VERY Low Gpa, Need Advice/Help please.

[alp500]

Ok, i know many of you will see this and immediately say to give up, and i am not sure that i can do that yet. First, let me tell you my terrible situation, then my plan to fix the situation as much as possible.

So, i just ended my sophomore year and i have a 2.4 cumulative gpa. How did it get like that? Why would i let that happen? Well there were some problems relating to my family but in the end it was mainly my fault and i have no real excuses. Yes, i'm stupid for letting this happen. It gets worse... but let me explain my stats until this year.

Freshmen year first semester i got a 3.3 which is not even good. But second semester is where it went dooooown... i got a 1.79. C's in every class (including gen chem II and a bio course) THEN... an F in a class not related to science. I decided ok time to pick it up, but no i did not.

Sophomore year first semester i got a 2.7 and then just like second semester freshmen year i got a 1.8 again sophomore year second semester. I got a C in Orgo I and a C in a different Bio course first semester. This is where it gets even worse... the 1.8 second semester sophomore year came from getting a C- in a Bio course(not passing)... and the real real bad part... an F in Orgo II, honestly i thought i was going to get a D+ which is not much better but apparently i did worse on the final than i thought. Anyways i have this 2.4 Gpa now.

Many of you will tell me to just give up which is what i have gotten with some people that i have told my situation too but let me tell you my plan.

So first i plan on retaking every science class that i obtained a C in during the summers and getting A's in all of them. So this summer i am retaking gen chem II which i got a C in, plan on getting an A in that. I plan on retaking both Orgo's and the Bio courses in the upcoming summers, including the summer after graduating as a senior, and getting A's in those. Aside from that i am obviously going to try to get A's these next two years, almost all A's. Now that is very difficult and almost unrealistic but i created a schedule relating to my next year class schedule and plan on staying in the library and studying until night time everyday. I have realized the horrible situation I am in and although it may be too late, i can make the best of it. I may take some of the Bio course redos during the school year my senior year. I also got a C in a statistics class sophomore year first semester, should i retake that class?

As for EC's... i have none. But i plan on volunteering during the winter and am going to search for some research and shadowing opportunities for next summer.

I know Med school in near impossible and this is why i am looking into DO schools because the grade replacement policy. Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. I know post bacc can possibly be very helpful as well. Please let me know your thoughts.

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[EthylMethylMan]

I'm going to be straight with you: you don't have much hope as far as MD schools go. That being said, DO could be a possibility, since they do complete grade replacement as opposed to simply averaging the old and the new (which is how MD schools calculate your GPA). But even at that, if you wanna get into a DO school, you need to keep up your GPA, do solidly on the MCAT, and actually get some EC's. Don't apply this cycle, it really wouldn't work out. Focus on getting good makeup grades and getting some good EC's. Apply to be a TA at school (they might consider you after seeing your makeup grades), volunteer as much as you reasonably can at a hospital, try to find a physician to shadow, just go out of your way in general to find good EC's for your application without going overboard to the point that you risk doing poorly academically. Next cycle, if your MCAT is a 30+, apply DO and hope for the best. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[alp500]

Thank you very much for your advice. I definitely do need to get EC's and will try to find things asap. Also, to you and anyone reading, what do you think about even after summer classes senior year, taking more classes the next fall semester after graduating? Just random Bio courses and getting good grades to boost the GPA as much as possible.

 

[Pacna]

If I were you, I'd start planning for another career. :/ I hate to say it, but your chances are slim. The fact is that people almost NEVER go from a 1.79 GPA to a 4.0 (which you would need to do, and that might not even be enough!).

I'm sorry, man. I hope I'm wrong. Shadow a doc and see what they have to say.

 

[99445]

4.0 isn't as easy as you think.

 

[Ellenti]

I am in the same situation as you are, but worst and Im a senior . 2.5 ugpa 163 hours earned out of 180 attempted, extracurricular activities are great along with work and shadow experience. I was able to speak with a couple of admissions rep at DO schools and they told me to take a look at masters program and retaking courses to better my gpa.

 

[JessebenBenjamin]

4.0 isn't as easy as you think.

This.


You remind me of myself a few years ago.
(I may be harsher on you than I usually am because of this.)


I will not tell you to give up, but I will say that the chances that you will succeed are slim to none.

You have failed time and time again to prove you have what it takes to be a physician. If you have gotten multiple Cs in freshman biology courses, how are you supposed to do well on upper division courses? On med school courses?

You have to realize that nothing short of a complete 180 on how you handle yourself and your courseload will be enough for you to be successful.

Simply getting a few more As and increasing your GPA a little won't cut it.

You have to think long and hard whether you truly believe you want this.

If your answer is a resounding yes.
Prove to yourself you are worthy, and know that from now on a single B+ will indicate that all those people that doubted you might not have been wrong after all.

I was in a similar boat to you a few years ago. I managed to finish my last 2 years of undergrad and my Masters with a 4.0.
Now I'll have to wait and see if all my hard work will finally pay off this coming application cycle.

Best of luck to you.