Something I've noticed

[Dr.Acula]

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This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

 

[OSUdoc08]

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

Noone really has family issues or is sick. This is what people put on applications to excuse their failures.

(A majority of the time. There are always exceptions.)

 

[BuckerPark]

So I'm not technically "pre-med" anymore (finished undergrad in '02) but I'll be the first guy to stand up and say I could've done better as an undergrad and it wasn't anybody's fault other than my own. I think what it boiled down to was that I was trying to do too much at once. If only then I had the skills I have now (namely time management), I think it could've worked out better. But, I tend to learn the hard way....

I don't think many people take pride in standing up and saying "I screwed up!" I think it's a little easier to admit if there are circumstances out of one's control that led to the sub-par performance.

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

 

[Jacks Mannequin]

Yeah, I once had a bad semester because my ipod was broken. Sad day...


But yeah, I'm sure there are a few here and there with legitimate reasons (like mine 😉 ).

 

[jojocola]

i didnt study enough

 

[DrBowtie]

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

Just like everyone has "good ECs, good LORs, good PS, good interview".
Its just one of those things.

 

[LUBDUBB]

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

I had low grades freshman year - secondary to still being in the "high school" mentality.

 

[Dr.Pdizzle]

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

I had a bad semester this past fall. My advisor told me I might get asked about it, and she kind of hinted at me searching for reasons to explain it. But honestly, I just made stupid mistakes on questions, and should have done better. Yeah I had a lot going on with work, the gf, and life, but it really didn't explain the mistakes I made on exams. If I get asked about that's what I'm going to say to too.. 😳

 

[bbas]

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

Ha! I was actually going to start a thread on the very same topic, but figured it was in my best interest not to.

 

[Mister Pie]

From personal experience, it really is possible to have family issues that are bad enough to affect your grades and performance in school, at least for high school when you are still young and somewhat dependent on your parents.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

When I was younger I used to be really frustrated by teachers who said "Excuses, exuses. No excuses." But when you start to live your life without making any excuses for yourself, you start to have less and less "bad semesters." For example..."I was really sick" Well, you were really sick because you stayed up till 3 playing Halo every night...the dog may have ate your homework, but you also put your homework somewhere where the dog could eat it. Sometimes things happen outside our control, but I think that for the most part excuses are just that, excuses.

 

[bbas]

From personal experience, it really is possible to have family issues that are bad enough to affect your grades and performance in school, at least for high school when you are still young and somewhat dependent on your parents.

Of course it is possible, it's just hard to believe that it happens as frequently as suggested on these forums.

 

[Pancho Villa]

lol "Dr. Acula"

RIP MITCH HEDBERG 😎

 

[AmoryBlaine]

Just like everyone has "good ECs, good LORs, good PS, good interview".
Its just one of those things.

ha ha ha ha. I think that's funny. It perfectly describes 75% of the "what are my chances?" threads. The other 25% being the annoying compliment fishing...

 

[thinknofu3]

Ahh - fundamental attribution error - psychology strikes again! Basically, our thought process in these situations is completely irrational: when we do well, it's because we're awesome. When we fail, it was because of outside factors. And it's completely reversed for how we perceive others - when they fail, it's their fault, and when they do well, they just got lucky.

So basically, it probably is a mixture of both in the end, but people will ultimately blame outside factors more. It's not a conscious lie; just one of those things our brain does to spare us extra psychologial stress 🙂

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Ok it is all my laziness that I couldn't cope when first my fiance was in the ICU during my first semester finals exams, then the next semester she was really sick, never recovered and and eventually died and I missed a month of school. Another semester I was involved in a fatal car accident and personally I suffered a collapsed lung, multiple rib fractures, a splenectomy, a broken scapula and numerous other problems. I also missed a month of school for that. I won't even include the bouts of deperssion that all this caused. But I did my best, worked hard in spite of it all, made up all the work and refused to take incompletes...so if i can't mention family issues...well, yea I'm just lazy.

 

[bioboy2007]

Ahh - fundamental attribution error - psychology strikes again! Basically, our thought process in these situations is completely irrational: when we do well, it's because we're awesome. When we fail, it was because of outside factors. And it's completely reversed for how we perceive others - when they fail, it's their fault, and when they do well, they just got lucky.

So basically, it probably is a mixture of both in the end, but people will ultimately blame outside factors more. It's not a conscious lie; just one of those things our brain does to spare us extra psychologial stress 🙂

You've hit the nail on the head...nice analysis

 

[Dr.Andrews]

Ahh - fundamental attribution error - psychology strikes again! Basically, our thought process in these situations is completely irrational: when we do well, it's because we're awesome. When we fail, it was because of outside factors. And it's completely reversed for how we perceive others - when they fail, it's their fault, and when they do well, they just got lucky.

