Some advice please

[phEight]

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I hope it's okay that I am posting in this section. The reason I am is because people are here much more dedicated to improvement and would understand my situation a bit better then any other section on this forum. I am currently an undergraduate student, and I have had a very rough academic history. I went to the University of Colorado in Boulder, and I ended up failing out. I got 3 F's, and they were in precal, calc I, and then calc I again. Not to mention I have a good couple of C's and a D. You might be wondering why I took calculus after I failed precalculus, well the reason was I simply thought I did not put in enough effort and that I could do calculus, just need to put the work in, and of course I didn't fix my habits.

It was 50% immaturity in terms of how much effort is needed in order to do well in college, and 50% denial/ignorance that "everything is / will be okay and I'm not really in bad shape". It's really hard to imagine how I pulled this off when I look back in retrospect. I never did any work in high school, or middle school, or ever for that matter, so actually having to do homework and putting hard work in order to succeed was strange and very unfamiliar, and for some reason I thought I would be able to get away with it.

To flash forward a bit, I came back to Houston and enrolled in the University of Houston-Downtown. Obviously, after hitting rock bottom in CU I was really putting my heart into succeeding. I did improve myself, I ended with a 1.6 gpa at CU, and so far I have a 3.2 at UH. I got an A in General Chemistry I, and am on my way to hopefully getting another A in General Chemistry II during this summer term.

I plan on taking precalculus and calculus again, and then also moving on to some higher level mathematics (cal 2, 3) to prove that I am indeed capable of doing well in math courses.

I really am just looking for honest opinion and advice. Whether I'm capable of making it to medical school, and if not, what I can do in order to be capable. Remember I am going to be a junior this fall. I understand searching this forum helps with things of this sort, and I have, however I haven't seen a situation that was very similar to mine. Hope this isn't a blatant repost.

Thanks everyone, and best of luck to all the current and those working your way up to becoming future applicants. 👍 🙂

Also, I've already began to keep the MCAT in my mind and will be putting much effort into doing well on that when the time comes. My EC's aren't extraordinarily amazing, but they are good. I will also be volunteering at hospitals / shadowing doctors in the near future.

 

[ShyRem]

This sounds like it should be in the non-trad forum.

 

[phEight]

This sounds like it should be in the non-trad forum.

You're right. It would be nice if you could please move this and maybe change the title to simply "some advice please". Thanks 😳 🙂

 

[RxnMan]

...I went to the University of Colorado in Boulder, and I ended up failing out...enrolled in the University of Houston-Downtown.

Colorado to Houston, eh? Really going from Heaven to Hell in one swoop. I'm kidding; I was once seriously considering doing the same move. Right now I wish I was back in CO. Even if it meant living in Boulder...

...I really am just looking for honest opinion and advice. Whether I'm capable of making it to medical school, and if not, what I can do in order to be capable.

The best/most important part of falling down is getting back up by recognizing and changing the things about you that made you fall down in the first place. You see that you were immature, and it sounds like you're creating good habits to take the place of bad ones. Good job so far.

On whether you can "make it" in medical school - it is the ADCOMs job to predict who can make it in med school, and only time will tell for sure. If med school is something you want, then have a plan, keep working hard, and apply. If you get in, you can trust that the ADCOM probably knows what they're doing.

On grades - You need to keep working at those grades. You may not be able to apply during junior year and matriculate directly from ugrad. You may need you sr. year grades to boost up your GPA.

Sit down and come up with a plan of when you're going to apply, when you're going to take the MCAT, how long you need to study for the MCAT, when you're going to graduate, etc. Come up with some deadlines. Figure out what job you'll need/qualify for in order to bridge your gap year. Do you want to use that time to build up ECs? Do you want to get an EMT-basic certification? I believe your best move right now is to do some soul-searching and get an idea of what your options are and write up a plan of action.

 

[phEight]

Colorado to Houston, eh? Really going from Heaven to Hell in one swoop. I'm kidding; I was once seriously considering doing the same move. Right now I wish I was back in CO. Even if it meant living in Boulder...
The best/most important part of falling down is getting back up by recognizing and changing the things about you that made you fall down in the first place. You see that you were immature, and it sounds like you're creating good habits to take the place of bad ones. Good job so far.

On whether you can "make it" in medical school - it is the ADCOMs job to predict who can make it in med school, and only time will tell for sure. If med school is something you want, then have a plan, keep working hard, and apply. If you get in, you can trust that the ADCOM probably knows what they're doing.

