Your first semester of undergrad freshman yr - how did you do?

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AlanG87

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Hey guys,

I love this website and am already addicted as a freshie. My first semester of college is coming to a close and I am somewhat dissapointed in my performance this semester. I know next semester will be better.

I am pledging a fraternity right now (don't have initiation until January), so I know that played a big part of my time this semester.

But here's a rundown of my grades that I am getting. I took 15 credits.

Speech: B
Comp 1: B
Trig : B
Chem : B
Sociology : A

3.2 GPA right now

How did you guys do your first semester of college? Was it hard to adjust to the work expectations?
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AlanG87 said:
How did you guys do your first semester of college? Was it hard to adjust to the work expectations?
Click to expand...

Everyone adjusts differently. Don't worry about what other people did. You didn't do badly, but work on doing better next semester, because a 3.2 is gonna make getting into medical school tough.
 
I was in a similar situation, but pulled a much worse GPA, 2.5 though I ended up graduating with a 3.6 You are by no means dead. Just buckled down the rest of your time and start getting some clinical experience as soon as possible. Good Luck!
 
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it really depends what school you are going to. Getting these grades at a good uni isn't so bad, but if it is not a top 50 public/state school, you're in trouble. The biggest (-) is that B in trig. Doesn't bode well for physics at all.

That being said, my 1st semester was my worst. Over half of the grade points I've lost were in that semester and I am now a 2nd semester senior. It is tough getting used to a new place, with new responsibilities. Not only do classes get tougher, but your independence means more ditched classes, doing laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, and other annoying chores you just aren't used to doing all the time.
 
Do you go to UCF? My brother is currently there. The thing that's really going to hold you back is the stupid ass grade scale UCF uses. They have A/B/C as 4/3/2 GPA etc. Whereas the rest (if not all) Florida schools have A/B+/B as 4/3.5/3 etc. So your GPA, even if you're a single point from an A, would be a 3.0 in that class instead of a 3.5 at other schools. I know my AMCAS factored in the B+s from UF. That would piss me off if it were like UCF.

With that said, I'd try to work really hard with getting As since the GPA there is not as accurate as schools with the A+, A, and A- deals. It shouldn't be too hard if you manage your time well between classes and activity (fraternity in your case).
 
I did fine my first semester freshman year (3.5 GPA). Second semester sophmore year I got a 2.9. We all have bad semesters (okay, maybe not most SDNers) just balance them out with good semesters...
 
AlanG87 said:
Hey guys,

I love this website and am already addicted as a freshie. My first semester of college is coming to a close and I am somewhat dissapointed in my performance this semester. I know next semester will be better.

I am pledging a fraternity right now (don't have initiation until January), so I know that played a big part of my time this semester.

But here's a rundown of my grades that I am getting. I took 15 credits.

Speech: B
Comp 1: B
Trig : B
Chem : B
Sociology : A

3.2 GPA right now

How did you guys do your first semester of college? Was it hard to adjust to the work expectations?
Click to expand...
Don't worry, I got like a 3.19 or something like that first semester. Everyone needs some time to adjust.

Ended up with a 3.55, which isn't fantastic, but obviously it went up quite a bit. Now that you know what college classes are like...step up your game =)
 
you can definitely do better without pledging. my freshman year first semester was actually one of my best, but sophomore year kicked my butt, so remember to always keep your grades in mind because it's realllly easy to fall, lol.
 
morriske said:
I did fine my first semester freshman year (3.5 GPA). Second semester sophmore year I got a 2.9. We all have bad semesters (okay, maybe not most SDNers) just balance them out with good semesters...
Click to expand...

Exactly, everyone can have like 1-2 bad semesters. I actually adjusted to college really well (academically) and got a 4.0 while working 20 hrs a week. (But I lacked any semblance of a social life) But then I had problems Sophomore/Junior year. Pretty much all this means is that you've used up your free pass and need to work your ass off from now on.
 
Fist semester first year... Not too bad.

First semester second year... Horrific.

The point is that nobody seems to remember my first year of university, but they all had something to say about sophomore year though.
 
