terrible grades for freshman year at college

[unicorn13]

hi everyone!

I just got my final GPA of 2.56 for my first year at Columbia College, part of Columbia University. I am devastated and can't understand why I got such terrible grades. I wasn't a huge party person because I actually studied. anyways, I am just in a state of shock and sadness right now. Do I even have a chance of getting into a decent medical school? I really was hoping to boost my GPA from my first semester but the extra studying did not help at all. I feel like a complete failure at an ivy league school. I really don't think i belong. 🙁
Sorry for the depressing post. but are there any suggestions on boosting my grotesque GPA? or are there any people out there with similar experiences? i would really appreciate those who would respond.

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[Nyu2004]

First take a deep breath. You didn't do yourself any favors but you also didn't destroy your dreams of going to medical school. What classes did you take?

 

[doinmybest5840]

hi everyone!

I just got my final GPA of 2.56 for my first year at Columbia College, part of Columbia University. I am devastated and can't understand why I got such terrible grades. I wasn't a huge party person because I actually studied. anyways, I am just in a state of shock and sadness right now. Do I even have a chance of getting into a decent medical school? I really was hoping to boost my GPA from my first semester but the extra studying did not help at all. I feel like a complete failure at an ivy league school. I really don't think i belong. 🙁
Sorry for the depressing post. but are there any suggestions on boosting my grotesque GPA? or are there any people out there with similar experiences? i would really appreciate those who would respond.

If you really feel like you don't belong there, you could consider transferring to a different school. I don't know how this would look to adcoms later on in the future, though.

As for similar stories, my first semester freshman year, I got a 2.56 as well, but I wasn't studying like I should have been. I studied, yes, but I had a little trouble adjusting to being away from home and on my own, so I was kinda like, "Hey, nobody's around to tell me to study or do my work, so maybe I won't!" Anywho, after that I kinda freaked out and took a semester off the pre-med track to re-evaluate myself and make sure this was something I really wanted. Turns out, it was/is. So, I got back into the science classes, buckled down, and worked to bring up my GPA. It's still not great, but I've brought it up to a 3.34. It could have been better, but thanks to a couple bad situations I don't feel like getting into on here, it's not. I haven't applied to med school yet (I'm filling out apps now), but to boost my application, I made sure I did well on the MCAT and tried to get some good LORs and ECs. Anyway, my point is, you can bring it up, it is possible. You may not be able to get it up as high as you want (I don't know what your goal is), but things can get better. It's only been one year, though, so try to relax and just focus on improving your studying habits for the next semester. Good luck!

 

[emaj1n]

Many people have an unlucky first year. Calm down, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy this summer! Maybe you could take some of your general education courses during the summer to help your GPA?

Luckily, GPA is something you can almost always improve. If you want to apply to medical schools after your junior year, than you have two years (four semesters) to get good grades and bring that GPA back up. If you still haven't brought it up to around a 3.5 by the end of your junior year, you can apply after your senior year, which gives you two more semesters. Still, you could do post-bacc work, enroll in a special masters program (SMP), or enroll in a regular masters degree program.

I wouldn't worry too much. There is a lot that goes into a strong application. Don't let your first year hinder your motivation to build a strong list of ECs, to shadow physicians, gain clinical experience, and get to know your professors (you will need strong letters of recommendation).

Bottom line: get some sleep, do something fun this summer, and climb back on the horse this fall. You're not out of the game.

Good luck.

 

[unicorn13]

thanks you guys. but no matter how encouraging your comments are, I still feel like my grades freshman year are pulling me down and is ruining my resume. i currently have a summer internship with a UN affiliated group. but that is not going to make up for my lackluster grades. My job here in the summer would be a 9 to 5 job so i really can't take any summer classes. I don't even know if Columbia allows me to retake classes I got C's in so I can get a better grade. I don't know what to tell my parents. When they pay 50 grand a year, how could I break it to them that their money is buying 5 C's and a 2.56 GPA? I don't know what is wrong with me. I was a great student in high school with 4.00 gpa. and now at college, everything is turning upside down.

