Set Back Early On - Still Worth A Try?

[Nope 99]

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Alright, I'm a bit more than halfway through my undergraduate career. I have to finish organic chemistry, physics, and my biology premedical requisite courses.

Anyway, my concern is with my GPA currently. I didn't fare too well in two courses last semester. I have my reasons (my widowed mother, with whom I live) had a terrible accident, and was in the hospital for two months. It was a stressful time, and she is now crippled with cauda equina syndrome. I know I should have focused more on school regardless, but things have been tough. Enough with excuses, though.

I wanted to know if it's worth retaking my second semester of general chemsitry, and calculus, both of which I got a C in. That really hurt my GPA. If I retake and get a better grade, which will medical schools look at? Will they average them both together, or take the better of the two? Will they simply ask for my reasons as to why I did poorly that semester, and will my story be acceptable to them, or will it just be a sign of immaturity and inability to balance my obligations with emotional trauma.

I'm a bit uneasy about having those grades on my record, and I hate myself for letting them slip into the C range. A B I could have dealt with, but this makes me feel awful. I want this so badly, and I feel like I may have ruined my chances permanently.

 

[Maxx4]

You never told us what you're current GPA is. Retaking C classes isn't that smart. DO schools will take the better grade while MD schools will use both towards your sGPA. It would look better if you took upper division science courses and did well (B or A).

 

[aggie08]

You never told us what you're current GPA is. Retaking C classes isn't that smart. DO schools will take the better grade while MD schools will use both towards your sGPA. It would look better if you took upper division science courses and did well (B or A).

I'm the DO school in Texas (TCOM) does everything exactly the same as the allopathic schools in Texas. Maybe this is true for some osteopathic schools, but I don't think it is for every school.


OP:
This depends on your overall GPA. In general taking the classes over is probably not a good idea in the case of a C. Like the previous person said, take your upper-levels and make good score in those. You can write in your extenuating/disadvantaged circumstances essay (assuming wherever you apply has one of these) about your unique situation. However, we really need to know your GPA overall right now to judge this. If you have all Bs and these 2 Cs it's a totally different situation then starting with a 3.9 and having 2 Cs.

g'luck.

 

[whatuthinkin]

Listen, I have a crippled, widowed mother too. I got an F in a pre-requisite, retook it. I have also dropped like 10 courses during my undergrad career and took 6 yrs to finally get out (my physician father died after sophomore year from cancer and mom went insane kinda, hey it happens!).

Just keep on trucking. Don't let go of what you want, no matter how long it takes. KNOW YOUR LIMITS. Don't overstretch yourself, you will end up doing worse and possibly hurt your chances of getting into med school (my F). Some people may think you are immature cause you cant handle your life, so what. Screw them, they dont know what you have to go though. MOST will think you are courageous and inspiring. If you keep on, keep learning from your experiences, tragedies and failures they will be impressed. That's the thing though, you need to be continually testing yourself to prove not only to you but to the schools that you can handle the rigors of medical school. That is maturity, knowing yourself, when to stop and go, when you are ready to dedicate yourself to medicine.

It's not ruined.

Happy is the man who can endure the highest and lowest fortune. He who has endured such vicissitudes with equanimity has deprived misfortune of its power.Seneca

 

[Nope 99]

OP:
This depends on your overall GPA. In general taking the classes over is probably not a good idea in the case of a C. Like the previous person said, take your upper-levels and make good score in those. You can write in your extenuating/disadvantaged circumstances essay (assuming wherever you apply has one of these) about your unique situation. However, we really need to know your GPA overall right now to judge this. If you have all Bs and these 2 Cs it's a totally different situation then starting with a 3.9 and having 2 Cs.

g'luck.

My current GPA is something like a 3.1 I believe. I'm afraid to look, but last I saw it was that. I got an A- and an A in two summer courses I took (3 and 1 credit [seminar], respectively), so that might help it a bit. It's nothing stellar, and way below what I believe myself to be capable of, but either way, I'm ashamed of letting my grades slip to this point.

 

[Nope 99]

Listen, I have a crippled, widowed mother too. I got an F in a pre-requisite, retook it. I have also dropped like 10 courses during my undergrad career and took 6 yrs to finally get out (my physician father died after sophomore year from cancer and mom went insane kinda, hey it happens!).

Just keep on trucking. Don't let go of what you want, no matter how long it takes. KNOW YOUR LIMITS. Don't overstretch yourself, you will end up doing worse and possibly hurt your chances of getting into med school (my F). Some people may think you are immature cause you cant handle your life, so what. Screw them, they dont know what you have to go though. MOST will think you are courageous and inspiring. If you keep on, keep learning from your experiences, tragedies and failures they will be impressed. That's the thing though, you need to be continually testing yourself to prove not only to you but to the schools that you can handle the rigors of medical school. That is maturity, knowing yourself, when to stop and go, when you are ready to dedicate yourself to medicine.