So basically, it probably is a mixture of both in the end, but people will ultimately blame outside factors more. It's not a conscious lie; just one of those things our brain does to spare us extra psychologial stress 🙂

So true. lol

 

[_ian]

People rarely actually have bad semesters because they're sick, because if one is legitimately in bad shape, then they can get incompletes in their classes. A friend of mine came down with a bad case of brain tumor this term; he finished the one class he could, and took incompletes in the others.

Frankly, I don't have much sympathy for anyone who is so unwilling to find treatment that they let a semester completely slide by without seeing a doctor, particularly when they intend to be a doctor themselves!

I had a fever during my second Orgo II test, but decided to take it anyway because I'd studied well for it before I got sick, got 100% on the last test, and didn't have any nausea at the time of the test. Well, lesson learned. It was a very bad idea, as that test alone cost me my A in that class. However, I don't blame the fever, because it's my own fault for not getting it excused until I felt better, which was an option I had all along... I just didn't want to inconvenience myself by jumping through hoops.

 

[Oculus Sinistra]

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

I've done badly in the past because I didn't put as much effort as I should have... and I intend to admit that in my interview. I know what I did wrong. I do a lot better now that I realized the issue and I'm more focused.

That being said, I've also realized that there are classes in which you just can't win the way you want to. Sometimes you just get a B.

Funny enough, I actually DID get terribly, terribly sick on a day when I had two exams last semester and it DID affect me substantially (ended up with a B+ and a C+, couldn't recover any better). Nothing I can do now.

 

[baylormed]

This is what I think:

I have 3 C's in my transcript, two of them from freshman year. It was NOT because of sickness, or family issues, of financial issues (although being able to afford a tutor COULD have helped...but is not strictly necessary). I can just say that maybe, just maybe, I didn't put in as much time as I should have. Yes, I could have spent more hours on my chemistry homework, and maybe it would have made more sense. All I know, is that at that point in time, with the experience and resources I had, I felt that I was doing everything I could. Now, two or three years later, looking back, I can see that I could have studied more. I KNOW BETTER NOW. But at that specific point in time I didn't know better. But I have shown persistence, I have stuck to my major, I am even minoring in chemistry now, I have not given up on medical school (as the other 80% of my freshman friends did). I now have better study habits, I enjoy my classes more now that I am focusing on just Biology (my major), and I have learned to handle things better. I certainly regret getting those grades now, but there's nothing I can do, except regret it. Did I mention I regret it???????????????????????
So yes, it was my own fault, but back then I didn't have the experience I have now. So that's my excuse. 😎

 

[MediMama23]

Ok it is all my laziness that I couldn't cope when first my fiance was in the ICU during my first semester finals exams, then the next semester she was really sick, never recovered and and eventually died and I missed a month of school. Another semester I was involved in a fatal car accident and personally I suffered a collapsed lung, multiple rib fractures, a splenectomy, a broken scapula and numerous other problems. I also missed a month of school for that. I won't even include the bouts of deperssion that all this caused. But I did my best, worked hard in spite of it all, made up all the work and refused to take incompletes...so if i can't mention family issues...well, yea I'm just lazy.

I was wondering when someone was going to get their panties up in a bunch and take offense to this thread.

 

[Mister Pie]

Of course it is possible, it's just hard to believe that it happens as frequently as suggested on these forums.

Probably not, but I was answering the OP's question of whether or not it actually happens. I don't frequent SDN enough to know if this is something people tend to bring up over and over but my guess is that the adcom people have their own opinions as to whether or not certain circumstances excuse bad grades or not.

 

[Dunce]

This is what I think:

I have 3 C's in my transcript, two of them from freshman year. It was NOT because of sickness, or family issues, of financial issues (although being able to afford a tutor COULD have helped...but is not strictly necessary). I can just say that maybe, just maybe, I didn't put in as much time as I should have. Yes, I could have spent more hours on my chemistry homework, and maybe it would have made more sense. All I know, is that at that point in time, with the experience and resources I had, I felt that I was doing everything I could. Now, two or three years later, looking back, I can see that I could have studied more. I KNOW BETTER NOW. But at that specific point in time I didn't know better. But I have shown persistence, I have stuck to my major, I am even minoring in chemistry now, I have not given up on medical school (as the other 80% of my freshman friends did). I now have better study habits, I enjoy my classes more now that I am focusing on just Biology (my major), and I have learned to handle things better. I certainly regret getting those grades now, but there's nothing I can do, except regret it. Did I mention I regret it???????????????????????
So yes, it was my own fault, but back then I didn't have the experience I have now. So that's my excuse. 😎

I was in a similar situation. I couldn't make up for slacking off earlier in my college career, but I did finally wise up and start to perform up to my real potential toward the end of my junior year through my senior year, and that definitely helped me in the long run. I still had to answer questions during my interviews about why I had some weak grades here and there (some C's and even a D+ one semester of physics 😱 )Regardless of why you might be performing at a sub-par level, think about the reasons for that and be able to dicuss them when the time comes. If it was because you were lazy and partied too much, be honest (just not too much detail 😉. The most important thing to show is that you are able to overcome setbacks that might be due to a variety of factors but are then able to turn it on and excel when you have to. AdComs are pretty adept at recognizing this trait.