WilliamsF1 said:
Do you go to UCF? My brother is currently there. The thing that's really going to hold you back is the stupid ass grade scale UCF uses. They have A/B/C as 4/3/2 GPA etc. Whereas the rest (if not all) Florida schools have A/B+/B as 4/3.5/3 etc. So your GPA, even if you're a single point from an A, would be a 3.0 in that class instead of a 3.5 at other schools. I know my AMCAS factored in the B+s from UF. That would piss me off if it were like UCF.

With that said, I'd try to work really hard with getting As since the GPA there is not as accurate as schools with the A+, A, and A- deals. It shouldn't be too hard if you manage your time well between classes and activity (fraternity in your case).
Click to expand...

Yes I am at UCF. I love it here, but you're right about that grading scale. 2 of my 4 B's are 86-88% right now🙁
 
y8507 said:
you can definitely do better without pledging. my freshman year first semester was actually one of my best, but sophomore year kicked my butt, so remember to always keep your grades in mind because it's realllly easy to fall, lol.
Click to expand...

My school has a policy of not letting freshman pledge until their second semester. This is because if your grades are below a certain point average you can't pledge...and also it is supposed to give you time to adjust and prevent freshman from taking up too much social life before academic life.
 
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This post makes me so happy that I took the route I did, because I would have done the same thing. You know what really helped me was a book called, "What Smart Students Know" I came out of high school where you didn't have to do jack didly to get a B. So this book helped me put together a method, and I really do spend less time studying for better grades. If I do it right I always get an A (so far, knock on wood!) Study smarter not harder!

Fortunately I am going to Pima where the grades are there but colleges don't even look at them and only care about the tests I take when I graduate so I can hone my skills and be an A student before I hit Undergrad school!

Good Luck! 😍
 
lol bad semester B+,A-,A-,A,A
 
First semester was my worst, 3.48...uphill from there though.
 
I think I did horrible this semester (First Semester, Freshman)
The fact that I failed to study for most of my classes is really biting me in the ass. Thankfully I didn't screw myself over too much in all my classes...

Chemistry: W
Calculus 2: W (I didn't want a C+)
Biology: Possibly a A, worst case scenario a B.
English: Possibly a B, worst case scenario a C.
 
academic prob for me, nearly got kicked out for being an unmotivated douche bag, but that is how it goes for a lot of CC students. Most schools realize you are going to do bad your freshmen year, but if you do much better since then looks like you've pulled a 180, which looks good.
 
pretty good

but try and get as much A's as possible since the classes are only going to get harder =]
 
If you are serious about attending medical school in the future, I would highly suggest that you stay away from the fraternity scene and focus on improving your grades. As a current brother of a large social fraternity, I can assure you that it will do nothing but interfere with your goals. Fraternities have a way of attracting the "lowest of the low" caliber students and again, if you're serious about going medical school, you have no business hanging around those losers.
 
I had a 3.0 my first quarter at UCLA

Bio: C+
Math: B
English Comp: A-

my AMCAS GPA is now a 3.79 (3.90+ last two years)

Definitely doable..
 
Did well my first semester (3.92). My cum GPA has never been that high since although it's approaching that level now.
 
oh...about a 2.0
Then I got a 3.0 the next semester.


I was really away from home for the first time (without a curfew) and took absolutely full advantage. It's definitely been an uphill climb since then. After that first year I went on a mormon mission and came back pretty focused. My gpa since the mission (at a new, more difficult school) is just over a 3.8, while my cumulative calculated by the school is a 3.65. Unfortunately, because of that crazy AMCAS gpa calculating, all the med schools see me at a 3.59 I think.

tough spot to be, just below the 3.6 mark into mediocrity.
 
at my school, we have fullyr courses for most of the freshmen courses
i took, bio, cal, phy, chem, anthro
i did terrible during the first sem (60s, 70s for tests/exams), but got my act together during 2nd sem and balanced out the grades
thank God they were full yr courses


but like everyone said, dont worry for 1 bad sem, especially freshmen fall semester
 
I did horrible, second semester too...................no worries. It happens to a lot of people.
 
I was lucky enough to keep 4.0 that first semester. It was definitely a transition though. I didn't realize the support/comfort of high school until I didn't have it in college. You'll be fine, but raise the gpa next semester and in subsequent years.
 
No problems first semester, but I'm not so lucky this semester🙁
 
I have a 4.0 going into freshman year at UCLA (cuz i did summer session).