It's not ruined.

Happy is the man who can endure the highest and lowest fortune. He who has endured such vicissitudes with equanimity has deprived misfortune of its power.Seneca

My father died of lung cancer when I was 18, so I know that kind of loss. Sorry you had to go through that same pain.

Your post is encouraging, though. I came back here, afraid to check the responses, afraid they'd be something along the lines of, "consider a new field," but your post has somewhat rekindled my spirits. I'll keep trying, and hopefully my drive will be enough to salvage what I've ruined so far.

For reference, what's your current situation? Are you in medical school? Applying? It's nice to hear of someone else with so many blemishes still continuing on.

 

[Nope 99]

You never told us what you're current GPA is. Retaking C classes isn't that smart. DO schools will take the better grade while MD schools will use both towards your sGPA. It would look better if you took upper division science courses and did well (B or A).

In that case, should I just aim for a biochemistry course or something in chemistry, in order to alleviate that C gen chem II left?

Why do you say it's not smart to retake, though? Is it simply because it'd be a waste of time? If I did end up applying to a DO school, and I went and retook the course to get an A, wouldn't that only help me, provided I didn't waste precious time/resources on retaking it? Will they generally look down on someone retaking a course?

 

[whatuthinkin]

.

 

[musafirah]

why would you even consider taking care of your own mother an "excuse"? heh, don't think that way, just keep going and stay motivated!

 

[The Bearded One]

You will be able to give a clear explanation for the problems in your record. Your reasons will be understood by the medical school. While I do not know how classes taken for a send time does to the AMCAS GPA, there are other options.

Many schools have a one year Masters in Biology program made for students interested in going to medical school. You could focus in this program and do really well. Then you will have a better GPA to show, and you can prove you are dedicated to going to medical school. Don't worry about the myth that taking an extra year will somehow put you behind in your career. One extra year won't hurt anything. Many students in medical school are 24-26 when they start.

 

[Nope 99]

I'm 22 as of now, so I guess I have time. I just feel behind the eight ball already.

 

[Midwife2Doc]

<<I'm 22 as of now, so I guess I have time. I just feel behind the eight ball already. >>

Your not. I am 35 years old and recovering from a 2.5 GPA from years ago. (Got an F in American Gov) yuck and will retake that one. But it is now currently 3.1 and climbing, toward the end of my second year. Actaully its 3.8, from my new college, but 3.1 when you throw in my old transcript numbers from previous college courses) so my overall needs to come up to match ... which it should if all goes as planned! LOL 😉

I have been told by my advisor (and we all know how that goes so take it with a grain of salt) that they look for your GPA to have gone up over the years. That if you started slow like your 3.1 and grew to a 3.8, its better than if you had a 4.0 and dropped to a 3.8. It shows you can do better with harder classes and helps midigate the freshman year we all seem to have! LOL

Truth be told, from what I see, we stress way to much. Do your best, get better grades in the next courses, and move on. You have time. I don't have as much time! LOL So don't be like me ..... Stay in school!

Robyn M

 

[whatuthinkin]

But you're a midwife (aren't you)! That's awesome!

<<I'm 22 as of now, so I guess I have time. I just feel behind the eight ball already. >>

Your not. I am 35 years old and recovering from a 2.5 GPA from years ago. (Got an F in American Gov) yuck and will retake that one. But it is now currently 3.1 and climbing, toward the end of my second year. Actaully its 3.8, from my new college, but 3.1 when you throw in my old transcript numbers from previous college courses) so my overall needs to come up to match ... which it should if all goes as planned! LOL 😉

I have been told by my advisor (and we all know how that goes so take it with a grain of salt) that they look for your GPA to have gone up over the years. That if you started slow like your 3.1 and grew to a 3.8, its better than if you had a 4.0 and dropped to a 3.8. It shows you can do better with harder classes and helps midigate the freshman year we all seem to have! LOL

Truth be told, from what I see, we stress way to much. Do your best, get better grades in the next courses, and move on. You have time. I don't have as much time! LOL So don't be like me ..... Stay in school!

Robyn M

 

[Rogue Synapse]

OP: I think my GPA was about a 3.1 when I was in your position. I did slightly better in my upper level sciences and did well on the MCAT and I got multiple acceptances (to allopathic schools). I understand it's hard to look at your stats and feel optimistic, especially when you read what some of the people on this site post about themselves, but you're certainly not out of the running by a long shot. Don't give up!

 

[Food]

Do what you can do now and don't look back.

 

[Nope 99]

Thanks for all the encouragement, I'm in slightly better spirits now. Hopefully I can pull my GPA back up.

 

[halekulani]

i had 2 C's in anatomy and ochem, and 3-4 B-'s and was still able to pull my gpa up to a 3.4

it's doable, just buckle up and get As.