Where does my future lies.

[pstb]

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Please don't judge until you've read all my story.
So, my biggest dream is to make my family proud-that is to become something in medicine. Not only for my family, but for me, my future. For me, I really desire to be a pharmacist. I've done shadowing and have many pharmacist older friends. However, I didn't have a strong background in my science classes, thus when going to college, I did poorly in organic chemistry. I have exhausted my 3 chances in that class at this school. I think my option is to take Organic elsewhere and transfer it in my transcript? My GPA is 2.2,... those organic killed me. I took all the wrong general ed classes and had bad profs, I'm not blaming my "failures" but sometimes, there are profs out there that are just -__-. I have made a D in Physics 1 and did the second time again with a high B. I took Bio 1 in college during my Junior year in High School (at a accredited school, not community), but when I took BIO 2 over the summer, end of my freshman year in college, I didn't do well in BIO 2, prof said I might have forgotten the basics, while I was trying to catch up, the class have further went along... I was just trying to play catch-up. anyways, i will need to retake it if I decide to continue with my pharm life.

What I'm good at is art, graphic design, planning. The past 2 years, it seems like I've been really involved with the community and student orgs. My friends said they see me doing in something like that- PR, non science, but I don't see me in a future with it. Those things just mentioned are just so attached and they sometimes make me lost track of my priorities. Each time I do/help someone/something it's urgent or they seem needy of my help. Like, community events need my help in making a poster, writing articles, etc, I'd do w/o hesitation, I can't say no. With school, I got very disappointed, and my procrastination gotten worst. I feel exhausted trying to reach my goals but at this point, I don't know where my future will take me. Since my advisor said I can't major in Biology, should I major in something else while taking all the pre-reqs for pharm? Or are my GPA too low to go into pharm or anything in med? Have anyone gotten their life stuck like me? I need some advice as I am alone in this path. My family, did I mention, don't know about my life. They have their own, but they are dependent on me. I feel extremely sad not able to fulfill their dream, my dream. I am the 1-st generation to go to college. I speak my native language fluently and is an interpreter/translator for a company. I interpret a lot for my family, even now. It gets stressful at times with family situations and my own. I lost motivations in school, in life. I'm not sure which path(s), if any, to take. My adviser sucks (she almost made me take a class that I already took and told me it did not transfer, the registrar office had to email me to drop that class before I waste my time). And that advisor is on maternity leave and I have a new advisor who don't know much about me. I can major in other potential areas such as Business and International studies (which many of my friends just randomly tells me I'll be good at) but I have this stupid ego and pride of starting "ahead" when I started college with many classes transferred in. Now IF i start "over" w/w those 2 majors, I will have to apply to "the business school" here or "art school" here and take pre-majors courses for those. I guess for me- TIME is the issue. I hate falling behind, being behind my friends that graduated from the same early college high school. If Ire-start w/ a major, I will be behind//
I know this is a lot, but I'm just wondering if anyone can give me some advice. Did anyone did poorly like me but did not give up and kept on going with life and be successful?

I need motivations, I need a lift. I need to know if I have options in order to not give up...on life.

 

[rxlea]

Do not give up on life. There are plenty of people in this world that have had to struggle to get to where they are today. It's not always easy especially when you come from a disadvantage. Whereabouts are you in the states? Depending on where you go to school, there are resources for students experiencing a situation like yours. The problem is that when you go to college, they don't exactly give you a roadmap of how to navigate a complicated, bureaucratic often disjointed system. When I was thinking about college in high school, I didn't even know how to fill out a college application. When I got to college on my first day and walked into my first class (psych 101) with 400 people in the room, I was like what the **** is this?!

Then you have to deal with classes and financial aid and buying textbooks and transportation etc etc. it's very very stressful if you don't have the guidance from someone who has been there. So please know, you are not alone. The advisors at big universities typically see a bunch of different students and they have their little "recommended course sequence" sheet based on what the student says. It's rare that you find the right advisor for you.

What resources are at your school for immigrant or first generation college students? I don't know where you are from but many schools have a multicultural department/center/organization to help students.

 

[owlegrad]

Moving to prepharmacy

 

[futureisnear]

First thing, do NOT give up hope. Believe in yourself. I think that if you correct yourself, get a degree - whatever you choose on, and fully push yourself, you'll be able to do it.

There's a thread I've seen on here about a guy ending up at Auburn. Like he had a 2.4 GPA as a post-bacc!! It was a remarkable thread and he worked so hard for it. You'll have to search for it, I'm too lazy. 🙂

I'm in the sorta category as you were. I changed my major from Biology to English because I had a lot going on at the time. Though I got a D one term before changing my major just because I was upset at myself. I wasn't trying and rarely even came to class. Even in my senior year, I wasn't interested and just got depressed. I didn't go to class, sit in my room, etc etc. I think you get the picture. But I flunked like 3 classes then and then somehow after graduation it all started to hit me in the face. Luckily, that was just 3 classes and like need like 2 of them for pharm school. Physics II with a 4.0 credit hours as an F really brings your GPA down!!

I graduated with a 2.6 GPA. It was just 68 hours with that GPA, so thank-god. (I have like over 80 Credit Hours with some sciences at a community college with like a 3.5 GPA), but I had to get everything together. I just had too because once your dream goes out the window, you know its time to start trying, that's my motivation. Ended up at a small private college where hilarious thing - everybody around me is the same, post-bacc and working on a natural science certificate. We move through courses fast, so talking about like 6 weeks per course.

