Tired and frustrated

[bacctobacc]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I need to vent guys.

I'm a non trad student doing a post bacc at a well known university. I am doing an intensive summer chemistry course - 30 weeks of chem in 9 weeks. We cover ~1 month of chemistry per week.

I did well on the first midterm.

Today was the second. I spent the entire 4th of July studying and I comprehended the material. I was ready. I could do the homework problems flawlessly.

I've never been destroyed by an exam in such a fashion before. There were multiple choice and free response questions. Two of the main free response questions were things I didn't even know how to begin to deal with, and we were timed, so I wrote some conversions down for partial credit. The free response really threw me off and I had a hard time regaining focus for the multiple choice section.

The free response took so long that I ran out of time on the multiple choice. I think I got a 60 or lower. I have no idea. I feel so overwhelmed and upset right now - I am doing the best I can do and it feels like it's not enough. I am sleep deprived, studying nonstop, and when I'm not studying I am in the lab doing experiments. 🙁 I've lost 5 pounds in two weeks and I feel ragged, tired and inadequate.

I want to go to medical school so badly. It's my end goal. But it makes me concerned that my best may not be good enough. I guess a silver lining to this is that no one else did very good either - there was a lot of WTF after the exam.

Has anyone here rebounded from something like this? My confidence has been shaken. Advice? Words of wisdom?

 

[beBrave]

I need to vent guys.

I'm a non trad student doing a post bacc at a well known university. I am doing an intensive summer chemistry course - 30 weeks of chem in 9 weeks. We cover ~1 month of chemistry per week.

I did well on the first midterm.

Today was the second. I spent the entire 4th of July studying and I comprehended the material. I was ready. I could do the homework problems flawlessly.

I've never been destroyed by an exam in such a fashion before. There were multiple choice and free response questions. Two of the main free response questions were things I didn't even know how to begin to deal with, and we were timed, so I wrote some conversions down for partial credit. The free response really threw me off and I had a hard time regaining focus for the multiple choice section.

The free response took so long that I ran out of time on the multiple choice. I think I got a 60 or lower. I have no idea. I feel so overwhelmed and upset right now - I am doing the best I can do and it feels like it's not enough. I am sleep deprived, studying nonstop, and when I'm not studying I am in the lab doing experiments. 🙁 I've lost 5 pounds in two weeks and I feel ragged, tired and inadequate.

I want to go to medical school so badly. It's my end goal. But it makes me concerned that my best may not be good enough. I guess a silver lining to this is that no one else did very good either - there was a lot of WTF after the exam.

Has anyone here rebounded from something like this? My confidence has been shaken.

I was doing a similar program; In my class only 8 people out of 28 got a B or better as their final grade (I know because the professor emailed a list of all the final grades by ID number). The majority were C's and D's. The dean of my Grad school program (who is an MD) told me to get nothing less than a A and I dropped it asap (I owe a bunch of money for the class but its well worth not getting a bad grade especially in a required science class). I will be retaking it at a less accelerated pace. Think about it rationally, most people who go to med school don't do it by rushing through the material; if you are at risk of getting less than an A right now and a B is the best you can do, consider Withdrawing and taking the financial hit.

You mentioned "when your best is not good enough" but like you said, most people in the class aren't doing so well either. I can't remember if it was a Resident or an Attending who said this, but it boils down to not looking at someone else's plate. I found myself understanding Chem (and really enjoying it) but having a tough time learning a months worth of information in a week (while someone who I studied with blasted through the material and had already taken upper division classes). Being able to understand why the answer is right is more important than knowing the answer itself. There is a thread by someone who took a semester with all the Pre-req's and then could not understand how people memorized so much information for the MCAT. Your goal should be to understand the material, not simply know it. If you have to slow down, then my advice is to slow down. If you try to rush, you may end up not getting into any medical school period. Don't blame yourself for not being superman and instead think about a practical way to go about completing the requirements without wearing yourself thin, even if it does take more time.

