Very Bad Freshman Year. HELP!

[aveek]

Hello everyone... I will be very greatful if anyone helps/responds...

I had a very terrible freshman year...I am a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago (doing Bioengineering/Pre-med). Overall, I was a very mediocre student in high school as well when it came to school work, only a good test taker. My high school GPA was 4.0/5W and my ACT was 34.

I REALLY want to become a doctor, but I never really put forth the effort before (high school) or even recently (this past year).

As I looked at my freshman year GPA that was finalized yesterday (2.18 ), I realized that I am in a VERY bad situation. There is absolutely no way I can become a doctor with this GPA and this kind of lackluster performance. I barely did any work this year, so this GPA was expected.

I talked to my sister about this, who is about to enter her residency at one of the nation's top neurology programs.

Looking at that GPA and thinking what I want to do with my life, I realize that I MUST get a 4.0 (I KNOW that I can do this if i put forth the effort) from here on out. I calculated that I can get up to 3.5 by the end of junior year if I get a 4.0 for the next 4 semesters (and a few summer classes).

I looked at stats all over and found that the average GPA for med school matriculants is a pretty standard 3.6. I'll definitely fall below average for GPA at most schools.

However, the average MCAT is around 30. I am a good test taker, and if I STUDY STUDY STUDY I know that I can probably get aroudn a 36-37 on the MCAT. (Yes, i am fully aware of how hard this is, but I swear that from here on out, i will devote my life to academics in every way).

These are my stats:

2.08 - Science GPA (25 hrs completed so far)

2.18 - Overall GPA (33 hrs completed so far)

Please someone just help me out and let me know if showing improvement and raising these current stats to below will help me get into a great medical school. (along with ECs such as research, volunteering, leadership in clubs)

3.4 - Science GPA

3.5 - Overall GPA

36 MCAT

Also, since this is more of a motivation thing, what could I write in my personal statement to justify my freshman year? Obviously I would tell the truth and say that I simply wasn't very motivated at the time and just tried harder from there on, but how would I go about saying that?


Thank you guys in advance.

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[crazy_cavalier]

Whoa there. Slow down. Everything in your post is theoretical... it's all "if" this and "I plan to" that. You're already pulling up a predicted MCAT score? Do you even have any real basis for your expected score of 36, do you even know what that score means?

Also, be honest with yourself... sure a 4.0 for the next four semesters is possible, but you really need to realize that everything's up in the air right now and who knows what might happen in the future. You have to plan this thing out one step at a time, you're currently looking at your junior year already. First focus on just your next semester. One semester at a time bro, and just try your best, dont stress yourself out.

 

[aveek]

I am more than aware that this is a very tough score to get, but as I said, I have gotten a 34 ACT in the past and a 2290 on the SATs. I am a fairly good test taker. I am also aware that the MCAT is a completely different test in every darn way, but I believe if I study hard enough I can get a great score.

What I want to know is what you guys think I will have to do in order to get into a good medical school, other than keep a 4.0 until I apply (again, I know this is hard, but if I apply myself there is no reason I shouldn't).

Do you guy suggest I apply post bacc so that my GPA can potentially get to around 3.7?

What other ECs besides Volunteering, Research, and Leadership in clubs should I do?

If i get a 4.0 from hear on out, will ADCOMS really like the improvement? How would I go about explaining to them my freshman year?

 

[ADeadLois]

I am more than aware that this is a very tough score to get, but as I said, I have gotten a 34 ACT in the past and a 2290 on the SATs. I am a fairly good test taker. I am also aware that the MCAT is a completely different test in every darn way, but I believe if I study hard enough I can get a great score.

What I want to know is what you guys think I will have to do in order to get into a good medical school, other than keep a 4.0 until I apply (again, I know this is hard, but if I apply myself there is no reason I shouldn't).

Do you guy suggest I apply post bacc so that my GPA can potentially get to around 3.7?

What other ECs besides Volunteering, Research, and Leadership in clubs should I do?

If i get a 4.0 from hear on out, will ADCOMS really like the improvement? How would I go about explaining to them my freshman year?

First, your ACT/SAT scores are irrelevant. The MCAT is unlike any other test you will ever take. Being a good test-taker is great, but you need to be a good MCAT test taker to do well, which is a whole different ballgame. It's important to be realistic and honest with yourself throughout this process. A 36 is of course possible but just realize that it's an incredible difficult score to get.

The best advice I can give at this point is to do the best you can. It's too early in the game to start thinking in the terms you are.