So what I'm trying to say without my rattling on is, if you have to go as a post-bacc just to bring those C's up to a A or F's up to an A bring it on!! Who cares if your high school friends grad earlier than you. Sometimes things happen like this. Its life and about your major, whatever makes you happy. If you switch your major, you might have a higher overall GPA right? I know when I switched my major I had A's and B's easily without trying.

Sorry for the rattling, I'm exhausted.

 

[RN2RPh]

I think what you need is REALITY. If you already tried your best (???) and you still can't do well in science courses then Pharmacy is simply NOT for you. Pick a major or a career that you don't hate and you can be good at it.

 

[rxlea]

I think what you need is REALITY. If you already tried your best (???) and you still can't do well in science courses then Pharmacy is simply NOT for you. Pick a major or a career that you don't hate and you can be good at it.

Not that simple for first generation college students or international students. There are additional barriers to overcome especially with language. It makes it much, much more difficult.

 

[Lubeckd]

I hate to say this... But pharmacy school courses are a lot tougher than organic... And we cover way more material as well..

 

[AlexSC]

I'm no expert since I'm trying to get into pharmacy myself, however, I do know that if you really want to have a career in anything related to medicine you need to at least make decent grades in your science classes. You don't necessarily need to make all As, but still decent grades. From reading your post it doesn't sound like science is your thing. If you still want to be a pharmacist that badly, it may benefit you to take all of your pharmacy pre reqs over again at a new school if you can

 

[JCzap]

I had a terrible GPA in undergrad, but have done post-bac and graduate school work to bring that up. I've gotten interviews and acceptances with it. But the great improvements is what I'm sure got me noticed. I had a terrible adviser in undergrad, and it is my own determination that allowed me to grow and move forward. If you do not have the motivation to succeed, then it will be a very difficult road for you.

I would hope that your family would be proud regardless of what field you go into and that YOU are truly happy with your path. It is YOU that has to live with these decisions. Also, take the time you need to succeed and don't worry about your friends graduating before you. It took my older brother, the first of my family to go to college, 6 years to get his bachelor degree. He had friends who graduated before him but ended up in jobs that had no need for a degree, whereas he found work in his field. Graduating "on-time" doesn't always translate into success.

 

[kcwang]

Hi pstb,
You need to have more determination in your path. Did you try to use all the resources available to you? Try campus tutoring, even online lectures. There are thousands of youtube videos out there on any ochem topic. Based on what you said about some of your courses, I believe you are not using your resources to the full extend.

You also need to prioritize your academic life first. It is great that you are helping your community, but you should take care of yourself before helping others. When you get a better studying habit, then you can start doing community work again. If you are having family or life problems, you need to take care of those before you can concentrate on school. Take a break from school if you have to, you need to get your life sort out.

To get into pharmacy school, you need to prove that you are academic capable of handling a huge load of information. You can go for an upward trend with GPA combine with stellar pcat score. Together with your community experience, you will have no trouble getting into a pharmacy school.

Lastly, I understand why you dont want to fall behind and waste time, but sometimes you have to take things slowly instead of rushing through them. If you cannot handle the course works, take less classes.

I wish you the best. Good Luck and dont give up on life.

 

[bee2bee]

Reading the OP's Post tugged at my heart strings, and I felt like I had to reply.

I was in the same situation as OP - about 10 years ago - No direction or focus, poor guidance from counselors and professors, family, financial, and personal growth struggles, and of course bad GPA with D's and F's. I tell you one thing that is real - DON'T GIVE UP! I am now a board certified doc (Thank you G-d). It took a lot of work but it all changed for me when I got my priorities together, and realized that only I (and I alone) was in charge of my success and failures. Don't worry about your friends and comparing to others - we each take a different path in life. Be a little selfish and prioritize yourself first. Take your classes seriously and sit in the front. You will be successful if you put your mind to it, and I can tell that your mind is thinking the right way. I ended up doing an informal Post-Bacc program and retook a lot of science classes - starting first with baby steps (taking 1 to 2 classes at a time), then increasing the pace until I had a decent GPA (3.5). Needless to say I did well enough to get into a professional program, graduate, and complete my residency. Bottom line, don't listen to those who give negative advice. Work Hard, Meditate/Pray, and Be True To Thyself. YOU CAN MAKE IT!

 

[pstb]

thank you for your words of wisdom.
..what OP's post?

Reading the OP's Post tugged at my heart strings, and I felt like I had to reply.

I was in the same situation as OP - about 10 years ago - No direction or focus, poor guidance from counselors and professors, family, financial, and personal growth struggles, and of course bad GPA with D's and F's. I tell you one thing that is real - DON'T GIVE UP! I am now a board certified doc (Thank you G-d). It took a lot of work but it all changed for me when I got my priorities together, and realized that only I (and I alone) was in charge of my success and failures. Don't worry about your friends and comparing to others - we each take a different path in life. Be a little selfish and prioritize yourself first. Take your classes seriously and sit in the front. You will be successful if you put your mind to it, and I can tell that your mind is thinking the right way. I ended up doing an informal Post-Bacc program and retook a lot of science classes - starting first with baby steps (taking 1 to 2 classes at a time), then increasing the pace until I had a decent GPA (3.5). Needless to say I did well enough to get into a professional program, graduate, and complete my residency. Bottom line, don't listen to those who give negative advice. Work Hard, Meditate/Pray, and Be True To Thyself. YOU CAN MAKE IT!

 

[mbpuffer]

thank you for your words of wisdom.
..what OP's post?

original poster. the individual that started this thread.