 

[Wackie]

In my first attempt at college, yeah, I had family issues. But what contributed more was that I was so sick and tired of school that I had no motivation.

 

[RayhanS1282]

I had a bad semster, started off with a 2.8 something. I got no one to blame save myself, I just didn't put in the time.

 

[lilnoelle]

I was wondering when someone was going to get their panties up in a bunch and take offense to this thread.

haha, I assumed he was being funny, cuz he said he was in a fatal car accident.

 

[baylormed]

I was in a similar situation. I couldn't make up for slacking off earlier in my college career, but I did finally wise up and start to perform up to my real potential toward the end of my junior year through my senior year, and that definitely helped me in the long run. I still had to answer questions during my interviews about why I had some weak grades here and there (some C's and even a D+ one semester of physics 😱 )Regardless of why you might be performing at a sub-par level, think about the reasons for that and be able to dicuss them when the time comes. If it was because you were lazy and partied too much, be honest (just not too much detail 😉. The most important thing to show is that you are able to overcome setbacks that might be due to a variety of factors but are then able to turn it on and excel when you have to. AdComs are pretty adept at recognizing this trait.

Haha, I wish partying and slacking off were the reasons for not doing better (although 3 C's aren't THAT bad...though some disagree. I try not to fall into the obsessively obnoxious pre-med category). I tried as hard as I could at that point in time with the resources I had. It obviously wasn't enough. I didn't party, I didn't go out at all (when I say "at all" I am serious, I didn't have any money left for fun), I didn't even watch television. All I did was go to class and study. As I said, lack of experience is my excuse.

 

[lsumedgirl]

Noone really has family issues or is sick. This is what people put on applications to excuse their failures.

(A majority of the time. There are always exceptions.)

I actually have had some health problems. BUT, I have not let it affect my hard work to get into med school. And even if it had caused some bad grades or less-than-stellar things on my application... I wouldn't use that as an excuse. I would fight like hell to feel better, make some improvements, and go at it again.

As noted in another thread around here somewhere, it does suck to have a chronic illness while going through the admissions process. But it's a matter of perservering and not letting your disease control every aspect of your life.

 

[baylormed]

I actually have had some health problems. BUT, I have not let it affect my hard work to get into med school. And even if it had caused some bad grades or less-than-stellar things on my application... I wouldn't use that as an excuse. I would fight like hell to feel better, make some improvements, and go at it again.

As noted in another thread around here somewhere, it does suck to have a chronic illness while going through the admissions process. But it's a matter of perservering and not letting your disease control every aspect of your life.

I agree with you about not letting circumstances get in the way of good grades. However, it seems to me that people believe medical school applicants must be some sort of gods, and be above all others, be able to handle it all and know it all. If you were sick and it affected you, SURPRISE, YOU ARE HUMAN. Nothing wrong with saying that. One doesn't have to be god in order to get into medical school.

 

[ishabooboo]

Noone really has family issues or is sick. This is what people put on applications to excuse their failures.

(A majority of the time. There are always exceptions.)

My sister passed away and I was diagnosed with a very rare but debilitating disease (under control now with medication). So its not really "noone".

Oh, and my drop in grades wasn't because I had to cope with my sister's death, but because I had to spend hours a week driving home and back so my mom didn't break down. Not something prof's will excuse you for, but it was worth it to me. She passed away the week of my finals btw, and one of my prof's wouldn't let me skip the test or take it later (incomplete) cause he was a dick, and two of them gave me an extra 3 days 😛 yea, my undergrad was *^*&%$$%.

The disease thing didn't hurt me too much grades-wise, but when you spend 60% of your waking hours in a 102+ fever, its pretty hard to study for the MCAT. And when they have no diagnosis and no cure in sight, it seems pointless to put off taking the MCAT, so you gotta just do your best and suck it up cause you gotta assume it'll be the best you can do anyway.

I don't blame others for stretching the truth though, I'd do anything I could to get in.

 

[lilnoelle]

I don't blame others for stretching the truth though, I'd do anything I could to get in.

Is this excusing the above paragraphs, or just an afterthought???