 

[SupernovaNights]

Aveek, if you can use this as a motivating factor, try your hardest. I know a lot of people though who come from similar backgrounds, and say that they will indeed get a 4.0 every quarter, but fall into the same traps time and time again. I strongly suggest that you spend the summer doing a few things...

First of all, get a little bit of introspection. Try to figure out exactly why you were making those low grades... were you busy playing games? Hanging out with friends? If that has to end, then you already know what you have to do.

Secondly, are you feeling stressed or lack focus? I know many on this board may not agree with me on this, but ADHD can certainly be a possibility with people who are otherwise very smart, yet lack focus and concentration. That would lead to you seeing a doctor. Funny how life works.

Third... You need to start on your campus involvement now. I bet you also are not involved in any clubs, huh? Don't kid yourself, this won't be easy.. but it will be worth it.

Fourth... One semester at a time. Devote 2 hours out of class for every hour you are in class, at LEAST. That means if you are taking 12 hours of class per week, you are studying for 24 per week. Schedule it in if you must, even if it means missing your favorite shows or big events.

Fifth... Seek a counselor at your school, they are usually free, and they can be enormously helpful.

Sixth... Get to know your teachers, VISIT them during their office hours, even if its just to talk. Developing a working relationship doesn't only help you pick up your grades, it increases the chance that they will be understanding of your situation and bump your grades up a bit.

Seventh... I know I said one semester at a time, but you may want to consider retaking your lowest classes and planning for a masters degree, even if its just a fall back to becoming a doctor.

Oh, and lastly, your ACT score counts for nothing now. I had a 34 as well.. its not impressive anymore. College is a blank slate, and you really need to pick up the ball. That being said, all is NOT lost.

 

[nichtmeinbier]

Ok...here it is straight. There are a number of premeds that will have 3.8 GPA's from their freshman years. You have a 2 -point-whatever. Chances are, if you can't even pull a 3.0 your freshman year, you probably can't pull a 4.0 for the next four semesters. I don't know you, simply being realistic. Now...here's what you can do. Be honest. You screwed up your freshman year. If you do well the next couple of years and get an interview, just tell them you realized how poorly you performed freshman year. Do well from here on out and try to get a 3.5 or better each semester. Steady improvement is good. I had a 3.6 QPA after my first three semesters and did so badly this semester that I'm down to a 3.4. So chill out...work hard...stop wasting time saying what you plan to do...and start doing it. 😎

 

[Delicate Genius]

Obtaining a 4.0 over the next 2 years in bioengineering will be very difficult. But, if you could end up with a 3.5/36 while majoring in bioengineering, then you will have a great shot at just about any school.

With that said, if you indeed rock your MCAT (I wish I was as confident as you are) then you will still have a shot with a sub 3.5 GPA.

Good Luck.

 

[On3H34rT]

However, the average MCAT is around 30. I am a good test taker, and if I STUDY STUDY STUDY I know that I can probably get aroudn a 36-37 on the MCAT. (Yes, i am fully aware of how hard this is, but I swear that from here on out, i will devote my life to academics in every way).

You are going to get flamed for this if you already haven't (I haven't read any of the other posts). I can't say I blame them. That is a bold statement.. that goes beyond confidence almost to the point of arrogance. There is a fine line. Although my ACT wasn't nearly as high, it was still in the top 5% and I can't imagine that I will do that well on the MCAT. There is no correlation.

 

[SupernovaNights]

Give him a break, guys, he's backed into a corner. Arrogance will come out in those kinds of situations, and I can't really fault him for it. He's got a lot to face over the next few years, and I hope he takes constructive advice well, and doesnt end up like the umpteen thousand other students that act the same way and fail.

 

[Meatwad]

Step 1, you need to chill the **** out dude. You are talking about a post-bacc? Lol, you need to worry about getting the "bacc," part done first. Focus on next semester, not the next 6 semesters. Maybe you should hold off on volunteering and shadowing and stuff for next semester so you can concentrate fully on your grades. I was really lazy and didn't do anything (i.e. no volunteering, hell, I didn't even have a job) and I got a 4.0 without really working hard at all. Try that for one semester. I'm sure you'll do really well, which will give you some deserved confidence in yourself. Then, the following semester you can tack on some EC's, at which time you will know how to manage your time better.

It's not impossible to get a 4.0 in engineering, but it's very unlikely. Same goes for that MCAT score you listed. It's good to have goals, but don't try and plan things like that out; just focus on the here and now, and do your best. If you want it bad enough, you will get into med school.

 

[da8s0859q]

Whoa there, relax. You've got ~90+ hours to use to adjust that GPA more to your liking, and as I've seen based on my own playing with numbers to check out the situation that a friend is in (similar low hour count, similar issues with the grade), you've got a lot of potential there.

