going to have to take a lot of upper div BCMP courses to impress adcoms. What is your major?

Oh, and don't worry about a B or 2. It's not the end of the world. As long as you can keep your GPA around 3.7-3.8 you're fine.

I started at cc after high school graduation, and am transferring to a UC next semester and so I'm taking the pre requisites which are required to transfer as a science major. I will still have bio chemistry left to take as well as upperdivs, because I am a biology major.

 

[dpmd]

Am I the only one who found the upper division courses easier than the initial stuff?

 

[reaction mechanisms]

You probably shouldn't be taking all of your major med school prerequisites at CC. Have you met with a pre med advisor yet?

Yes you are required to have a certain number of credits before you can transfer from CC to a university but you really should be saving your med school prerequisites for university.


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[Hopefulpremed123]

I still have biochem left and all my upper division courses, so what do you guys think I should do?


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[Saifa]

Am I the only one who found the upper division courses easier than the initial stuff?

As a tutor/TA I often hear "this is way too hard for a 200-level course," and all I can really say is "it's organic chemistry."