 

[On3H34rT]

thanks you guys. but no matter how encouraging your comments are, I still feel like my grades freshman year are pulling me down and is ruining my resume. i currently have a summer internship with a UN affiliated group. but that is not going to make up for my lackluster grades. My job here in the summer would be a 9 to 5 job so i really can't take any summer classes. I don't even know if Columbia allows me to retake classes I got C's in so I can get a better grade. I don't know what to tell my parents. When they pay 50 grand a year, how could I break it to them that their money is buying 5 C's and a 2.56 GPA? I don't know what is wrong with me. I was a great student in high school with 4.00 gpa. and now at college, everything is turning upside down.

They are pulling you down and in order to pull yourself back up.. you are going to have to work even harder. College is different than high school. You cannot study in college like you did in high school and expect to get the same result. Relax now, but work hard next semester. If you really want to become a doctor you'll work it out. Study hard and get to know your professors. Don't sit back in the last row and take up space.

 

[bambielee]

Well college is certainly different than high school, and like everyone else said, freshman year is always a tough wake up call. There is definitely a lot more pressure here to do good, and sometimes the combination of that with difficult courses, and possibly a heavy course load can wreak havoc on your grades. But again, as everyone else says to everyone who has been in this similar situation (which if you read this board often, you will see A LOT of) this won't ruin your chances of getting into med school. The adcom looks at trends as well, so if you show that you learned what you did wrong and bring your grades up, you'll do fine. Don't worry so much about what happened last year, just focus on what you can do to succeed in future semesters.

 

[unicorn13]

I am frustrated. my self esteem just went south. now my whole entire summer is ruined. what a great way to start my job tomorrow.

 

[emaj1n]

I don't know what is wrong with me. I was a great student in high school with 4.00 gpa. and now at college, everything is turning upside down.

High school and college. Apples and oranges. Literally. You can't compare them. At all.

Let high school go and focus on your current successes. Chances are you didn't really study in high school, even if you think you did. Doing well in college mandates an entirely different way of academic life.

You'll do great. The sooner you get some rest and refocus, the better.

 

[littlealex]

i would really appreciate those who would respond.

I agree with the other posters. You did not destroy your dream of being a doctor, but hell, you better learn to study efficiently sometimes in the near future.

In terms of academics, you possibly had just not been exposed to intense competition in high school. My roommate was in that boat; he went to a small urban school where anyone who tried got good grades, but the teachers were ineffective in conveying the material. I think the first thing to learn is to study effectively. Learn to process the material learned, and acquire the background necessary for success in upper level classes.

As for the "I don't belong" part, hey, you just might not belong. Big deal, the most book smart people don't always make the best doctors. Consider transferring to a less competitive school that is easier on your parent's pockets too. Yes it does seem like a cop-out, but if it helps, then do it.

I have a few friends who transferred out of my competitive institution into other much less competitive colleges because the course load and poor grades were just crushing them. They went on to get good grades, and more importantly, amazing extracurriculars, and successfully applied to medical schools.

Had they stayed and gotten great grades, possibly they could have had a shot at a top15 medical school. However, by transferring, they ensured their chance of getting in SOMEWHERE.

No one gives a **** if you have 2.5 from Columbia. But if you have a 3.7 from obscure college coupled with a SOLID MCAT (33?), then no one can question whether or not you're up to snuff academically.

That being said, a 3.7 from obscure college coupled with a 27, and people will think your college is just easy.

 

[the_samrat]

well, I did worse mate.

I scored 1.9 in my first year! It felt terrible and everything. I decided to continue and take more courses (science ones) like genetics, micro, pathophysio and bch and so on in my second and third years and I ended up with a 3.2gpa now. With one more year, I'm sure i can pull mine.

and so can you.

Like people said, take a deep breath, and start to enjoy the summer a bit. Volunteering/Research, shadowing doctors are important and start focusing on MCAT related courses, b/c it should be the biggest factor in our situation.

 

[ncguy2005]

I think you should just evaluate how you're studying. What do you usually do when you study? Read the chapters, study notes, study in groups?

My whole strategy this year was to read the chapters and study the notes to the point that I could teach the material to someone else. I have no idea if this approach would work for everyone, but I've figured out that if I can't talk through a concept without getting confused, then I don't know the concept as well as I had thought.