Yes, it might be a little added pressure. No, you probably won't be walking into your interviews with a 3.95. But if the way you come off in your posts is any indication, you'll be just fine.

Just consider your own grade/MCAT projections - and then realize that many a student has gotten in with far worse stats.

I also highly suggest not devoting your life to academics as a freshman in college, because that - imo - is a BAD F*CKING IDEA™.

You seem like a bright individual, so I'm sure you can figure out what you need to do to swing those As and still be relatively happy / have something resembling a life in college. The path to medical school ought not to be just about numbers.

 

[sillydoc2230]

All is not lost. I had an almost similar situation my freshman year in an engineering program. The adjustment to college was rough, but sophomore year I buckled down and focused almost entirely on schoolwork. This was not a fun year but it brought my GPA up a lot. You are panicking about something that is way far into the future. If you really plan on doing this, my suggestion is to study hard this coming year and take time to learn how to balance your time. Your application will not just be GPA and MCAT scores. If it just doesn't work out with your grades, you still need great EC's to fall back on because you can always do a postbacc to raise your grades or apply DO. You have options! Just relax and make a realistic plan.

 

[sillydoc2230]

P.S. why are you even thinking about justifying this in a PS right now? Cool it. You have quite a while until you get there buddy. It will all fall into place eventually guaranteed.

 

[riverwoman1040]

How set are you on Bioengineering? If you are so sure you want to go to medical school, the extra work of an engineering major isn't necessary. You will most likely have an easier time getting your gpa up (and finding time to study for the MCAT) if you choose another major. Find something you really enjoy AND can do well in. and seriously, calm down, and enjoy college. The world isn't going to end if you get a 3.98 instead of a 4.0 for the rest of college.

 

[LUCPM]

Relax people, he/she's a freshman who needs some advice and encouragement.

Back to OP, nothing is impossible but you have to make it happen.

A few thoughts:

1. Have you considered switching your major? I heard engineering is one of those difficult majors to get good grades in.

2. Take things slow, one semester at a time. Try not to overload yourself with heavy class schedule for the next couple of semesters until you develop a good study habit and stamina.

3. You may also consider doing some regular exercise to build up your stamina. Good health is the most important thing. You're in for a marathon, not for a sprint.

4. You already know you hardly did any school work. That's good. College work takes a lot more time and effort, which may not have anything to do with your intelligence. However, being "smart" is always a plus and I'm sure a smart individual like yourself can pull this off easily provided that you put in enough efforts.

5. Stay away from any distractions. If you can't study in your room because of TV/internet/etc, try to stay away from your room and go to library or somewhere else. The first step is to form a good study habit.

At any rate, don't kill yourself in college. It's probably one of the best times in your life. Enjoy but work hard. Good luck

 

[IWant2BeADoctor]

Study until you sweat blood. If you turn things around with 4 semesters of 4.0's or as I like to call them 44's the Adcom's are going to see that. Not to mention a 3.5 brings you to about average for Med school matriculants.

Nail the MCAT and chances are you'll be getting plenty of Med school love.

 

[Medikit]

I started with a 2.1 GPA and ended with the stats you described and I got into medical school. But it wasn't easy. I couldn't just turn around and start nailing down A's. I had a bad work ethic and I didn't know how to study properly. I stopped hanging out with my friends, stopped video games entirely, and I stopped watching television or going to movies. I started calling school the regular season and finals as "The Finals". My goal was to do as well as I could during the school year so that when I got to the finals I wouldn't have to ace them to get an A for the course.

Eventually I started to become a better student and the A's started coming in, and when it came time to take the MCAT I was well prepared. I spent an extra semester to give my grades the lift I needed and made a lot of new friends along the way.

Here's the thing though, you have to work even harder in medical school and even harder doing residency. It doesn't let up at any point. So you need to start training that work ethic now. I'm not saying you need to wake up tomorrow at 6 AM and start preparing ahead of time for next semester. But it would be a good idea if you got involved in something this summer that will help you begin to whittle away at your laziness.

 

[Squizzy]

Everybody's different but don't prepare way too much during the summer, lest you burnout before the exams. It *really* is a marathon and you've got to pace yourself. Remain focussed and you'll do just fine.

 

[JohnnyQ]

I like your optimism, but I must admit that there are other students at your school, who probably had a 3.7 GPA or above freshman year. It is going to be pretty tough, if not impossible, to catch up to them.