 

[NCOldie]

I agree with beBrave. There isn't much more to add to what he said.
I realize you're a little panicked right now because this experience is so fresh on your mind, but don't stress yourself out so much over this.
I'm currently taking courses that are accelerated. I really enjoy the pace and am able to concentrate BETTER in an accelerated environment. Some people do better in a sprint, others in a marathon environment.
I would suggest having a conversation with your instructor before making the decision to drop the course, if that's the way you want to go. I know I've blown things way out of proportion before. There was a course that I was certain I was going to fail. I made an A. haha
Even if the instructor gives you bad news, you can always ask him/her for some advice on the course for the next time you attempt it.
Take a deep breath and find constructive ways to deal with your anxiety. 🙂 I tend to exercise when I feel anxiety building up in me.

 

[bacctobacc]

I'd rather not drop and do this again later - it sucks to do poorly on a midterm when there's only 3 tests in the class (2 midterms - 22% each) and a final (46%) and 3 quizzes (about 10% of grade). This was the second midterm. My first midterm was a score of a 94% and I am hoping that will offset this grade. I guess I don't know how bad the damage is until Monday.

 

[beBrave]

I'd rather not drop and do this again later - it sucks to do poorly on a midterm when there's only 3 tests in the class (2 midterms - 22% each) and a final (46%) and 3 quizzes (about 10% of grade). This was the second midterm. My first midterm was a score of a 94% and I am hoping that will offset this grade. I guess I don't know how bad the damage is until Monday.

As you have not seen your actual mid-term grade yet, you should wait until Monday and see how you did. Do remember however that bad grades will stay with you forever. Doing poorly in a science class and then retaking the class still doesn't change the fact that you did poorly in the class. MD schools will still count each attempt while DO schools will only count the most recent.

 

[ChE04]

I think before we start talking about dropping a course after one bad test score, it's important to know what the OP's GPA is currently. It's very likely that one B in a prerequisite course will not be the end of the world.

 

[Jewels86]

I was in your situation with physics (algebra-based). I put in so many long hours just to get a 67, 60, 58 and 73. Got an A in lab, 98% I believe but talk about heartbreak...took my GPA down. Got a C (dropped a test grade and curved the final). Not cool.

This is how I'm rebounding: I'm retaking physics. Also, I got an A in both Bio 1 and Genetics. Little victories here. You need a little victory. Please look past the cruddy grade, learn from it. Do you need better cheater sheets to help you study? Note cards to put even the most redundant stuff on just to progress from easy to difficult such as writing the diatomics down, going to soluables to insoluables to what the various compounds, etc . Do you need to go back a chapter to review and get it solid into your mind even though the class is further along?

Personally, I wouldn't drop unless you're heading for a D. I'd retake it in the fall, use what you've already learned and see how far ahead you'll be! Talk with your instructor if you can; some can be unapproachable so I get that. Get a solutions manual for your book, even if you're further along.

Yes, the grade will stay with you; like my cruddy physics. But you may overcome the odds and get an A in the fall and keep going.

Stay on the journey...

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Has anyone here rebounded from something like this? My confidence has been shaken. Advice? Words of wisdom?

As others have said, wait until you get the grade on Monday. It really sucks to get this info before a long weekend, that is for sure.

Above all else, be absolutely certain you are learning the material for the MCAT, this is even more important when taking these courses over the summer.

 

[bacctobacc]

My current GPA is a 3.65.

I'm not afraid of one B. What I am afraid of is anything lower than that, since I cannot continue to more advanced classes unless I get a B or above. I felt like I really stepped in it and it's going to be hard to bounce back from this since we only have a few tests that our grades are based off of.

I felt like I knew the information - that's what kills me. I went in with confidence. I could do basic homework problems, but I started with the free response questions which were a combination 10 different concepts, it totally freaked me out and I lost focus. I eventually gained focus but because the exam was timed it was too late. I do have the solutions manual which is a big help - I do HW problems whenever I have spare time. I read ahead every weekend for the next week. I go to study group. I go to office hours.