Don't feel bad, I had a prett low GPA my freshmen year before I started the science classes (3.29), but I bounced back and I hit 3.5 after one year, and I'm hoping for a 3.6 by Christmas. Think of it this way...only about 25% of your GPA has been determined so far, so brainstorm this summer about ways that you could better your study skills and use them next year to pull your GPA up.

Good Luck.

 

[unicorn13]

i guess no social life for me for the next three years. I deserve it. But i am glad to hear success stories from those who have been in my place. I really don't want to leave Columbia. that makes me a quiter and a loser. I must find out what when wrong. and yes I did go to a very large public high school. maybe my version of "efficient study skills" is truly not ivy league applicable. then why have people who studied less than me got away with better grades? my friends would be in a state of shock to hear my GPA right now. now i am just more ashamed than sad. thanks anyways for all your comments. I would love to hear more just for the moral support. I am all alone in NYC away from my family on the other side of the country. and i won't see my boyfriend for an entire summer. it is as if i am in a dream and no matter how hard i try, i can't run faster than i want to.

 

[doinmybest5840]

i guess no social life for me for the next three years. I deserve it. But i am glad to hear success stories from those who have been in my place. I really don't want to leave Columbia. that makes me a quiter and a loser. I must find out what when wrong. and yes I did go to a very large public high school. maybe my version of "efficient study skills" is truly not ivy league applicable. then why have people who studied less than me got away with better grades? my friends would be in a state of shock to hear my GPA right now. now i am just more ashamed than sad. thanks anyways for all your comments. I would love to hear more just for the moral support. I am all alone in NYC away from my family on the other side of the country. and i won't see my boyfriend for an entire summer. it is as if i am in a dream and no matter how hard i try, i can't run faster than i want to.

Okay, let's evaluate the situation. You're feeling a bit better, you know you still have a chance, and you know what you need to do to improve. So what to do now... hmm... hello! You're in New York City! You should cheer yourself up by exploring one of the greatest cities on earth. Immerse yourself in the culture, the lifestyle, the shopping! Try to enjoy your summer before you have to really get down to things for school this fall. 🙂

 

[unicorn13]

man I am being bashed on College confidential for not seeing this terrible GPA coming. I know i am to blame. But god does it feel terrible that my fellow students at columbia are asking me how could i possibly have gotten such terrible grades. someone said that he would actually have to try to get such bad grades. I appreciate their honesty because it would help me wake up from my freshman year nightmare. but honestly, I only feel the love here.

 

[tmac11]

I agree with ncguy2005. Evaluating your study techniques could be really beneficial for you. Approaching some of your professors or possibly a student service you may have on campus designed for helping students could help with your studying technique. Aside from that, enjoy your summer and don't let it get you down. When fall comes around, be ready to get some good work done. You can definitely bring up your GPA and you'll be holding a spot in medical school sooner than you think 🙂

 

[geneticclone]

Dude, i dont mean to be offensive or anything, but how could you NOT see your low grades coming? I mean didnt you know what your grades were around midsemester?

 

[sillydoc2230]

As a Columbia grad I totally have insight for you. I PMed you so that we can talk this out! 🙂

 

[unicorn13]

Dude, i dont mean to be offensive or anything, but how could you NOT see your low grades coming? I mean didnt you know what your grades were around midsemester?

UGH! that is what all the people on College Confidential were saying. and if i told my parents about my grades, that's exactly what they would say too. I am not suicidal but I really want to kick myself in the shins. 😡 But see, because of curves, I thought I was actually doing well in Econ and Calculus III, each with 86-88%. I know i am not good in chem. but I had a very decent chem midterm and 2 not so decent but still acceptable ones. I don't know where these C's came from. the gods of finals do not hold me in their favor.

 

[doinmybest5840]

UGH! that is what all the people on College Confidential were saying. and if i told my parents about my grades, that's exactly what they would say too. I am not suicidal but I really want to kick myself in the shins. 😡 But see, because of curves, I thought I was actually doing well in Econ and Calculus III, each with 86-88%. I know i am not good in chem. but I had a very decent chem midterm and 2 not so decent but still acceptable ones. I don't know where these C's came from. the gods of finals do not hold me in their favor.

