Third C... Feeling hopeless

[Sags2riches]

Sorry guys,

I am going to vent. I just got my third C of college, and I am so absolutely pissed off with myself. I decided to take Calc I this Summer. I was holding around an 84% the entire semester, and then I completely just bombed this final, and now I have officially gotten my third C of college.

I had a pretty tough freshman year, so I got C's in both Gen Bio I and Gen Bio II. Transferred a couple times, took a couple courses, got some A's and B's, then intelligent, capable me decided it would be a good idea to catch up and take Calc I, Chem II and Chem II lab and work all at the same time.

But, you want to know what happened, I got this C in Calc I and ended up taking the W in Chem II and Chem II Lab, and while I may have been doing fine in Chem II Lab, I am transferring, so that probably would not have ended up transferring without the lecture credit anyways. So, now I have gouged my GPA to a deplorable number, and I will basically never be able to pursue my dreams of becoming a dentist.

I worked so **** hard to bring my GPA up over this past year. And, all of that work has culminated in yet another C. I am going to be a Junior, folks. I still have not even taken Orgo. I feel like a walking, talking, breathing failure.

For so long, I have wanted to be a dentist. My parents have told me Science is not my strong suit. They tell me I am a good writer, and that I am solid in other aspects. They keep pushing me into getting a law degree or an MBA, citing dentistry is just going corporate (my Dad is a dentist) and that it is not the industry it was in the 90's to early 00's. But, while money is a great bonus, I want to be a dentist, because I genuinely like the profession. I've grown up seeing my Dad at the office, and thinking you know what, this is what I want to do with my life. I don't want to be in a clinical profession. I want to be in this clinical profession. I've shadowed other dentists. My life has literally been built around this. I have no plan B. I don't like law! I have taken law classes. I can't sit there and fricking read case studies for the rest of my life. Hell, GPA is everything to law schools, and I've annihilated it taking these damn Science courses.

And, now I am just lost. My GPA is in shambles. I was ready to go back to my University with a better "I can do this" attitude, and now I am just a distraught mess. I'm not looking for the World's tiniest violin here, guys. I am sorry. We all have our problems navigating this World. I guess I just needed a place to vent.

Thanks SDN

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[Jyggaswoop]

Hey no worries man. Let me read you my first year of grades (taken from aadsas transcript). C, B-, C-, B+, C, W, B-, A-, A, A-. The A's/B+ I got were in all non science classes. My sGPA was a 2.1 after freshman year- I had taken beginner chemistry, Orgo 1 was my W, and beginner bios. (Retaking my C- this year as it is for a pre req). Now it's a 3.49 sGPA. From what I can tell, it seems you stack too much on your plate; and that you maybe are under a time crunch to finish everything before senior year because you want to apply. My friend is going to be a senior and didn't apply this year (he's going to apply next cycle, because his sGPA was a little under 3.3). Basically, you should do what he did; unless you can get your sGPA above 3.3. Also, not taking your orgos isn't a big deal, because you can take it junior year semesters and take the DAT in the summer, and kill that shi also. If possible, giving up work and focusing on school is key.

My advice to you is, follow your dental dreams, because your story with your father is making for a good personal statement/interview talk. The caveat of course being you must work hard and take less on your plate to get your grades up. The sciences aren't hard; it's hard work. That's some thing I always say. the only difficult science that makes you put effort is physics, because you have to apply equations in word problems etc. Everything else is all memorizing and hard work. you don't have to be a genius to memorize everything.

 

[digzthis]

Eric Thomas is the medicine you need. Mental toughness.

 

[super frank]

I've said this so often on here, but I had a 3.0 and a 2.9 sGPA after sophomore year. I worked my ass off my last two years and received interviews at 7/10 schools. The DAT is also a huge part of your application. Work hard to get the best grades you can, then do well on the DAT.

 

[2jz]

I had some pretty mediocre grades throughout my undergrad (2 ws, D+, bunch of Cs and B-s), decided to go the masters route. The key thing here is you still have plenty of time to turn things around and get that upward trend that'll show you're ready for dental school right out of undergrad.

As a side note, consider looking into academic research. It's a plus for your dental school application but also can give you a real in for working in a biotech environment if dental school doesn't pan out. That being said, I really think you can still make it if you just buckle down and work hard, it isn't too late.

 

[Spliced]

Don't focus on the negative, like people have said you still have time to turn things around. in my opinion you need to assess your study habits. perhaps take a slightly smaller course workload, learn to study more efficiently. lastly, don't give up. if you give up now, do you think you really deserve to go to dental school? hope those words resonate with you.

 

[Sags2riches]

Thanks for the support, guys. I feel a little better now. Just gotta keep fighting for it and see what happens.

 

[chinchilladreamz37]

It's not impossible.. be selective with what classes you take together and do your best for the rest of undergrad! I have 4 Cs and one F, but my junior/senior year were 3.6-3.7GPA bringing my overall GPA to ~3.4 So far I have 3 interviews for this cycle. Just wanted to let you know that all is not lost, there is still hope! You can do it!!

 

[Faux]

Not over yet. Just don't be overconfident again and do what you just did this summer.

Those 3 courses, in a summer? This is a marathon, play it as such. Don't worry about graduating "on time". I graduated in 5.5 years, took a gap year where I traveled and now I'm in my third year of dental school, with an F in general chemistry lec and C+ in lab lol.

 

[FanOfCostco]

I've said this so often on here, but I had a 3.0 and a 2.9 sGPA after sophomore year. I worked my ass off my last two years and received interviews at 7/10 schools. The DAT is also a huge part of your application. Work hard to get the best grades you can, then do well on the DAT.

If only the 6ers worked as hard as you... who knows what would happen. They might even be a .300 team!

 

[hajin]

I'm in dental school. You can definitely turn this around, but it's tough love time... If you can't get good grades in undergrad, dental school will destroy you. You need to take a serious look at your study habits. If your grades suck, you're either not studying enough or not studying efficiently enough, or - most likely - BOTH. Study hard, but also don't waste your time doing "preparing to study" type OCD nonsense. Try different techniques and do what is best for you in terms of retention and efficiency. Knowing how to study is a skill you need develop for now and for later on.

 

[NCC1701]

You can still turn it around! Entering dental school with 4 C's on my transcript (gen chem 2, calc 1, calc 1 retake and calc 2) from freshman/sophomore years. You have two more years of undergrad, which is enough time to make up for 3 C's, but NOW is the time you have to make the change. Look into tutoring, other activities to strengthen your application, or possibly taking a 5th year.