Some feedback/advice please

[JustSomeone]

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Hey SDN,

I just got back my sci grades for this semester and am feeling very disappointed with myself. At the moment all my sci grades (gen bio, gen chem, phys I, orgo II, genetics), and other nonsci grades, are either A or A-, with the exception of orgo I and biochem, which are both C+.

Based on feedback from past threads, a poor grade in orgo I is redeemable by getting a good grade in orgo II and in biochem. But now since i did poorly in biochem as well...what kind of impression will that make? Can I "fix" this?

Aside from great ECs, MCAT scores, and LORs...how's my gpa to med admissions? Is MD no longer an option (time for Caribbean, DO, and other professions?)?

Btw, I'm a junior, asian, and probably staying an extra year in undergrad to take more sci courses.

Yea, I worry a lot...
I don't wanna give up my dream because of my gpa.

Thanks.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Based on feedback from past threads, a poor grade in orgo I is redeemable by getting a good grade in orgo II and in biochem. But now since i did poorly in biochem as well...what kind of impression will that make? Can I "fix" this?

2) Aside from great ECs, MCAT scores, and LORs...how's my gpa to med admissions?

3) Is MD no longer an option (time for Caribbean, DO, and other professions?)?

1) Is there a second semester of Biochem to follow? If not, you can retake Biochem, or drown that C+ out with a sea of As in other upper level Bio.

2) You did not tell your cGPA and BCPM GPAs.

3) It's too early to give up on MD based on the information provided, as you don't have an MCAT score.

 

[JustSomeone]

Hi Catalystik,

I wish I was able to pm you :/

1) My school was actually thinking about seperating biochem into two semesters due to the amount info being crammed into one semester...but atm it's just one semester of biochemistry and then the next biochem course would be advanced biochemistry (which i'm not so sure I want to take...I fear another bad grade like ochem I and biochem). Would taking adv. biochem be better or...avoiding that and continue with the upper bio coruses?

2) I haven't calculated it yet but I'll use http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=590424 to do so. But to make sure, the credits/classes that transfer over from my freshman year school to my current undergrad school equate to different credits/classes. Which "system" do I used to determine BCPM and cGPA for undergrad?

3) Would that mean aiming for an extremely high yet almost unrealistic score? I feel like I'm in pretty bad shape already. Since I'm delaying a year, I don't plan on taking it till my senior year.

Thanks for always responding!

 

[Catalystik]

1) Decide if you need to retake OChem I to understand the material. If you "got it" then take OChem II. Next year (not at the same time as OChem II), consider retaking Biochem, but only if you're sure you can get an A. The alternative would be to take 3-4 other upper-level courses, scoring an A in each. I don't suggest Advanced Biochem unless the retakes go well, and not necessarily at all
.
2) Here is a working link for the grade conversion guide that is outdated in that first post giving the GPA calculator: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/125250/data/2011conversionguide.pdf.pdf I hope this answers your question about what system to use, as I'm not sure what you mean.

3) Until I know your GPAs, the credit hours you've earned, and the credits you'd need to graduate, I can't advise you on an MCAT goal.

 

[JustSomeone]

Sorry for the late reply,

1) I've already taken OChem II and managed an A-. Since I'm staying an extra year I believe I'll jsut continue with the upper bio courses.

2) I followed the link you provided and I hope I calculated this correctly. My gpas come out to be BCPM = 3.67 and cumulative = 3.8. But this somehow doesn't make sense to me because I have 2 C+...

I used my transcripts to determine my gpa. My transfer school (freshman year) has cred grd=gpa-hrs whereas the current school I'm in has a separate column for credits and hours (like for OChem II, credits is 3 but hours is 4, so i only used the hours)...

To calculate my gpa I used the (AMCAS weight)(gpa-hrs/hours) divided by the (gpa-hrs/hours). Is this correct?

I hope you understand what I mean...

3) Where do I stand?

Once again, thank you for your help Catalystik!

 

[Catalystik]

I think maybe you should have used credits instead of hours. It isn't uncommon to spend more hours in the sciences due to a lab, but get less actual credit than for the true time spent.

How many total semester hours have you earned at both schools. How many do you plan to have when you graduate?