What should I do about these classes?

[Artimacia]

This was a bad semester for me (fall semester of sophmore year). I am taking a humanities class, physics 1, chem 2, and calculus. The grades I think I'm going to have is a B+ in humanities, a C or C+ in physics, a C in chem 2, and an A- in calculus.

The problem is with the two C's. I don't know about retaking physics 1 because the professors at my school are terrible and I don't think I'd understand physics anymore if I retake it (the professor i'm taking has had many complaints against, the school told us not to bother that by the time they decided to take action, we'd be long graduated. So he found out and blamed us for it, saying that it's our fault we don't understand physics, etc etc). In chem 2, I understood the material well, but my problem is that I didn't study enough for the exams and got confused on problems on the exam. That's my fault and I should have studied more.

My question is, should I retake chem 2? I have no idea where I would fit it into my schedule, next semester I'm full with intro to creative writing, organic chem 1, cell biology, skeletal keys, and us history. My school has grade forgiveness where we can sign up for it, retake the class, and if we do better we replace our other grade fully (but we only get two chances). My GPA before this semester was a 3.8 (I only got 1 B last year including summer for chem 1.) I just don't know if it's worth retaking or not. Please, don't be harsh on replies, I know it's my fault for my grades.

Thank you for any help.

(Also, I didn't know where to post this type of question)

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[Mobius1985]

You should retake Physics I and Chem II because you need to understand them thoroughly to do well on the MCAT. But you don't need to retake at your current school. Maybe retake at another school over the summer that is closer to home. You've been on SDN long enough to know that "grade forgiveness" by a school, is undone by AMCAS when you apply, and that they will average the two grades together. So it won't matter where you retake the course.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Lots of folks have a bad semester. You are fortunate to have an excellent GPA to buffer it with.

 

[Artimacia]

Thanks so much for the good reply. I don't mind retaking chem 2 because I know I can get an A in it, but I don't think I will do in any better in physics

My school is actually right down the road from me so I can take classes during the summer there, but I may go to another very small college to redo physics because it was just terrible at my school. Problem is, I have to take organic chem 2 during the summer by my research instuctors orders. I could clump chem 2, organic 2, and physics 1 into 1 summer but that would be pretty tough to handle (except for the chem 2, I think I'd be fine on that). What do you think?

 

[Mobius1985]

I think it would be very difficult to do justice to all three classes, really understand the material, and get As.

 

[Artimacia]

Yea, I see your point. Again, chem 2 I do understand, I just didn't study as much as I should have for tests. I feel if I had put in more effort I would have done great, a little too late now but I'm doing great in these last few weeks (again, a little too late).

For physics, maybe I should get a tutor for MCAT studying for physics mainly? I don't know how I would be able to fit it into my schedule unless I take it at a CC during the summer along with organic. There aren't any MCAT classes near my house, and the school refuses to help pre-professional students study for their big tests (like MCAT, LSAT, GRE, etc, but now there's a huge petition going around to change that). What do you think?

 

[mp1106]

This was a bad semester for me (fall semester of sophmore year). I am taking a humanities class, physics 1, chem 2, and calculus. The grades I think I'm going to have is a B+ in humanities, a C or C+ in physics, a C in chem 2, and an A- in calculus.

The problem is with the two C's. I don't know about retaking physics 1 because the professors at my school are terrible and I don't think I'd understand physics anymore if I retake it (the professor i'm taking has had many complaints against, the school told us not to bother that by the time they decided to take action, we'd be long graduated. So he found out and blamed us for it, saying that it's our fault we don't understand physics, etc etc). In chem 2, I understood the material well, but my problem is that I didn't study enough for the exams and got confused on problems on the exam. That's my fault and I should have studied more.

My question is, should I retake chem 2? I have no idea where I would fit it into my schedule, next semester I'm full with intro to creative writing, organic chem 1, cell biology, skeletal keys, and us history. My school has grade forgiveness where we can sign up for it, retake the class, and if we do better we replace our other grade fully (but we only get two chances). My GPA before this semester was a 3.8 (I only got 1 B last year including summer for chem 1.) I just don't know if it's worth retaking or not. Please, don't be harsh on replies, I know it's my fault for my grades.