God do I know how that feels! After midterms this past semester, I thought I'd have at least 3 A-'s and 1 B+, if not higher, and then the finals roll around and I end up with an A, 2 B+'s and a B. Total crap, if you ask me. Especially since for one of those B+ classes I was 0.4% away from an A- and the douchebag professor was like "Hey, look, I'm sorry, but I had to cut it off somewhere." By the way, who sets a grade cutoff at 70.7%? Dumba$$. Can you tell I'm still a little sore over that? 😛

 

[unicorn13]

God do I know how that feels! After midterms this past semester, I thought I'd have at least 3 A-'s and 1 B+, if not higher, and then the finals roll around and I end up with an A, 2 B+'s and a B. Total crap, if you ask me. Especially since for one of those B+ classes I was 0.4% away from an A- and the douchebag professor was like "Hey, look, I'm sorry, but I had to cut it off somewhere." By the way, who sets a grade cutoff at 70.7%? Dumba$$. Can you tell I'm still a little sore over that? 😛

yeah. except your unexpected b's would be c's in my place. i really ****ed up majorly. nothing worse that this feeling right now.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

man I am being bashed on College confidential for not seeing this terrible GPA coming. I know i am to blame. But god does it feel terrible that my fellow students at columbia are asking me how could i possibly have gotten such terrible grades. someone said that he would actually have to try to get such bad grades. I appreciate their honesty because it would help me wake up from my freshman year nightmare. but honestly, I only feel the love here.

Do yourself a favor and don't post on college confidential expecting sympathy. Honestly, there are some real freaks on that site who couldn't imagine any GPA below a 4.0. Not to mention that most of them are used to high school courses which are, for the most part, far easier than college classes, especially at a university like Columbia.

I agree with other posters that you shouldn't just have a positive attitude and hope for the best. You have to analyze your mistakes and understand why your scores were bad. Analyzing studying techniques is very important to doing well in the future. Your grades have not precluded your hopes of going to medical school, but if you do not pick yourself up and dust yourself off, then you will inevitably defeat yourself.

Best of luck and keep your chin up,
-Dr. P.

 

[unicorn13]

I'll try my best to keep my chin up. 🙁

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

God do I know how that feels! After midterms this past semester, I thought I'd have at least 3 A-'s and 1 B+, if not higher, and then the finals roll around and I end up with an A, 2 B+'s and a B. Total crap, if you ask me. Especially since for one of those B+ classes I was 0.4% away from an A- and the douchebag professor was like "Hey, look, I'm sorry, but I had to cut it off somewhere." By the way, who sets a grade cutoff at 70.7%? Dumba$$. Can you tell I'm still a little sore over that? 😛

Why not just say 3 B's? Don't stress too much over it. Your grades aren't that bad. I'm sure you'll be joking about your UG GPA once you matriculate to Med School.

hi everyone!



I just got my final GPA of 2.56 for my first year at Columbia College, part of Columbia University. I am devastated and can't understand why I got such terrible grades. I wasn't a huge party person because I actually studied. anyways, I am just in a state of shock and sadness right now. Do I even have a chance of getting into a decent medical school? I really was hoping to boost my GPA from my first semester but the extra studying did not help at all. I feel like a complete failure at an ivy league school. I really don't think i belong.

Sorry for the depressing post. but are there any suggestions on boosting my grotesque GPA? or are there any people out there with similar experiences? i would really appreciate those who would respond.

That's comparable to my first year. In my case it was due to being immature and not taking school seriously. I barely went to classes Freshman year. Since than I've haven't had a semester under 3.5. I'm making progress but my GPA is still below the mean of those who matriculated.

 

[unicorn13]

Why not just say 3 B's? Don't stress too much over it. Your grades aren't that bad. I'm sure you'll be joking about your UG GPA once you matriculate to Med School.



That's comparable to my first year. In my case it was due to being immature and not taking school seriously. I barely went to classes Freshman year. Since than I've haven't had a semester under 3.5. I'm making progress but my GPA is still below the mean of those who matriculated.

so may i ask what is your GPA right now?

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

so may i ask what is your GPA right now?

Don't sweat it you can raise it to at least a 3.4.
http://www.back2college.com/raisegpa.htm

3.3. My grades would have been worse but I got some classes retroactively dropped.

With 30 credits of 2.57 GPA. You could raise your cul to 3.65 if you took another 93 Credit hours. I don't know about your school but mine requires at least 120 to graduate with a Bachelors.