A 36 or 37 MCAT is pretty hard to get. I am sure that the students with a 3.7 GPA and above struggle to get a 32 MCAT. The chances of you ,with a subpar 3.0, getting a 36 MCAT is absurd.

With that being said, I would start working hard and taking lots of practice MCATs. Best of Luck to you!

 

[njbmd]

Hello everyone... I will be very greatful if anyone helps/responds...

I had a very terrible freshman year...I am a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago (doing Bioengineering/Pre-med). I REALLY want to become a doctor, but I never really put forth the effort before (high school) or even recently (this past year).

As I looked at my freshman year GPA that was finalized yesterday (2.18 ), I realized that I am in a VERY bad situation. There is absolutely no way I can become a doctor with this GPA and this kind of lackluster performance. I barely did any work this year, so this GPA was expected.


Looking at that GPA and thinking ummer classes).

I looked at stats all over and found that the average GPA for med school matriculants is a pretty standard 3.6. I'll definitely fall below average for GPA at most schools.

that from here on out, i will devote my life to academics in every

These are my stats:

2.08 - Science GPA (25 hrs completed so far)

2.18 - Overall GPA (33 hrs completed so far)



Thank you guys in advance.

You just finished freshman year so you have more undergraduate work in front of you than behind you. A couple of things stand out. First, you need to figure out why you did so poorly. Saying that you are not motivated is not very helpful. You say you want to become a physician yet you are not motivated. This doesn't add up and rather than wasting your time and money on summer classes, you probably should take the summer and really think about what you want to do with your life.

Second, you can stop fixating on a particular MCAT score or GPA. You don't have those and at this point, the only thing that you want to "fix" on is your GPA. (It's kind of like a trauma patient bleeding out from an amputated leg who is fixated on a hangnail.) If you get to the end sophomore year and you are pulling a 4.0, then you can start thinking about how you are going to prepare for the MCAT. At this point, you need to figure out how you are going to get through sophomore year with no grade in any subject less than B+. You may need to major in something else as a beginning.

As harsh as this seems, you DO need to take one step at a time. Your freshman year is not a death blow but your thinking isn't on what you need to do to get your grades up at this point. You are worrying about what medical school you can get into and what MCAT score you can get. It's way too early for you to even consider these things. You have some major "damage control" to do and most of it (if what you say is true) is in your head. No matter what you did in high school, you are not doing well in college. Take some time and figure out how to do well.

Take the summer, do something not related to academics and get your head together. Come back next fall, rested and renewed and ready to hit your sophomore year courses with some "self-motivation". See how you do. If things are working at that point, keep working hard. If not, figure out what you need to do and make more corrections. Answer this question for yourself and paste the answer on your bathroom mirror so that you can see it every morning. "If I knew that I wanted to become a physican, why did I perform poorly (lackluster) my entire freshman year and what am I going to do today correct this?"

Good grades don't just "happen", they are earned with hard work and dedication. If you are finding that your head is just not into the difficult task ahead, then figure out another profession. All of the things that you state that you NEED to do are very, very difficult even under the best of circumstances. Without motivation, they are nearly impossible. Get busy, get motivated and get your grades up. Then think about the MCAT and what medical schools you will apply to, otherwise, medicine will be out of your reach.

 

[Mandarin142]

Hey!

I started in a community college after high school and finished my first semester with a 1.5GPA or something completely ridiculous. I had no clue what I wanted to do or why I was even taking college courses. I was a great student in HS but I just had no direction at age 17/18.

Thankfully, my parents knew it was a phase and forced me to get with the program and eventually apply to a 4-year school (NC State University) and after my second semester there I had about a 3.2GPA. Then, my career choice smacked me in the face... I wanted to be a doctor!.... I'm thinking, "great now look at what I've done... my GPA is a wreck and I have no resume at all. And I'm about to be a Junior!!!"

Well my major was/is Psychology and I never took chemistry, physics, or calculus in high school so these pre-med courses were going to be a bear since I had zero background in sciences at all... did I mention I needed straight A's from here on out?

Here I am three semesters later. I have taken 20 hours each semester and gotten an A+ in every single course (Organic I, Bio 1, Bio 2, General Chem, Genetics, the whole nine yards....) So I have added 60 hours of A+'s to my 3.2 GPA with hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, thats only going to bring me up to a 3.67 as I am about to graduate, which is not truly indicative of my abilities/recent performance. But it's still a great GPA.

You have to realize that you CAN do it. If you become disciplined and dedicated to your goal, you can pull up a trash GPA and really build and exceptional resume. Get to know your professors and get involved with teaching/research projects and you will shine.

Good Luck!