I learned two lessons yesterday:

-Start with the multiple choice
-Manage my expectations for these exams

He said most people do poorly on the second one, and that his average is a 50-60. I don't know if I got lower than that, though. He actually has all the tests graded right now but he's not posting them because he's afraid people will melt down and withdraw.

 

[Goro]

If you're not sleeping, you're not learning. You may think cramming helps you, but you actually don't retain any info. You're binging and purging, as it were.

Strongly suggest you cut back on lab time (if that's not an actual job), and definitely contact your school's education specialists or learning center and make use of their resources.

Then go chat with the professor about how best to fit your learning styles to the material as well. You definitely need to develop your test taking skills.

And if worse comes to worse, withdraw. I once took a Physics 1 class over a summer session. I'm not good at math. On day 1, when the professor started talking about vectors, I knew I had to drop the class, and did so!

I need to vent guys.

I'm a non trad student doing a post bacc at a well known university. I am doing an intensive summer chemistry course - 30 weeks of chem in 9 weeks. We cover ~1 month of chemistry per week.

I did well on the first midterm.

Today was the second. I spent the entire 4th of July studying and I comprehended the material. I was ready. I could do the homework problems flawlessly.

I've never been destroyed by an exam in such a fashion before. There were multiple choice and free response questions. Two of the main free response questions were things I didn't even know how to begin to deal with, and we were timed, so I wrote some conversions down for partial credit. The free response really threw me off and I had a hard time regaining focus for the multiple choice section.

The free response took so long that I ran out of time on the multiple choice. I think I got a 60 or lower. I have no idea. I feel so overwhelmed and upset right now - I am doing the best I can do and it feels like it's not enough. I am sleep deprived, studying nonstop, and when I'm not studying I am in the lab doing experiments. 🙁 I've lost 5 pounds in two weeks and I feel ragged, tired and inadequate.

I want to go to medical school so badly. It's my end goal. But it makes me concerned that my best may not be good enough. I guess a silver lining to this is that no one else did very good either - there was a lot of WTF after the exam.

Has anyone here rebounded from something like this? My confidence has been shaken. Advice? Words of wisdom?

 

[Jewels86]

My current GPA is a 3.65.

I'm not afraid of one B. What I am afraid of is anything lower than that, since I cannot continue to more advanced classes unless I get a B or above. I felt like I really stepped in it and it's going to be hard to bounce back from this since we only have a few tests that our grades are based off of.

I felt like I knew the information - that's what kills me. I went in with confidence. I could do basic homework problems, but I started with the free response questions which were a combination 10 different concepts, it totally freaked me out and I lost focus. I eventually gained focus but because the exam was timed it was too late. I do have the solutions manual which is a big help - I do HW problems whenever I have spare time. I read ahead every weekend for the next week. I go to study group. I go to office hours.

He said most people do poorly on the second one, and that his average is a 50-60. I don't know if I got lower than that, though. He actually has all the tests graded right now but he's not posting them because he's afraid people will melt down and withdraw.

I could have written this post a couple months ago with physics. I like what Goro wrote about vectors...I never knew what a vector was and you know what's even worse, I still don't. Great teacher, huh? Sucks.

First, my heart goes out to you. It really does. When I was in nursing school, there were a few that had to take Ativan prior to the exams due to test anxiety. Can you look at the exam with different eyes...like conquering Rome, Greece, hills? Perhaps you can put on that suit of "I'll show you (blank)" and then fill in the blank of whatever that is. Perhaps you can watch a movie about conquering lands. Okay, I know that's silly but at least you'll want to conquer something after that, even if it's the neighbor kid that likes to use your garage as target practice for their golf balls...oops, that's my neighbor 😡

Second, when I've had instructors that state the 50-60 rule (I swear they have egos larger than Texas), I've gotten a B.

Third, you really are doing everything possible. Chemistry is tough, no doubt about it. You'll make it through...

Let us know what your grade is!!