 

[Dr.Acula]

wow, this thread has kinda taken off. Well, i'm feeling a little verklempt, so please talk amongst yourselves 😀

 

[ChocolateKiss]

Everyone has hard times. Some push through, some don't. One of my best friends had cancer in college. He had to go through extensive chemo and missed a semester of school. He took incompletes in classes he was taking at the time of diagnosis since he wasn't able to finish the semester, but after he came back, he re-took the classes and got A's. His GPA is close to a 4.0, and he got in to AMAZING medical schools this application cycle. I'd call this handling adversity successfully.

On the other hand, someone else who got cancer may not have bothered to arrange for incompletes and to retake the classes and thus might have a bad semester of no credits or F's on his transcript. He would then explain this bad semester by saying, well look, I was in a hospital getting chemo treatments. What type of GPA would you expect? While I sympathize with the medical problems, I would expect a responsible, motivated person to behave more like my friend did.

 

[MEG@COOL]

Noone really has family issues or is sick. This is what people put on applications to excuse their failures.

(A majority of the time. There are always exceptions.)

Yep. There are exceptions, but mostly its bull****.

 

[lsumedgirl]

I agree with you about not letting circumstances get in the way of good grades. However, it seems to me that people believe medical school applicants must be some sort of gods, and be above all others, be able to handle it all and know it all. If you were sick and it affected you, SURPRISE, YOU ARE HUMAN. Nothing wrong with saying that. One doesn't have to be god in order to get into medical school.

Oh, believe me, I'm the first one to admit that I'm human, and I don't know it all, and I have my bad days. I guess I was trying to say that overall, I'm not letting it affect my goals. I've had some bad days along the way where I just haven't even felt like doing anything (even surgery and an ER trip... and I've discovered that I make a HORRIBLE patient 😳 .. but hopefully that just means inversely, I'll be a good doctor). I guess I work so hard and try to be strong because I see so many patients that let pain affect their entire life and prevent them from reaching any of their goals.

So, hey, I know that we all have things that affect us at one time or another. I think the important thing is how you deal with it, and what lessons you take away from it.

 

[lsumedgirl]

wow, this thread has kinda taken off. Well, i'm feeling a little verklempt, so please talk amongst yourselves 😀

Here, I'll give you a topic... medical and family issues... they're neither medical, family, nor issues. Discuss. There, I'm betta now... like buttah!

 

[lilnoelle]

Here, I'll give you a topic... medical and family issues... they're neither medical, family, nor issues. Discuss. There, I'm betta now... like buttah!

haha, very good.

 

[Duchess742]

Yep. There are exceptions, but mostly its bull****.

🙄 i'm guessing that you and dr. acula (love the name, btw!) have never experienced anything major that affected your semester grades. before i did, i was always critical of ppl w/ excuses too. i think that most ppl who do have excuses for amcas are legit, however, b/c those kinds of things can prob be checked up on rather easily through medical records and all. it'd be pretty dangerous to lie about or grossly exaggerate something like that.

 

[Hard24Get]

Oh, believe me, I'm the first one to admit that I'm human, and I don't know it all, and I have my bad days. I guess I was trying to say that overall, I'm not letting it affect my goals. I've had some bad days along the way where I just haven't even felt like doing anything (even surgery and an ER trip... and I've discovered that I make a HORRIBLE patient 😳 .. but hopefully that just means inversely, I'll be a good doctor). I guess I work so hard and try to be strong because I see so many patients that let pain affect their entire life and prevent them from reaching any of their goals.

So, hey, I know that we all have things that affect us at one time or another. I think the important thing is how you deal with it, and what lessons you take away from it.

I agree with this. Everyone has tough times- in college my mom was hospitalized for months after a car accident that left her with a spinal cord injury and nearly cost her her life. Besides the emotional turmoil, I ended up studying in the hospital most of the time. This was my proudest semester because I nevertheless ended up with a 4.0.

Besides catastrophic events, it is important to consider that how you deal with adversity may also affect you as a doctor. Will you show up late, prescribe the wrong meds, or screw up a code because your life is not going so well and you weren't responsible enough to make the proper arrangements? If so, maybe a life or death career like medicine isn't for you...

 

[Wookey]

This might just be me, but it seems like every poster that says they've had a bad semester say its because of family issues or they were "really sick". I'm just curious, but does anyone just have a bad semester because all the cards fell the wrong way?? Please don't call me a troll, i'm just genuinly curious if people try to justify having a bad semester by blaming it on other issues, instead of just admitting they screwed up and didn't study enough.

If you had an abarrent semester, then it was probably something unusual and out of your control.

 

[ishabooboo]

Is this excusing the above paragraphs, or just an afterthought???

oh, just afterthought... a general statement pertaining to a lot of things people stretch the truth on with apps