First freshman quarter will end in two weeks, I will update then. 😛
 
First semester went like this:
Art History: W
Finite Math: A
English 101: B
Speech: B
Philosophy: D

Since that semester I've only made 3 B's, and the rest A's (senior now). I didn't take college seriously my first semester and had no real plan for being in college. Once I figured out what I wanted to do, and I "learned how to learn" I did ok.
 
I could have done better, but jumping to subjects like Gen Chem, Bio, and Calculus 2 is a bid idea if you didn't take any AP classes in HS. The transition from high school to college is a rough one...
 
I was fortunate enough to get a 4.0 for both semesters of my freshman year. However, now I doubt that I'll do that well again. I am having a difficult time balancing Organic Chemistry, University Physics, Genetics plus 20+ hours of undergrad research. My worst class this semester is probably orgo, it's just so demanding, I barely have time for my other classes.

I guess we just need to find a balance.
 
My first quarter went really well, because I was still in high school mode (I was one of those kids in HS who had to get perfects on everything, take all the hard classes, and be involved in tons of stuff). Then I realized that college was easier than HS, and I slacked, ditched, and had fun and my grades suffered from then on.

It's way better to go from low to high GPA than from high to low, since ADCOMS love those upward trends. So you've got nothing to worry about. 🙂
 
Sophie said:
My first quarter went really well, because I was still in high school mode (I was one of those kids in HS who had to get perfects on everything, take all the hard classes, and be involved in tons of stuff). Then I realized that college was easier than HS, and I slacked, ditched, and had fun and my grades suffered from then on.

It's way better to go from low to high GPA than from high to low, since ADCOMS love those upward trends. So you've got nothing to worry about. 🙂
Click to expand...

You go to Keck School of Medicine? Can I ask what your profile is like? GPA, MCAT, etc.

OH YA..... TOJANS GONNA KICK ASS ON SATURDAY... although im a bruin (and I may get my ass kicked by my friends for saying so) im a true tojan in disguise, im the guy dressed in blue holding a 1 inch SC flag.
 
BloodySurgeon said:
You go to Keck School of Medicine? Can I ask what your profile is like? GPA, MCAT, etc.

OH YA..... TROJANS GONNA KICK ASS ON SATURDAY... although im a bruin (and I may get my ass kicked by my friends for saying so) im a true tojan in disguise, im the guy dressed in blue holding a 1 inch SC flag.
Click to expand...

:laugh: Fight on!

And sure. GPA 3.65, MCAT 34, 4yrs research, 1 2nd author pub, ran a (small) company for a year, and then all the standard volunteering/shadowing, etc. I wasn't premed in college, so I had to do 1 postbac year to take the science classes. I was out of school for 3 years total in between undergrad and med school.
 
it seems every year was always a A- and maybe an A and then some sort of B so right around 3.7 UNTIL i met physics junior year while studying for mcat and doing 15 hrs research a week and taking kaplan 6+ hrs a week so then it fell apart and : moral of the story most have terrible semesters but i'd rather it happens earlier than not.
 
I got a 2.8 my first semester, I just didn't realize I actually had to work and attend classes in college (I barely went to any classes in HS and didn't really know the meaning of homework and did well enuf to get a full ride to UG so I had no clue really), then second semseter was a bit rough too as I tried to figure out how I should study, since I had never done it before. I rocked out the next three years and got involved in some interesting research and here I am in medschool, so please don't panic about your 3.2, just learn from it and do better next time.
 
took 5 honors courses 1st semester freshman year, got a 4.0, but burnt out and never did even close to that well the subsequent years. take your time, enjoy college, and DON'T get burnt out, or it's just hell.
 
Yeah I didn't do so hot my freshman year either, 2.6. I made some friends and thought I could make good grades by only going on test days 🙄 . But hopefully my 4.0 last semester will override a 2.6 my freshman year. I mean an A in O. Chem should make up for a C in music appreciation right? lol....well I hope at least
 
HristosKaran said:
Yeah I didn't do so hot my freshman year either, 2.6. I made some friends and thought I could make good grades by only going on test days 🙄 . But hopefully my 4.0 last semester will override a 2.6 my freshman year. I mean an A in O. Chem should make up for a C in music appreciation right? lol....well I hope at least
Click to expand...

if you can't appreciate music, you CANNOT go to medical school. you might as well give up now!!!!😛
 
HristosKaran said:
Yeah I didn't do so hot my freshman year either, 2.6. I made some friends and thought I could make good grades by only going on test days 🙄 . But hopefully my 4.0 last semester will override a 2.6 my freshman year. I mean an A in O. Chem should make up for a C in music appreciation right? lol....well I hope at least
Click to expand...

