upset over grade

[koogles]

I just got a B in a 4-credit summer course and I'm pretty upset over it because I know I did the best I could do, yet I feel like I could be doing better. My concern is that now my gpa is down to a 3.5 and I still have organic chemistry to take, which will inevitably bring my gpa down even further. I've realized that biology/humanities courses without math are my strengths and courses with problem-solving tend to hit me hardest (like orgo, physics).
Does anyone have any advice? Should I talk to the professor (he's not very lenient) about possibly retaking the final? I feel like I'm drowning and it's only undergrad, and I want to nip this in the bud before I realize too late some things I could have done sooner.

Some things I've been doing to try and improve my math-related courses are focusing on solving problems, but I have to admit I've always found courses with reading/memorization a lot easier.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TehDoc]

Get over it. Study harder.

 

[silverhorse84]

Some things I've been doing to try and improve my math-related courses are focusing on solving problems, but I have to admit I've always found courses with reading/memorization a lot easier.

I doubt that a professor will let you retake a final if you got a B; they tend not to see Bs as bad grades.

Also, I found organic to not have any math (other than simple addition/multiplication) - it was a lot of memorization, yes problem-solving, but not the same kind of problems as you find in physics. Just my $0.02

 

[ksmi117]

Get over it. Study harder.

It's just a B. It won't hurt you. If it was a D or F, that would be a different story. Just use it as motivation for your next classes. I seriously doubt your professor will let you retake the final without a very good reason. And being upset is not a really good one. **** happens. Learn from it, and do better next time. A few years down the road, it won't even matter anymore. Just keep your GPA as high as possible, and all will be fine. Besides, almost everyone I know that went to medical school had at least two B's. They even got into some of the best schools.

 

[Live4Life]

Organic chemistry is absolutely zero math nor does it require very much memorization. It is about understanding the concepts behind the mechanisms and applying them to a wide variety of problems, so don't memorize, just learn to apply the set of concepts and you will nail the class.

 

[UVAbme2009]

Orgo is not that bad, seriously. Buy the book now and start reading. You'll know mechanisms in no time.

 

[p30doc]

Organic chemistry is absolutely zero math nor does it require very much memorization. It is about understanding the concepts behind the mechanisms and applying them to a wide variety of problems, so don't memorize, just learn to apply the set of concepts and you will nail the class.

I disagree, it is a ton of memorization along with understanding the concepts behind the mechanisms.

 

[DrYoda]

I disagree, it is a ton of memorization along with understanding the concepts behind the mechanisms.

I think what he's saying is that if you learn the concepts, many of the problems are very similar and don't require brute memorization.

 

[dienekes88]

I had my fair share of B-'s, B's, and B+'s. I gave it a good effort, and I have no regrets. You'll survive. It's in the past.

If you tried your hardest, then there's nothing to complain about it. In the future, you have to figure out a method that is better than your current conception of "working hard." Do you go out more than once a week? If you do, you should think about cutting back. Do you sleep 7 hours per night? If you don't, you might want to figure out what's keeping you up late unless you're the kind of person who can operate on very little sleep. Do you exercise? If you don't, you should.

I suggest running through problems constantly and analyzing why you're getting them wrong. Go through the problems in the back of the book and do all of the odd numbered ones. Check the answers. Check the solution manual (if you have one).

Don't go into orgo with that self-defeating attitude. Depending on where you go to school, it could be critical thinking and logic... it could be rote memorization. Schools (and even professors at the same school) will vary in the way they test the material: multiple choice, mechanism IDs, synthesis problems, etc. If you're lucky, you might have 100% multiple choice. It seems that your ability to memorize would benefit you in that situation.

You can still get into medical school with a 3.5, but you should definitely try to bring that up. I'd try not to take more than 2 difficult courses at a time.

Good luck.

 

[TupacalipseT96]

There's more memorization than math in orgo, don't go into it thinking you're going to do poorly. Make orgo enjoyable and you'll get an A.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I just got a B in a 4-credit summer course and I'm pretty upset over it because I know I did the best I could do, yet I feel like I could be doing better. My concern is that now my gpa is down to a 3.5 and I still have organic chemistry to take, which will inevitably bring my gpa down even further. I've realized that biology/humanities courses without math are my strengths and courses with problem-solving tend to hit me hardest (like orgo, physics).
Does anyone have any advice? Should I talk to the professor (he's not very lenient) about possibly retaking the final? I feel like I'm drowning and it's only undergrad, and I want to nip this in the bud before I realize too late some things I could have done sooner.

Some things I've been doing to try and improve my math-related courses are focusing on solving problems, but I have to admit I've always found courses with reading/memorization a lot easier.

Talk to the professor and see if you can raise the grade. I dont think (s)he will let you retake the final but if you were on the border of a B+ perhaps you could get the bump up.

Some advice:
Relax and enjoy college. Dont stress about things you cannot control. You tried your hardest in this 4 credit class. You didnt make an A, so what, at least you got the B. All you can do is put in a good effort. Some classes will fall into your wheel-house, others will not.

Orgo is not as bad as people make it out to be. It's definitely a change from classes you have taken in the past and requires some adaptation. That said, some people find orgo very easy because the problem solving and mechanism suit them. Regardless, if you put in a solid effort you should do fine.

 

[175961]

Get over it. Study harder.

amen, amen, +1, +1, + an extra study harder

 

[UTAPlaya10]

A "B" never kept someone out of medical school. Well all have this incredible pressure to maintain a ridiculously high GPA but we're human. We make mistakes and sometimes we fall short. It's alright. Medical school admission committees know this and they expect us to know this. I wouldn't fret. Just do the best you can and be the best student you can be and if you show motivation, hard work and dedication towards medicine you will eventually get where you're trying to go.

Don't worry about a measly B. Your performance on your MCAT can overshadow that.