Thank you for any help.

(Also, I didn't know where to post this type of question)

Ok don't waste your money and time retaking the classes. If you do retake them AMCAS will just average in the two scores. I would say get your self a really good MCAT study books (examkrackers or Kaplan). There are plenty of people with PhD and who have straight A and can't do well on the MCAT. Now to show medical schools that you can handle graduate level course works I would say take advance courses like Biochemistry and Anatomy do well in them. Also, try not to rush to complete the requirements for medical school. It is better if you take less classes and do well in them then to take too many difficult course and get bad grades. Also get your EC's together do lots of clinical volunteering and research that is extremely important I cannot stress that enough. Pace yourself.

Good luck!!!

 

[Artimacia]

Ok don't waste your money and time retaking the classes. If you do retake them AMCAS will just average in the two scores. I would say get your self a really good MCAT study books (examkrackers or Kaplan). There are plenty of people with PhD and who have straight A and can't do well on the MCAT. Now to show medical schools that you can handle graduate level course works I would say take advance courses like Biochemistry and Anatomy do well in them. Also, try not to rush to complete the requirements for medical school. It is better if you take less classes and do well in them then to take too many difficult course and get bad grades. Also get your EC's together do lots of clinical volunteering and research that is extremely important I cannot stress that enough. Pace yourself.

Good luck!!!

Thanks I got a good book, I'm getting note cards, more books, (lost my CD of notecards the first day I got, figures haha), and hopefully my school will soon offer MCAT help, etc... I actually did take Anatomy my freshman year and got an A even after skipping lecture a lot (I love anatomy) and Biology course so far I got A's (I love biology too, not any new news) and I tutor athletes in Biology so I hope my love and skills with biology with help me pass upper level bio courses (along with some chemistry, etc).

 

[Mobius1985]

Yea, I see your point. Again, chem 2 I do understand, I just didn't study as much as I should have for tests. I feel if I had put in more effort I would have done great, a little too late now but I'm doing great in these last few weeks (again, a little too late).

For physics, maybe I should get a tutor for MCAT studying for physics mainly? I don't know how I would be able to fit it into my schedule unless I take it at a CC during the summer along with organic. There aren't any MCAT classes near my house, and the school refuses to help pre-professional students study for their big tests (like MCAT, LSAT, GRE, etc, but now there's a huge petition going around to change that). What do you think?

What about meeting with your research advisor, discussing your situation, and maybe coming up with a new time-line for taking the classes? Perhaps you could get her/his approval to delay Orgo?

A personal tutor is one idea. Also, Kaplan has on-line classes available for MCAT study. Prepping with a good study guide on your own, as suggested above, is another viable option, if you force yourself to stick to a plan.

 

[Artimacia]

Yea. They do have classes online? Like, not just "here are som practice tests, do what you want" but like actual classes? That would be helpful seeing as there aren't any in the area.

I talked to my research guy but he is pushing me to go into it in order to work in the lab. He wants me to get to biochemistry as fast as I can, go figure, but I take it easy on the other classes I take, take a few in the summer, etc.

I probably will hire a tutor for physics. That subject just doesn't mesh well with me

 

[235009]

retaking would be a complete waste of time....don't dwell on it like that, it's still early. It would be a good idea to maybe spend some time reviewing the material from both classes before taking the following class in the sequence (physics II and orgo I) but no reason to waste a whole semester or summer retaking them.

 

[Mobius1985]

They do have classes online? Like, not just "here are som practice tests, do what you want" but like actual classes? That would be helpful seeing as there aren't any in the area.

Here is a link to information about the on-line Kaplan course for MCAT prep. (There are probably others too.)The difference between this and the classroom version, is that no one will make you stick to a schedule, you have to do that yourself (but can set your own pace, and go back to review lesssons you didn't fully understand): http://www.kaptest.com/Pre-Med/MCAT...e-Programs/PM_mcat_mcatonline.html?cid=154093

 

[Artimacia]

Thanks so much guys! You have made me feel so much better about all of this, now I feel more focused to just do the best I can on my finals and to work harder next semester.