On grades - You need to keep working at those grades. You may not be able to apply during junior year and matriculate directly from ugrad. You may need you sr. year grades to boost up your GPA.

Sit down and come up with a plan of when you're going to apply, when you're going to take the MCAT, how long you need to study for the MCAT, when you're going to graduate, etc. Come up with some deadlines. Figure out what job you'll need/qualify for in order to bridge your gap year. Do you want to use that time to build up ECs? Do you want to get an EMT-basic certification? I believe your best move right now is to do some soul-searching and get an idea of what your options are and write up a plan of action.

Haha, no joke about the straight from heaven to hell. Hey, thanks a lot for your advice, I sincerely appreciate you taking time out to help me. I haven't really considered sitting down and really setting specific goals / deadlines / mapping out a plan and I really think that can help out. EMT certification is also something I've considered but hadn't really looked too much into. Once again, thanks a lot. 🙂

 

[RxnMan]

It was all just some "basic" advice.

Consider calculating how many class hours it would take to raise your GPA to 3.4, 3.6. Is it worth it to you to take that many more classes? Is it better to be employed?

 

[2008orbust]

I have heard people on SDN say they filed for an "academic clean slate" and received one. I admit I do not know anything about how you get one, but it wipes the slate clean---it is like you are fresh out of high school again. ALthough you will have lost the last few years, it could be a lot faster than trying to take enough classes to raise that GPA. IF you ask about it on the pre-allo board, I am sure someone will know the details.

Good luck.

 

[RxnMan]

I have heard people on SDN say they filed for an "academic clean slate" and received one. I admit I do not know anything about how you get one, but it wipes the slate clean---it is like you are fresh out of high school again...

I don't believe this exists, and from maintaining the Re-App forum, I would have heard about it if it did. It's a nice idea, but AMCAS states you have to log every class you've ever taken.

 

[noor524]

i actually heard texas has something called "academic fresh start"....you should look into that....

The "Right to an Academic Fresh Start" legislation, passed by the 73rd Texas Legislature, entitles residents of this state to seek admission to public institutions of higher education as undergraduate students without consideration of courses undertaken ten or more years prior to enrollment. This law gives students the option of electing to have coursework taken ten or more years prior to the starting date of the semester in which the applicant seeks to enroll either counted as usual or ignored for admission purposes. Applicants who elect to apply for admission under this law and who are admitted as students may not receive any course credit for courses undertaken ten or more years prior to enrollment.

Students who earned three or more semester credit hours prior to the fall semester of 1989 will not forfeit their TASP exemptions by electing to participate in the Fresh Start program.

The intent of the "Fresh Start" legislation is to provide students with an opportunity to clear their academic records, if they choose to do so, of all college-level work accumulated ten or more years ago. Students may not pick and choose what is to be ignored and what is not. Either all college hours ten or more years old are ignored or they are counted. If interested in seeking a Fresh Start, contact the Office of Admissions.

 

[2008orbust]

Thanks, That must be what I remember reading about on SDN.

 

[ShyRem]

First, from my experience with AMCAS and AACOMAS, even those grades "wiped out" in Texas would have to be reported. Perhaps the Texas med school application system would not require them to be reported -- but I'd wager a dozen of my homemade cinnamon rolls that you must put them on AMCAS and AACOMAS.

The second thought is regarding the EMT certification. Getting your EMTB will only help you if you actually use it. There are thousands of premeds who get their EMTB cert thinking it will help them on their app, but without experience it's just viewed as blatant application padding.

Third (wow, my formatting is all over the place - cut me a little slack here - I'm still drinking my first cup of coffee): keep your grades up. And look into applying broadly when the time comes. Consider DO and MD schools (but do NOT apply to DO just as a backup - they hate that).

Fourth: study hard for the MCAT when the time comes.

Fifth: I wish I was back in Colorado too. 🙁 I miss the mountains, the thin clear air, seeing hundreds of miles, the skiing, the snow, the dry air... *sniff* But I do admit that seafood is much cheaper here on the East coast.

Lastly: HAVE FUN. Make sure to make the most of this experience. And let us know how it's going.

🙂

 

[RxnMan]

...but I'd wager a dozen of my homemade cinnamon rolls that you must put them on AMCAS and AACOMAS...

A sucker's bet, but tempting nonetheless...

...Getting your EMTB will only help you if you actually use it...

Exactly.

...Fifth: I wish I was back in Colorado too. 🙁 I miss the mountains, the thin clear air, seeing hundreds of miles, the skiing, the snow, the dry air... *sniff* But I do admit that seafood is much cheaper here on the East coast.