😀 Damn straight!
 
WilliamsF1 said:
Do you go to UCF? My brother is currently there. The thing that's really going to hold you back is the stupid ass grade scale UCF uses. They have A/B/C as 4/3/2 GPA etc. Whereas the rest (if not all) Florida schools have A/B+/B as 4/3.5/3 etc. So your GPA, even if you're a single point from an A, would be a 3.0 in that class instead of a 3.5 at other schools. I know my AMCAS factored in the B+s from UF. That would piss me off if it were like UCF.

With that said, I'd try to work really hard with getting As since the GPA there is not as accurate as schools with the A+, A, and A- deals. It shouldn't be too hard if you manage your time well between classes and activity (fraternity in your case).
Click to expand...

I goto UCF as well; we do have +/- grading as an option. It is up to the decision of the professor to give +/- grades. I know that my microbiology professor gave + grades to those close to the next grade level , but did not give out - grades.

My first year wasn't too bad (back in 1990 at a different school) until I joined a fraternity. I'd recommend skipping the fraternity and find another hobby or group of friends who are interested in academics as you will be judged by your grades and not your socialization skills.
 
I went to HS in a small Texas town that didn't really do the best job of preparing us for college. So I got to a huge undergrad and bombed my first semester. I say that to prove that there are lots of reason for having a bad semester. Turn it around after this and most adcoms will be understanding, I think.
 
Anastasis said:
I went to HS in a small Texas town that didn't really do the best job of preparing us for college. So I got to a huge undergrad and bombed my first semester. I say that to prove that there are lots of reason for having a bad semester. Turn it around after this and most adcoms will be understanding, I think.
Click to expand...

Similar situation, lowest GPA was ~1.8 w/F, freshman was 2.3 w/another F or somzing. I strung about 6 of these semesters together before I got serious.

3.2, there is nothing wrong with that your first semester. Take an (relatively)old man's advice and hammer down for the next three years and you will never, ever, ever, ever regret it (from an academic standpoint anyway).:luck:

Go get 'em,
 
I didn't really study in HS. My school wasn't that great; I managed to graduate with a 3.98 with no work outside of class. I took a lot of classes at the local state school that didn't assign homework (only suggested problems) and aced the tests in those.
I got killed when I rolled into a small liberal arts school with no study skills and the idea that doing problems had no correlation with grades. This theory was particularly flawed because daily work was a big part of the grade for many lower level courses.

Gen Chem: C (HW avg. was 30%. Whoops.)
Philosophy: B+ (Don't transfer into a Philosophy seminar 2 weeks into the semester)
Ancient history: A-
American history: B+ (surprised, since I got A's on all my papers)
GPA= 3.08

When I got my grades it was gut check time. You need to ask yourself: How motivated are you to go to med school? Anyhow, it's possible to turn things around, so just work harder/smarter next semester.
 
Intro to Ecology - A-
Intro to Evolution - A
Intro Psych - B+
Literature and Interpretation - B+
Freshman Seminar Thing - B+

3.45 overall for the first year...but 4.0s ever since then!
 
My first semester as a pre med (hopefully):

Biology : A
Chemistry :A
labs (respectively): B, A
Music Theory: B
Ear Training: A
Band Methods: A
Applied Music: A
Brass Methods: A
Symphonic Winds: A
Concert Ensemble: A

GPA from my freshmen year: 3.290
GPA after this semester (hopefully): 3.49

What I learned is that taking 18 hours, even though I was pretty successful at doing it, is not a good idea. It seemed like all my professors planned to have projects and exams the exact same week(s).
 
I don't remember... at Hopkins the first semester is covered. I think I had a 3.0 though... 😉

The next semester I buckled down and got a 3.85.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, you've got plenty of time.
 
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