 

[Gfliptastic]

I'd rather not drop and do this again later - it sucks to do poorly on a midterm when there's only 3 tests in the class (2 midterms - 22% each) and a final (46%) and 3 quizzes (about 10% of grade). This was the second midterm. My first midterm was a score of a 94% and I am hoping that will offset this grade. I guess I don't know how bad the damage is until Monday.

Maybe use this as a yardstick to measure yourself upon. Cuz that's basically how med school is set up if you are lucky. A middling exam. A mid-term. Cumulative final.

Not to mention that Board exams are cumulative 2 years worth of stuff.

Get yourself confident! Mentally ready! Go all out! See what happens. Hopefully you succeed and can build on that success. If you don't, well consider yourself mildly fortunate cuz you don't have to go thru the ramped up version of similar scenarios in med school.

 

[bacctobacc]

Update:

My prof just got back to me. He said I was below the average. However, he said the average was much worse than he anticipated, and he anticipated about a 60. Most people got wrecked on this. Our final grade will be curved.

He said that if I can clean up my act this week I will be ok. He also told me I have reason for concern since clearly I didn't do well this week. I don't know my actual grade yet, since he doesn't want to give those out for fear of people bailing on the class.

I just need to get solid on this stuff and not blow it again. I had my pity party yesterday and I'm getting back on the horse today (knocking out all my prelabs and my formal lab report for this week so I can just focus on studying).

Goro - trust me, I would love to spend less time on the labs, but the labs are so dang involved (and they are often on topics that we haven't even studied yet, so we have to do all the legwork of figuring out the math formulas that they require since those are not provided), and we are trying to cram 2 labs into a 4 hour session twice a week and do 5-10 hours of prelab per week, gah. It's just a lot.

 

[edgerock24]

2 things:

1) It's good that you reached out to your professor. He has an understanding of who you are and how important a good grade is to you. Countless times in the past I've seen professors give students higher final grades simply based on effort. Your B may turn into a B+, etc. I'd suggest to stay in contact with the professor throughout the semester.

2) What kind of crazy chemistry course is this that requires 5-10 hours of prelab per week? You said you're covering 30 weeks of chemistry in 9 weeks -- is this a Chem 1 & 2 combined course? If so, that seems like WAY too much stuff to cover in 1 summer session. I really hope this is an 8 credit class because a single chemistry class (even in the summer), although intense, should not be this overwhelming.

 

[bacctobacc]

2 things:

1) It's good that you reached out to your professor. He has an understanding of who you are and how important a good grade is to you. Countless times in the past I've seen professors give students higher final grades simply based on effort. Your B may turn into a B+, etc. I'd suggest to stay in contact with the professor throughout the semester.

2) What kind of crazy chemistry course is this that requires 5-10 hours of prelab per week? You said you're covering 30 weeks of chemistry in 9 weeks -- is this a Chem 1 & 2 combined course? If so, that seems like WAY too much stuff to cover in 1 summer session. I really hope this is an 8 credit class because a single chemistry class (even in the summer), although intense, should not be this overwhelming.

This program is on quarters so its a Chem 1,2,3 course, 30 weeks crushed into 9. It's an entire school year of chem in 9 weeks, 3 weeks per section. It's going to even out to about 8 or 9 credits after conversions from units to quarters to semesters (there's an entire manual about this conversion haha).

The labs are ridiculous. They often (almost always) aren't related to what we are currently doing - they are often very far ahead of the reading. So it takes time to figure out what the heck they're even about since we haven't gotten to that chapter in the book. There's barely enough time in the lab itself (4 hour lab session twice a week) to get all the assigned labs done properly so there's no finishing early.

I knew what I was signing up for in terms of pace but I will not lie. This exam was killer. I just gotta pick it up next week and not let it get into my head. Now, time to see my tutor...

 

[squat]

You know, lots of exams in med school are designed to fail virtually everyone. Grading on a curve becomes a necessity. It is good practice to leave your ego behind while blinking at a big "52" (or whatever) written in red on your exam. Realize that this is a whole nuther game! Remember that (1) your grade on exams does not define who you are and (2) the curve can be a beautiful thing.