Someone let me give up!

[zoeeeyyyyyy]

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I am a sophomore and my gpa is below 3.0. I roughly calculate my GPA will be 3.3 in the end of third year. My final GPA will be above 3.5(hopefully!). But I think it’s too late. My only goal is UCLA, but I think it’s impossible.
I will start to do research next quarter. No volunteer nor working experiences.
I think I should give up but I just can’t. Someone please tell me the truth!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Your goal should be any medical school (MD or DO), not only UCLA.

Consider taking a 5th year to raise that 3.5 or a DIY postbacc after graduation.

But without volunteering, shadowing, and the other ECs, even applicants with a 4.0/528 are hard pressed to get an acceptance anywhere.

It's not too late to start doing what is needed.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

If your goal is to become a physician, be it DO or MD you can still make it. If your goal is to go to UCLA for medical school you should have not even started.

 

[calivianya]

The lack of volunteer experience and research is way more lethal than that GPA. Work on that, and you'll be more competitive somewhere... just not UCLA.

 

[HomeSkool]

I kind of think this is a troll post, but I'll answer as if it's not.

You're not in a hopeless place, and you can still make it, but you need to abandon this absurd notion of "UCLA or nothing". If you're only interested in medicine if you can study at one specific school, then medicine isn't for you. So ask yourself why you want to become a doctor in the first place.

You also need to get those grades up. Don't retake courses in which you got a C or better. In fact, read this thread to determine which -- if any -- courses you should retake: Simple rules for retaking courses.

At this point, you should forget about research and start working on volunteering and shadowing opportunities. Those are much more important than research at all but a few very research-heavy schools.

 

[Incomparable]

I am a sophomore and my gpa is below 3.0. I roughly calculate my GPA will be 3.3 in the end of third year. My final GPA will be above 3.5(hopefully!). But I think it’s too late. My only goal is UCLA, but I think it’s impossible.
I will start to do research next quarter. No volunteer nor working experiences.
I think I should give up but I just can’t. Someone please tell me the truth!

Why is UCLA your only goal?

Anyways, if you were off to a rocky start you could always try to finish with a strong upward trend. Personally, I see no reason to quit if being a physician is your goal. There are too many options. If you graduate with a less than competitive GPA, you could always take upper devision science courses as a postbacc student. As many posters have already stated, you could apply D.O as well.

In my opinion, you should first identify why you haven't been able to make the grades. Develop a stronger study plan before you start filling your schedule with tons of extracurricular activities, volunteering, and research.

 

[BigBoss]

Then quit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Turkishking]

I’d be happy with one acceptance in hand to a DO or MD school with the nature of the application process and competitiveness of applicants.

All it takes is one school.

 

[TakotsuboOkazaki]

My $0.02...

It sounds like you want to go to UCLA for the prestige/name/USWNR rank/etc.

You haven’t given any legitimate reasons why UCLA beyond it’s reputation (location, family legacy, and alignment with mission would be examples), so I would heavily consider other schools.

If you look at match lists for any MD program you will see people going into almost every specialty.

Not everyone will be going to MGH/Hopkins/etc, but they will be the kind of doctor they WANT to be.

That’s what matters afterall, doing what you enjoy doing!

 

[Potentia Virtus]

Well, you have a GPA below 3.0 and you haven't done any E.C.'s yet. You're banking on a 4.0 the rest of college, in harder classes, while trying to add in the other activities on top?
You have my permission to give up.

In all seriousness, it can be done, but it's going to take a major overhaul of your personal and academic attributes you've displayed so far.

 

[PhilzCoffeeAddict]

That's the challenge everyone has to overcome: Giving up. That's the difference between a doctor and someone's who not a physician. So which one are you? 3.5 isn't that bad. You can come back from this and make it. UCLA is a reach even for people with stellar stats. You need to broaden your schools to more than just UCLA and think of UCI, UCR, UCD. I wanted vanderbilt, and I am still no where near that but I got into a school with high calibers and I'm happy with my end result. Don't settle, keep pushing yourself, and don't give up. You can be a doctor... or give and don't. It's YOUR CHOICE. Make it happen! We believe in you!

 

[Goro]

OP, you have my permission to give up.

 

[Kpw101]

You'll be surprised at how many schools people fall in love with once they interview. Honestly the list of schools I loved changed dramatically once I actually started to see these places.

Get your grades up, create a great resume. UCLA isn't the only school you would enjoy your medical school years in, hell it might not even be one of them!