 

[unicorn13]

Don't sweat it you can raise it to at least a 3.4.
http://www.back2college.com/raisegpa.htm

3.3. My grades would have been worse but I got some classes retroactively dropped.

With 30 credits of 2.57 GPA. You could raise your cul to 3.65 if you took another 93 Credit hours. I don't know about your school but mine requires at least 120 to graduate with a Bachelors.

wow that was pretty helpful! I guess i have to bust my ass for a 4.0 every semester. I don't know if that is even possible. but i'll have to try because now i am backed up against a cliff. My requires at least 124 to graduate. we can only take up to 25 credits per semester. so should i take more classes during the summer?

 

[stiffany]

I understand being upset and feeling like this is a self esteem blow. I had the same exact problem coming from a public high school and going to an Ivy League, where suddenly my version of "studying" (aka cramming the night before each big science exam and half assing all of my papers) didn't cut it. So, I took the summer after freshman year to reevaluate my study habits and find out what kind of tutoring and study habit improvement options were available at my school (Should be something similar at Columbia - think Learning Resources/Office of Tutoring/whatever - If you can't find it, ask an advisor). Come fall, I was finally ready and my grades improved a lot. I still had a social life and had fun as well, but I was better about getting help when I needed it from professors, tutors, the writing center, et cetera.

In addition, I came into college thinking I wanted to be an English major with a chemistry minor (bleh!). So, after not enjoying my classes freshman year (and thus not doing well in them), I switched my focus and made sure I had classes I was actually interested in that counted for requirements instead of just classes that sounded good cause they fit my initial plan. Now, after diverging from my path just a bit I'll be starting med school at a very good school come fall.

Overall, you can do it if you're determined to. Ask for help and be honest with yourself about why you didn't do well. Own your problem instead of just looking for reassurance without changing anything or worrying about what others think. Both of those are futile efforts. Good luck!

 

[stiffany]

wow that was pretty helpful! I guess i have to bust my ass for a 4.0 every semester. I don't know if that is even possible. but i'll have to try because now i am backed up against a cliff. My requires at least 124 to graduate. we can only take up to 25 credits per semester. so should i take more classes during the summer?

No, you should use the summer to evaluate what went wrong and prepare to fix it. Also, overloading yourself with credits isn't the answer - That may just further intensify the problem. Instead, start out small (like 4 classes or whatever the norm is for your school - 25 credits seems like an insane amount to me since my school was on a 1 class/1 credit system and other schools have a 3 credits per class system) and then pick up from there. If your GPA ends up not being at the coveted 3.0 mark by the time you want to apply, there are other options.

 

[unicorn13]

No, you should use the summer to evaluate what went wrong and prepare to fix it. Also, overloading yourself with credits isn't the answer - That may just further intensify the problem. Instead, start out small (like 4 classes or whatever the norm is for your school - 25 credits seems like an insane amount to me since my school was on a 1 class/1 credit system and other schools have a 3 credits per class system) and then pick up from there. If your GPA ends up not being at the coveted 3.0 mark by the time you want to apply, there are other options.

thanks Stiffany.
what are the options if my GPA ends up not being at least 3.6 at the end of my senior year?

 

[Meatwad]

thanks Stiffany.
what are the options if my GPA ends up not being at least 3.6 at the end of my senior year?

Woh, woh, easy there. Who said you need a 3.6? Plenty of people get in with a 3.55. stiffany mentioned the "coveted 3.0," not the coveted 3.6. The reason being is that most schools will have a computer sift through applicants (due to sheer volume), and anyone below a 3.0 is automatically screened out. So let's say you end up with a 3.5, roughly. You will most likely not get screened out. So now your app is looked at by a human, with the ability to reason. They see your freshman GPA was only a 2.5. In order to get up to that 3.5 over the next 3 years, they see you received all A's, A-'s, and a few B+'s. Do you honestly think because your cum GPA is 3.5 that you have no shot at getting into medical school? You need to RELAX. You have plenty of time to get your GPA high enough to get past screens, and to do this without buckling under the pressure of needing a 4.0 average for 6 more semesters. PM me if you want to hear my story, I have a feeling you will feel a bit better about your situation then.