Lastly: HAVE FUN. Make sure to make the most of this experience. And let us know how it's going.

I agree as well. We went back a few weeks ago and it was great to be back where everything was "normal."

We've started looking at it as a process too. You've got to find the unique things about wherever you in the US while you're there. One day we'll all make it back to CO.

 

[ShyRem]

Rxn, I actually happen to have a dozen cinnamon rolls sitting in my kitchen as we speak... homemade.... yummmmmmmmm...... NY isn't that far from Maine.............

 

[phEight]

It was all just some "basic" advice.

Consider calculating how many class hours it would take to raise your GPA to 3.4, 3.6. Is it worth it to you to take that many more classes? Is it better to be employed?

I have calculated that, it will take me about 1.5 solid years of taking full-time classes to raise my bcmp gpa. I've noticed that DO's do not consider math for their science GPA, that might definitely be something that could help me out a bit because my non-science courses (ie. the one's that don't require much work) I have decent grades in, mostly B's / B+'s.

i actually heard texas has something called "academic fresh start"....you should look into that....

As for the clean start, you have to be out of school for 10 years if I read that correctly, and that's just not going to work. I'm afraid there is no way for me to get a "clean start" anytime soon. I'm not sure what to do other than take as many science courses as possible and do well in them. It's going to be a rough ride but I have the dedication. Sometimes I need to bring myself to reality and recognize how bad of a situation I am in for applying to medical school, and I wonder if this dream I am chasing after is just that... something I will continuously chase after and before I know it a lot of my life that could've been spent somewhere more meaningful has passed by.

Ahh, and I surely miss Colorado. The fresh air. 🙁 Don't have much of that in Houston.

 

[waytogo]

Do not focus on what happened. It seems like you have figured out what happened and why. If this is truly what you want to do and you think that acheiving your goals is reasonable, then you should go for it. It also seems like you are doing well now. If you focus on how much you "messed up" you are not going to be positive. No amount of thinking about it is going to change what has happened. Focus now on what you can do and do it to the best of your ability. Even though it is good to predict and prepare, try not to anticipate an adcoms response.

You did not mention it but it sounds like you started college immediately after high school and you are still young. Try to enjoy whatever path your life takes. If it takes a little bit longer to meet your goals, it is not the end of the world. There are so many wonderful life experiences out there and so many unique paths. I remember how set on my time table I was in my 20s. Through experience, I now see that we can not plan everything. Do not be too hard on yourself, work hard, and enjoy your life. Best of Luck!

 

[phospho]

First, from my experience with AMCAS and AACOMAS, even those grades "wiped out" in Texas would have to be reported. Perhaps the Texas med school application system would not require them to be reported -- but I'd wager a dozen of my homemade cinnamon rolls that you must put them on AMCAS and AACOMAS.

The second thought is regarding the EMT certification. Getting your EMTB will only help you if you actually use it. There are thousands of premeds who get their EMTB cert thinking it will help them on their app, but without experience it's just viewed as blatant application padding.

Third (wow, my formatting is all over the place - cut me a little slack here - I'm still drinking my first cup of coffee): keep your grades up. And look into applying broadly when the time comes. Consider DO and MD schools (but do NOT apply to DO just as a backup - they hate that).

Fourth: study hard for the MCAT when the time comes.

Fifth: I wish I was back in Colorado too. 🙁 I miss the mountains, the thin clear air, seeing hundreds of miles, the skiing, the snow, the dry air... *sniff* But I do admit that seafood is much cheaper here on the East coast.

Lastly: HAVE FUN. Make sure to make the most of this experience. And let us know how it's going.

🙂

yeah, we have that "fresh start" at ohio state. It's not really worth your time for the app to have it approved. Yes, when they approve it, those grades are no longer calculated into your ohio state GPA - however, the grade will stay there (although they have a small star beside them), and we still have to report them to AMCAS obviously.

 

[cfc]

Not to sound negative but are you sure this is the career path you want to take. I mean , maybe the classes aren't interesting to you therefore you are not doing well in them and the line of work you are choosing is not interesting to/for you? Maybe you should get out and live a little and figure out what you want to do and answer for yourself - "Whether I'm capable of making it to medical school'. You have your whole life ahead of you to work it out.

I am only speaking from experience, I just finished a MA in Educational Technology which is absolutely useless to me because I just don't want to teach/train anymore. I want to be a pharmacist 🙂