 

[Hershi]

I am in the same situation as you maybe worse. I just finished freshman year with a 1.67 . Yeah I felt the same way for the past two weeks but I have realized that I must fix myself up and try different study methods. Its not going to be easy but im willing to work for it. So dont worry about it I guess. We can overcome this

 

[CSUFresno girl]

hey unicorn, i know exactly how u feel, im in exactly the same boat as you. I studied my but off literally went to hours of tutoring a week and yet im on the cusp of failing chemistry. It makes me feel so disappointed in myself. I was the same in high school also, i was one of the valedictorian, and everyone called me nerdy. hahah, and its just not the same. im also worried that no med school will want me, and this is what ive wanted my whole life, i dont have a backup plan or anything. Anyways, your not alone, i think the best thing is just try our best and pray for the best.😍

 

[hoot504]

Dude, i dont mean to be offensive or anything, but how could you NOT see your low grades coming? I mean didnt you know what your grades were around midsemester?

I really don't understand this either

 

[vickpick]

i know how u feel, but u're gonna do even worse next semester if you have a 9-5 job over the summer.. you're not even going to have time to chill... seriously.. it would be much better if u just take an easy class over the summer, Ace it and bring up your confidence... that worked for me after my senior year in HS.. (i lost acceptance to dream college because i effed up my last semester in senior HS year.. )... that summer i took 2 classes, Aced them and brought my confindence back up!

working during college or during summer after bad semesters is not a good idea at all..

 

[TehDoc]

i know how u feel, but u're gonna do even worse next semester if you have a 9-5 job over the summer.. you're not even going to have time to chill... seriously.. it would be much better if u just take an easy class over the summer, Ace it and bring up your confidence... that worked for me after my senior year in HS.. (i lost acceptance to dream college because i effed up my last semester in senior HS year.. )... that summer i took 2 classes, Aced them and brought my confindence back up!

working during college or during summer after bad semesters is not a good idea at all..

I agree with this, take an easy class or something challenging and focus on it to get a good grade. Test out which ways of studying works for you (groups, alone, library?)

 

[Justins]

I can totally relate.
your future isn't entirely destroyed
Buy all your textbooks for next semester and study them this summer. Also, see if you can take a few online classes through a community college to boost your gpa.
good luck

 

[drareg]

to the OP, I know you want to hear its ok and all that ... but ask yourself, are there other premeds in your school that pulled off a descent GPA? If they did, than so can you. They are no different than you. It just takes new strategies and approaches.

All these premed courses are not difficult per se, but there are alot of .. for a lack of a better word politics that go into maintaining a high GPA for a pre-med. You go through alot of the BS but it really is part of the game and its another way to weed out people. Its not just about studying and learning the material. You really got to go above and beyond for a good GPA.

 

[honker]

If anyone noticed, this thread is two years old. It would be interesting to hear of what became of unicorn13.

 

[nuneyah]

If anyone noticed, this thread is two years old. It would be interesting to hear of what became of unicorn13.

NOW it's been 3 years!! and I am wondering too because my freshman grades equally suck!!!

WHY IS A B a 3.0?? Seems harsh...

 

[RavishingB]

Now it's been four years! Oh em gee!

 

[olgreg]

5 years
registered just to post this

 

[alerk323]

haha wow i'm happy i read through this whole thread to discover these last few posts

 

[Pattycake25]

hi everyone!

I just got my final GPA of 2.56 for my first year at Columbia College, part of Columbia University. I am devastated and can't understand why I got such terrible grades. I wasn't a huge party person because I actually studied. anyways, I am just in a state of shock and sadness right now. Do I even have a chance of getting into a decent medical school? I really was hoping to boost my GPA from my first semester but the extra studying did not help at all. I feel like a complete failure at an ivy league school. I really don't think i belong. 🙁
Sorry for the depressing post. but are there any suggestions on boosting my grotesque GPA? or are there any people out there with similar experiences? i would really appreciate those who would respond.

The above posts are correct in that a bad freshman GPA is no dealbreaker, so long as you show huge improvement in the next several years. However, the bolded line concerns me.

- Have you looked at your study habits to figure out why they aren't working? Clearly, you need to make a change beyond more of the same.
- Are there classes you did well in, and if so, what was different about them?
- How many courses did you take this semester? Do you feel like you took just too much at once? Not just number of classes, if you took more than 2 really challenging classes that can be a problem regardless of what else you took.

You need to figure out what happened, before you can improve.

Good luck!

Edit: !#$#@$ necro

 

[OwlPower22]

hi everyone!

I just got my final GPA of 2.56 for my first year at Columbia College, part of Columbia University. I am devastated and can't understand why I got such terrible grades. I wasn't a huge party person because I actually studied. anyways, I am just in a state of shock and sadness right now. Do I even have a chance of getting into a decent medical school? I really was hoping to boost my GPA from my first semester but the extra studying did not help at all. I feel like a complete failure at an ivy league school. I really don't think i belong. 🙁
Sorry for the depressing post. but are there any suggestions on boosting my grotesque GPA? or are there any people out there with similar experiences? i would really appreciate those who would respond.

As a recent graduate of CC, let me tell you that Columbia is tough. I assume that you did not take Intro Bio with Mowshowitz or Orgo yet, but it's only going to get worse. I understand that you're trying your best, but it's not enough. Seek out the free tutoring services on campus or if that's not enough, seek out private tutoring. I know the chemistry dept has free tutoring services and all labs have tutoring/recitation sessions.
...and YES, you do belong! That is, only if you want yourself to. You have many years ahead to make up for poor performance in freshman year. Do well in orgo. Do well in physics and bio. Go to tutoring frequently and make sure you're always ahead of the game. Don't procrastinate. I struggled with Intro Bio, Physics, and Gen Chem, but I made it out alive with at least B's by constantly doing practice problems. You can do it! PM if you need more advice on Columbia College and being pre-med.

 

[Luvahgilahsa]

Hi I'm sorry to hear that, but I was in a similar situation. Although I still haven't applied to med schools yet, will soon in a month, I hope my story can cheer you up.
I went to a pretty crappy high school in Minnesota, and they did not offer AP bio, chem or physics, so I had very very weak science background. I got into Cornell as a Biology major (no idea why I did that cuz I took into to life science in high school where we learned that we're made from cells...). Freshman year sucked so much... First of all, it was freedom, I have pretty controlling parents so i wasn't really allowed to hang out with friends (or have friends?). I went crazy haha... Didn't party though, but I did play a lot. Second of all, most of the people that take Bio1101 and Chem 2070 (intro bio and intro chem) already took AP bio and AP Chem in high school. In cornell, everything is based on a curve. You have to beat 95 or something percent of people in your class to get an A. So coming with a weak science background, I failed horribly my freshman year. I ended up with 3.2GPA after freshman year, which I thought was so bad that I never would go to med school.
BUT THEN, Sophomore year came around. The classes were all new classes, with nothing to do with high school background!! Since everyone were on the same playing field, and it's still based on a curve, I ended up doing pretty well. I got A in Orgo, Genetics, and Physics, plus all the other bio major requirement classes such as Evo. After Sophomore year, I pulled up my GPA to 3.67, and now after Junior year, I think it's somewhere around 3.8.
My advise to you is, don't sweat it. Freshman year grade is not going to kill you. Although I do wish I had done better my freshman year so my grade can be more competitive, but my adviser told me, it is not going to kill me. As long as med schools see that I can do well on harder upper level bio and chem, they'll understand what happened freshman year.
Best of luck to you, and I hope my story helped! Don't worry and work hard!!!

 

[Aerus]

Necro Bump.

 

[LaEsponja]

5 years
registered just to post this

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[Princetongirl48]

I'm a little worried because I didn't do as well as I hoped freshman year and I really hope to get ino medical school.

 

[docelh]

Okay, here's the deal.

Escaping the huge B bell curve for pre-med pre-reqs at these Tier 1 schools is more effort than it's worth. Many times, you will fail with a B+ or something despite Herculean efforts. Source: close friends & family.

Don't think pre-med pre-reqs at state U are a breeze either. If you're getting C's in these classes at Ivies, you lack the discipline and solid study habits to be getting A's in them at state. These classes are a grind everywhere. At state U, there is very little margin for error before leaving the solid A category.

If you manage your time well and have exceptional habits and above average ability, getting A's in the pre-reqs at state U is very do-able. At a Tier 1 school, the outcome is less than certain.